YOU WANT BUDGET? THE PLANET’S GOT BUDGET
By DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, MAY 29, 2014) — Want budget? We got budget.
“Budget” here on THE PLANET means something far different than it does for the mayor and his stooges. “Budget” also means something else than what The Boring Broadsheet and other commercial media in the area will say or write about it. The city gives you the “whirling dervish” budget, with so much spin that it contains enough artificial gravity to ground a spacewalker. The commercial media will simply “rip and read.”
Don’t be fooled at this cynical illusion. The Empty Suit‘s FY15 budget is both a sinker and a stinker.
——- 000 ——-
The commercial media gives you the budget straight off the press releases from city hall. It’s not so much that they’re too lazy to dig for the truth, though there is some of that. Rather, it’s that the lowly reporters, editors, and newsroom types must follow orders from above. That’s always the publishers’ suite, where J. Alfred Prufrocks kiss the bums of advertisers and sandpaper their tongues licking the boots of The Suits.
THE PLANET likes the sound of that: “The Boots of the Suits.” It’s got too many talented but muzzled, muffled local journalists singing the blues.
Here on THE PLANET, though, we remain free of the taint of money. No one can pressure, intimidate, threaten, or browbeat us on our coverage. We will yield to no one’s orders but our own. When “They” tell the media “Don’t look behind that curtain,” when all the others silently and obediently cower away, we hawk a large loogie in “Their” face and not only look behind the curtain but tear it asunder.
To be honest, we don’t know what effect our coverage of this budget will have. Perhaps a lot, perhaps a little, perhaps none. That doesn’t matter. What matters to us is that we have at least tried. We have at least tried to wake up the sleeping giant that is We The People and around it and them to action.
——- ooo ——-
This week, THE PLANET has been presenting the dreadful truth behind TES‘ “ticking bomb” FY15 budget. TES, of course, is the new nickname for Mayor Dan Bianchi. It stands for what he is, politically: The Empty Suit. Yes, that’s the same TES that has become a staple of Planet Valenti Television — PV-TV (Episode 4 tomorrow night, live, 7-8 p.m. on Channel 16). On the show, TES has been kicked off the set, dragged away; ascended into the heavens; and, last week, endured THE PLANET’s version of The Vulcan Mild Meld Meets Mr. Hyde. You will never guess what’s in store for tomorrow’s show!
While we have no illusions about our Right Honorable Good Friends on the City Council, we shall maintain a flicker of hope that enough of them muster the political courage to throw this piece of financial crap back in the mayor’s face. If the council rolls over and plays dead, they shall, as a group and individually, find themselves as topics du jour here on THE PLANET. They won’t be happy, for we are sick and tired of phonies who make promises to The Little Guy at election time only to vote with The Special Interests at budget time.
No more.
And ladies and gentlemen, we have given you the ammunition to fight back. The most important bullets in your chambers are the phone numbers and e-mail addresses of the mayor and the 11 councilors. Hound them. Harass them. Politely explain your position or rudely recall for them their promises. Whichever way it is, get involved. One single phone call, one brief e-mail, will have a tenfold effect.
