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PLANET’S MAYORAL COVERAGE STIRS IT UP … JIV MAKES WITH THE JIVE ON LATEST SCHOOL EMBARRASSMENT … plus … WHO WOULD WANT THE JOB?

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By DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, MARCH 13-15, 2015) — THE PLANET‘s recent coverage of potential mayoral candidates has stirred up Campaign ’15 out of its sleep and into the slumber stage. The awakening will continued to May 1, when the alarm goes off signifying the true beginning of the season. That’s the day nominations papers come out.

We’ve already had one candidate take his name off The Big Board. As THE PLANET reported first, councilor-at-large Barry Clairmont announced he will not seek re-election. We followed up and asked him if a bid for the corner office was in the works, and he told us no. We also heard from other names on the list. They gave us information that shall remain as given, that is, off the record. THE PLANET can say this much: Already, the lines are beginning to take shape. With lame duck status, look to see if Clairmont turns up the heat in his criticisms of the present Administration.

In the weeks and months ahead, THE PLANET plans not only to be covering the campaign but also explaining and commenting upon it. No one will beat out coverage for “the inside baseball.” We will deliver the news straight and unblinking, owing nothing to no one. When a candidate comes forth with good ideas, we’ll pass them along. When we catch one in a lie, we shall pounce.

As far as we are concern, this election is nothing more than We The People interviewing those who have applied for jobs. THE PLANET shall retain our role as chief head hunter. It is not, as critics like to charge, to determine the outcomes of office, though it may in fact do that. Rather, it is to give citizens, taxpayers, the electorate, and voters more of the information they will need to make their own informed choices.

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JIV Talkin’

Jason “Jake” (JIV) McCandless, the boy wonder school superintendent that the Lee district couldn’t wait to get rid of, has proven to be most adept for the Pittsfield job. He has provided the school committee and The Suits with the most important quality needed in this $100 million-plus department and $157,000 a year position, which is to toe the company line above and beyond all else, including, of course, what’s best for the education of Pittsfield’s young people. That rarely enters the discussion.

A true reform superintendent would have taken the focus off the needless expense of building a new high school and brought it back to where teaching happens or doesn’t: the classroom. For example, where is a policy about technology and Smart phones that works? Not in Pittsfield. Where is the “get tough” on the dress code? Not in Pittsfield? Where is the get-away from the state’s failed approach to the politicization through standardized testing? Not in Pittsfield. Where is the actual care for students welfare? Not in Pittsfield.

Thus, it comes as no surprise how JIV tried to gild the steaming turd when he commented on the recent rejection of “the numbers” for the proposed new Taconic High School. The city and design consultants could not agree on its latest rounds of financials for the building project, those that will be sent to the state, delaying an expected vote to move the project along to its next phase. THE PLANET won’t bore you with the numbers.

And what jive did JIV lay on this deep embarrassment? He said that taxpayers should be happy, because it shows how carefully the everyone is taking this project.

Right.

And as our friend George Orwell pointed out, political lies attempt to make the wind solid and make murder acceptable.

When any company or household ignorant enough to actually take a look at the city as a future home, how do you think they react to this kind of “leadership?” Correct: When they don’t move here, you’ll know it’s them having made the decision to stay away.

JIV is just like his recent predecessors: He’s focused on the politics of education and not on learning outcomes. He only pretends he cares about the latter. What a shame and what a loss for The Children, parents, citizens, and everyone save the tiny cadre of Suits and Black Ops that hold Pittsfield hostage. Or haven’t you noticed the plummeting attendance in Pittsfield schools, the annual loss of $3 million or more to school choice, and the rising percentage of the remaining students who come from families classified as poor, indigent, unstable, needy, or in other ways worthy of a full or partial free ride? This leads directly into our next item.

ED. NOTE: According to Council Barry Clairmont and others, the state has not weighed in on the city’s “final” numbers for the school, as we initially reported here and on TV last night. Rather, the controversy over the numbers occurred between the School Building Needs Commission and the city’s project consultants. We thank Clairmont et. al. for the information. We are glad to present the more accurate set of facts.

——————————————————————————————

Who’d Want the Job?

