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IT HAS NEVER BEEN BETTER!

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BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION JUNE 14-6, 2019 AND BEYOND THE INFINITE) — Gone fishing.

Have a great weekend, everybody.

Have a great life. May it be full of camp fires, smores, and pan-sizzled salmon.

—————————————————————————————————

“The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science”Albert Einstein.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

The views and opinions expressed in the comment section or in the text other than those of PLANET VALENTI are not necessarily endorsed by the operators of this website. PLANET VALENTI assumes no responsibility for such views and opinions, and it reserves the right to remove or edit any comment, including but not limited to those that violate the website’s Rules of Conduct and its editorial policies. PLANET VALENTI shall not be held responsible for the consequences that may result from any posted comment or outside opinion or commentary as provided in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and this website’s terms of service. All users of this website — including readers, commentators, contributors, or anyone else making use of its information, hereby agree to these conditions by virtue of this notice. When PLANET VALENTI ends with the words “The Usual Disclaimer,” that phrase shall be understood to refer to the full text of this disclaimer.

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Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

I am rooting for Elizabeth Warren for U.S. Prez!
I am also rooting for the lovely Linda Tyer for Mayor of Pittsfield in 2019.
– Jonathan Melle

X-Lachs Lounge
X-Lachs Lounge
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

Do you have a Liz and a Linda inflatable love doll?

Shakes
Shakes
Reply to  X-Lachs Lounge
4 years ago

Way to keep it classy!

X-Lachs Lounge
X-Lachs Lounge
Reply to  Shakes
4 years ago

Is Liz or Linda more distasteful? Or maybe both.

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

Warren is the best candidate for the working men and women.She is the protector of corporations verses families paychecks.Raise SS tomorrow by 20%, she will give us cheaper better one payer healthcare,raise min wage to 15 dollars in the states of poverty in the south.She won’t let wealthy people get wealthier on the backs of the poor.

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

The State of Ma. gave 7 million dollars so taxpayers in Pittsfield Ma. could get relief.Curtus and Behnke wont run a responsible budget and they are killing Pittsfield.The number 1 problem is Tyler street neighborhood is a cesspool of very ill drug addicts and crime.The children from those homes are neglected in every way.Morningside school should become a drug recovery center for the illness going on their.Why does Pittsfield pay to clean up a gas station.We are out another 200k and that’s enough for 4 police officers

North of Seventy
North of Seventy
4 years ago

Fishin,what an idea!

Pat
Pat
4 years ago

Liz Warren is a nightmare candidate for president. Her wild eyed rants of calling anyone a racist who questions her politics is a recipe for disaster for this country. She doesn’t want to be questioned about calling herself a Native American and receiving special favors in colleges for claiming this as her heritage. Her DNA test proved that most Americans have more Native American in their DNA than she does, but they are not using that to claim they deserve special favors due to some tiny amount of it in their DNA.

Anyone who votes for her is easily fooled.
Liz is extremely far left and believes in enslaving us all to big government.

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
Reply to  Pat
4 years ago

She stripped naked and ran all around the Cherokee Indian Reservation; she still doesn’t have any Indian DNA in her.

Ben Weldon
Ben Weldon
Reply to  Pat
4 years ago

Liz Warren is just another HRC. We don’t need a lib in the White House.

Brook trout Dan?

Johnny2Shoes
Johnny2Shoes
Reply to  danvalenti
4 years ago

I likened you’ve gone fishing to, The Old Man and Sea.

Roberto Del Halitoso
Roberto Del Halitoso
Reply to  Johnny2Shoes
4 years ago

I love PCB Perch from Silver Lake.

Tom Betit
Tom Betit
Reply to  danvalenti
4 years ago

Good luck & tight lines

Shakes
Shakes
Reply to  Pat
4 years ago

Liz Warren is a warmongering republican that claims progressive ideals now only because it suits her. We deserve better.

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

so Pat feels the working poor will be hurt by higher wages,interesting.

Pat
Pat
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

I think that everyone, including the working poor, would be badly hurt financially and in many other ways by Liz Warren as President.

Acute Angina
Acute Angina
Reply to  Pat
4 years ago

Let’s raise the minimum wage to $50.00 an hour. Then everyone will be rich.

CC The Maze Sun
CC The Maze Sun
4 years ago

“I’ve got to admit its getting better….(It can’t get no worse)”
– The Beatles

Brian C. Marquis
Brian C. Marquis
4 years ago

My favorite:

“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Albert E.

