DUAL SERVICE ON SBNC, COUNCIL MAY DISQUALIFY AMUSO, MAZZEO, & KROL VOTES ON THS CONSTRUCTUION
By DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2015) — There is a live bomb ticking in the chambers of the Pittsfield City Council. And that’s not an April Fool’s joke, although there are fools involved.
First, though, allow us two clarifications. Craig Gaetani has moved the venue for his mayoral announcement from Soldier On to his home at 1098 West St. The event will take place at 10:30 a.m. Friday. Gaetani says press and public are welcome. Also, Donna Todd Rivers tells THE PLANET “that I have not announced a bid for any city race at this time.” We had announced her declaration for an at-large council seat.
Now on to the business at hand. As you may know, at 7 p.m. on Tuesday April 14 the Pittsfield City Council will vote on the proposed building of a new Taconic High School.
This will be a vote to authorize borrowing for an advertised price of $120 million. The additional indebtedness on Pittsfield taxpayers will have a shelf life of 28 years — almost a generation of added debt neither citizens nor the city can afford. The $120 million does not include the certainty of cost overruns, the uncertainty of the state’s reimbursement percentage (already down from 80% to 65%), and other such factors.
The vote will need a supermajority of eight votes in the affirmative.
The “bomb” was first brought to the attention of THE PLANET by former school committee member Terry Kinnas. Three council members — Kathy Amuso, John Krol, and Melissa Mazzeo — are also member of the School Building Needs Commission. Think about it for a moment.
Do you see the problem?
Conflict of Interest for Amuso, Krol, and Mazzeo
The SBNC is advocating for the funding for the school. To whom? The city council. Amuso, Krol, and Mazzeo also sit on the city council. This means that these three members are asking approval of funding from … THEMSELVES!
Spelled large in three words, this comes out as CONFLICT OF INTEREST. You can’t be a member of both a group requesting public funds AND the group that decides on the request.
The situation presents a serious challenge to the legitimacy of the April 14 vote. If the three do not recuse themselves, the vote will almost certainly be contested. THE PLANET has done some informal checking with the state Attorney General, Inspector General, and Secretary of State. Our findings suggest the three conflicted councilors will count as “recused” — whether they do so or not. Only the eight remaining councilors could legally cast votes. In other words, for the measure to pass, the council would need all eight — Tully, Morandi, Caccamo, Connell, Lothrop, Simonelli, Cotton, and Clairmont — to vote yes.
Correct Vote for the City is to Reject the Proposal
This decision cannot be based on the pretty pastels of architects, the fluffy accolades of advocates, and the syrupy rhetoric of emotionalists. The vote must be based on facts. Since We The People have been denied a vote on this needless and excessive expense, we directly address councilors. Our Right Honorable Good Friends, keep in mind these facts:
* The city’s population is rapidly aging and shrinking, as is the tax base.
* The school population is dropping.
* There is little discretionary income among city households.
* Health care costs are rising.
* The city faces $400 million in unfunded liabilities if it is to meet its obligations to city employees and retirees for pension, health care, and other benefits.
* The city’s tax system is defective
* The city’s politics are divided and its political system is dysfunctional.
* The state’s reimbursement rate has already dropped from 80% to 65%, and that rate is tentative given the state’s $1.5 billion deficit.
* Final costs of this project are unknown and are certain to be much more than the quoted $120 million.
CONCLUSION: A “yes” vote will bring the city to default within 10 years. That is not emotion. It’s not a pretty architectural rendering. That’s an assessment based on neutral analysis of the city economy and its finances — the entire picture and not cherry-picked to create a false impression of fiscal health.
Councilors, a “yes” vote is a vote for bankruptcy. That is the legacy you shall leave “The Children.”
And so we ask: Which councilors will do the right thing? Who will dare buck the immense pressure being put on you behind closed doors by The Suits and their minions? Who among you will dare to to stand up for citizens and taxpayers?
—————————————————————————————–
“It’s the April rose that only grows in the early spring. Love is nature’s way of giving, a reason to be living, the golden crown that makes a man a king.” — The Four Aces, “Love is a Many Splendored Thing,” (1956).
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
I’m confident that Kevin Morandi will be the one. He understands the poor middle class hard working people. He knows that we are the ones holding this ship from sinking. I trust that he will make the right decision.
