One Party Rule is Failing Fairfield

FAIRFIELD, CT | On Monday, May 5th, the Democrat-controlled Representative Town Meeting (RTM) approved the Gerber administration’s FY25 Town Budget over the unanimous objections of the Republican Caucus. The Caucus united in voting against a poorly conceived and fiscally irresponsible budget.

While the budget contains a few worthwhile elements, the final product favors bureaucracy, unsustainable spending, and political convenience over sound fiscal policy and transparent governance.

Key concerns with the budget include:

• Surging administrative costs, particularly within the First Selectman’s office
• Budgeting premature revenue, such as speed camera fines, before ordinance approval and without a timeline for installation
• Failure to provide meaningful tax relief to Fairfield’s families and seniors

The budget also includes a new department and major departmental reorganizations, such as the consolidation of Parks & Recreation and Health & Human Services, without presenting clear plans, job descriptions, or updated organizational charts.

The budget relies on $1 million in anticipated revenue from speed cameras, despite first finalizing the ordinance or providing a firm timeline for their installation. This is a continued troubling pattern where First Selectman Gerber, RTM Majority Leader Liz Zezima (D-4), and the Democrat majority are budgeting based on assumptions and political leverage rather than facts and process.

A similar issue arose with the hasty dissolution of the Parking Authority, whose funds were redirected to cover budget gaps.

Throughout the budget process, Republican RTM members worked diligently to:

• Protect essential education funding
• Safeguard fiscal transparency, especially around restricted and dedicated funds
• Support public safety by fully funding police staffing
• Control excessive bureaucracy through targeted cuts in Town Hall spending

Despite those efforts, the final budget includes a 2.12% tax increase and more than $10 million in financial shell games, including the depletion of reserves, the redirection of fill pile cleanup funds, and increased borrowing. All of these things threaten Fairfield’s long-term financial health and burden future taxpayers.

Fairfield Republicans will continue advocating for honest, transparent, and responsible leadership. We thank our Republican RTM members under the leadership of Minority Leader Jeff Steele (R-3) for their integrity and principled stand on behalf of the residents they serve.