Kevin Christie won the race for first selectman in November 2025 with 4,974 votes, or 52.84 percent, ahead of Republican Don O’Day with 3,256 and independent David Rosenwaks with 1,184, according to Patch’s tally. Democrats also won all three Planning and Zoning Commission seats on the ballot, which went to Craig Schiavone, Michael Cammeyer and Breanne Injeski.
Three real estate issues have run through his first months in office.
The revaluation
The October 2025 revaluation raised Westport’s grand list by about 50.6 percent, to $17,497,161,570, with residential values up about 60 percent on average. When assessments went out, Christie tried to set expectations. “When the overall Grand List increases, the mill rate typically decreases, all else being equal,” he said, adding that “individual assessments will vary.”
The mill rate did fall, to 13.2 from 18.86, but because homes rose far faster than commercial property, the average residential bill still went up about 9 percent. Our revaluation story has the arithmetic.
The state housing law
Public Act 25-1, most of which took effect Jan. 1, changed parking rules and review procedures for small residential projects. Christie’s message was that the law would not remake the town overnight. The law, he said, “does not trigger immediate zoning changes or new development in Westport.” Planning and Zoning adopted a compliance amendment in July.
The Cribari Bridge
When the state Department of Transportation said it preferred to replace the Cribari Bridge, at an estimated $78 million to $86 million, Christie formed a Cribari Bridge Advisory Committee in April. Its recommendations are not binding. “This Advisory Committee will build on the Town’s discussions with the DOT by grounding decisions in facts,” he said.
What is next
The town has hired BFJ Planning to write a new Plan of Conservation and Development, due in October 2027, and the state’s environmental review of the bridge continues. On the shoreline, the town is weighing a beach restoration of up to $54.5 million.
Sources
- Patch, Westport election results 2025, Christie wins, Nov. 5, 2025
- Westport Journal, Property owners, your new assessments are in the mail, Dec. 6, 2025
- 06880, State zoning bill takes effect Thursday, Dec. 30, 2025
- Patch, Westport to form Cribari Bridge advisory committee, April 9, 2026
- Patch, Westport Board of Finance sets 13.2 mill rate, June 2, 2026
- Westport Journal, Taxable property in Westport soars, largely on revaluation, Feb. 10, 2026
- Westport Journal, Christie announces he’ll form Cribari Bridge Advisory Committee, April 9, 2026
- Westport Journal, The path from Westport’s 2027 budget to your quarterly real estate tax payment, May 26, 2026
