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.
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“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.
What a joke. I heard that Sabic had long range plans to leave Pittsfield 2 years ago. Why would they want to be here? The crime is unreal and the fools we call a justice system around here love to dish out probation, continue without a finding and plea bargain the dirt bags down to nothing. They should leave and take anyone with a brain with them. We have a school system that is pitiful, with teachers that think way to much of themselves. Oh, and lets not forget about the clowns we call politicians around here who care nothing for the people they represent and only care about feathering their own nests.
SABIC leaving has nothing to do with the social conditions of Pittsfield… Its a factor of globalization and trade deregulation.. and the effect on the US is a race to the bottom … Texas also has fewer taxes… however that results in poor education etc.
Pittsfield brutally high taxes were definitely a factor in Sabic move.
Also, correlation between low taxes and poor education is a myth. Once again Voltaire, Rousseau got the better of you…
Texas does not have Massachusetts Income Taxes
Dan
“Does building a $121 million-plus school the city can’t afford now have to be re-thought?”
Actually enticing any new company that will employ anywhere near the same number of high paying jobs that we are losing with Sabic, to come to Pittsfield: does indeed require a new school that we can’t afford.
Otherwise forget convincing large companies to relocate here and just stick to making sure the theaters and restaurants keep their lights on.
When GE first came to Pittsfield early in the last century they were not a big business. We should look for smaller concerns and hope they grow as did GE.
As far as a new THS…..I need to be convinced that the building is beyond repair. Maybe the Planet could get in there with a film crew. Also I would like to see an evaluation of the structure by an expert who isn’t connected to the corrupt GOB network or a labor union or construction company who would benefit from a constant building demolition cycle.
Sean, the last thing a company looks at when relocating, or deciding where to begin, is whether the high school is new or not. Where do you come up with this stuff? They look at things like tax rate, crime rate, quality of life, and a workforce they can pull talent from. Pittfsfield fails in all those. Now if a company did in fact research the school building situation, they’d see how Taconic was badly neglected (on purpose?)and improperly maintained by an inept school system and city gov’t.
How does Texas get away with spending less on education and yet still attract companies to move there ? Simple … let the other sucker states invest in education , lure companies with the promise of low taxes… then after graduation young college grads go to where the jobs r …
Voltaire, I hate to burst your education bubble. But most people who have these decent, high paying jobs, live in the suburbs (i.e.-high academically achieving school districts, little crime, and high quality of life). The areas were academics is poor is in the inner cities or ghettos…..kinda like Pittsfield. Imagine that?
Paul disagree, high tax’s high electric costs and a community that can’t even get a turf field built.
The City of Pittsfield would be better off if it now lays off 300 city employees.
Joetax, you can add your observations to my comments but is does not change what I said. I would have added your thoughts to my post except I try to keep my posts short. When people ramble on and on, nobody reads it.
Once jobs are lost, they ain’t comin’ back, Jack (Welch)! Pittsfield has lost thousands of jobs over the past 4 decades. None of the lost jobs have came back to Pittsfield!
Pittsfield is now known as the welfare capital of the northeast.
Pittsfield politics is useless and Pittsfield continues on its never-ending downward spiral!
(How about that “rolodex”, Jimmy Ruberto?)
I think he’s more concerned with his Rolex at this point.
Are you kidding me?
“I believe that we still have a very promising future with small and medium-sized advanced manufacturing companies.” – Mayor Dan BIanchi, October 9th, 2015.
Source: “Sabic shutdown: Officials aim to help workers as deep economic toll looms”, By Phil Demers, The Berkshire Eagle, October 9, 2015.
This Mayor believes his own lies.
All Ruberto ever gave a flying hoot about was North St. Funny because he was the only one. The average taxpayer knew they could never be welcome there. We all know it’s the domain of the druggies and scum bags.
The tragic thing is that neither of the present Mayoral candidates is up to the task of doing in Pittsfield what needs to be done.
Tax cutting and dramatic cutting of city expenditures should be at the top of the list.
There is a write in candidate running.
