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CITY TAXPAYERS PAY HIGHEST TAXES FOR THIRD-WORLD SERVICES … ‘C’MON DOWN, GARBAGE PICK-UP, PARKING, AND CATV

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BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY MAY 16, 2018) — Since the exodus of GE, Pittsfield has led the league in the number of useless traffic light, bad pizza joints (Papa Joe’s on Newell Street the grand exception for its crown-jewel repastes), and mercenary politicians. There are numerous other ways to measure this sad decline. A key symptom of a dysfunctional city can be seen in its chronic inability to provide basic services for good value at a high level of reliability. Three such services among too many are garbage pickup, parking, and cable television.

If you reside in Pittsfield, THE PLANET asks what rating would you give the city in these three services? Use a scale of 1 to 10, one being abominable and 10 being tip-top stellar. We would like input for our informal, wildly non-scientific poll.

GARBAGE — You knew the die were rolled snake eyes when the city caved into the veiled blackmail of Covanta. The company threatened to incinerate all in its path if Pittsfield didn’t give them $650,000 for “upgrades.” Once public money transfers to private control, there’s no accounting or accountability — not that cash-stuffed envelopes exchanged in smoke-filled back rooms have ever been a part of the city zeitgeist. And to be clear, not that we would for a moment suggest it has happened, is happening, or won’t happen in this particular case.

Next came the mayor’s plan to replace current pickup with a toter system. We know how that turned out. The plan flopped bigger than the Edsel. Not to be deterred, the Tyer Administration foisted and even worse plan. To understand the needlessly confusing and complicated new pick-up protocols, first go to MIT, get your Ph.D. in rocket science, then return to your home. Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200. Instead get taxed for a faulty service that ensures illegal dumping to a heretofore unseen degree.

Welcome to slum city.

THE PLANET’s rating of garbage: 2.5 of 10

PARKING — Parking a car anywhere near or in downtown Pittsfield has turned into an episode worthy of Rod Serling’s Night Gallery. The  Dalek-inspired parking kiosks, when they work, won’t take coins. The machine records a gold mine of data about you when you punch in your credit or debit number, and — Smile! — it takes a video. No one has yet revealed what is done with this information or to whom, if anyone, it is sold. To make matters even worse, the system has lost money for the city, despite administration claims to the contrary. As we know, there is bookkeeping, and there is “bookkeeping” of the Pittsfield kind.

When the city pushed for this plan, it hid numerous costs. These included debt financing, capital costs, snow plowing, servicing, bank fees, coin bags, money transport, and more. The kiosks are losing tens of thousands of dollars a year, something city finance director Matt Kerwood tacitly admitted when he stuffed an unexpected, unanticipated five-figure amount into the FY’19 budget to Band-Aid over a program oozing like an infected wound. The losses do not include lost business for struggling downtown merchants, who almost to a person, hate the kiosks. Since the kiosks were installed, North Street has lost several businesses. Mad Max will head to the greener paved pastures of the Allendale Shopping Center at the end of this month. In its poster announcing the moves, Mad Max lists ample parking as a deciding factor.

You want to avoid unnecessary strees? Don’t try parking downtown.

THE PLANET’s rating of parking: 1.5.

CATV — We can quickly dispatch this one. Time Warner begat Spectrum, which begat the crummiest cable service this side of the Pecos. Sprectrum can’t get the little things right and operates under the greedy illusion Pittsfield is not part of Massachusetts, the most recent example of which is to drop WCVB from Boston. The tragedy of this is borne by the elderly population, who often do not have the means or technological motivation to get TV in alternate ways such as Firestick, Hulu, and the like.

THE PLANET’s rating of CATV: 1.0.

Taking into account the local economy and factoring in disposable income, Pittsfield has THE HIGHEST TAXES IN NEW ENGLAND. For this exorbitant cost, which is mostly used by corrupt politicians to buy votes to keep the $116 million school department in the gravy, basic services (water and sewer, snow plowing, street cleaning, roads and infrastructure …) rival those in the third world.

Citizens and businesses deserve better.

———————————————————–

If you pluck the chicken one feather at a time, then people won’t notice” — Benito Mussolini.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

The Usual Disclaimer.