Im sorry but kevin flip flops like a fish.
He’s a hard working person like us and I’m sure he feels the pressure. He will be paying the high taxes like us. I’ll keep hoping.
I’m hoping and praying that Kevin Morandi, Chris Connell, and Tony Simonelli plus one more stand up for what is right against the popular push..PLEASE WE NEED SOMEONE TO HELP TAXPAYERS.
I hope someone does. It seems like this debate has been one sided and is just starting to take form as the taxpayers find out more and more.
Isn’t councilman Caccamo associated with the school. I thought that he could’ve vote on school matters. If that is the case then there are only seven who can vote, making it one person short. Done deal, no school if this is the case.
Caccamo is dead on arrival. Total waste.
If one of these council persons wanted to run for mayor, a vote against the school would garner them a boatload of votes. Is Tyer for the new school by the way?
I am guessing she is – she was/is a Ruberto ally afterall. If anyone thinks she’ll be anything different than another tax and waste democrat they are sadly mistaken.
OFF TOPIC
In today’s Eagle there is a bunch of pictures of Linda Tyer and her announcement to run for mayor on the steps of city hall. Among what I presume are her most ardent supporters is Gerry Lee standing tall. One wonders if he might be making a comeback himself.
Do we see a trend Jimmy Ruberto all over again
We sure do. The dirty guys pockets are getting low of cash.
Just the fact that the people, the voting taxpayers are being denied a vote on this tremendous expense of their money, shows that this whole thing is a dirty deal.
The deck has been carefully stacked. When the cards are dealt, the city taxpayers are set up to lose. Its ultimately your money.
John Krol will personally benefit from this being that he broadcasts his radio show from Taconic. He needs to recuse himself and his vote should not count.
Amuso, Mazzeo, yes a definate conflict of interest. Total neglect for maintenance for the old high school and all other city properties. Sabatoged roof on Taconic. The people should be outraged at how this city is being run. These are not leaders by any stretch of the imagnation.
This is total wreckless incompetence you are seeing.
perhaps we should go back to a town meeting form of government rather than representative government.
Intriguing idea, one that I would endorse. Pittsfield present political system is broken.
Yes those pix are quite interesting…because of the people in the background behind her…J Lothrop, Christine Yon, John Krol, Dennis Guyer, Mike Ward, Tom Hickey, Lew Markam, Pete Marchetti, Jim Conant…as Sgt. Shultz was said—very interesting
Mr X. You are sooooooo right!!!!!!
Yes those pix are quite interesting…because of the people in the background behind her…J Lothrop, Christine Yon, John Krol, Dennis Guyer, Mike Ward, Tom Hickey, Lew Markam, Pete Marchetti, Jim Conant…as Sgt. Shultz was said—very interesting
Councilors legacy’s will be tied to this vote. This Taxpayer wants an Absolute No to this exorbitant expense, by he Councilors. Taxpayers should still have a say to such an expense. Nothing else is acceptable.
Rick Scapin is seriously considering a ruin for Ward 5…the people there would be lucky to have an experienced, stand up person for the little guy
and he’s not connected????
oops…once said
Tricia.Farley-Bouvier has a article in the eagle today stating now is the time. What a Jack A$$
She tries to come across as she’s with the common people of Pittsfield, when her children go to school in Lenox, and she’s a Pittsfield resident. Pittsfield is sending money to lenox for their education. Kind of a “do as I say, not as I do attitude”
During the presentation for the vote for the $44 million dollar vote, McCandless was explaining about falling student population, and the outgoing expenditures to other communities for Jack A$$’s like her. And there she is sitting there all smiles, trying to look all innocent.
What a rump swab!!
.
People should write letters to the Berkshire Eagle complaining about the new school. We should swamp them with letters against it just as school people and others who won’t feel the higher taxes keep sending out letters for the project. If the boring broadsheet will publish them is another question, but we should all make the attempt.
True. If she sends her kids to school in Lenox, she has the money to do so. Higher taxes are not an issue for her as she can afford them. She is not one of the common people. She doesn’t speak for us.
Pat, the point is…it doesn’t cost HER anything to send her kids to Lenox. It costs the taxpayers of Pittsfield, not her!