I think that Linda Tyer would be the best at tax cutting because she will concentrate on unloading our top heavy city departments by looking at duplication of effort, streamlining processes and procedures and eliminating redundant processes. She’s already proven she can do that by the improvements she’s made in the City Clerk’s office.
What improvements? I’ve lived here a long lifetime and we’ve never had a bad city clerk.
Are there less people working in the city clerks office now then when she took over?
LT, that’s total BS. Tyer will do no such thing. Taxes will keep going up if she wins. She’s Ruberto part 2. And it’s guaranteed she’s for the new Taconic, which will lead to even higher taxes.
Don’t forget to watch last night recorded debate tonight 9:00 pm Channel 18 or 116.2.
The best part of the debate was when Bianchi forgot that he was not behind closed doors and responded when asked about lawsuits posed by officers in the Police Department over hiring practices, Bianchi said, “don’t worry about a payment there. That is going to be taken care of.” True colors?
She may be nicer and a little more careful than him but don’t you think you’ll be taxed back to the stone age by either one of them?
Yes, because they are both progressives and continually raising taxes is the only thing they do consistently. It’s all they know how to do.
It was hilarious to see his face once he realized what he just said.
I watched last night and saw a complete melt down by Bianchi.
I believe that it was Nota who said in a previous post that Gaet@ni would make minced meat of anyone in a mayoral debate.
Whatever you want to call the mayoral televised event at B.C.C. Gaet@ni clearly stood out amongst the candidates. He was the only one concerned with the plight of the taxpayer.
The Wizzard never got the chance to make minced meat out of Tyre or Bianchi because the two GOB special interest group candidates were not interested in a real debate. They know they would be in trouble in any debate involving the wizard.
I am pleased that Dan Valenti is holding a mayoral debate and with a wizard is a bona fide write in candidate for mayor he should be included in the debate.
With Gaet@ni in the debate this would ensure a city wide audience and Nota could be the first to salivate after the wizard makes minced meat out of Tyre and Bianchi.
Let’s get behind Gaet@ni and Dan please invite him to the debate. His presence alone will insure a city wide audience.
The Wizzard told me he is going to have a media blitz coming soon, and that he would relish the chance to debate Tyre and Bianchi.
This is what he wanted all along but it never happened.
This would be an excellent format for the Wizzard the non-GOB, non-special interest candidate. Pittsfield’s voters deserve to see and hear an alternative to the two GOB machine candidates. The Wizzard is ready and waiting for the invite.
Vote for the Wizard as a write in candidate on November 3.
LOL
Lots of people on this board wrote in Daniel Valenti in the last mayoral election. It makes a statement, but it’s not enough. We need to start grooming a candidate for the next mayoral election beginning right away. The GOB’s are already grooming their next candidate for the 2019 mayoral election. Melissa Mazzeo is waiting in the wings to be the next mayoral candidate and her political handlers have already thrown out warning signs that this will be coming so Pittsfield people you have received notice. The only solution is to start prepping a candidate of our own. Dan V. obviously doesn’t want to run for mayor or he would have done it by now so we need to look elsewhere.
How many $500.00 freebies can Princess Melissa get in in the meantime?
Just heard Donna Walto has declared herself a “Write-in Candidate”, just like Mr.C. G. did and 269 other registered voters did. Wow! What a debate! It’s going to be crowded.
Pittsfield stats
There were 19,704 households out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 34.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,655, and the median income for a family was $46,228. Males had a median income of $35,538 versus $26,341 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,549. About 8.9% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.7% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.
What’s your point?
There are the numbers….draw your own conclusion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Rt1VicF5-0
The check and balance situation concerning the deficiency in the system of Commisioner Collingwoods fumbling of the vendor accounts not being paid,had a clear explanation (right or wrong). It seems Councilman Clairmont went above and beyond with his questioning of Collingwood as a direct benefit to his friend and Mayoral candidate Ms. Tyer. Mr. Clairmont is an accountant, and a good one, no doubt. The questioning was a bit much.