 

 

 

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Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
5 years ago

The thing that bothers me most about Pittsfield politics is the high level of economic inequality, and that the G.O.B. uses fear and the harsh local economy to their advantage. I have read about Pittsfield’s economic inequality in the news media on all levels: locally, statewide, and nationally. The reason why Pittsfield has so many poor or near poverty people is because there are no living wage jobs left. If you want a job in Pittsfield, you have to be politically-connected to the G.O.B., which is made up of inbred, interrelated, multigenerational families. My favorite example is Luciforo, whose late-father was a State Senator and Judge, his uncle as a Pittsfield State Representative, and his late-Aunt was Pittsfield’s first woman Mayor, as well as a career BCC Professor. If you are Luciforo, Pittsfield will connect you with whatever you want, from being a political hack on Beacon Hill, to being a bureaucrat at the Pittsfield Registry of Deeds, to being a marijuana seller on Dalton Avenue. But, if you are someone like me, who dislikes Nuciforo and the G.O.B. that runs Pittsfield politics, you get to pound sand at the unemployment office on North Street. Indeed, when I lived in the Pittsfield area as a young man years ago, I had better odds winning the lottery jackpot than finding a living wage job. It is not just me, it is the sad reality for a majority of Pittsfield residents who would like to make $20/hour with benefits, but instead make $12/hour at 3 part-time jobs without benefits. To illustrate my point, it is a fact that all K – 6 Pittsfield public school students receive free school lunches due to the poverty and inequality. It has been over a generation since GE cut its job opportunities in Pittsfield. Since then, Pittsfield has raised taxes and public debts to high per capita levels, while thousands of people and jobs have been lost. The bottom line is that G.O.B. doesn’t care and won’t address the issues of poverty and inequality facing the people who live in Pittsfield.

– Jonathan Melle

dusty
dusty
5 years ago

I cannot believe you left out roads. Decent roads seem like a no brainier but I guess fancy parks and bumps outs sucked all the money away for this.

Authentic Shakes His Head Not-Praxis 33
Authentic Shakes His Head Not-Praxis 33
Reply to  dusty
5 years ago

Doesn’t the City usually supplement their Chapter 90 allotment with about $1M?

Pittsfield would benefit greatly from an effective Capital Improvement Program. Even if they have something now, it is obviously not accomplishing what a CIP should.

dusty
dusty
Reply to  danvalenti
5 years ago

My bad and sorry. But I want to hammer on it because while it may be a priority to taxpayers the city seems to be putting many less important if not trivial things ahead of the roads.

Spagirl
Spagirl
Reply to  dusty
5 years ago

I agree. Citizens want and expect roads to be addressed.

Spagirl
Spagirl
Reply to  dusty
5 years ago

I agree. Citizens want and expect roads to be addressed.

The school committee
The school committee
5 years ago

Planet is correct except the great pizza Pittsfield has to offer. Mayor Tax Tyer is efficient at spending our money.What year does the tipping point kick in as they kick this can down the road.This must be the year the Schools stop wagging the police department and the schools stop wagging the building department.Really just dont have money to hire mechanics for bus safety and routine service,custodians to maintain the new Taconic.Cut 4 million from schools this year if your not afraid of ward 3 and 4.Dont let not being elected stand in the way.The answer is consolidation of students.At least a plan for consolidation.Tyer is spending like a drunk sailor.Stop spending beyond our means.You councilors all have the means to pay extra taxes but we live in poverty. This is textbook gentrification by our Mayor and city councilor.We have PHS as a huge underutilized building.Home learning for students in upper grades.Cut the dam budget.We need someone to oversee mrs behnke and joe curtis.A retired group of bean counters.

The school committee
The school committee
5 years ago

Number 1 need in Pittsfield is that nothing says poverty like the inability to Paint crosswalks and roads.That is a sign of no money budgeted for safety because the schools wag this council..Mayor Tyer pleade budget this very important maintaince safety item.This is something that should be done inhouse and not wait to get it done.You cant see what lane to drive in or where crosswalks are.Crosby school is unsafe and cost will be millions .Consolidate so we can sweep our streets

LoneGunMan
LoneGunMan
Reply to  The school committee
5 years ago

a family member was smashed into where the lanes “divided up” into 2 at the intersection of Elm st and East st (near Georges)

They were from out of town and didn’t realize the road divided, so a typical pittsfield driver floored it and hit them from the side. MY family member was found at fault, because the degenerate pig listened to his “friend” who caused the crash, was on her phone and chain smoking at the time.