Adequately describes your typical Pittsfield voter.

Ham Anex
Ham Anex
Reply to  Brian C. Marquis
4 years ago

If we don’t change direction soon, we’ll end up where we’re going.

CC The Maze Sun
CC The Maze Sun
Reply to  Ham Anex
4 years ago

“If you don’t where you’re going…. any road will take you there.”
-George Harrison

Agent 86
Agent 86
Reply to  Brian C. Marquis
4 years ago

Without this great land of ours, we would all drown.k

Tom Betit
Tom Betit
Reply to  Brian C. Marquis
4 years ago

“You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”

Abraham Lincoln
Perfectly describes the average Pittsfield politician

Dmi
Dmi
4 years ago

Just heard a call on the ppd scanner someone had two dogs stolen out of their car?

Johnny99
Johnny99
4 years ago

Dan,

Enjoy your fishing trip, for however long it lasts. Too bad Tyer didn’t take a nice long fishing trip, because the first rule of elected office is do no harm and she’s done plenty to The Kapanskis. But if ya listen to her, your headline would succinctly sum up her story of her tenure – it has never been better – that’s her take on the State of the city – a vibrant metropolis on the move. We’re one the move alright, right to the bottom.

Pittsfield Retiree
Pittsfield Retiree
Reply to  Johnny99
4 years ago

Do no harm is a medical doctor saying, unless you are planned parenthood.

Political oath, harm the taxpayers, pad my pocket.

Keep them straight.

Johnny99
Johnny99
Reply to  Pittsfield Retiree
4 years ago

I’ll try and that’s a good one right there, about planned parenthood. How about premeditated murder because that’s exactly what abortion is?

For the record, I got the line about a politician doing no harm from the esteemed Howie Carr a few years back, who was speaking of our governor at the time.

Herb Pease
Herb Pease
4 years ago

Vote for Biden. He can cure cancer.

Hoyt Clagwell
Hoyt Clagwell
Reply to  Herb Pease
4 years ago

He’s working on a cure for
Peyronie Disease too.

Trump Train
Trump Train
Reply to  Hoyt Clagwell
4 years ago

Biden should be looking for a cure for foot in mouth disease.

CC The Maze Sun
CC The Maze Sun
Reply to  Trump Train
4 years ago

Trump/Biden = same actor.

Trump Train
Trump Train
Reply to  CC The Maze Sun
4 years ago

Wrong again, Kemo Sabe.

CC The Maze Sun
CC The Maze Sun
Reply to  CC The Maze Sun
4 years ago

Trump Train/Shakes/Mr. G = same shill

Ham Anex
Ham Anex
4 years ago

Democratic National Committee spokesperson Michael Tyler announced Thursday that all candidates who run in the 2020 presidential election as Democrats will completely forego armed security for the entirety of their campaigns, in a clear and bold stance against gun violence in America.
We’ve talked to all possible candidates and everyone has agreed. Gun violence is a huge issue in our country, and guns are the problem. So whoever runs for president as a Democrat in 2020—be it Bernie, Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Jerry Brown, and/or whoever else throws their hat in the ring—they will steadfastly refuse to employ security teams who carry scary firearms.”

Tyler further confirmed that if a Democrat wins the White House in 2020, their first order of business will be to disarm the Secret Service. Asked how the president would then be kept safe, Tyler revealed that they plan on introducing a gun-free zone encompassing a 500-yard radius around the president at all times.

“Problem solved,” he said.

Mr. Fritz
Mr. Fritz
4 years ago

“Liberalism is a mental disorder.” – Michael Savage

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Mr. Fritz
4 years ago

Michel Savage has a menta l problem

X-Lachs Lounge
X-Lachs Lounge
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

TSC, if your IQ hits 28 you should sell.

Brian C. Marquis
Brian C. Marquis
Reply to  X-Lachs Lounge
4 years ago

Dump it as soon as it hits your shoe size.

Words of wisdom from Gordon Gekko.

Trump Train
Trump Train
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Yes, he is brilliant. Couple of real PhD’s in sciences. Good common sense. Speaks wisdom and truth. I could see that would be a problem for you.

Giacometti
Giacometti
4 years ago

President Bone Spurs was very upset to learn that D-Day was not a celebration for the only D that concerns him…D as in DONALD.