No it wasn’t a bit much. Collingwood is getting paid a Salary in the neighborhood of $87,000. He would not make it in the private sector. He would have been fired a long time ago for not meeting performance. I am 100 percent behind Barry Clairmont for holding his ass to the fire.
Channel 13 News reported tonight that very few will be offered transfer jobs with Sabic. This is devastating for all of these families. Devaststing.
He wouldn’t have been hired for the private sector, that’s why he works for the government, and any replacement would also be a loser. The problem is that the salary does not match the low expectations
Agree with Spagirl and how is this suppose to benefit Ms. Tyer? Care to explain.
He’s still getting 87, he’ not in the private sector, and he wasn’t fired. That’s my point! raking him through the coals and not dumping him reflects on whom and at who’s expense. Let the next Mayor fire him.
I’m not with Linda.
It doesn’t matter under whose administration they work under, all city employees should be held accountable for their actions while performing their duties.
PUPPET DEF? A marionette pulled by strings.. Name one mayoral,candidate, or council candidate that isn’t controlled by a special interest. Sunday there is a great movie on channel 627 I F C at 4 pm. It’s called Midnight Run with Robert Dinero. If you don’t watch football and like a good action comedy-drama, recommend it highly.
I know a certain candidate quite well thats not controlled by special interest. My wife Tammy Ives
Um, ya… Clean off the spray paint. Attempt to have some class.
Your wife might be right for the job. But the presentation is bad. Grow up and stop acting like kids.
Just sayig its not going anywhere
We take that down than that means they we give in. We don’t give up. They get to win by thinking its ok to threaten kids lives without nothing? Its already bad enough our current councilor teamed up with them as lone act as councilor. Look it up! the only petition Tully brought forward from her constituents or in general was against us the month after she was sworn in
Just saying everyone needs to look past the fence(hypothetically not literally). People like you that can only be negative and focus on one thing rather than the big picture.
Is that not really the same reason we are losing people, jobs and our money due to our unspoken govt worried about their ‘special interests’.
Someone bold enough to have FU on our fence will have no problem questioning the councils faults.
To the Ives; the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again and expect different results.
Henry,
Not expecting different results what so ever. Not from this city. But a new approach and new faces can make a world of difference if people will accept that. That applies in all facets of life as i am sure you know.
If at first you don’t succeed try try try again.
me.
Yes…you Kathy Lloyd. If your Ward doesn’t vote overwhelmingly for you, it will be a missed opportunity. I would be thrilled if you were running in my Ward. 3B
That’s what we should be looking for. Any others?
Wasn’t it the CIty Council that Approved most of the raises? The Irony.
Don’t let yourself be Bianked or Tyred……turn on channel 16 and don’t listen to the nonsense.
I’m watching the love twins now……we are FLICKED with either one …..Oh my.
I have yet to see the rehab numbers to the cost of a new school. One on the PSC only a difference of a couple million and of course the state pays towards it also.
Its not so bad really.
The 300 high paid workers at Sabic can now collect unemployment.
Any children they have in Pittsfield public schools can now receive free school lunches.
When the unemployment runs out, they can get welfare.
Free Obamacare.
Food Stamps, EBT cards.
Even a free cell phone.
Those working and paying taxes will cover them.
Heck, in a progressive liberal one party state, you can go from a high paid job to living off the state. All free. I don’t see a downside.
I cannot imagine be turned upside down overnight, and losing my income. This is devastating for these families.
Debates should include only Mayot Bianchi and Linda Tyer. Anything else is just a distraction.
I’m wondering which candidate will think of the taxpayer Chuck.
I agree Chuck!!!!
If each employee has 2 children,when the 300 leave then 600 students leave our system besides the 100 that leave every year.Bianchi and Mazzeo are clueless.We should be in the Education task force with the small towns around us.These towns see the economic tsunami coming and are working towards consolidation of services or sharing of staff but The mayor marches with Mazzeo and the rest of the clueless school committee and just spends money on a school system that is shrinking and failing.
It’s out of control billy.