They fought the insurance claims, etc and when they went to court, they had gone to City Hall and gotten print outs of how the road was SUPPOSED TO BE PAINTED. Everything was dropped. The offending woman had something like 13 points on her license already

Three years later, still hasn’t been fixed

Spagirl
Spagirl
5 years ago

Mayor Tyer is a huge disappointment. There is no question that the hard line is needed in the School Dept. Consolidation should be mandated. The roads in every single direction are beyond reparation. Like said above, crosswalks and road painting are not at any priority in this City. But City Hall has a gym. Like Congress, the City Administration and Council have let the people down. Self- interest and money grabbing greed along with stroking their egos, is killing democracy.

LoneGunMan
LoneGunMan
Reply to  Spagirl
5 years ago

That’s what happens when you love the “D” and vote solely based on that with your lady parts

Spagirl
Spagirl
Reply to  LoneGunMan
5 years ago

Thats what happens when Bianchi was a total failure

dusty
dusty
Reply to  Spagirl
5 years ago

Awww, Spagirl, give Mr Ruberto some credit as well. He worked overtime taking care of personal business to the detriment of the city as a whole. We need to give credit where credit is due and it was his ten years where the roads started really being neglected. He deserves the POTHOLE OF THE YEAR award.

The school committee
The school committee
5 years ago

The Covanta bribe 650 k needs another look.How many other plants Covanta owns did they get bribe money.DA should look at this especially within minutes of the bribe we are dealing in totes.Why was it ok to have a 50 gal tote but when that got shot down we got a 30 gallon limit on trash and that deserves a investigation.Time for everyone to do their job.Parks department needs to open and paint and clean bathrooms at Belanger track.Senior citizens deserve a painted clean bathroom that is cleaned everyday.

Mr. Fritz
Mr. Fritz
5 years ago

I agree with your ratings, Dan. In regards to cable – the community gripe session with Spectrum occurred a while ago, and what was the outcome? They are cutting out the Boston channel! Hit me again! Sir may I have another?!
The local schools, for all the money being thrown at them, are failing our kids. The state is poised to step in. No discipline, student-determined deadlines for homework & projects – how are they being prepared for the realities of life? If I told my boss that I would hand in my analysis a week after his deadline – I’d be fired!

Paul
Paul
5 years ago

I give the city 1 across the board.
They continue to disappoint. The new trash rules are just plain foolishness. Talk about taking something simple and turning it into a dog and pony show!
Cable service is beyond bad and there is nothing the average person can do about it.
The roads would lead one to believe we have been bombed.

Pat
Pat
5 years ago

The answer is to vote for even more big government that is unaccountable to the people. Think they don’t care now? Just make government even larger and then wait for the response. Do you hear crickets?

Thomas More
Thomas More
Reply to  Pat
5 years ago

Pat, I’ve been around for 14 presidents. Can you tell me when we didn’t have big government?

Pat
Pat
Reply to  Thomas More
5 years ago

Thomas More it’s getting even bigger because Progressives want to take care of our every need from cradle to grave or so they say as long as people vote them in. Trouble is of course that what they are proposing will only make government more powerful and people less in charge of their own lives, but they make big government getting even bigger sound so attractive to some people who like government freebies.

LoneGunMan
LoneGunMan
5 years ago

I give the city a 2/10 on the trash. I can handle a toter and the only real complaint I have is the increased costs for nothing, and lazy scumbags who will dump on my property.

Caccamo gets a 0/10 because per usual we hear info via social media and everyone else FIRST.

Go ride in your bike lanes, Nick. I’m sure you’ll be hit by an on coming (see speeding) car passing someone by driving in the bike lane. *Thumbs up!*

The school committee
The school committee
5 years ago

Trump brought his own swamp to Washington,debt beyond belief

Praxis33 Shakes His Head
Praxis33 Shakes His Head
5 years ago

The real problem is blight.

The next guy/mayor will be better.