It costs the taxpayers of Lenox to educate her kids!!!!!!! It costs $15,000 a year to educate a child in Lenox. We are reimbursed $5,000. Lenox taxpayers pick up the other $10,000.
Carolyn, what you say about Lenox taxpayers picking up the other 10k is not true. The state contributes money to all towns/cities for education so the state is picking up alot of that cost. And no way in hell does it cost 15k a year to educate a child. If there are openings in a classroom it costs very little as no new teachers need to be hired.
It’s your own town government that you should be after Carolyn. They’re the ones who are accepting them. The choice law was enacted to help level the field for inner city kids whose parents wanted a different environment for them. Needless to say the inner city folk don’t have the resources to get their children to Lenox or any other town. So its the wannabe middle class who feel their kids are too good to attend school in Pittsfield. TFB and her ilk jumped on board to cheat Pittsfield out of $5000.00 and Lenox out of 10. What Lenox should do is require them to put up 6 or 7 grand of their own in addition to the 5 g’s they get from Pittsfield. You would see how quickly they would stay put.
Dio, I think you’re talking about the Chapter 70 money which is the state’s contribution to each local district. It is woefully inadequate, especially given the unfunded mandates the districts face. And $15K is probably the low side if you simply divide the total budget by the number of kids. When the state came up with school choice in, like, 1993 maybe, to level the playing field as Thomas says here, $5000 was nice. It hasn’t changed since. It may not seem like much per student, but it comes RIGHT off the top of the sending district’s budget and when you send out as many kids as Pittsfield does, it adds up to millions. But as the smaller districts face challenging budget cuts too, that $5000 doesn’t come close to the cost so the choice option for the receiving district is a loser too. Problem is, once you’re in you can’t opt out!
Yes, Thomas some of us have tried to change things in Lenox. In fact the former Lenox School Committee chair was trying to do just that but was beating his head against a brick wall. One candidate for school committee that just took out papers, thinks it’s great to be receiving money from Pittsfield. She quoted 5 to 7 million over the course of a few years but it costs Lenox $21 million. Very frustrating.
To Barry Clairmont,
We all know you are for the new high school. However, deep down I have to feel that you its wrong the way this was done.
Perhaps we can appeal to you at this eleventh hour to change your vote to a NO and shut this project down singlehandedly becoming a rock star and hero for the taxpayers of Pittsfield.
It would take guts and would forever be burned into the anals of Pittsfield politics as the bravest move ever. Simply state at the vote that you would like to see the new high school built but it needs to be put before the people by letting them vote on it.
Your unique position is not having to worry about securing your seat at the council.
Clairmont doesn’t care about the taxpayers. In case you haven’t noticed, his agenda is to bring Bianchi down [REDACTED]
Nana, I agree with you about Clairmont not caring about the taxpayers. If one looks at his whole body of work he is just another tax and waste politician. He voted for Bianchi’s budgets, pay raises for incompent city managers, and to raise our taxes.
NANA, you do not know what you are talking about, get a life.
Nana,Who the hell are you to talk about someone’s personal family issues,.When it comes to marriages more than half don’t make it.BIANCHI CANT TALK ABOUT ISSUES because he hasn’t done anything but enrich himself and his cronies at the expense of the poor.He worked two jobs while he let city infrastructure fall apart. Pittsfield has serious financial
Issues and a school department that is going to bankrupt the city.
Get on your time machine and go hang out with Ward and June Cleaver.!Bianchi and Company are rumor mongers and are classless individuals who don’t stand on their records.
There’s been a lot of talk of the shabby condition of Taconic. But no mention of strucal issue’s. That alone is reason for renovation. That being said the vote will pass and Pittsfield will be pissing away 120 million on a office building, slash green house. Well played, by Mayor and Building committee.
Yeah, they’ve never had an honest discussion of repair costs, and instead bring up ridiculous issues about “21st century education” and the need for machine shops to be heard from the classrooms. I’d like to see these officials hooked up to polygraphs and questioned if they’ve had private communications with construction contractors
Saying there is a conflict of interest for those councilors on the SBNC is like saying that if you are on the traffic commission you could not vote for the new parking fines. I would think you need to show that these members will gain economically, not just serving on a volunteer committee. I think this is a stretch, and will not be taken seriously.
