Hartford sold the 2026 budget adjustment as “affordability.” What they passed was an $814 million raid on the volatility cap—money that was supposed to pay down debt. Greenwich and Stamford taxpayers alone covered $236 million of that payout. Every Democrat, including Meskers and Arzeno, voted yes; Fazio and Courpas voted no.

The same package put still more surplus outside the spending cap — childcare, extra school and municipal aid, Medicaid patches—and carved the Federal Cuts Response Fund out of the rainy-day reserve. The Senate vote was 30–6; the House 127–21. Every Democrat voted yes. Some Republicans joined them. Senator Ryan Fazio and Representative Tina Courpas did not. Courpas spoke out in opposition to the adjustment, standing for the fiscal moderation she promised. Fazio offered a Republican alternative that would have kept the cap intact, and voted no on the bill that blows through it.

Hartford Spends and Greenwich Pays

Greenwich does not live on state aid. Property taxes run this town. Intergovernmental revenue is a sliver of the budget. When Hartford raids the volatility cap, the cost is passed to the same residents who already send the largest income-tax dollars to the Capitol and get almost nothing back in ECS-style aid.

Representatives Steve Meskers and Hector Arzeno voted with the Democratic majority. Their “seats at the table” provide no leverage — they only strengthen the Supermajority.

Fazio and Courpas drew a line that was completely ignored by the Supermajority. Having Arzeno and Meskers at the table produces none of the promised leverage for Greenwich. It produces a tax bill—and this one was $814 million, with $236 million of it from Greenwich and Stamford alone.

Greenwich is worth fighting for. Break the Supermajority. Support Republican candidates.