One of commentators, Toutiere, recently listed a litany of facts pertaining to the perilous present state of the city of Pittsfield. He wrote:

It would be a disastrous task to take on the corner office. THINK about what they will inherit. A new multi million dollar School building Debt. A top heavy School Dept. An infrastructure that has been neglected for well over 20 years. The Highway Dept. Still needs a building to house their equipment (they are still renting space off Wahconah St. at over $76,000 a year) NEW fire trucks That are desperately needed. Multi million dollar upgrades to the Waste Water and Water dept. treatment plants. A dwindling school population. These are REAL issues that will need to be addressed sooner than later.

As expensive as it is, the list isn’t exhaustive. For example, one would add the nearly $400 million owed to city workers and retirees in Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB), a population that is both declining and aging, the spend-happy politicians who each year propose (Bumstead and JIV) and approve (the city council and the school committee) ballooning budgets, the shrinking tax base, and more.

We’ll stop there. Now to the question: Who would want to take on this losing position? Do we look any farther than the $95,000+bennies salary, guaranteed for four years?

Notice to all mayoral candidates: You will have to impress upon us that it’s “Not about the money.” You know, what Miami Marlin slugger Giancarlo Stanton said this off season when he signed his new deal. Price: $325 million.

Pittsfield handed out huge raises to all its managers and department heads, saying that if we did’t do it, we’d lose them to other communities or to the Dreaded Private Sector. First, many of them couldn’t make it in the DPS. Second, the only thing the big money guaranteed was gold diggers. The dough doesn’t necessarily rule out attracting qualified people but it will assure the presence of those looking for the bucks. The office of mayor is especially tempting, because it is not at all defined by the city charter. A mayor can work “full time” and not do a thing except collect paychecks.

Just what we need. Once again, they’re digging you, The Little Guys, an early financial grave. More potholes.

Have a great weekend everybody.

———————————————————————————————-

“Every night, along about evening / whenever the sunlight’s beginning to fail / I sit by a smoldering fire / along the Navajo trail.”Frankie Lane, “The Navajo Trail,” from the album “Hell Bent for Leather,” (1961).

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

 

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eddiep
eddiep
9 years ago

It would be a good idea to read the legal notices in the Eagle every day. In it you will find all of the projects the city is putting out to bid and its cost.

More Questions
More Questions
9 years ago

Question: If the city of Pittsfield were to have done things right and held an election and let the people vote on a new high school, thus letting taxpayers decide if they wanted to spend this enormous amount of their money, and they voted it down, would the city then repair the roof that they neglected and let the cons destroy?

or

Would they let it continue to leak rivers into the walls causing mold and structural damage making it an unsafe environment for the children?

Is the Mayor’s next step to have building condemned by inspectors who will declare the building is unsafe due to a collapsing roof?

Whose fault is it that this roof is falling down?
Why are they just continuing to let it leak while school is in session and the children are seated?

Once again; where did the mayor take the money; the $140,000.00 from for the move to 100 North St?

Perhaps Barry can answer now that he is not seeking office again and would have to lose by letting the people know what the mayor did in the sweetheart Scarafoni lease deal.

You know the new budget will include a line item to pay this lease. Will the council just rubber stamp it after having rejected last time around? Will any councilor stand up and say no and have it stricken from the budget? If by some miracle the council did strike it down, from where would the mayor take the money from to give to Scarafoni?

Is the mayor getting a percentage of this money every year?

More Questions
More Questions
Reply to  danvalenti
9 years ago

Yes Dan, unfortunately that is the way it is. To stand before open mic at the city council meetings, you must sign in, state your name and your address for “the record”. Anything you say can and will be used against you.

You subject yourself to retribution such as your accessed property value skyrocketing unexplainably or at very least being labeled a crackpot such as “oh wow, what a surprise” Terry Kinnas or Craig Gaetani.

All the seated city councilors would not dare touch those questions because they are either in the mayor’s back pocket or are scared to death of facing the mayor’s wrath.

Edward Snowden had to flee to Russia and ended up on the FBI’s most wanted list for telling the people what is really going on. He is definately on the government’s enemy list.