Herb Pease
Herb Pease
Reply to  Giacometti
4 years ago

What did nit wit Biden do in Vietnam? Oh that’s right he had deferments for asthma. Maybe now he can cure asthma. Democrats are wonderful. They cure disease and invented the Internet.

Johnny Absurdo
Johnny Absurdo
Reply to  Herb Pease
4 years ago

nice pivot Herb

Herb Pease
Herb Pease
Reply to  Johnny Absurdo
4 years ago

Why does military service matter only if a politician is a republican?

As the Krol Flies
As the Krol Flies
4 years ago

Today we must all be aware that protocol takes precedence over procedure.

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

Who the heck votes for Caccamo ,who the heck votes Moon,White,Rivers…..Mayor McCandless is running people out of the homes.We have the worst School System in New England and the City Council just endorsed as nother year of the failed educational system.Mccandless wants tour cash.The school mafia,vow of silence She ran is the key.Who allows school employees to be abused.

Rule 27
Rule 27
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Who votes for them? Democrats, that’s who.

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

Prediction: Pittsfield politics will raise municipal taxes by 5 percent again next year, and the year after that, and the year after that, ….

Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski should plan on paying their hard earned savings to City Hall.

Pittsfield Retiree
Pittsfield Retiree
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

Prediction: Jonathan Melle will lower brain function 5% per year.

He will also be appointed head of Pittsfield DPW since he knows all the streets to clear.

He will also be appointed to the Massachusetts Canabis Commission. His comments demonstrate a clear and present danger of weed consumption.

Thomas More
Thomas More
Reply to  Pittsfield Retiree
4 years ago

Prediction: Jonathan will always use his own name so he can be ridiculed by the cowards on this blog,

Kermit Frog
Kermit Frog
Reply to  Thomas More
4 years ago

I appreciate Jon’s posts. His posts are pretty well reasoned and articulate – if I don’t always agree with his opinion. He’s definitely one of the less hot headed posters.

Acute Angina
Acute Angina
Reply to  Pittsfield Retiree
4 years ago

If that’s the case he went brain dead in 2013.

Johnny2Shoes
Johnny2Shoes
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

No way taxes go up 5% with the best mayor ever running the show!

Johnny99
Johnny99
Reply to  Johnny2Shoes
4 years ago

How much have they gone up during her 3 years of setting them, including for the budget just voted on, aggregated. Probably over 5 percent.

Johnny Absurdo
Johnny Absurdo
4 years ago

Do political action committees at the city level buy votes by lavishing gifts on the larger unions such as education? And could this be why some cities find themselves in the grip of a handful of beneath the surface power brokers?

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

Trump,Hannity,Howie Carr,Glenn Beck,Bill ORielly, Mitch McConnell,Rush Limbaugh Mike Savage,Alex Jones the brains of America’s republican party.How do we get to great with these ahole giving you direction.All have made million giving advice to making lemmings out of the brilliant thinking angry male…..And the dumb shall lead you

Pat
Pat
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Rachel Maddow is just one example of a far left liberal television host who has made millions telling people for years about guaranteed Trump collusion with Russia and so many fell for her nonsense. She lives extremely well here in Berkshire County. NBC has even invited her to be a Democratic debate moderator which is a joke since she is so partisan that it will be impossible for her to ask fair questions of the candidates. Expect few hard hitting questions and more along the lines of, “If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be”.

doomiedoger
doomiedoger
Reply to  Pat
4 years ago

Vote for T$ump. He puts kids in cages so that they don’t walk across your lawn. MAGA

Pat
Pat
Reply to  doomiedoger
4 years ago

No, you are talking about Obama who did the same thing while a drooling liberal media said it was all beautiful because a Democrat was putting illegal immigrants in cages.

Johnny Absurdo
Johnny Absurdo
Reply to  Pat
4 years ago

and if she asked Trump that question he would be stumped for an answer. Duhhhh..Hillary did it….Obama did it I sure hope the Russians can help me win the next election too

Pat
Pat
Reply to  Johnny Absurdo
4 years ago

You are suffering from Rachel Maddow syndrome. There was no collusion. Russia attempted to interfere, but DID NOT change election ballots at the polls. Their interference was on social media where they were mainly trying to stir up division in America. Between the far left trying to divide Americans and the Russian bots, they have succeeded brilliantly. Is the far left working in collusion with the Russian bots to destabilize our country?

