By DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary

ED. NOTE: Before breaking into Part 2 of the school building whitewash, THE PLANET breaks some news. We have confirmed that Ward 4 Chris Connell today will file a petition with the council asking the mayor to rescind his administrative order on restructuring public works and utilities. That measure automatically took effect after our Right Honorable Good Friends failed to act within the allotted 60 days. On PLANET VALENTI TELEVISION, Connell said the mayor could rescind it, and he has now acted on that statement.

Connell’s petition will ask his colleagues to vote with him in sending it on to the mayor. It would then be up to the mayor to voluntarily withdraw the Administrative Order so that the council can properly vet and vote on the measure. As THE PLANET understands it, the mayor does not have to do it. However, it would be a tremendous act of partisanship and belief in good government if he did. It would say to citizens and taxpayers that he does want to include them in the process of governance. We commend Connell for taking action.

THE PLANET recommends that the council pass it unanimously and that the mayor comply. The council vote on Connell’s petition will be interesting. Anyone voting against this will be voting against citizens and taxpayers. 

We return now to our regularly scheduled column.

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Second of Two Parts

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21, 2014) —In taking up the matter constructing and paying for a new Taconic High School, it has become clear that the reason this has not been made available to We The People for a direct vote is that the proponents know full well that in a fair and representative vote, citizens would reject the measure. They know the city cannot afford it, and even if it could, the city does not NEED it.

The crying need for this project has not been established. The proponents have not made the case. Instead of logic, they have used emotion (“It’s for The Children”). Instead of facts, they have used the fantasy (fancy renderings, sweet-dream stats). Instead of reasoning, they have used assertions. Instead of evidence, they have used wishful thinking.

Here are some other observations on this awful project.

Why Not Regional? — Most everyone has overlooked one critical matter. Who decided to build a new city high school instead of going for a regional campus dedicated to high tech and vocational? Someone had to make this decision, but exactly who? And exactly when? This question has never been properly explored. THE PLANET is playing nothing more than a hunch here, but we have the unshakeable feeling that the “decision” was made but not legally. This needs to be fully vetted. Memo to the investigative team at The Boring Broadsheet: That’s a prize winner, likely, if you go after it.

Razzing the Razing — How much will it cost to raze the current THS campus? Funny how that questions have been skirted. That lone consideration, although there are others, makes the official $115 million figure spurious. “They” are pulling numbers out of the air at this point. THE PLANET agrees with several others who have stated that by the time the project is finished, the costs will greatly exceed $115 million. A figure of $200 million is being tossed about. Just a guess, but that’s the one that would seem closer to accuracy.

No Vote — The amazing and believably unbelievable part of all this is that it appears that the measure is going to be approved without taxpayers being given a chance to vote on it. Taxpayers, they don’t want you. They only want your money. You can put a stop to it but getting involved. Put pressure on the mayor, city council, and school committee. Demand a vote.

Yeah, I Know You Do, but Why? — In Dick Lindsay‘s rah-rah piece that ran in The BB earlier this month, Kathy Amuso, councilor at large and member of the School Building Needs Commission (also former chair of the school committee), had this to say: “’I do wrap my head around the cost, but since I have been involved in so many meetings, I see it as a good investment,” she said, referring to her three-year stint on the city’s School Building Needs Commission.'” Nowhere does she say why it’s a good investment. Why do you think that, specifically? That’s the obvious followup. “Investment” means the dreaded “economic engine” fallacy.

Say What? — “We spend millions on education — directly or indirectly — each year in Pittsfield and now we need a game-changer for our community,” said Mayor Daniel L. Bianchi. Can anyone explain the logic of this sentence? THE PLANET submits this for your approval as Exhibit A in our case against the bullspitting and obfuscation of this proposed project.

Hither and Yon (Nowhere You’d Want to Be) — “’It’s about education — the foundation of what we do,’ added Pittsfield School Committee Chairwoman Katherine L. Yon. ‘The way out from poverty is through education and Pittsfield can be that shining light.’” (quote from The BB). Again, we see the “economic engine” ruse, Lite. This from a woman who has never voted down a request from the PSD for more money. The same could be said about Amuso during her term on the school committee.

Reimbursement? Uh, Maybe  — City officials tout the high reimbursements rate Pittsfield will get from the state. Two points here: (1) State money is still our tax dollars. (2) Reimbursement is anything but certain. Currently, the Commonwealth is in the hole at least half a billion (with a b) dollars. The design consultant Skanska “anticipates” reimbursement of “64 to 68 percent from the state.” This “anticipation” is not at all settled. It could be far less. It is dependent upon many factors, including the construction bids received. Bids won’t be in hand for at least two years. A lot can happen in that time, and not all of it good.

ANTICIPATED TIMETABLE

Here, as released by the SBNC, is the current expected timetable for the project:

Jan. 12: SBNC reviews scope of project and sends to cost estimators by Jan. 15. 

Feb. 5 & 6: Project consultant and architect finalize cost estimate.

Feb. 9: SBNC votes and submits documents to the Massachusetts School Building Authority by Feb. 12.

March 25: MSBA Board meets in Boston to vote on project.

March 26 – May 25: If approved by MSBA, the City Council has 120 days to approve the project budget.

Nowhere do we see We the People getting a vote.

Folks, They are trying to skunk you again. Will you stand by and let it happen again?

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“If I was the sun way up there, I’d go with love most everywhere. I’d be the moon when the sun goes down to let you know I’m still around. That’s how strong my love is.” — Otis Redding, “That’s How Strong My Love Is.”

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.