I’m sure that both candidates think of what is best for the voters and not necessarily the taxpayers. They are two different constituencies. What needs to happen is that all taxpayers need to become voters.
That’s just double talk
Just an opinion.
Best for the voters? Does that mean that they’ll try to buy votes one way or the other?
Speaking of opinions I just got a call from a pollster about the upcoming election asking;
Who on the Pittsfield City Council has the least amount of intelligence?
A) Lisa Tully
B) Mellissa Mazzeo
C) Kathy Amuso
Governor Baker said he was going to expand Charter Schools. He understands were breaking the system with public school pensions and declining schools and city populations before we hit financial disaster
The City goes into receivership and the new school becomes one big fat Charter School.
What is all that landscaping going on behind SABIC? Looks like they could be prepping for new buildings? New lawns? What’s up with that?
Or hiding PCB barrels?
Its Unkamet brook remediation, The marshland was loaded with PCBs. The brook flows into the Housatonic river upstream of where the river was already remediated. It involves rerouting the brook and removing some soil and capping the rest. No new buildings, just a cleaner swamp.
Re SABIC: BB gets to run with the headline:
‘The End of an Era’
I see the Bianchi campaign has a new slogan, “Believe in Pittsfield, just like Sabic did.”
Or he could recycle a Gerry Doyle Slogan “It’s Happening!” and show moving trucks driving away from Sabic.
In the BB editorial the loss of 300 or an even higher number of jobs was called a “body blow” to the city of Pittsfield, but they stopped at saying how awful this will be. They didn’t go into the devastation this will cause the area nor was there any mention of the decreasing number of students this will bring to the area because they would never say anything against the building of a new Taconic. They didn’t mention that people who have been struggling to find work will now have even more difficulty doing so due to the increased number of people looking for jobs.
They didn’t mention all the ripple effects that this will have on an already struggling Pittsfield economy. Will the Pittsfield schools continue to demand their usual budget increases each year to fund even higher salaries for the teachers and administrators? Will taxes be raised even higher by the next progressive administration of either Bianchi or Tyer? Where are our state reps during this time of crisis?
Neither Bianchi or Tyer or this city council will give one thought to these Sabic employees in the next budget with its built in tax increases. Taxes are not set based on your ability to pay.
The city has the ability to seize your property for non-payment and auction it off, labeling you a deadbeat.
The new high school is going through. Just watch how many new projects rise up spending your money. By the end of the next 4 years (one term for mayor) just watch how much your taxes go up. Don’t pay and they take your house. It does not matter if its Bianchi or Tyer, your taxes are going up and your ability to pay has no factor in it.
“Let me tell you how it will be
There’s one for you, nineteen for me…..
Should five per cent appear too small
Be thankful I don’t take it all…..
Don’t ask me what I want it for
If you don’t want to pay some more…..
And you’re working for no one but me.”
– Crichton, Ian / Sadler, Michael / Crichton, James / Gilmour, James
Pat, don’t hold your breath waiting for our state reps. Useless would be a kind term to describe them. Your post makes some excellent points.
When KB Toys closed in Pittsfield that was a loss of 225 jobs and it definitely had ripple effects throughout the city. With over 300 workers losing their jobs this situation will be even worse. They are calling in employment counselors, but really there are only so many jobs in the area. They did the same thing when the North Adams hospital closed. Many North Adams hospital workers were taken in by Berkshire Medical Center. Sabic has many manager positions and according to Bianchi there are lots of open manager positions right now in the area. Bianchi also tells us that we need a new Taconic High School built so I’m not sure we can trust the accuracy of his comments.
Of the 300, how many lived in Pittsfield? There were many New York state workers and workers who live in the surrounding towns. Also I don’t think this was a shock to the workers. There is not much manufacturing, if any, going on there. Most jobs were desk jobs. Most will do well and move on, but not here.The huge G.E. plastic blow mold machines are long gone and replaced with offices. The R+D labs are gone and replaced with an outdoor activity area. The real shock is how long they stayed.