Here are the addresses once again:
MAYOR’S OFFICE
Dan Bianchi
(413) 499-9321 (city hall)
(413) 442-1967 (Global Montello Group, Bianchi’s other job)
(413) 441-2387 (cell)
e-mail dbianchi@pittsfieldch.com or dbianchi@globalp.com
CITY COUNCIL
| At-Large Melissa Mazzeo, Council President 57 Winesap Road 443-4079 – homemmazzeo@pittsfieldch.com |
 |
| Ward 4 Christopher J. Connell, Council Vice President 105 Dawes Avenue 443-6779 – home 822-6008 – cellcconnell@pittsfieldch.com |
 |
| Ward 1 Lisa I. Tully 58 Oak Hill Road 499-7505 – home 329-0074 – cellltully@pittsfieldch.com |
 |
| Ward 2 Kevin J. Morandi 19 South Carolina Avenue 499-0108 – work and home 429-7936 – cellkmorandi@pittsfieldch.com |
 |
| Ward 3 Nicholas J. Caccamo 130 Parkside Avenue 486-0464 – cellncaccamo@pittsfieldch.com |
 |
| Ward 5 Jonathan N. Lothrop 18 Willow Lane 281-0994 – celljlothrop@pittsfieldch.com |
 |
| Ward 6 John Krol 7 Trova Terrace 464-5830 – celljkrol@pittsfieldch.com |
 |
| Ward 7 Anthony J. Simonelli 59 Kellie Drive 442-2191 – hometsimonelli@pittsfieldch.com |
 |
| At- large Kathleen A. Amuso 78 Leona Drive 442-1926 – homekamuso@pittsfieldch.com |
 |
| At- large Barry J. Clairmont 12 Lillybrook Road 822-8866 – cellbclairmont@pittsfieldch.com |
 |
| At- large Churchill Cotton 15 Donovan Street 442-0862 – home 822-3710 – cellccotton@pittsfieldch.com |
——- 000 ——-
Now, here are some additional budget figures, the FY budgets going back a generation, to 1986. Note that we have given you the total city budget followed by the school budget. Keep in mind that the cost of health insurance for Pittsfield School Department employees is buried in the city dollars, as is the cost of pensions, transportation, and maintenance. That is how the school department, with the city’s help, hides its totals. Sneaky, eh? If there was an actual cut in the budget from one year to the next, we have put it in bold face and underlined it.
Now, see if you can detect a pattern from among the following figures:
——- 000 ——-
FY86 — $46,480,070 … schools $19,686,000 — Mayor Charlie Smith
FY87 — $50,463,0058 … schools $20,558,254 — ” ” ”
FY88 — $54,442,776 … schools $22,000,000 — Mayor Anne Wojtkowski
FY89 — $60,159,957 … schools $24,445,133 — ” ” ”
FY90 — $61,669,440 … schools $25,106,180 — ” ” ”
FY91 — $64,641,029 … schools $25,779,866 — ” ” ”
FY92 — $63,700,281 … schools $23, 366,866 — ” ” “
FY93 — $62,618,328 … schools $23,483,659 — ” ” ”
FY94 — $63185,721 … schools $23,366,869 — Mayor Ed Reilly
FY95 — $70,115,484 … schools $28,299,400 (net spending) plus $1,931,600 (non-net spending) (Reilly)
FY96 — $72,822,035 … schools $31,984,474 — Reilly
FY97 — $75,547,985 … schools $33,615,927 — ” ” ”
FY98 — $79,703,704 … schools $35,680,009 — ” ” ”
FY99 — $83,320,060 … schools $37,580,365 — Mayor Gerry Doyle
FY00 — $85,607,771 … schools $38,717,075 — ” ” ”
FY01 — $91,285,496 … schools $40,096,694 — ” ” ”
FY02 — $99,685,107 … schools $40,096,694 (level with the previous year) — ” ” ”
FY03 — $99,673,084 … schools $40,627,559 — Mayor Sara Hathaway
FY04 — $100,002,226 … schools $40,627,559 (level) — ” ” ”
FY05 — $106,023,229 … schools $42,200,000 — Mayor Jimmy Ruberto
FY06 — $110,576,118 … schools $43,024,866 — ” ” ”
FY07 — $116,646,433 … schools $45,822,000 — ” ” ”
FY08 — $123,146,693 … schools $48,724,289 — ” ” ”
FY09 — $126,848,208 … schools $48,962,445 — ” ” ”
FY10 — $122,705,548 … schools $48,612,888 — ” ” ”
FY11 — $126,922,754 … schools $51,615,459 — ” ” ”
FY12 — $129,347,849 … schools $52,484,497 — ” ” ”
FY13 — $133,133,131 … schools $53,806,701 — Mayor Dan Bianchi
FY14 — $137,582,697 … schools $55,524,399 — ” ” ”
FY15 — $148,142,507 … schools $56,524,399 — ” ” ”
——- 000 ——-
Only in three of these 30 years (10%) did the both the overall and school budget go down, once each under Mayors Wojtkowski, Reilly, and Ruberto. Some 90% of the time, going back a generation, the city has fattened itself at taxpayers’ expense. Only twice did the city budget go down beyond those three, once under Wojtkowski and Hathaway. Doyle and Hathaway kept school spending level for one year.
