FINANCES: THE SUITS ADMIT THE PLANET WAS RIGHT … WHO WAS ‘WRONG’? HOW ABOUT MOUNTING CARMEL?
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, NOV. 30, 2015) — Picture yourself in a boat on a river with tangerine trees and … well, you know the rest. This lovely little Lennonesque fantasy works perfectly well for Pittsfield, Mass., except that instead of drifting past “cellophane flowers,” the boat strikes large rock named “Finances.”
The boat quickly takes on water, and before you can say “Edmund Fitzgerald,” its on the river bottom. Inside the hull, taxpayers are trapped. They watch helplessly as the water inches up to the ceiling. As long as there is a little space, they can hear their leaders say, “So far, so good. Nothing to worry about here.” But what happens then the water hits the ceiling and there’s no room to breath?
The Suits Finally Admit THE PLANET was Right
Welcome to Pittsfield’s finances, circa FY2016 and beyond. The boat has sunk. THE PLANET, alone among local media, has been the lone voice pointing out, year after year, not just the rising waters but that the boat, instead of floating on the surface, rests on the bottom.
If you paid close attention to the recent tax classification hearing, you finally got to hear your municipal “leaders” admit that THE PLANET had it right all along. They did so in the form of a startling admission — startling not because it comes as news to us or our readers and viewers, but because the financial disaster awaiting Pittsfield has reached the point where the self-servers, the SIGs, and The Suits can no longer play deaf, dumb, and blind.
At the death march known as the tax classification hearing, the city council finally had to admit — HAD to — that in four years, the city will be at its limit to tax above 2.5%. The city’s tax ceiling is now lower than the levy limit. This is when taxpayers are trapped in the hull, and the water is up to the ceiling. How long can people hold their breath?
Back to The Future
Outgoing councilor Barry Clairmont put the spotlight on “the future.” That’s another way of acknowledging that the present is looking as grim as ever. Clairmont led the effort in cutting the amount of free cash used to offset the tax increase. Instead of the $2 million proposed by Mayor Dan Bianchi, Clairmont wanted to take back $750,000 to have in abeyance. His colleagues agreed, 8-3 (Morandi, Simonelli). Even so, taxes will rise another 4%.
You have to laugh at “free cash.” That figure, about $4 million, is the amount the city overtaxed you. They act as if they’ve gone Mother Teresa on you when they defer the tax hike with this money. Being faitful consumers of THE PLANET, you don’t fall for it. You know they’ve ripped you off once again.
Clairmont has more than a passing interest in the future. His significant other is the mayor-elect, Linda Tyer. An accountant by trade, Clairmont remains enough of a pragmatist and lover to realize it’s in the best interests of the city and his sweetie to admit something THE PLANET has been harping on for five years.
“The budget four years from now will still need to go up, but we won’t have the ability to tax anymore, Clairmont said. “We will be at that ceiling.” Being a progressive Democrat, Clairmont naturally assumes that Pittsfield has no other choice but to increase the budget four times. As a fiscal realist, THE PLANET knows otherwise. In fact, readers of this column have suggested many ways in which the budget can be reduced. These include one not two commissioners of DPW; eliminate top-level assistants; no school sports, making parents pay-per-sport; better snow plowing at a lower hourly rate; elimination of the tax-credits for senior volunteers; increase co-pay on health insurance for city employees; get the school department out of the bus business; elimination of school-city redundancies (Dilly Dally) … Moth balling the new THS construction, elimination of special-interest projects, school department cuts, addressing city’s long-term debts (Jonathan Mele) … Increase work week for city employees to 40 hours (Jaxur).
Want a Scapegoat? How About Mounting Carmel?
In looking to place blame for the city’s fiscal mess, one must take the “sacrificial lamb” approach. There are too many actual culprits going back 25 years to act otherwise. THE PLANET, therefore, nominates city treasurer Sue Carmel. She has failed miserably in her constitutional duty to provide objective fiscal guidance to the politicians who will always ask for more money.
Message to Mayor-elect Tyer: Carmel’s another one who’s gotta go.
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“No time left for you on my way to better things. I got myself some wings. Distant roads are calling me.” — The Guess Who, “No Time Left for You,” (1971).
“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.
I could read you day and night Planet, Syracuse taught you well!
The party is over for Pittsfield. Time to face cold hard financial facts. Time to grow up.
Maybe I’m missing something Mr. Clairmont? What will change in 4 years, we are taxed every year anyway? With all due respect Sir.
Time to pay up.
Sorry but I think the mismanagement of Pittsfield has been happening for at least 40 years. As you have mentioned in the past the state take over is probably the only hope.
What was the scenario had Tes not given the free cash to settle the school contracts? Make the Superintendent earn his money, start cutting where possible with greater productivity. Cuts have to be made, the days of increasing taxes because you can, has to be abandoned. Keep basic services, myself keep garbage pick-up, and roads plowed.