Burger King Pays managers that know Spanish extra dinero…
Just watched the Debate. Double and rhetoric. Vote the W A S candidate ( WE ARE SCREWD)..Tyer will relocate funds to pay for everything and Bianchi will spend in an appropriate manner.
Don’t worry everybody. Heather Boulger , Executive Director of the Berkshire County Regional Employment Board, appeared with Bianchi on the cover of the BB today and is discussing finding new jobs for Sabic employees. Why am I not confident since these are the same people who have been unable to provide jobs for years for struggling job seekers in Pittsfield? What exactly does the Berkshire County Regional Employment Board do anyway? I got on their website and it said their main mission is to align education and training with local labor market needs. This is so vague and typical of many of these local organizations.
Epic Fail. These are the highest paid wage earners. There is nothing in Pittsfield that can laterally sustain these many employees. The Bianchi Camp continues to dream pipe dreams all day long. The homes that go up for sale will be staggering.
They do alot of planning like Bianchi and then do nothing with the plan. I watched the debate last night and saw Bianchi spew a bunch of meanless numbers at the crowd while he pointd his claw finger at everyone. This guy is deranged….
That’s because they are not trained or qualify for the so many available jobs through Berkshire County. That’s why we need BerkshireWorks, Berkshire Innovation Center, and any other so call Career Centers in Pittsfield. Better yet that’s why the Mayor continues to hire out of town people. We are not educated/smart enough to hold these jobs.
I don’t believe that at all. Many of the young people leaving the Berkshires have all kinds of college degrees, but can’t find work here. It’s a myth put out by the GOB’s that the local work force is stupid and uneducated. It also shows the lack of respect they have for locals.
That’s exactly what I’m saying. No respect for the locals so why stay here.
and a excuse to continue adding tax free career centers like the Berkshire Innovation Center.
Just saw a sign for Irwin Moiseff running for School Committee and above his name was “representing taxpayers”.
Wow…..when do we ever see or hear this?
I have seen the purple-and-yellow signs, too. Who is Irwin Moiseff? Whoever he is, we love the slogan. Now, if this wasn’t a fairy tale, the slogan would actually indicate the veracity of intent on Mr. M’s part.
why don’t you ask him?
The more things change, the more things stay the same!
Pittsfield politics has seen and will continue to see:
* High welfare caseloads
* Poverty
* Teen pregnancies
* Crime
* Job loss
* Population loss
* Political corruption
* The Good Old Boys
* The politically connected suits
* PCBs
* Companies leaving Main Street for Wall Street
* Jack Welch’s morning swims in Silver Lake
* Jimmy Ruberto’s rolodex
* Would be medical marijuana not-for profits
* Huge municipal budgets, spending, taxes, and debts
* Poorly performing public schools
* Over 650 students per year choicing out of Pittsfield’s public schoos
* Dan Bianchi’s lockdown of information
* Teo’s hot dogs withstanding all of Pittsfield’s many depressed local economic meltdowns
* Useless state and local one party corrupt politicians
* A new high school that will send municipal taxes to a record high
* North Street’s status as a cultural mecca that rivals the arts and culture of Paris, London, Manhattan, and Los Angeles.
* GE Pac Man, corrupt lobbyist Peter Larkin making millions of off the fraudulent Consent Decree
* Non-Veteran Jack Downing making 6 figures off of homeless Veterans
* Nuciforo plagiarizing campaign policies while he plots his future run for U.S. Congress
* Fortune 500 corporations staying far away from PEDA
* Senior Citizens choosing between food and property taxes
* How about that bypass?
* A full time, living wage job for Jonathan Melle in Pittsfield….never happened, never will happen!
* High sales in state lottery tickets, which are nothing more than a regressive tax on the working poor
* A third-rate rag without a conscience that represents the worst in yellow journalism named “The Berkshire Eagle”
* Future financial insolvency and bankruptcy for Pittsfield politics
Here is a good question. Who will the 300 Sabic soon to be ex-employees and their families vote for? Will they vote?
Excellent question, SD.
If they reside in Pittsfield that could mean 600 votes give or take when you consider that most of them will have significant others and various relatives.
