Greenwich Election 2021 Profile: Stephen Selbst For BET

GREENWICH, CT —Election Day on Nov. 2 is fast approaching, and there are a number of key races on the ballot in Greenwich.

Patch reached out to candidates for local office to get more information on their campaigns and the issues that are facing the town.

Democrat Stephen Selbst, 66, is running for Board of Estimate and Taxation in Greenwich.

Occupation: Attorney

Family: Wife, Kristine Stahly; Daughter, Elizabeth Selbst, Durham, N.C.; Son, Jeremy Selbst, New York, N.Y.; Son, Michael Selbst, Old Greenwich, Conn.

Experience: None

Family in government: My daughter Elizabeth is an economist at the Environmental Protection Agency

The single biggest issue in town is ______, and I plan to do this about it:

The existing capital budget for our schools extends to 2060 despite the fact that some schools have urgent needs for repair. We need to accelerate capital spending on our schools while maintaining the fiscal discipline to keep tax increases low.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

The Democratic candidates are running for control of the BET to advocate for the community values that are widely shared. Shortfalls in the current management of Greenwich are compromising progress towards these shared values. The Republican BET has repeatedly refused to fund or has delayed projects to protect and preserve our schools and among others.

Accomplishments:

I have led not-for-profits and have had direct responsibility for devising and implementing budgets. Professionally I have had extensive experience in financial restructuring and I know how to drive consensus in making tough budgetary choices.

Other issues:

Greenwich needs to develop a concrete plan to address rising sea levels. Greenwich has 32 miles of shoreline and thousands of residents exposed to flood risk. Comparable cities with much smaller budgets than Greenwich have devised such plans. This needs to be an urgent priority.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

I am the past co-president of the Old Greenwich Riverside Community Center and past co-president of the Board for Student Publications at the University of Michigan. I hold a BA in economics and a JD from the University of Michigan.