If the mayor runs for reelection and has debates, I would like to see these questions asked of him. If he truly believes in an open and honest government and transparency, he would have no problem answering.

“When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny”
– Thomas Jefferson (3rd President of the United States and drafter of the Constitution, the central document to which the republic stands ).

roofgate
roofgate
9 years ago

I am by no means a roofing expert. I do know that flat roofs require a soft flexable membrane weighted down by crushed stone and sealed by some kind of rubberized compound.

Its not rocket science. There is limited square footage up there.

The $100,000.00 given away as a gift to the methadone clinic. The $150,000.00 golden handshake given to Mr. Monteroso after only 3 months on the job. The $140,000.00 unapproved by the city council move to 100 North St. All your money, would have been plenty enough to replace the roof on Taconic High school.

A brand spanky new roof would have preserved the entire school. Everything underneath could have been refreshed with new paint and a little carpentry, spit and elbow grease.

Letting it leak does damage to the internal structure of the building, wood beams, sheetrock, paint, and rusted metal. Also allowing mold to fester. It is way beyond irresponseable to let the building fall into disrepair and crumble.

Why is it not in the new city charter that the city maintain the properties its entrusted to especially where “the children” are indoctrinated for their lives in the real world?

Isn’t it funny how the old Berkshire Antheneum building never did fall down? Dan, can you dig up an old picture of the bracing in front that was printed on the front page of the BB? I can’t find one online because that was before Al Gore invented the internet. It might be good to post it on your main page as a standing testimony on how the city scams everyone when they want to build something new. Just a thought.

Sparkie
Sparkie
Reply to  danvalenti
9 years ago

Add 100 grand for the city hall floors

Gatos
Gatos
Reply to  Sparkie
9 years ago

Careful, Sparkie, don’t slip!

MrG8811
MrG8811
9 years ago

Wait…now I’m confused; not an unusual state for me I admit. Did the state reject the numbers, or did the School Building Needs Committee? In the Eagle story about the tabling of the vote on final numbers, I do not recall seeing anywhere that the action, or more accurately the inaction they took was a result of negative feedback from the state. I’ll try to find and reread the story.

MrG8811
MrG8811
9 years ago

Just reread the iBerkshires account. Their statement was that the council had approved it, but it still wasn’t good enough for the SBNC! No mention of any state rejection tho.

B. Clairmont
B. Clairmont
Reply to  MrG8811
9 years ago

Neither of those thinks is the case.

The consultants came back with a number the School Building Needs Commission (SBNC) thought was too high, and asked them to try and trim it down.

The consultants came back with a lower number, but a number of the SBNC thought they cut out things that were essential to the project, So, the SBNC put off a vote until this coming Monday night (please watch channel 18 starting at 5:15pm).

The state and the City Council have NOT weighed in on the project yet.

I’m happy to answer any other questions, if I can.

Barry

Andy McKeever
Andy McKeever
Reply to  MrG8811
9 years ago

You misread the story. The City Council hasn’t voted. The process is the School Building Needs sets a project and a budget. They present that to the the state and City Council to get funded. Once the project is approved by the SBNC, the City Council will be asked to bond the entire amount. The state MSBA will be asked to reimburse a portion of that.
What happened Monday was SBNC members wanted some of the items the architect took out to hit $116 back in.
Hope that helps,
Andy McKeever
iBerkshires Staff

Shelly Liver
Shelly Liver
9 years ago

Be careful with ‘ the Numbers are to high. You pay for what you get, maybe?

Nota
Nota
9 years ago

Check out the sinkhole at Orchard and First by the old Mercer School..a classic!

Gene
Gene
Reply to  Nota
9 years ago

Elizabeth Street, Dalton Avenue, Onota Street…too many to list. Never seen it this bad.