I would bet not all 300 people live in Pittsfield. I know 6 and 4 reside out of town.
SABIC’s leaving means BB’s circulation drops by 300.
Henry LaMere’ you sir are a typical supporter of the current administration. To blind to see that it’s people like us that truly make a difference.We demand to be heard and stick up for what we believe in. If that is what you call insanity so be it. Maybe you have to be to think you have the want to try to change city government. It’s people like you that are the problem. You complain and complain but you keep voting in the same stooges over and over again and honestly you get what you vote in. By the way thank you for calling me insane because if they means standing up for myself than good. I can do something that you will never be able to do and that is to be true to myself.
Tammy,
Pseudonym Henry is not part of the current administration, but a previously ousted political figure. Pseudonym Henry’s comments reveal that he/she cannot contain his/her hatred for those he/she blames for his/her removal. Figure it out, it’s blatant and don’t waste your time reading or responding to Pseudonym Henry.
Hope that for any other debates mayoral, council, school committee they confront Sabic loss directly, no BS. I have a family member that just loss her job. There goes the ability to keep up with the mortgage. I don’t want more bull from Bianchi and Tyer, I want to know that they’re going to recognize they cant keep spending $$ likes it’s going out of style.
Tighten the belt. Do you hear, Mr. Bianchi and Ms. Tyer. I want a promise that you will do that. I’lk be listening and watching. Council & sc candidates too.
I an angry beyond words at how the city politicians allowed this city to go to the dogs.
Any positive representation of the taxpayers from most local politicians is strictly coincidental. Contrary to the facade they portray while running for office, their true goal is to better the lot of the special interest folk who talked them into running in the first place.
What we have in Pittsfield, Ma. is not government of the people or for the people at all. That is the illusion portrayed by actors on a stage. And we pay big money to watch it play out.
Dream on…
Most of the posters on this site, including myself, do not see things in the same way that most VOTERS see things. I think we see things the same way as most TAXPAYERS see things. I repeat these are two different groups.
The only way to resolve this is to get more taxpayers to become voters.
The only way to resolve the issues of Berkshire County and the entire country in my opinion is to get rid of the Progressives. Their only solution is to tax their way out of every problem. Progressives are running out of other peoples money. Their policies do nothing to create jobs. Their policies create a bad business environment. Their policies are destroying the Berkshires and the country.
We need Independent and Republican candidates to run for office. The media and GOB will fight that in this area, but we have to fight back. The GOB’s are already preparing their next candidate for the 2019 Pittsfield mayoral election (Melissa Mazzeo). They just keep rolling them out and Pittsfield voters usually end up having to choose between two evils at the polls. The only way out of this downward slide is to fight to get candidates in office who answer to the needs of taxpayers!!! Waking up the electorate will not be easy as many are in the pockets of the GOB.
I agree Chuck. I’m stumped though. How does that happen? I would love your thoughts.
And I wonder if either of the two candidates who will appear on the ballot for mayor have the interests of the taxpayers at heart? Or will they serve a special interest agenda? I think the tax payer is screwed with either one Chuck.
When the choice is between two spenders it really doesn’t matter who wins.
I hear this Taxpayers vs Voters comment a lot. It sounds like code, what exactly does it mean?
Is it renting vs landownership?
Renters are taxpayers too. If you’re a landowner and not passing the cost of taxes on to the folks renting your space (commercial or private) that’s just bad business. Just because their not writing the actual tax check doesn’t mean they aren’t paying taxes.
A little survey. Do all of the posters to this site vote? I vote in primaries and general elections. It’s my right and more importantly my duty. Of course I have a choice not to vote, which would indicate that I don’t care. I challenge every poster to this site to vote and convince a non-voter to become a part of the solution.
I do vote.
But I usually throw up a little bit in my mouth when I see my options. This year I am going to need a sick bag.
Any American who does not execute their right to Vote, diminishes their freedoms.
Yeah, we should vote, but look at the choices!
Does that mean that you don’t vote Harlan