THAT GIANT SUCKING SOUND IS — WAS — SABIC LEAVING; 300 HIGH-PAY JOBS VANISHING FROM PITTSFIELD … RADIO DEBATES SLATED … plus … THE COMMENT LINE IS OPEN
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, OCT. 9-11, 2015) — The news is as dour as it gets but only as consoling as the writing on the wall has indicated for at least a year, that is, such time as when THE PLANET first talked about the exit more than a year ago. Sources tell us the move is irrevocable and will be complete after attrition by June next year.
The announcement guarantees the loss of 300 excellent-paying, good-benefits Sabic jobs in a local economy that can scare afford that loud, sucking sound. Those leaving for Houston, the unemployment line, or elsewhere will take with them a huge chunk of what little disposable income there is in the city. They will take their families and will take their kids. Does building a $121 million-plus school the city can’t afford now have to be re-thought?
How long city and state officials know about this Sabic’s plans? THE PLANET has heard rumors for a year now, with the signal getting stronger in the past several months. Mayor Bianchi said Sabic’s decision was strategic, made via the corporate level and that the city had little ability to influence it. That’s a fair assessment, generally, for decisions like this. When Sabic purchased GE Plastics, the geotechnics dictated such a move would be inevitable within 10 years. The company’s Pittsfield plant was an island. The move to Houston consolidates the polymer business within three existing Sabic facilities in Texas . Bianchi conducted a press conference at noon to discuss the situation.
Linda Tyer released the following statement:
“My heart is heavy after learning the news of SABIC’s departure from Pittsfield and the Berkshires. Many of our neighbors, friends and family members will be significantly impacted by the loss and transition of jobs to other areas of the country. The economic impact for businesses throughout our region that relied upon SABIC as a commercial and community partner will surely be extensive. I am ready, willing and more than eager to get started on a serious economic development plan with and for our community that is both aggressive and sustainable. Now is the time to rally the best minds and leaders to improve the business environment and showcase that Pittsfield really is a great place to live and work.”
Here are two versions of the announcement. The first is from trade publication Plastics News. The second is from Sabic.
More Debates on Tap
WBEC AM 1420 in Pittsfield and WNAW 1230 AM in North Adams will present live on air debates between the candidates for mayor in both cities. The Pittsfield debate between incumbent Dan Bianchi and Pittsfield city clerk Linda Tyer will air on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 11 am on 1420 WBEC-AM in Pittsfield. The North Adams debate between incumbent Dick Alcombright and former mayor John Barrett III will air on Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 10 am on 1230 AM WNAW.
Both WBEC AM and WNAW will also feature candidates running for City Counselor seats in both cities. A complete schedule of these events will be posted on the WBEC AM Facebook page and the WNAW Facebook and WNAW.COM.
Don’t forget to circle Oct. 29. At 7 p.m. that night, Bianchi and Tyer will duke it out live on PLANET VALENTI TELEVISION.
With all that, THE PLANET opens The Comment Line. We invite your thoughts on any and all topics. Please keep the discussion in the higher realms. Give us your best. Have a great weekend, everybody.
—————————————————————————————————-
“O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, that monthly changes in her circled orb, lest that thy love prove likewise variable.” — William Shakespeare, from Act II, Scene II, “Romeo and Juliet,” (1597).
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
The views expressed in any comment section are not those of PLANET VALENTI or endorsed in any way by PLANET VALENTI; this website reserves the right to remove any comment which violates its Rules of Conduct, and it is not liable for the consequences of any posted comment as provided in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and PLANET VALENTI’s terms of service.
A S K ..I didn’t vote in the primary but I tend to vote in the general.
I vote in both the preliminary and the final. My guess is that there’s at least an 80 per cent turnout of readers on the Planet likely more.
Gotta believe that’s higher Gene.
Sorry Gene, you are talking prelim,I presume?
I suppose your nickname is Harry, huh Harlan? And you also vote as Harland Rinklenutts?
Somebody wrote on a blog in the BB today that many of the Sabic employees have spouses in the Berkshires with high paying jobs so they will just have to take a pay cut, but they will survive in the area since the spouse has a high paying job in either the school system or some other high paying field. This is bad news for people who are also looking for these lower wage jobs since they will now be competing with all of the people from Sabic who will be okay with taking lower wage jobs. I say if they don’t need the money they should stay home and let people who can’t even find one job for their family have the job. The days of working for pin money or to pay to have two or three vehicles or several houses should be a thing of the past in this tough economic climate. Think of your neighbors!!!
Pat, are you serious, we live in a free country.
Really Joe it’s the progressive way. I’m not a progressive, but from what I hear they are all about equality and wage distribution or as they like to call it socialism. I just find it hypocritical that these same people will vote for progressive candidates here in the Berkshires, but in their actual lifestyle, they live more like really wealthy people that the progressives would call terrible names like Republican. I don’t believe in socialism, but I do think that in the tough economic times that we are experiencing here in the Berkshires, people should try to save money where they can and if they don’t really need to work then they shouldn’t until the job market improves.
That makes sense. I didn’t realize that you’re not a progressive.
I’m definitely not a progressive because progressives are the cause of the problems we are having now. Progressives are not job creators, they are anti-business due to their extreme environmental obsessions and their high taxation. We wouldn’t be having such a lack of jobs in my opinion if it weren’t for progressive policies, but since this is the situation we are in, these people should live up to their own progressive ideology and not earn way more money than they need. Let people who really need the jobs, gets the jobs. They should practice what they preach!!