NIB
NIB
5 years ago

1. Garbage pickup. I have no complaints, they’ve always done a good job. But the concern is that Tyer and Co. are now messing with it. You can be pretty sure they’ll screw up the one thing that is working fine in this city.
2. Parking. Seeing how commercial/industrial properties pay a higher property tax rate shouldn’t the parking in front of their building be free? Any maintenance (sans meters and kiosks) would fall under normal road maintenance. But it does make sense to charge for parking garages and lots as they require extra maintenance.
3. Street maintenance. We all know how bad that is.
4. CATV. FCC dictates we fall in the Albany viewing area, Stupid, I know. So having TV stations outside it are not required so the city would have to put it in the contract with Spectrum to include them. If they did not, that falls on them. If they did, they need to enforce it. Don’t like CATV? Get a dish.

Harrison
Harrison
5 years ago

1. Trash. Recycling rate is stupid lazy and tired of subsidizing surrounding towns. Pay for bags, recycling free.
2. Parking. I am one of the few that like the kiosks. I can now find a spot in front of where I am going since the North St employees are no longer parking there. I have yet to pay more than a quarter. If you can navigate your way to PV, the kiosks should be easy for you. Higher property tax help pay for their fancy new streetscape.
3. Highway. Agree. More taxes less service.
4. CATV. Agree. Will lose it once we have to pay for the boxes.

Bull Durham
Bull Durham
5 years ago

Pittsfield’s politicians have a longstanding history of bad moves. Tearing down Union Station, now replaced with a nondescript way station made of dull, ugly concrete and housing the BRTA at the same time… tearing down its movie theaters, including the Palace, which was done merely to give a powerful business some extra space, which they then abandoned (I vividly remember a certain Mayor named Reilly telling us all that the Palace was crumbling, ready to collapse… and yet when the giant crane whacked it, numerous times, not a brick fell initially)… the worst case being Charlie Smith and the mall boondoggle. Now we have garbage, parking, water treatment and more to confound the public, while the city does nothing to help the beleaguered taxpayers. I don’t live in Pittsfield now, but I grew up there, and it has never changed.

SisterGoldenHair
SisterGoldenHair
Reply to  Bull Durham
5 years ago

Bull,

You hit the nail on the head – Bullseye. That sums up Pittsfield quite nicely.

EddieP
EddieP
Reply to  Bull Durham
5 years ago

Don’t forget mayor Butler and the library.

The school committee
The school committee
5 years ago

Belanger field bathrooms are absolutely disgusting,cobbwebs,filthy,water everywhere dirty filthy toilet sink and urina l would not flush walls are filthy……The Mayor and Caccamo need to get this filth spic and span tomorrow morning…..whos ib charge Mayor.If you cant clean a bathroom that visitors to town use someone needs to be fired……Caccamo why wont you get this done….every single day it neens cleaning

dusty
dusty
Reply to  The school committee
5 years ago

But are they not going to put tens of thousands more into Clapp park? Is this place a slush fund vehicle or what?

Spagirl
Spagirl
Reply to  The school committee
5 years ago

What is up with the City maintenance? There is, and has been a serious lack of oversight across the board within this Dept.

LoneGunMan
LoneGunMan
Reply to  The school committee
5 years ago

Caccamo is a useless fool who does NOTHING unless it’s on his and his friends personal “progressive” agendas. When you ask him for help, he ignores you or states “go find the data”

I recall one time when a constituent got so disgusted they contacted President Pete Marchetti who essentially dragged Nick down (metaphorically)

Notice ALL OTHER COUNSELORS have social media presence an communicate with the voters? That schmuck votes how the suits tell him then hides.

Useless Nick, you are TOTALLY USELESS. I know you won’t care, you think that highly of yourself. You really shouldnt

Edward R. Murrow
Edward R. Murrow
5 years ago

Don’t forget the 75k-plus the city paid a “consulting firm” to count parking spaces.

Consultants must love this town.

1. Garbage not too bad, especially if you leave them beers every Christmas. But I have had to contact the city about two or three times because they sometimes can’t return the receptacle to the driveway where they found it, instead of the street, where drivers will find it.

2. I shan’t pay to park in this city, unless work demands it. Point seems to be to collect your data–everything is collect your ‘data” these days.