From this analysis, Anne Wojtkowski was the best mayor in the city’s recent history, twice reducing the city’s budget in her six years. Sara Hathaway reduced it in one of her two years. Too bad Dan Bianchi didn’t learn anything from his two mentors.
Thus, the city’s two women mayors, in their eight combined years, reduced the city’s budget three times — not stellar in the abstract but given Pittsfield history of “giving away the store” to the unions and Special Interests, darn well spectacular.
The only mayor in this sequence (not counting Charlie Smith’s years prior to FY86) not to have at least one reduction of level funded budget is (drumroll) …
… TA-DA …
The Empty Suit. TES also has jacked up the budget at a higher percentage than any of his predecessors.
Isn’t it time to throw the budget out, if not the bum?
Remember to get in your calls and messages to the mayor and the city council. Tell them “NO” on this TES’ disastrous fiscal “plan” for the upcoming fiscal year. The city’s future may depend on it.
————————————————————————————
“Let the stormy clouds chase everyone form the place. Come on with the rain. I’ve a smile on my face.” — Gene Kelly, “Singing in the Rain.”
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
The budget is immoral. The process is immoral. The mayor is immoral. Any council support without serious chopping is immoral.
All of these people were elected to take care of the people. They are not kings or lords. They do not own the city nor the people who live within. They are no better than the people who elected them regardless of any sense of superiority they may have. The people trusted them to do right by them and they have shown themselves to be unworthy of that trust. The mayor is shrouded in shame. All who support this ludicrous budget are also shrouded in shame.
“Immoral” is an apt word.
My good friend and Senior Planner from Berkshire Regional Planning Mark Maloy, recently did a study that the population of Pittsfield and Berkshire County will drop significantly in future years. Less students +more teachers+ more administrators + a new high school = the need for more investments or tax increases
http://berkshireplanning.org/images/uploads/general/migration,_jobs_could_slow_county_population_drop.pdf
Back to the $770,000 for pedestrian plazas on North St. that we need like a hole in the head.
Where the hell is this money coming from? A grant? Local tax dollars?
And we learn about it in the legal notices….not a story by the BB!
Grant money I think but money that will come with some pretty awful conditions, like most of the socalled “free” money. Why do you think Pittsfield has become overrun with bums, druggies, deadbeats, teen moms, and others looking for a free ride?
These people are here because of the “free” money.
iBerkshires posted this to their Facebook page.
http://www.boston.com/business/news/2014/05/28/the-fastest-growing-and-fastest-shrinking-towns-and-cities-mass/fqPZQUPgehJl9ueGiouxZI/pictures.html
All of the shrinking cities/towns are in Berkshire County.
I wonder what the fastest growing cities/towns are doing, or not doing for that matter, that Pittsfield and the rest of the Berkshires are (not).
” The biggest losses in the state—in Pittsfield—saw about 650 residents leave.”
6:29 a.m.: Police investigate a burglary at Mission Bar + Tapas on North Street.
7:16 a.m.: Police investigate a burglary at The Marketplace on North Street.
8:05 a.m.: Police conduct a followup investigation at Mission Bar + Tapas on North Street.
8:15 a.m.: Police investigate a burglary on South Street.
8:52 a.m.: Police investigate a burglary at the Colonial Theater on South Street.