What a disappointment to find out it was just a Terry Bombshell.
Great point Ed
ED
The comparison you make is a red herring drenched in a non-seqitur hollandaise dipped in irrelevancy. This isn’t dual service on a commission voting on fines. This is the SBNC asking the council to spend $120 million. The first is requester. The second is the appropriator. The law seems clear: You can’t be both the person ASKING for public money and the person who HOLDS THE PURSE STRINGS. It is your fatuous comparison that will not be taken seriously. The state has already given indications (based on some informal inquiry) that there is indeed a SERIOUS conflict of interest. After the vote comes in, and all 11 councilors have voted, there will likely be a formal protest lodged, with the end result the disqualification of Krol, Amuso, and Mazzeo. The council would still need a super-majority of 8 votes. In that scenario, anything short of 8-0 among those who will vote will sink the project. If that is the case, those who find the courage to do the right thing shall forever be remembered for their heroism and TRUE SERVICE to citizens and taxpayers.
I hope you are correct, but I guess I am too cynical about Pittsfield and state politics to believe. I guess we will see on April 14.
ED
I totally “get” what you’re saying. As far as cynicism is concerned, with Pittsfield dysfunctional political system, there is no such thing as being “too” cynical. Here, cynicism is the equivalent of moral courage. As for the April 14 vote, I have no doubt that Krol, Amuso, and Mazzeo will vote (all will be “yes”). The action will come after the vote. If the state finds a conflict, it will likely do one of two things: Void the vote entirely or subtract the votes of the three conflicted councilors. It’s hard to believe that no one raised this question early on in the process. The three, and others, HAD to know.
My ward councilor Lisa Tully sent all her ward members an email saying she is voting yes for the new school. I am not happy about it and have told her so. She probably will not change her vote, however. The taxpayers are being ignored.
At least she send you an email, I didn’t get that same courtesy. There’s no way she send everyone on her ward an email her. She doesn’t even acknowledge half of her ward. She will not get my vote and I hope someone runs against her.
I did vote for Lisa, but will not vote for her again if she votes for this new school.
are you happy with her though
Lisa Tully is told by Bianchi & Mazzeo what to do and how to vote; and by the way her husband wrote that email. I too am from ward 1 and have expressed by concerns to her and she removed me from her email distribution list.
Hoping Christine Yon comes back !!!!
Anyone please….
Christine I too want but will it be ruberto part 2
which email henry
So glad this mayor will be voted out of office in the next election. It can’t happen soon enough!
I prefer him over the crooks who lined the pockets of the good ol boys with our tax dollars. We’ve all known about this for years!
The biggest crook of them all is Bianchi. He has his own good o boy network Nana or should I say Kathy Amuso….
Nana could be Phyllis Smith.
and you think this has not continue. What you think is happening when someone double dips.
Get a life!
City Hall is going to be a fun place to work for the next eight months. As for the election, if you want the greatest entertainment Craig’s your man. However, a Linda ticket wouldn’t be far behind with Melissa on the council.
I don’t think Melissa will get voted back in.
Will be the top vote getter again. Who do you think will beat her, Peter White?
Linda Tyer’s Department won’t escape the heat from Bunstead. He will find a way. He can’t help himself. He has no self discipline or morals.
So does Lynda Tyer get to keep her job if she does not get elected?
Has she direspected the mayor and if so is she on the chopping block?
Will all the old Ruberto gang be coming back to city hall next year?
Can Julia go back to her old teaching job?
so many questions.
Clearly she cannot and should be removed from her position as City Clerk as she is involved in the election!!! She should do ths immediately. In fact, I believe tis is something the Ethics Commission should be looking at!
So file a complaint. Do you think Linda is so stupid that she didn’t get this all figured out and cleared in advance? She has every right to complete her term. If Bianchi is running, should he resign also?
Linda can not be removed from her job, she was an elected as City Clerk. She will continue as city clerk until the end of her term. She will not be working on any related issues that have to do with the election. If/when is becomes mayor that will be her new job. If not then she has no job. You can get all this information from reading the news reports and by going to sites about Linda. Linda as also announced that she will not be doing any campaigning during working hours. Yet our current mayor does not have a problem doing his other job during what should be normal mayor hours. Get a life!
and don’t forget, running his campaign.
