Greenwich Election 2023 Profile: David Weisbrod For BET

GREENWICH, CT — Election Day on Nov. 7 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.

Name

David Weisbrod

How old will you be as of Election Day?

76

What city or town do you live in?

Greenwich

What office are you seeking?

Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET)

Please give us your party affiliation.

Democratic

Education.

Cornell University (BA); New York University (MBA)

What is your occupation?

Retired Banker

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

My wife, Margaret is an artist and architect; I have three grown children who have all attended Greenwich Public Schools and two grandchildren who are now enrolled in Greenwich Public School

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

I have served three terms on the BET and previously served as Chair of the Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

We need to restore the traditional Greenwich spirit of teamwork and clarity of thought. This starts with active listening to what the community is telling us. We can no longer defer sensible investment in our Town; ad hoc, penny-wise responses have taken the place of responsible planning. The BET has become dysfunctional; collaboration is absent; there is a dearth of leadership; the majority has resorted to dozens of tie-breaking votes to forestall essential investment in our schools, replacement of old fire safety equipment and curtailment of other essential needs.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Lack of funding for essential Town infrastructure. I will vote to support critical capital projects, including funding for Central Middle School and Old Greenwich School. I will provide leadership to help reinstate financial planning for capital projects. The Capital Improvement Program Project Committee must be revived with active engagement from the both the First Selectman and Superintendent of Schools. Community input should be solicited, debate encouraged.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Democrats are committed to managing our Town’s finances in a professional, transparent and non-partisan way. We are committed to excellent schools and have voted accordingly, whereas our opponents have voted repeatedly against the Board of Education appropriation requests for Old Greenwich School and Central Middle School.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

See above

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

It is very important to keep the mill rate low and to limit borrowing. At the same time, it has been a mistake to restrict debt maturities to five years. Had we borrowed for twenty years when interest rates were at record lows we would have saved millions of dollars via lower interest expense. Every other AAA community in the state utilizes such financing without impairing their credit rating. Underinvesting in our town's infrastructure over the longer term will cause the mill rate to increase much more steeply. Trading off low mill rates in the short run for significantly higher rates later on will raise the risk profile for our community – especially if infrastructure fails and potentially hurts our children or teachers.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Decades of service at JPMorgan. I retired as Vice Chairman for Risk Management and then served as CEO of a major financial derivatives clearinghouse. My accomplishments as a leader of these institutions during challenging times will serve me very well as I continue my work with the Greenwich community

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Listen carefully

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am committed to serving all of the residents of our beautiful and unique Town that has been such a good home for my family and me for more than 38 years