No wonder all the decent people are getting out of Dodge or, if stuck there, tend to keep a low profile. The streets have given way to the scum.
Nonsense. I stopped in at Maria’s just yesterday and purchased a smoked trout. Left with it in my pocket. No one bothered me all the way back to my car.
Regarding increases in City budget, have you accounted for extraordinary expenses (once in a generation infrastructure overhaul) and deferred investments. I wouldn’t suggest that Ruberto would even consider not tackling a water treatment question, leaving it for successors to deal with.
Good job with the investigative reporting, Ed. You missed the animal complaints at Lake Pontoosuc, though. I’m now too scared to drive into that parking lot….
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”
Absolutely stunning.
Hey Dan, great budget coverage. While we can easily calculate it, it would be interesting to have the %increase/decrease year to year included with your above data. This year’s is indeed WAY out of scope with the past increases, obviously. One other nit I want to pick; The Eagle, the anvil on which you pound to forge your swords, is most assuredly vapid and bereft of any investigative reporting, or indeed of any spine for covering real stories. However, I wonder if the reasons don’t go a bit deeper than you say. My point is, how can they be “beholden to advertisers” when they have virtually none?!? There is no doubt a “Pittsfield elite” group, and it probably includes the banks, insurance guys and a few others…but most of them don’t spend much in the paper any more. So where is the connection, or where are the bodies buried? Since Andy Mick retired, the publisher isn’t particularly local, and the paper is much more corporately-focused. Its actions, in fact, almost seem to mimic those of the local government; bleed the remaining residents of the town dry…then close up shop when the pickins’ are done!
The bb has to bow to the few advertisers it has left.
Notice that they are running more full page ads now and the price of a classified is off the wall. I use the Yankee Shopper myself. I have used both and the response to the shopper is rapid, not so with the bb
Can you say low readership?
If the bb doesn’t grow a pair, they may ad well lock the doors.
The legal notices are just that, legal notices. They don’t have a choice. But if the info is out there through a notice, there should be a story to follow. Oh, I forgot..no investigators work there anymore.
MR G
Thanks. The budget coverage is necessary, so that when it gets approved without any cuts, we all can see what a hose job looks like. Now, to your point about The BB. You make a good point: The BB’s pool of advertisers is shrinking, though not as quite as fast as its circulation. This makes the remaining advertisers all that much more important. The publisher of The BB, and perhaps the executive editor, know it’s only a matter of time before The BB folds. Sources say they even know the date. In the meantime, they will maintain the fiction that the paper will continue indefinitely and take every cent they can get. It’s clear the brass at Digital First Media has made the decision to cut its losses by ditching its print products. That’s where the body is buried: at Digital FM HQ. As you say, they will bleed dry “then close up shop when the pickins’ are done.”
The numbers are far from the only factors to be looked at. For example we have a net loss of 650 here in the City of Pittsfield. What are the demographic differences that offset the net to 650? For example if 1000 people of say upper middle class were to leave due to job loss and they were able to find employment in a different region of the country. And 350 transient units (not my words but those used by the government before you jump on me) move in to some group home Bfair or otherwise what is the net impact on the discretionary income and economic standing and power of the city and county? As well as impact on schools and other programs? If most of the new residents are in need of extra services that those departing did not use or need are we set to extend those services and what will the costs be?
In short who is managing the decline and population shift? Managing it hell who’s talking about it? All I hear is all is swell and things are great and moving forward and don’t ask questions. Ron thanks for the link I have been following that population shift for some time now and the BRPC has a lot of information regarding it. I know a presentation given in Adams or North Adams a while ago was talked about on Iberkshires. I don’t read the BB so I’m not sure if it was published there or not. It doesn’t fit their narrative though
I’m sure somehow it’s for the children
Yes Joe P, it is for the children. Population evacuating and parents opting out of PPS is our warped way of keeping class sizes down. While we all wonder why parents opt their kids out, why hasn’t Dan or the BB(ha) asked TFB or council Perez Maz what their reasons were? I don’t begrudge them and think it is every parents right, but it may give the PPS some insight into the problems, real or perceived, from some influential people. I go back to when TFB was the mayor’s assistant. Imagine a call by the CEO of a prospective company. “Do you have kids….yes….how do the like the school system ……we choice out……..click!