The more things change; the more they remain the same. The supporters shown on “Tyer for mayor” FB page could be deja vu and the ghost of Pittsfield politics past. Too many retreads and hacks to list, but only Jim Ruberto, Gerry Doyle, and Evan Dobelle are missing. Are Mr. Cook, esq. and the WHEN girls back ?
Does Linda Tyer have to resign her elected office to run for another and didn’t DV mention she lives in Cheshire (Can’t be) ?
REDACTED
Wow…Harsh! MY Nana didn’t talk like that about people, and I think peoples’ personal lives should be out of bounds, at least as it concerns relationships and such. Whom someone is dating, whether they’re divorced, who their children are dating, etc. has no bearing on anything. And I don’t even know any of these folks!
I totally agree. The way some of these clowns write on this blog is embarrassing They should go write on Topix
I so agree with you. Peoples personal lives have nothing to do with this campaign. That exactly what they did to Pete Marcheti ; and these are church going people.
Really???? Please stop making these accusations, be it true or not this is not the place to disscuss it nor is it our business.
This is how the Bianchi camp operates. Very disappointing. So Topix.
Who the hell cares Nana,this isn’t the 1950 anymore,it’s their personal life.Why don’t you ask more important questions
Such as:
1). Why do our streets look like a war zone, and the surrounding. towns don’t.?
2) Why do we have a hundred thousand dollar floor in city hall that nobody can walk on?,that the Mayor wanted.
3)Why does the mayor give himself a huge raise along with Department heads at city hall.? When it’s most of his residents work multiple jobs and 60 percent of their children qualify for free lunch
4) Why we have fleet of buses we can’t afford ?
5) why did Bianchi give away 200 k to spectrum
6) why did Bianchi give his buddy 250 k for 100 north at
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7)how do you expect to maintain a new school .When they can’t maintain buildings they have,with a minuscule maintenance budget and a director that is way over his head.
8) A winter in which our roads were ignored,and we had 60 plus accidents,while surrounding towns kept their streets pristine,Then Collingwood,Swail, Bianchi wouldn’t man up and blamed everyone but their mother.
I couldn’t had said it any better. Worry about what’s really important because I don’t care who sleep with who. I care how my hard earned money is spent. Billy is right, start your list of questions to see how these issues will be addressed in the future.
Absolutely right Billy. Garbage, debris all over the City Roads. Neglect, Blight, Excuses for everything. I absolutely cannot stand this Mayor and his DPW clown, and his Solicitor Degnan. They all belong in a pig pen together, blaming each other.
Nana, the more I hear from you, the more I think that you are TES!
Close “nana” is phyllis smith.
About 65% of school age kids in Pittsfield qualify for the school lunch program. Pittsfield is going down hill very fast. Who’ll be left? People trapped here, for whatever reason, the wealthy, who can afford it. No manufacturing is coming here anytime soon. It’s a shame what has become of daPitts.
Billy Zorn
This is exactly how the Bianchi & Mazzeo networks operate.
Kathy Amuso & Glen the Mouth are already up to there dirty tricks.
Make no mistake about it, my friends, B. Clairmont will be L. Tyer’s top advisor if she gets elected, especially in the finance end of it. He is too much involved, and loving it, in politics to just “walk away”.
On radio station 104.3 today at 11:00 Bill Sturgeon, at least I think that’s his last name, his first name is definitely Bill…he had a bunch of kids on from Taconic and other schools who are great students and achievers. So far so good, but then he has to ask the Taconic kids about the condition of Taconic High School. Aren’t there buckets of water in the hallways? Isn’t it terrible? Questions like that. I actually like the man, but was not impressed with this particular show as I thought it was using the kids to try to score points for a new school. He then went on to say that some people say it doesn’t matter the condition of the school and that kids can learn anywhere. Do you believe that kids, he would then ask them. I mean this is a local radio show, but I thought it was tacky. It made it sound like the kids are learning in third world conditions at the current Taconic High School.
Went to Wahconah in the 80’s, we had buckets through out the school too. Think they put a new roof on it, school’s still standing.
Sturge is small potatoes Pat. Didn’t know he had a show on radio.