3. Spectrum? Complete joke. Got the new box. I put it in OK. But most mornings I can’t get The Weather Channel to come in.

One rep told me there’ll be no charge until 2026 (yes, 2026), then we get a letter saying it is free for one year only.

Speaking of downtown businesses, as Dan does. I got rooked last week for $15 for an Italian sausage hero from a certain North St. eatery named after an NYC borough. No side, no drink, no cheese.

$15. Must be borough pricing too.

Bring back the food trucks! What was the deal with those?

Edward R. Murrow
Edward R. Murrow
Reply to  Edward R. Murrow
5 years ago

Oh, and I paid with a credit card at another hipster North St. eatery, and a little later I got an email receipt–which I never asked for, never told them my email address, I’ll never go back.

Scary. Very scary.

dusty
dusty
Reply to  Edward R. Murrow
5 years ago

My large blue recycle bin was left in the road today? Not sure what I did to irritate them>

Praxis33 Shakes His Head
Praxis33 Shakes His Head
Reply to  dusty
5 years ago

Remember we were told that blight is the #1 problem in Pittsfield.

If a driver swerves to not hit your trash receptacle and gets into an accident, is the city liable? Are you liable for your trash container being out in the road?

How much time do you have to remove your container from the street after the city puts it out there?

Why was this never a problem in all of Pittfield’s history?
Why all of a sudden is trash such a huge problem in Pittsfield?

How long will be it be before the go private and make you pay to get your trash picked up?

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Praxis33 Shakes His Head
5 years ago

She owns stock in a tote company.I thought the large blue tote is what the mayor wanted everyone to use .Now the 50 gal tote is offensive worthy of being cited………Pittsfield is nuts.

12 Gauge
12 Gauge
Reply to  The school committee
5 years ago

It’s the Democrat way pal.

NIB
NIB
Reply to  Edward R. Murrow
5 years ago

that food is for New Yorkers only. what were you thinking

The school committee
The school committee
5 years ago

Trump asked.for the stupid vote and won.

dusty
dusty
Reply to  The school committee
5 years ago

How sad is that? I feel like I am watching my country being plunged down the toilet and there is nothing I can do about it.

By the way McConnels brother in law was just given a job by Trump. Trump owns this little turtle necked weasel lock stock and gonads. McConnell is a traitor and should be deported to Columbia to have lunch with the cartel folk.

Praxis33 Shakes His Head
Praxis33 Shakes His Head
Reply to  dusty
5 years ago

You watch as mayor Tyer flushes your city down the toilet.
There is nothing you can about it.
Vote them out – good luck with that.
You are screwed six ways to Sunday.

“The sky is falling, the sky is falling”
– Chicken Little DemoRats

dusty
dusty
Reply to  Praxis33 Shakes His Head
5 years ago

True dat. You cannot vote them out because they are like a hydra. If you cut one head off several more grow back. Its hopeless.

NIB
NIB
Reply to  The school committee
5 years ago

Yes, because the stupid people voted for Hillary. It worked.

Spider
Spider
5 years ago

According to the BB today, the trash problems that occurred were due to a miscommunication between the Resource Recovery Com. and Republic.

I thought that commission was strictly advisory. Why would they be telling Republic what to do? If this is true, who gave them the authority to do so? I don’t blame the mayor for being upset.

Wilson
Wilson
Reply to  Spider
5 years ago

It was posted on the city homepage, Tyer just hopelessly trying to hide how unqualified she is. It would be better for everyone if a life-size cardboard cutout filled her duties in photo ops while she waits for her pension

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Spider
5 years ago

Mayor lied

Milt Plum
Milt Plum
Reply to  The school committee
5 years ago

Why did her name appear on the original document that the councilors posted on Facebook? All of a sudden the document disappeared. Does her staff just send stuff out without her knowledge or is the whole thing a pack of lies?

Pat
Pat
5 years ago

The fake news liberal media telling big lie about President Trump calling all illegal immigrants animals when in fact he was referring to MS-13 members who we all know are animals. The fake liberal news media can’t put down President Trump enough just as they couldn’t coddle Obama enough. I will never believe our media again. Our news media has succeeded in making itself irrelevant.

