Greenwich Republicans prioritize parking over the disabled

According to a report in Greenwich Time by Andy Blye, on the night of June 17,  Republican members of the town’s Board of Estimation and Taxation all voted against providing funds to bring Greenwich Avenue into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

All six Republicans on the board voted against furnishing $450,000 to the Greenwich Department of Public Works while the six Democrats voted for it. The resulting gridlock prevented meant no decision would be reached.

According to Blye’s reporting, the Department of Public Works claims that funding for ADA compliance upgrades are a necessary component of plans to repave Greenwich Avenue, a project town officials want to see begin in 2025.

Objections to providing the funding revolve around the net-loss of two parking spaces along Greenwich Avenue, seeing the total number of spaces reduced to 403 total spaces with 19 of them being federally compliant accessible spaces.

“I am very disappointed with the decision made by the BET Republicans last night,” Stephanie Crowie, a  Greenwich Representative Town Meeting member who uses a motorized wheelchair told Greenwich Time in a statement. “I can’t understand or comprehend what they were thinking.”