You gotta give credit to Tes, he did help bring us Night Basketball.
Dan,
This is me “Irwin Moiseff”. I am indeed real and this is no fairytale. The Berkshire Eagle and teachers union will hate me. If I am elected I will try to ferret out waste in our school system. I will eliminate any unnecessary administrators. I will strive to make the Pittsfield School System student-centered vs. its current state of an adult-centric system.
Maybe you can email me your address so I can put one or more of my signs there.
Irwin
Irvin, what is your email address. I want a sign.
Irwin…You goy my vote… 1st committee member ive even heard mention anything centered around students.
Too busy pointing fingers at the kids not themselves.
My wife and I are interested in learning more about you… email us any info if you can
I WILL SAVE THE CITY $500 Million tooIIII
Look out for Kathy Lloyd, she might surprise in Ward 7.
Ms. Lloyd attends any and every council meeting (and it will not be forgotten).
Chris Connell did the same before he was elected.
Thanks, I am working hard to do good in Pittsfield. I have been for years and win or lose, I will continue to advocate for sane government.
I am passionate, hard working and dedicated.
If you’d like a lawn sign or just to chat about city issues contact me. 413-329-8735 kathylloydcitycouncil@gmail.com or just stop me on the street.
You will be outnumbered Irvin, but I’ll vote for you.
So what exactly does the local political establishment propose to attract new business? Higher taxes for a nice high school? Better law enforcement? A more efficient government? Do you realize that you are in competition with 3,000 counties around the US?
If Donna was Mayor, we could have had contacts with a Toyota Billionaire and Williams College. We blew it!
It has been 4 straight decades of economic losses for Pittsfield. Why is anyone surprised that Pittsfield is losing over 300 full time, living wage jobs when Sabic flees Pittsfield next year of 2016? This is nothing new for Pittsfield!
We had Billionaire exec and Mega Millions with Braintrust Alumni and some of the smartest people in the Country and we blew it, just blew it!
Interesting shenanigans regarding repairs to the Hinsdale town hall. Thank God nothing like that could happen in Pittsfield.
Just made a bet !!! If a write-in mayoral candidate gets over 100 votes, I pay $1.00 for every vote over 100. If the vote is less than 100, I collect $1.00 for each vote under 100. Safe or foolish ?
By now the special interests have done a background check on Irwin looking for any dirt they can send to the Eagle. No way they are going to let an open minded budget conscious citizen get on the Pittsfield, Mass. school board. Nobody is going to touch that pie without GOB approval so you can stop that thought process right here and now.
Irwin has my vote simply on the basis of his sign. If he actually means it will be gravy. Also dusty remember we elected Terry Kinnas. He’s GOB proof.
But Terry bailed after one stint. He didn’t stay and fight.
I am going to vote for him. I will vote for fresh meat, not the rotten meat that has been there for decades.
Where is the state response to the Sabic closing? I am sure if this happened when Silvio was in congress he would have made a statement and appeared in Pittsfield to see what could be done on the federal level to help.
Federal level to help? State level response? I think help signing up for unemployment help is about all that you can expect from anyone. There isn’t some magic wand that drops jobs and money from the sky. The City can’t give away land that would be attractive for new development. Also, and I have to say it, the small plastics production facilities could face a lot of pressure to move along into better market areas with lower taxes and lower wage ranges.
If anyone has any positive questions, comments or ideas for Ward 1 that you would like to run by my wife Tammy Ives feel free to email her at…..
tammyives1@gmail.com
or find her on facebook @ Tammy Ives Ward1
Listen Tuesday on WBRK am 1340 for her on their ‘ Meet the candidates’ segment
At 11am the show will start
I will definitely be listening. I think it starts at 11:30 a.m.?
Len Bean the dj told me 11 but maybe it was pushed back
Schenectady Mayoral Candidate Roger Hull, will not take a salary if elected Mayor?
Nor id Mitt or any of the Kennedys. I wonder how they got along without a paycheck. Poor Roger like the previously mentioned Romney and Kennedy will have to rely on his EBT card.
Steve Sarkisian fired as USC Football Head Coach for drinking on the job.
Vote for Irwin for school committee. Make sure you vote for only him. If you vote for more than one you are actually voting against him. The current school committee are a bunch of liberal big spenders. They have to go. Vote for irwin
I also intend to vote for only Moiseff for School Committee. I hope others do the same.
Also, I believe one of the other “new” candidates for SC is a teacher in another school district. Please correct me if I am wrong.
I am sure he will bring his “teacher agenda” with him if elected. Hardly a supporter of taxpayers as Moiseff seems to be.
Another Bullet vote for Moiseff!
Moiseff is the real deal. I’m bulleting him. He is the only candidate from the dreaded “private sector”.
Moiseff for sure. He needs to ask Kinnas what the deal was and was it worth it. Colleage’s look at you like you got three heads and spinning wheels all the time, it wears you out. Terry? One thing Terry had that Irwin will have is support from Planet voters and the consequence of any mistreating Within reason of Mr.. Moiseff.. Anyway..Good Luck.
Thank you Planet,for this fine blog!