Fairfield Democrat Officials Must Answer for Chief Operating Officer's $170,000 Vehicle Purchase

Fairfield, CT – September 10, 2025 – The Fairfield Republican Town Committee (RTC) is demanding answers from Democratic leaders on the Board of Finance (BOF) and Representative Town Meeting (RTM), who for 18 months have rubber-stamped the Gerber/Vitale administration’s decisions without scrutiny. That blind support has now enabled one of the most egregious abuses of taxpayer dollars: Chief Operating Officer David Becker’s misuse of $170,000 from the Town’s Internal Service fund to purchase a command vehicle for himself as Emergency Management Director, violating multiple financial controls, town policies, and undermining public trust in the stewardship of taxpayer funds.

The audit found that Becker misrepresented facts and bypassed financial protocols to push through the purchase, which cost more than double the police chief’s car and far exceeded the cost of comparable emergency management vehicles in towns like Westport and Greenwich. What should have been a routine patrol car replacement was instead diverted for Becker’s personal use, outfitted with costly equipment, and converted into the most expensive “command car” in Fairfield, leaving the police department short a vehicle.

The $170,000 price tag was uncovered only after months of questioning by Republican Board of Finance member Jim Walsh, forcing the administration to conduct an audit. During that time, RTC Freedom of Information requests were stonewalled, and public inquiries were ignored, while Democrats on the BOF and RTM looked the other way.

“This is not a partisan issue, it’s about ethics, accountability, and respect for taxpayer’s funds,” said RTC Chairwoman Laura Devlin. “First Selectman Vitale cannot excuse this away. Under Fairfield’s current government, fiscal responsibility and ethical standards have become optional. BOF and RTM Democrats blindly accepted the administration’s and Mr. Becker’s financial and operational recommendations. That raises a serious question: what else don’t we know about our finances, especially given the improper use of our internal service fund?”

The Internal Service Fund exists to cover employee health insurance, workers’ compensation, and risk management claims, not to purchase Police or Fire vehicles. In fact, never in the Town’s history has this critical fund been used for such a purpose.

As a result, the RTC is also calling for stronger internal controls, including an immediate audit of the internal service fund during Becker’s tenure as Interim CFO, to ensure taxpayers are fully protected going forward.

Fairfield Republicans repeatedly warned that Becker’s appointment as Interim CFO was reckless and improper. He lacked the CPA designation or financial experience to oversee a $400+ million municipal budget. “Becker was never qualified for the role he was given, and this audit exposes exactly what we feared, gross negligence and a complete breakdown of oversight under the Gerber/Vitale administration,” said Devlin, concluding, “Becker’s misconduct is clear, but Democrats’ complicity is just as troubling. It’s time they are held accountable too.”

To watch the Board of Finance Audit Committee meeting discussion, click here.