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
9 years ago

I do not believe the most skilled politician and executive can turn things around in Pittsfield. I do not believe that a miracle worker can change Pittsfield politics for the better.
Pittsfield politics is totally corrupt. Pittsfield politics is ran by the Good Old Boy network. The GOB’s are political hacks from Pittsfield’s inbred, low gene pool, multigenerational, interrelated local families. For example, Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior is the son of a Pittsfield Judge/State Senator, nephew of a Pittsfield State Representative, and nephew of a former Pittsfield Mayor. Another example is Ben Downing, whose father was a Pittsfield District Attorney. Both Nuciforo and Ben Downing have huge ego’s. Nuciforo ran for U.S. Congress and lost by 40 points. Ben Downing considered a run for U.S. Senate. He declined to run. The point is that the GOB’s are big fishes in Pittsfield politics, but little fishes outside of the Berkshires. Nuciforo and Ben Downing got to play state and local politics in Pittsfield because of their GOB families.
Pittsfield politics has very high costs, spending, and taxes. Every year, Pittsfield is losing a percentage of its population. Thousands of people have moved away from Pittsfield over the past couple of decades. Thousands of jobs have been lost, too. Young people cannot find full time, living wage jobs in Pittsfield. They either move away from Pittsfield, or end up receiving welfare assistance in Pittsfield as members of the ever growing underclass. Pittsfield’s only economic growth is in its local government and welfare caseloads, where teen pregnancies double the statewide average in Pittsfield.
Pittsfield public schools are among the worst performing in the state and nation. Hundreds of Pittsfield’s students are choicing out of Pittsfield’s public schools to neighboring school districts.
Pittsfield is a dump filled with cancer causing, toxic waste PCBs left behind by GE’s then CEO Jack Welch. Thousands of local residents have suffered and died of cancer.
Pittsfield’s downtown is dangerous and a place most people avoid, especially after hours. North Street is known as “Social Services Alley”. Hundreds of businesses have closed in downtown Pittsfield over the years.
Good luck to the next Pittsfield Mayoral administration in dealing with all of these sad realities facing Pittsfield politics!

outfox
outfox
9 years ago

The new Taconic High project is still on the table, even though Jake is on the front page of today’s BB, claiming that the sky is falling when it comes to the Pittsfield school budget. He even cites the new fleet of school busses as one of the stressors on the budget, which some guy named Dan Valenti pointed out oh, I dunno, months ago…:)
Bottom line is, is there even a bottom line with the school budget? How much is too much? I do not have a clear sense of Jake’s priorities—is it poverty? Building a new school? Can he articulate how a new high school will improve the outcomes of the disadvantaged kids who he says make up the majority of our students? Shouldn’t we be focusing on those kids BEFORE they reach high school? Oh wait, we’re reading to them or something, I think—-whatever happened to that program anyway? Who are the readers and who are the read-ees? It’s all just so much cognitive dissonance, and while I”d like to think that dissonance is deliberate strategy by the PPS people to wear us down so that we don’t know where or when to make our citizen voices heard, I suspect they just got lucky. Let’s not let them win this in a war of attrition.

DV, there was one glaring omission in your list of potential mayoral candidates: the young woman who was overlooked last election, I think her name is Britanny but I cannot recall her last name. Where is she now, and is she still interested in being part of the solution? I was impressed by her, last go ’round, when we finally got to hear from her. We need a young upstart to come in and shake things up. I hope we hear more from her.

B
B
Reply to  outfox
9 years ago

It would be nice if Britanny runs again. Fresh young blood is something that maybe Pittsfield needs. I would vote for her.

Tourtière
Tourtière
9 years ago

Dan, THANK YOU for saying it out loud !! BRAVO for you. With what WE THE PEOPLE are facing, It really can’t be about the MONEY. It REALLY has to be about Saving The City OF PITTSFIELD from imploding! It is NOW! when the really tough decisions have to be made. It’s not time for practicing with managers that Fail or fill positions with our buddies that also preform poorly. Its time for us to realize we NEED TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY we live in.

Guess what
Guess what
Reply to  Tourtière
9 years ago

I agree with Tourtière, during this budget season is when our city councilors need to stand up and do the right thing for this community. People are working two and three jobs to make ends meet and add the surprised inflated electrical rate. Our tax payers are hurting and facing difficult financial circumstances. It’s an election year and I am sure everyone is watching closely.

joetaxpayer
joetaxpayer
9 years ago

Time to close a elementary school and make some layoffs at egg head central (Mercer). Also time to consolidate with other districts.