Johnny Absurdo
Johnny Absurdo
Reply to  Pat
4 years ago

Fact: Hannity is a Russian cooperative. Same for Beck and Limbaugh. Russia is compensating them on top of their republican salaries. Putin has promised them high positions in the new Putin led American government once Trump completes the takedown. They have fallen for it and will be shocked when Putin sends them to labor camps in Siberia.

X-Lachs Lounge
X-Lachs Lounge
Reply to  Pat
4 years ago

Johnny Absurdo, you would be a star in the buffoon soecial olympics.

Johnny2Shoes
Johnny2Shoes
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

I miss Ed Shultz.

X-Lachs Lounge
X-Lachs Lounge
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Correction TSC if your IQ hits 10 sell.

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

Pittsfield has a city council that has disrespected the working poor for years.In order to change this we must change the leaders of the department of schools.We must consolidate .Taconic was built small on purpose.PHS graduated 160 students and it was built to graduate 500 .Pittsfield can not afford it east street 250 square food building that is not maintained.Pittsfield spends 100s of thousands to redo St Mary church complex,500k to a Mueseum that has 60 million in cash.Pittsfield also helps maintain Hancock Shaker Village to the tune of 500k.The Eagle could sell newspaper just writing stories on where Pittsfield taxpayer cash has been funneled.Who is going to do the story on the 25 new employee positions and what they brought to the taxpayer in value.The constant reminder that all smart student leave Pittsfield and our CC and School Committee are who stayed behind.

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

Mccandless is quoted in the eagle today saying we must have a conversation about shared services accross the county.Why won’t he have a conversation about his budget and High School consolidation.He could pull the trigger tomorrow on school consolidation.When you have the worst School department in New England you should not be giving advice to anyone in your county where 600 kids have fled.Those 600 are the equivolent of 1 of our high schools.THS ,PHS are both former division 1 schools and now have dropped 2 levels to division 3 by population at the school building.This is very very very bad management of structures.I believe having 2 high schools is racist .What other reason does the city keep 2 buildings for 1500 kids.

Kermit Frog
Kermit Frog
4 years ago

I agree SC.
All the schools are circling the drain – except maybe Williamstown — because educated families are leaving in droves. No one wants to hear how great the Pitts it is when it isn’t, watch their real estate investments tank, and if you are lucky enough to have a good pension, watch that get eaten up with taxes.
Without good employers the best thing the city can do is lower is taxes to create economic incentive.
BTW, how many people does GD actually employ — 50? What is the average salary? There are almost no cars parked there so it can’t be a huge amount of people. They get kid glove treatment but I can’t figure out why. Cut the graft and lower taxes.

Ted
Ted
Reply to  Kermit Frog
4 years ago

What? Do you live in Florida? Anyone who lives in Pittsfield can see the lot is full when you drive by.

Kermit Frog
Kermit Frog
Reply to  Ted
4 years ago

Fair enough, I must be very in-observant as I drive by everyday. I only noticed the lot by the road, and apparently it goes back quite a ways. It’s such a grim wasteland around there and I have never had a reason to be onsite. I’m glad to hear they have a solid number of people working there.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Kermit Frog
4 years ago

Yup,these people only hang with each other at the country club pool or Berkshire west,they don’t realize how badly they run a dangerous for kids school system.We have lost a high school of population.Why do we spend money on a clunker school system,let’s get control of this thing…..wait never going to happen.I think we need to hire the drug dealers to get control.They would not allow teachers to be abused at work.

Harrison
Harrison
Reply to  Kermit Frog
4 years ago

According to the Eagle, when they expanded to the Plastics building two years ago, employment was at 1400. I don’t think there was any layoffs since. They have alternate Fridays off so maybe you drove by then. Every time I go by the parking lot is packed, including Plastics Ave and the One Plastics parking lot. It would be good to know the number today.

ProxyDate
ProxyDate
Reply to  Kermit Frog
4 years ago

They employ about 300 there. The workforce will be cut in half by the end of the year.

Ted Kennedy Biden
Ted Kennedy Biden
4 years ago

I will vote for Trump again as T K B has turned into an old coot.

Kermit Frog
Kermit Frog
4 years ago

That is a healthy staff number if it’s accurate. I think I missed the second parking lot too. A friend who worked there left doing and moved back to VA. He said GD built a bunch of projects that never got implemented so it was depressing. I bet that are several years out on projects given it’s all Military stuff.
I met some Reid kids the other day. They were extremely polite when they asked for a WiFi password. I was expecting shirtless delinquents based on the news reports.