The Berkshire Eagle keeps printing only the letters in favor of a new Taconic High School. One letter todays said that oh don’t worry about the new school having enough students because we will have 100 students coming from outside of Pittsfield for vocational training. Isn’t this like what is happening in Lenox and Lenox can’t afford it, but Pittsfield wants to do the same thing at taxpayer expense?
and will have to pay for them.
Good Riddance LOw.
LOw is a funny guy, ask him.
Pittsfield’s projects include:
* The Berkshire Innovation Center
* The new Taconic High School
* The final part of the reconstruction of North Street
* The proposed reconstruction of the Morningside neighborhood
* The proposed new police station
Meanwhile, Pittsfield’s population is shrinking. Pittsfield tax base is diminishing. Pittsfield’s jobs are lost and gone forever.
Pittsfield’s taxes and spending are increasing by about 5 percent every year.
Linda Tyer wants to continue to failed platform of the Jimmy Ruberto administration from 2004 – 2011.
Mayor Dan Bianchi wants to be a career politician and continue to represent all of the vested special interest that have put Pittsfield into the ditch.
http://wamc.org/post/tyer-steps-challenge-pittsfield-mayor-bianchi-city-council-see-fresh-faces
Do who ya got J Mel. Any ideas?
I think Linda should run for Mayor and if elected do dual jobs as Mayor and City Clerk. Look at the registrar of Deeds, why do we have that department? talk about a waste of money.
“Some of the areas around us have been stagnating or losing population. I’m thinking of the Berkshires.” – Susan Strate, population estimates program manager at the Donahue Institute in Hadley.
http://pep.donahue-institute.org/
The Berkshires and northern Franklin County will grow by only 1.1 percent from 2010 to 2035. The Berkshires are expected to get a population jolt in the next few years as Baby Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) move in to retire and then see those gains ebb as that generation dies off.
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/04/springfield_western_massachuse.html#incart_more_business
I find it more than a tad curious that Mr Lothrup is bowing out. Perhaps he has been promised a juicy appointment with the coming change.
What? Choreographer for The next high school musical.
Linda Tyer was on Lew Markam and J-Lo’s PCTv show last night. All call ins were favorable. She spoke and addressed questions adequately albeit without specifics. She retorted her management style and listening ability would be applicable to a myriad of concerns, no concrete proposals nor ideas.
My apolitical wife who simply is not interested in political campaigns overheard her speaking and interjected that Linda’s answers reminded her of the late,great, Charles Durning’s” Oh I Love a Little Side Step”, performance in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
Maybe she’ll become more tangible as her campaign advances. Oh! She is in favor of the new Taconic High construction. A Big Gomer Pyle….. Surprise…Surprise !!! (not really).
There most certainly is a CONFLICT OF INTEREST with the 3 councilors who sit on the SBNC. And I hope that after the vote is taken, someone will officially challenge it!
On another subject…..From day one, Bianchi has been vindictive against Ruberto and has attempted to reverse everything Ruberto ever did (I.e. bring back Degnan, getting rid of Yon with Tully). And the list goes on.
I voted for him….sorry I did. So when the “slings” come out, just remember it goes both ways.
what political experience does linda tyer really have, she was a part time ward three councilor , what did she accomplish as a short term councilor ?? I can not think of any thing myself , I personally do not feel she is qualified to be the next mayor.
if she does win it will be the same old good old boys in control once again, I do not see this as a good vision for Pittsfield at all.
the current mayor does not have any chance of being reelected so I am hoping a qualified candidate will emerge to bring a fresh new positive look and direction to are town…
Qualified? Bianchi call him self a numbers guy I have lived here for decades and I have never seen the city look worse than it does now.The Eagle editorial said a while back he was always the lone vote against everything ,even as a councilor .He never offers solutions or comprise .The mayor also never owns up to anything, He never gave the office his full attention due to his relentless hunger for financial gain,People just look around at the state of the city and nobody is less qualified for the corner office than Dan Bianchi.Linda Tyer on her worst day is better than Dan Bianchi on his best.Linda has shown she knows how to work will all opinions and everyone has a voice at the table.Bianchi has the council stacked and still can’t get things done.
Amen, Billy.
I think it’s safe to say that NANA is close and dear to our mayor.
This is comment 100
I just had to do it.