Yes, Somehow, the crime-infested budget will be “for The Children.”
The eagle just ran an editorial on a gun control bill stating we’re more safe in mass due to our tough laws. They left out the fact that CA has more gun control and a lunatic still went on a shooting spree last week. There are also several stories on criminals with guns and a mysterious western style shoutout at a local hotel as well as a club closing because of gun violence but get who’s paying attention!
Also remember when Wayne Lo shot up Simon’s Rock College
http://berkshirebeacon.com/news/2012/12/simons-rock-shooting-20-years-later/
Because he was from Montana he could buy an assault rifle, killing 2 and hurting 4.
Good point Deb what’s stopping someone from VT coming here and killing us all? Certainly not our tough gun laws. And did you read about the guy from NY who was just arrested with a gun, do much for the “safe” act!
Also Deb I would like to point out in both cases Simons rock and the latest CA shooting and I’m sure many others pice or authorities are notified and can’t, won’t or don’t act. So when the police fail it’s up to us. We should be our own first lines of defense.
Scott,
Thanks for that little reminder the BE left out. BE should have mentioned how well The Windy City is doing with the tough gun laws they have. What do think of some of the media now saying white privilege is the cause of the shooting in CA.?
I don’t know Johnny2shoes people kill for all kinds of reason. I guess you can say violent crime in urban ghettos is the fault of under privilege. Personally I think the kid was a whack job and if he didn’t have a gun he would have just went on a car assault rampage in which case a good armed citizen could have came in handy. Plus what good is any restriction look at new town ct the kids mother passed the background and obtained the weapons Lanza used. People will find a way and when they do it sure would be nice if as a society we could come to the realization that securing our safety is the responsibility of the individual.
The BB (not the BE) leaves out everything that matters. Another unsigned editorial parroting left wing loons on gun “control.”
Phil from abc news “At some point, Rodger was diagnosed as having an ultra-high-achieving form of Asperger syndrome, a disorder on the autism spectrum, an attorney for his family said Saturday.
It’s important to stress that there has never been any scientific link between Asperger and acts of violence, and there is no claim that Rodger’s disorder itself had anything to do with Friday’s actions.”
Ok so they’re being politically correct I guess is it safe to say maybe just maybe you don’t let people with autism have access to firearms??? Jesus! This world is f’d. Let’s continue to allow mentally handicapped people access to guns so we don’t offend anyone.
the guy was half asian so it must be asian privilage
The anonymous BB editorial was piss-poor, as is the newspaper’s norm.
4 of the deaths in the CA tragedy were not gun related
He did run a couple people down didn’t he? I’m glad I don’t have cable and can avoid the sensational repetitive reporting. It’s that damn Grand theft auto video game! I’d rather read a headline that states lunatic who attempted to kill people was stopped by armed citizen.
I just read it, hoping these comments were exaggerations. For the love of God that was the WORST editorial I have ever read. Proof stricter gun laws keep us safer. I live in the pioneer valley and there have been three shootings in broad daylight in public area such as a Burger King in the past week. Maybe if a citizen had a gun, they could have stopped the thugs…they were too busy working and waiting on their background checks to pass. Ridiculous!
Citizens are not allowed to use their guns until after they’ve been murdered. It’s kind of like a Catch-22. You may defend yourself with a gun only if you have reasonable fear for bodily harm. If you survive the ordeal, you had no reasonable fear for bodily harm.
Ask Zimmerman for details.
Scott,
Deleo claims that the bill is to prevent another horror such as Newtown. But, you and I understand that no law that hopes to tame human behavior will prevent such tragedies.