Gigi
Gigi
4 years ago
doomiedodger
doomiedodger
Reply to  Gigi
4 years ago

The only people who want war are Trump, Bolton and Pompeo.

ask yourself, why would Iran try to damage oil tankers when they are in the business of selling oil. Also, one of the ships was Japanese and the Japanese leader was at the time visiting Iran. That would be beyond stupid. Iran has nothing to gain by war and knows the US is watching their every move.

It very much looks like the US in conjunction with Israel and the Arabs are setting up the Iranians because all three want to bomb the shit out of them. It is much more likely that these three countries, who all hate Iran, are pulling a major con job.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  doomiedodger
4 years ago

Bolton would like to try this one more time.Read about John Bolton.Remember Trump is funneling tax breaks of 1.7 trillion out of our economy again this year and into corporate share buybacks to keep the share price fake high.

Shakes
Shakes
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

I’m pretty sure Biden and Warren would happily vote for war again, just like their records show they have in the past.

doomiedodger
doomiedodger
Reply to  Shakes
4 years ago

Nifty pivot Shakes.

Mr. G
Mr. G
Reply to  Shakes
4 years ago

Dan, you and Shakes absolutely nailed this one!

Joyce Slater
Joyce Slater
4 years ago

Dan
Have a great vacation! Food for the soul. Happy Fathers Day to all.

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

If you want to know the status of our city just look at our school system.We are bankrupting our War veterans so that our educators can be verbally abused by 12 year olds.Mr McCandless needs to have a conversation with War veterans why he allows administrators to look the other way when children abuse Pittsfield School teachers.Also allowing abuse of employees are Yon,Curtus,Behnke,Tyer and number 1 is Marchetti.

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

What makes you think any of these people give a dripping shit about bankrupting veterans, the elderly or hard working blue collar folk?

they do not.

Shakes
Shakes
Reply to  Johnny Absurd
4 years ago

Aren’t seniors and veterans already eligible for property tax breaks?

Sgt. Bazooka
Sgt. Bazooka
Reply to  Shakes
4 years ago

Yes, but under very narrow circumstances.

Johnny Holmes
Johnny Holmes
4 years ago

Good luck Sara Sanders,
Fantasize about you.

Mr. G
Mr. G
Reply to  Johnny Holmes
4 years ago

Mmmmmm….that smoky eye!

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

Tyer and Marchetti give School what they want to keep secrets about what goes on there.Average teacher pay in Pittsfield is 67k and they will all be drunk tonight

Aerin
Aerin
4 years ago

The BB is pumping DA Harrington hosting another PR event, this time highlighting a program that the state has come up with using the name RESPECT. Over a decade ago, DA Capeless and his community outreach and education program (which btw Harringon killed) established bullying prevention training and programs for all of the county’s school systems to allow them to be in compliance with what ended up being a state mandate. It was called RESPECT – give it, get it.

Already Tyred
Already Tyred
4 years ago

And now bar owner Yuki Cohen enters the council at large race. Tyer gobsig plant?

Already Tyred
Already Tyred
Reply to  Already Tyred
4 years ago

The bar owner and financial adviser is going big for her first council run, setting her sights on an at-large seat to focus on education and small-business development in Pittsfield.

Cohen, who also sits on the board at Jacob’s Pillow, said Pittsfield’s artistic caliber and breathtaking landscape position it well for growth.

“I am running for council because I would love an opportunity to participate in further unfolding the great potential of this bright city,” she said in a release.

This bullshit from Cohen sounds like it was written by Tyeruberto.
They’been peddling this bulshit for years. All that’s missing is vibrant, dynamic and economic engine.

And Lothrop. What can we say. He was a complete failure as a councilor before and all he’ll do is further the slide of this once thriving city. Maybe he should go back to PCTV and cohost a show with no klew lew again.

ProxyDate
ProxyDate
Reply to  Already Tyred
4 years ago

She gathered signatures illegally already she’ll win by a landslide

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  ProxyDate
4 years ago

Does this person now or expect in the future, to get tax breaks on her business? The list of beneficiaries is top secret and no candidates or councilors want to discuss it. Sure would be a great way to control council votes wouldn’t it?

Everyday I scan the public service section of the local papers for this list of elites who get huge tax breaks from Mayor Tyer. But either she or the newspaper itself seem to want to keep the information under wraps. If she will not release the list could she at least tell the taxpayers why not?