Cosbiesladies
Cosbiesladies
9 years ago

Yeah, that one on the corner near the School Administration building? is a little unusual, really haven’t seen any quite like that before.

Cosbiesladies
Cosbiesladies
9 years ago

Someone has to take a picture of that one!

Guess what
Guess what
9 years ago

The only way we can start saving is by not replacing any retire position unless it’s a classroom teacher. Distribute the work among the other employees; trust me it can be done. It’s done every day in the real world. Consolidate duplicate departments within the city and school department and add a couple of strong support staff from those already in the system. It will not be easy to swallow at first but in the long run it will make sense.

GMHeller
GMHeller
9 years ago

Where is the Democrat wunderkind now when we need him the most?
EVAN DOBELLE FOR MAYOR IN 2015!

spagirl
spagirl
9 years ago

Looking bleak…..every which way you turn. Pittsfield is in demise with no light at the end of the tunnel. Losing Barry Clairmont is a big void. Thankyou, Barry for standing tall.

poorboy
poorboy
9 years ago

Here is a quote from this BB article:

http://www.berkshireeagle.com/local/ci_27701143/pittsfield-superintendent-mccandless-describes-dire-school-budget-options?source=rss

“McCandless said.

He said that, after meeting with Mayor Daniel L. Bianchi, they are in agreement on a tentative fiscal 2016 budget that would be $1,978,000 higher than this year, reflecting an increase of 3.5 percent. But that does not balance “additional obligations of almost $4 million,” McCandless said.

The bottom line, he said, is that at this point, “the budget shortfall is almost $2 million going into fiscal ’16.””

So out of the box, mayor Bumstead is increasing your taxes by 3.5%. Saying it still falls short. Add in last year’s 5% increase rate, all the new higher fees and soaring energy costs and you can see right where Pittsfield is heading.

Everything said in that BB article proves that Pittsfield cannot afford a new high school. Yet they are to going to build it anyway, without a vote from Pittsfield’s taxpayers whose money it is they (the suits) are spending.

It was just two years ago that the mayor gave raises to teachers out of “free cash” (money they took from taxpayers above and beyond what they needed). Now they are talking layoffs, poverty and declining school population. Yet keep raising taxes and build a new school.

Had enough yet Pittsfield? If not, don’t worry, there’s lots more to come.

Spider
Spider
9 years ago

Just finished watching a rerun of the Animal Control Com. of 3/11. They were discussing the incident at BCC where a woman was bitten by 2 dogs as their owners “all women” stood by and did nothing.

This is the info given by our Animal Control officer:

They know who they are and they have lawyers. (surprise)

One dog is in Marlboro.

Both of the dogs were guarantined for a period.

My question: Why hasn’t the Eagle done a follow-up story giving the owners names?

If you remember, they never hesitated to give Cliff Nilan’s daughter’s name when she had an accident.

Gene
Gene
Reply to  Spider
9 years ago

The Eagle did hesitate to give out anything on the Nilan incident. It was only through the brave coverage of DV that anyone learned about the tragic hit and run which almost killed Mr. Moore.

My guess: Eagel hasn’t done a follow-up because they were told to back off the story. It may mean someone “connected” was involved.

Spider
Spider
Reply to  Gene
9 years ago

I definitely believe “connected” is the reason for the silence.

Since DV was instrumental in getting all the facts in the Nilan case……perhaps he can also blow this story wide open. I hope so. I am so very tired of all the cover-ups in this city.

Ripper
Ripper
Reply to  Spider
9 years ago

Part of the way law enforcement works is to deter crime in the first place because the consequences are well known. That’s why the Eagle dropping this story is such a disservice to the community. Was this preventable dog attack a form of assault or just a lack of courtesy by the dog owners?

Tom Sakshaug
Tom Sakshaug
Reply to  Spider
9 years ago

All of this will be public information before the Animal Control Commission hearing April 8.