I bet even Deleo knows his bill is symbolic, but what a heck of amount of work it was and will be to implement. So what’s the motivation? Must be money in it for a good number of political connections.
If it were genuine, he’d just focus on reporting felons and court-determined screwballs to the Feds.
Dollar tree has those phony dollar bills forabuck, you could use the as a prop for the TES segment on the Show, you know, stuff them in the pockets, it would be hilarious!
Nota, that’s a good idea you’re hired!
Pittsfield politics suck!
Pittsfield’s finances really suck!
Poor Pittsfield Senior Citizens on fixed incomes trying to hold onto their homes!
Poor Pittsfield Youth who depend on welfare to survive.
Rich Pittsfield vested interests who feed off of the masses.
It must be nice to be a Good Old Boy Pittsfield politician! Screw everyone else in Pittsfield.
yeah, I’ll get the dollars,Planet, where do I send them..PCTV?
Send them to Europolis Management, PO Box 1268, Stockbridge, MA 01262
Maybe time for another political movement similar to WHEN. That group was successful in getting more women in local politics. Although nothing did change with the budget or the thinking of our city govt. Since all of our Councillors and Mayor our at least middle class or upper middle class,, I think it’s time for LIC ( Low Income Candidates) maybe citizens who know how to get by with less would be more equipped to handle our budget.
Democracy in Massachusetts. Excuse me, I meant to ask: “What democracy in Massachusetts?”
Nearly half of the Massachusetts Legislature is running unopposed this year of 2014 .
8 of the 11 Massachusetts District Attorneys are running unopposed this year of 2014.
Link:
http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_politics/2014/05/few_challengers_for_massachusetts_legislature
Suggestion for consolidation of Municipal Services….Give Downtown Pittsfield Inc. two events to run that would give them credibility and prove their worth…Downtown Farmers Market and
Third Thursdays…certainly the $ 50,000.00 plus the City funds them is worth Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. doing something for the City….other than attempting to keep business’ from leaving the
downtown.
Not a bad idea, G, but I would rather just pull the plug on the pathetic waste of DPI and save $50 grands for taxpayers.
The 7.6% increase is the largest percentage increase since FY1995 when Reilly increased the budget by almost 11% but this was after decreases in FY92, FY93 and Y94 (all relative to FY91). The proposed budget is an increase of more than $10 million! For comparison, the city of Bloomington Indiana where I happen to live, has a budget of $34 million (without K- 12 schools. Your proposed budget without the schools is $91 million.). We have a population of 81,000 which includes the university students. Your INCREASE is a third of our budget. What the hell is Pittsfield doing with all this money?
Pensionfield, Where muncipal benes reign almost supreme and non profit perks are close behind.
Has the Gazette published a listing of non profit and gov’t salaries recently ?
DV, did anyone venture a perview of Pittsfield city and school employees who don’t reside nor pay taxed in the city ? How is this discovered ? Has the Cultural Czar’s position been filled ? R.S.V.P. director’s ?
Wish I could be ‘Breaking Away’ from Pittsfield.
Nice! The “little 500” is still a big deal here in April. One of the riders in the first race in the 1950s was from Pittsfield.
Dr. Trzcinka we thank you for this wonderful (but sad) andalyses. DVs figures and Dr T’s analysis prove that Pittsfield taxpayers are getting royally screwed. Councilors beware if you vote for the hike.
And speaking of the BB…yesterday there was a story about a man and a cane and a dog and an assault. One mans name was given but the other guy kept being referred to as, the other man, the 27 year old, etc. Wonder who this guy was and why his name was deliberately not printed. Could he be connected? Was the Eagle told not to put his name in their paper?
Or perhaps the reporter forgot to ask? I recall the original complaint some years ago. It was an assault in slow motion that could have been predicted from two miles apart.
BRK LIGHT
Well at least Pittsfield has EV Worldwide to count on for those 1000+ jobs…..oh yeah, never mind.