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

Problem in Pittsfield is the Tyler street neighborhood where the landlords to over the streets to rend to the gangs to keep the adults addicted to the drugs.Their children have taken over the schools because they dont respect adults nor should they because no one’s in charge.So they are.

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Tyler street will be the next Social Services alley. A great place to spend lots of money and pay back political donors though affiliated contracts. There is a reason shit like this happens and road fixing does not. Your city is going to cut your garbage pickup in half but Tyler street will be turned into a taxpayer money sponge.

Harrison
Harrison
Reply to  Johnny Absurd
4 years ago

I thought the city wanted to limit to 64 gallons? Who puts out 128 gallons of trash a week?

Thomas More
Thomas More
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Very clearly said TSC.

X-Lachs Lounge
X-Lachs Lounge
Reply to  Thomas More
4 years ago

Looks like TSC is hitting the brewskis early today.

ProxyDate
ProxyDate
4 years ago

Reid and Herberg students were so poorly behaved at a friend trip to Bousquet last week they are now banned from ever going there as a class again.
The chaperones were off drinking and playing cards allegedly as the Reid students peppered other schools children with N words and beat of up a few 3rd and 4th graders from another school.

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  ProxyDate
4 years ago

If this is true I am sure the Eagle will have full coverage with photos. If not this will be the last we hear of it. What I do hear is that they are mostly all honor students who donate spare time chatting with lonely elder folk in nursing homes. And some of them aspire to be future school committee members who will not accept pay or health insurance.

Sojourner Truth
Sojourner Truth
4 years ago

Dale Eason for Mayor. Anyone who gets full pay and benefits for not working for 3 years, intimidates and manipulates civil service and the judicial system, and ends up with a six figure payoff with full city pension and benefits can easily be the next con man politician capable of defeating the Pittsfield political cult and land spurious state and federal grants.

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

Facts:

$175,437,453 operating budget

$10,700,000 million capital budget

The budget overall is increasing by just short of $7,000,000 million, which is about a 3.9 percent increase over fiscal year 2019’s budget. The schools are seeing an increase of $2,900,000 million in the budget.

Opinion:

While I fully support the lovely Linda Tyer, who I believe is the best Mayor of Pittsfield EVER, I disagree with her fiscal year 2020 budget. The reason I dissent is that no one’s pay goes up by 3.9 percent in one year. I believe a realistic budget would increase by no more than 2 percent.

I have followed Pittsfield politics for decades, and it is always the same outcomes. Municipal taxes always go up by around 5 percent per fiscal year. Pittsfield has an excessively high debt load, too. The tax base always shrinks due to chronic and recurring losses in population and jobs. Pittsfield is one of the most economically unequal communities in the state and nation. There are many people who live in or near poverty. Pittsfield is a distressed economy ran by political hacks!

– Jonathan Melle

Benigno Numine
Benigno Numine
4 years ago

Who was the last non Italian to represent ward 3 on the council?

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  Benigno Numine
4 years ago

One is not really “representing” anything if one is a rubber stamp vote. Although the argument could be made that ones rubber stamp vote, as an ingratiating act, will in a roundabout manner, benefit said voter and thusly does represent something though not what one would want the public to figure out

Benigno Numine
Benigno Numine
Reply to  Johnny Absurd
4 years ago

But can anyone answer my question?

Thomas More
Thomas More
Reply to  Benigno Numine
4 years ago

Gerry Doyle

Thomas More
Thomas More
Reply to  Thomas More
4 years ago

or perhaps Caccamo who I think is an American

Chuck Vincelette
Chuck Vincelette
Reply to  Benigno Numine
4 years ago

Tom Hickey? Doesn’t sound Italian!

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

Caccamo going down in History as the least interested city councilor ever . Would Dom pease ask constituents if they need new sidewalks.Also could Dom put in a petition that CC is required to pass a remedial math class to do the budget.Recycle everything that isn’t food or food related.

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Actually his predecessor in the ward was low energy as well. These people are there for one reason and one reason only. To rubber stamp the mayors every wish. Why do you think Lothrop is coming back? He was not there for his ward before and there Is no reason to believe that would change. Rubber stamper emeritus.

X-Lachs Lounge
X-Lachs Lounge
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Recycling is expensive. More costly that incinerating. But thanks for recycling your beer cans and bottles. They have used your beer cans to make a dozen 747’s.

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

XLAX offered a thought about suds. Now exhausted he will nap.

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

X has shared a thought about beer cans.