Ripper
Ripper
Reply to  Tom Sakshaug
9 years ago

So it’s not a police matter then? Like a hit and run for example…

Tom Sakshaug
Tom Sakshaug
Reply to  Ripper
9 years ago

It is indeed a police matter, taken care of by the State Police as it was on state property. The woman who was attacked requested a hearing before the Animal Control Commission.

Kevin
Kevin
Reply to  Tom Sakshaug
9 years ago

That’s good to know. Thank you, Mr. Sakshaug for this info and for your public service.

Spider
Spider
9 years ago

correction: should be “quarantined”.

amandaWell
amandaWell
9 years ago

Planet People: Remember when Jim Willuts was telling everyone not to be so gluttonous when eating out at restaurants last year, it had something to do with health and weight. Well take a look at the former health Guru, looks like he has had a few to many eats lately. Walk the Talk….Jimbo.

Teecha teecha
Teecha teecha
9 years ago

Just curious, was Dr. McCandless really that bad in Lee? He was a ghost to me until he changed districts.

Kevin
Kevin
Reply to  Teecha teecha
9 years ago

Here’s some inside dope..Dr. McCandless basically spent the Lee district into a huge financial hole. When he said he was leaving town officials couldn’t believe their good fortune.

They gave Pittsfield a glowing report to make sure he would be gone.

If you want the facts talk to the members of the Lee school committee and other officials too. The only one who caught on in Pittsfield was school board member Mr. Kinnas.

If I remember correctly he was the only one who voted against Dr. McCandless. Ask Mr. Kinnas why.

Ed McClelland
Ed McClelland
9 years ago

Dr. McCandless states 65.32% of PPS students come from impoverished households and that this figure is rising. Yet he asks for more and more money and a new hugh school from the taxpayers of Pittsfield. Is this figure indicative of a small minority of Pittsfield residents with the majority affluent and well healed and financilly positioned to subsidize the impoverished few ?

Teecha teecha
Teecha teecha
Reply to  Ed McClelland
9 years ago

Im sure those out of town cronie hires help deplete that number. How many pps administrators are from pittsfield? How many qualified workers who do lost out to outsourced jobs?

Guess what
Guess what
Reply to  Teecha teecha
9 years ago

and that is why they don

Guess what
Guess what
Reply to  Guess what
9 years ago

Exactly! Sorry I meant to say that – that is why they don’t care how much money they spend because they don’t live here and therefore are not the ones paying the high taxes.

spagirl
spagirl
9 years ago

Many Senior Taxpayers with No Children in the School System.

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
9 years ago

I have a prediction:
Pittsfield politics will raise taxes later this year!

Guess what
Guess what
9 years ago

Yes they will and we will have no control over that unless our City Councilors start to say no and stick with it.

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
9 years ago

I have another prediction:
Pittsfield politics will go bankrupt within the next 5 years!

ShirleyKnutz
ShirleyKnutz
9 years ago

I was just glancing over some prior reports on the state’s reimbursement rates for a new high school. When did pittsfields’ go from 80% to 67%? Seems like our reps in Boston aren’t doing their job! Other communities were able to get the better reimbursement rate and they built their schools for less and had more put into them.

MrG8811
MrG8811
Reply to  ShirleyKnutz
9 years ago

I believe the reduced rate was reported on several months ago. I’d also be willing to wager that it will go down again at least once more!

Be Prepared
Be Prepared
9 years ago

The Mayor’s new budget for the new fiscal year is going to be downright scarey.

Its never enough with this guy.
Tax and Spend. Its all he knows how to do.

spagirl
spagirl
9 years ago

Dan Valenti
Do you think that machine for potholes that went missing bought some of the move to 100 North Street?

amandaWell
amandaWell
9 years ago

Council Simonelli get’s the Pothole Filler award for the year. Those Potholes on Peck’s Rd. must have been filled three times over this week, without fixing of course, but Tony gets the P F A anyway. Nice try Councilor, keep plugging away!