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2018/05/17/wrong-again-media-and-chuck-schumer-claim-president-trump-called-all-illegal-immigrants-animals-n2481698

dusty
dusty
Reply to  Pat
5 years ago

Oh my…..

Harrison
Harrison
Reply to  Pat
5 years ago

Pat, Trump lies constantly yet you choose to believe him because it fits your agenda.

Pat
Pat
Reply to  Harrison
5 years ago

Hillary lied constantly, as did her husband, but this didn’t stop Progressives from wanting her in the White House. Bill was even impeached for lying. Bill and Hillary were going to Co-president if Hillary was elected. This is the hypocrisy.

Also, President Trump doesn’t lie as much as the press says about him if he even lies at all about important issues. The liberal media is a nightmare and LIES right and left and yet you Progressives encourage the lying media. Again, more hypocrisy from the left.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Pat
5 years ago

Relax Pat,Trump story is going to come out and this investigation is far from over.Lets hope hes not anti amrrican weasel

Pat
Pat
Reply to  The school committee
5 years ago

The only ones who are destroying the country are Progressives. The truth hurts.

dusty
dusty
Reply to  Pat
5 years ago

Pinocchio lied too….but what the hell does that have to do with TRump????

Get in the ball game Pat. Trump is president now and he should be responsible for his own mistakes. Geeeshh!

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Pat
5 years ago

Pat,why do you want to cut progressives Social Security and progressives Medicare.Why do you attack progressives public education.Why are you against progressives colleges.Why dont you want progressives Clean water and Clean air?

Pat
Pat
Reply to  The school committee
5 years ago

Progressive education is a nightmare. It only teaches Progressive ideas and seeks to stifle any other ideas. Everybody wants clean water and air not just Progressives. Nobody wants to take away Social Security or Medicare.

NIB
NIB
5 years ago

The results are in. Linda Tyer is the worst mayor this city has ever had. Sad part is she still has more time to inflict even more damage.

dusty
dusty
Reply to  NIB
5 years ago

She sure seems to want the title bad and though it is a high bar she is soaring towards it.

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
Reply to  dusty
5 years ago

I disagree. I believe the lovely Linda Tyer is the BEST Mayor of Pittsfield EVER! I support the lovely Linda!

http://wamc.org/post/look-pittsfield-mayor-s-budget-proposal

Mr. Fritz
Mr. Fritz
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
5 years ago

And your hero of our nearly bankrupt city gave herself a $2,000 raise!

Mr. Fritz
Mr. Fritz
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
5 years ago

List 5 major accomplishments of the Tyler administration.

Mr. Fritz
Mr. Fritz
Reply to  Mr. Fritz
5 years ago

Correction, TYER.

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
Reply to  Mr. Fritz
5 years ago

The lovely Linda Tyer is a wonderful Mayor of Pittsfield who cares about the people and the community. She speaks out for all groups, and she is tolerant and kind. I feel bad for the lovely Linda because she inherited a mess from the Doyle debacle, the Hathaway hack, the Ruberto regime, and the Bianchi bust!

The school committee
The school committee
5 years ago

Trump has lost another court battle to block access to the apprentice out takes about another ASSAULT for sex charge against the President

SisterGoldenHair
SisterGoldenHair
5 years ago

Garbage – 9. They do a fine job. Why fix what aint broken?

Parking – 1. No explanation needed.

Cable – 4. It should be illegal to make you rent a box instead of allow you to buy your own.

And as Paul said roads look bombed out -worst I have ever seen anywhere in America.

Pizza – South St is tremendous. East Side Pizza sucks.

GMHeller
GMHeller
5 years ago

Mr. Valenti,
Vent all you like, but the fact remains that Pittsfield voters sanction incompetence decade after decade.
Otherwise, why would voters continually elect candidates from the same political party that year after year raises taxes and runs into the ground nearly every aspect of city government?
The public is getting at the ballot box EXACTLY the kind of city management for which it votes.
When Pittsfield votes one-party rule year after year, decade after decade, can anyone seriously complain about the natural, inevitable result?
What other explanation can there be when buffoons of the same political party take charge in City Hall year after year?
Should anyone expect anything different when one-party rule in Pittsfield has always been synonymous with incompetence and corruption?