Letter to the editor submitted on Oct 18, 2017 by Carol DeSalvo
Letter to the Editor:
In endorsing Jason Auerbach to the Board of Education, the Republican Town Committee has supported a man who is less than completely candid.
Mr. Auerbach says…
- … that charter change will give the voter choice. In fact, it will give Republicans 100% control over BOE decision-making, disrupting the current system, which encourages bipartisan collaboration. If implemented, this charter change will prevent 60% of the population who are either unaffiliated voters or Democrats from having anything to say at all at the Board table. Charter change gives voter choice ONLY to 35% of our population, which is Republican – and that’s why only Republicans support it. This is not voter choice for everyone.
- …that his disruption of fellow Republican Peter Bernstein’s petition drive over the summer is “democracy in action.” In fact, his behavior, in which he enlisted his own children, was an attempt to intimidate, harass, and threaten Peter Bernstein’s supporters. That type of behavior is a fire-able offense in most corporations and has no role in Greenwich elections.
- …that he supports all children and all schools. His true commitment is more self-serving. He argues that all schools should receive an equal share of the school budget. If implemented, Riverside, the school where his children attend, would receive more while New Lebanon, Julian Curtiss, Hamilton Avenue and, Western Middle School would receive less. This will irreparably harm other people’s kids and some of our most vulnerable students.
- … that he supports new playing fields for children in western Greenwich. As an RTM member, however, he voted for significant reductions to the Board of Education budget which included those fields.
- …that he supports both smaller class size and reduced school spending. He cannot have this both ways. Smaller class sizes involve hiring more people and are more expensive, not less. His true agenda is budget cutting, not improving schools.
- …that he has coached thousands of Greenwich children as evidence of his connection to the Greenwich community. In fact, he has lived in town only five years and has been involved in town politics for only three. His campaign indicates that he understands very little about the community in which I have lived my entire life.
As a former member of the Republican Town Committee, and, for 25 years, a confidential assistant to the Superintendent of Schools and the Board of Education, I encourage voters to do their homework and support Peter Bernstein for the Board of Education on November 7.
Carol DeSalvo
Editor’s Note: The deadline for letters to the editor for candidates in the Nov 7 election was Oct 31, 2017