Tom Sakshaug
Tom Sakshaug
9 years ago

Hey Dan, an FYI:
Nomination papers are available April 2, not May 1. We will see some action sooner than you thought.
I confirmed this with our city clerk.

amandaWell
amandaWell
9 years ago

Renovating the Taconic H S is upwards of 37 million? Show me the numbers? Don’t forget, not all students get to go to the school, they’ll be at P H S! doh! Maitenance on the roof was void, what kind of message that that send about taking care of a new school?

Don’t be fooled, there will be cost overruns, bank on it. Time to get the hell outta Dodge. Seniors will be the first to leave, they’ll have no choice.

We the People still want a vote, if this is such a no brainier, why be afraid of a Vote?

Dio
Dio
Reply to  amandaWell
9 years ago

Why not have convicts help renovate Taconic? They already know how to wreck a roof so could do any demolition work on the cheap.

Horace Man
Horace Man
9 years ago

The Mayor’s infatuation with building a new Taconic H.S. is to out do his predecessor, Jim Ruberto, who advocated a new high school named after him but didn’t get er done. Bumstead will show him and ultimately petition to have it named after himself.
Eloquent letter to the editor this am in the BB from a former THS principal advocating the new H.S…. Oh he lives in Windsor and won’t have to pay for it. And Windsor thanks Pittsfield for his pension income which pays his taxes.

Cosbiesladies
Cosbiesladies
9 years ago

It’s Criminal.

PopKornSutton
PopKornSutton
9 years ago

Heard through the grapevine, Bumstead High could be nominated as the name for poor old Taconic.

Shelly Liver
Shelly Liver
9 years ago

I have watched the hearings and have come to one conclusion:
This process which has been vetted thoroughly, however, for an affirmative vote. We have seen the alternative numbers for a renovated Taconic and as a result would vote No’ to yes’ vote for a new high school based on lack of information.

Shelly Liver
Shelly Liver
9 years ago

Councilor Krol asked about air conditioning down the road? The planning Guru stated it would be Tricky…Yes Tricky was the first comment after the question. Now that’s a Planner!

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
9 years ago

Re: Berkshire Eagle Editors write about Pittsfield’s growing underclass

Pittsfield public school system’s district budget is burdened by its high rate of poverty. The Eagle Editors wrongly believe that the parents of these students should better prepare them for the school day, which would deal with the children’s behavioral issues that distract from learning, thereby lowering spending. Most of these local parents are poor, low income, and receiving welfare assistance – members of our nation’s underclass.

Pittsfield always raises its tax rate by about five percent every fiscal year. The city’s public school district costs increase by about four percent every fiscal year. The city government’s costs always increase about one percent per year. I do not believe that the financial percentages are the fault of Pittsfield’s growing underclass.

The Eagle Editors should take a closer look at the Pittsfield school district fiscal year budget and see if the state government is increasing its public school (Chapter 70) funding by about four percent. If not, how much money is the diminishing number of local property taxpayers paying the difference.

What are the (do nothing, career politicians) Berkshire State Representatives and State Senator doing all day on Beacon Hill’s State House? Why isn’t State Senator Ben Downing addressing the growth of municipal and school district budget on the state level? Why isn’t State Representative “Smitty” Pignatelli addressing the yearly billion dollar plus yearly state government budget deficit that reduces the funding for local government?

My point is that Pittsfield’s growing underclass has nothing to do with Pittsfield’s finances! The Eagle Editors should explain how much Pittsfield’s budget is going to increase versus how much state funding is going to increase, and then how much the local taxpayers are going to make up the difference. Maybe it is time for “Smitty” Pignatelli’s seven terms of being a political hack to come to an end next year so that new leadership can begin to address these financial issues instead of blaming the poor and powerless.

– Jonathan Melle

ShirleyKnutz
ShirleyKnutz
9 years ago

People should go look at the recent costs for other communities that just built high schools. The majority had a total cost for a 1,000 pupil school to be $80,000,000.00. How does Taconic come in at $120,000,000.00? The only one I could find higher was Newton which was almost $200mil!!! This still does not make sense as to why it is so expensive. I also think they should build it in a more central location like Springside Park. It would help in their future plans to create one high school.

AlaskanBushClowns
AlaskanBushClowns
9 years ago

You can’t have one high school then there would be half the teachers, this is a union, the more the merrier.