Pittsfield politics is only going to get worse under the leadership of the lovely Linda Tyer. Sabic Plastics is terminating about 300 living wage jobs in Pittsfield in 2016. The financing for the new Taconic High School will be starting soon. Instead of about 5 percent yearly tax hikes, Pittsfield politics will be looking at 6 or 7 percent yearly tax increases. When Pittsfield politics hits the tax levy ceiling within the next 4 fiscal years, then the G.O.B.’s will have to ask the voters for a Proposition 2.5 override to keep its yearly tax hikes going. Pittsfield’s credit rating will be downgraded and the city government won’t be able to borrow money at a low interest rate anymore. Pittsfield will go financially insolvent and then bankrupt. The state government will have to take over Pittsfield’s finances. Pittsfield will lose local control to Boston bureaucrats.
I feel sorry for the lovely Linda Tyer for inheriting this disaster when she takes the oath of office as Pittsfield politics’ next Mayor!
I have heard on the street Mayor-elect Linda Tyer is just going to call a spade a spade and change her name officially to Barry Tyer.
Pittsfield politicians have been giving away taxpayer money to special interests for years. Linda Tyer was sponsored and supported by these same people to keep up that tradition. And now Barry, the numbers guy, may have his named mentioned when the city goes belly up financially. He can choose to be part of the solution or part of the problem.
There are hundreds of homes for sale in Pittsfield and many of these people have also been crunching the numbers. And they have come to the conclusion that if they stay in Pittsfield they will be going down with the ship. Those who stay will simply be required to carry more and more of the tax burden each year as the trend will continue until the city bankrupts.
I would love to hear from the many people selling their homes.
I sold my house last summer and I know I got out just in time. It will now be a long time before people can expect to get full asking price as I did. I had lived in Pittsfield for 30 years but the non-vote on THS was the last straw.
Thank you for your comment. I am unfortunately not in a position to pull the trigger but it is at the top of the list of things I would like to do. I know the longer I have to wait the less I will get for my home, assuming I could even sell it. The Pittsfield market is flooded with homes of all kinds right now.
No school sports? You better build a bigger jail and hire those 27 cops asap.
Why build a bigger newer jail ? The one we have is never at capacity, in fact an entire pod is often vacant, and there’s always a Second St. backup. Or we can send back the out of county inmates sent here by other jurisdictions, but then their extended families might leave and they would’t count in any census and accordingly supplemental municipal cash aid will diminish.
Have a ”Jail League” former football heroesTommy Bowler and sidekick Jackie Quinn can run it.
Police can’t keep up with the crime here in the City, everyone acts like a jackass, the economy is the main reason for the constant influx of drugs and despair, it is very clear that the gob- sigs will be in complete control with the new administration, the only way to sustain the local economy without taxing us to death,is to start cutting,now.
I keep hearing about the tax rate being set at different times which leads us into uncertainty, maybe the same can ring true for the cuts which are inevitable, thier should be cuts during the tax classification hearings and after, we shouldn’t have to wait for the city auditors to tell us about free cash and bonding,when we ourselves know how much is needed to have good ratings to borrow aglow interest rates. It is plain to see that a significant tax increase for the gob-sigs benefits only the gob-sigs. Twenty thousand non voters? Wonder how many of then weren’t employed by the city?
Dan,
Let me correct you on a few points…
I’m not a democrat and have never been one.
All four years I have been on the Council, I have made motions to reduce using free cash. I’ve seen this coming for years and have been vocal about it. No one was listening.
You say people have been over taxed because there is free cash. Yet, you complain profusely about $400 million in unfunded liabilities, which means people have been under taxed. Which is it? You can’t have it both ways.
I know, I know, cut spending. I agree. I have been the only councilor to propose any kind of significant budget cuts each and every year for the last four years, including asking for a $2 million cut from the school department in my second year on the council. I was laughed at for that one.
I don’t speak for the Mayor elect, so don’t ask me to comment on her plans.
Barry
P.s. I really would like someone to answer the question of over taxed vs. under taxed with the unfunded liabilities that everyone, including me, complains about.
Barry, there is no immediate solution, as Mr. Valenti has demonstrated Pittsfield and the Commonwealth has knowingly placed itself in this tenuous position by being overly submissive to and pandering to the SIGs and their voting blocks.
Yes those effected will say it’s a competitive employment perk, but our OPEB are far more generous than other states. Yes, my family teaches in the Carolinas and we also have members retired from municipal and state positions in the Midwest. They all are in awe of what retirement brings here.
The OPEB always confuses me. Sure the $400 million in cumulative benefits owed is a lot – but what is it in other Cites of similar size (are we high, low, average)? Also, we have NEVER fully funded retirement at any level of Government. We ALWAYS just pay the current portion. 35 years ago, 50 years ago – benefits were promised and not funded.
I would prefer to see a 401-K style retirement with everyone in the Medicare system and Social Security – but even I know, that would cost us MORE in the beginning. Why, because in order to ensure the cash was there so these accounts were truly portable, they would need to be funded. Also, we would then need to contribute our share of the payroll taxes every pay day.
One way to minimize costs would be to contract out more work. Even at 2or 3 times the hourly rate, it’s a bargain when you think of the lifetime benefits costs you avoid. But, our State Reps have refused to take on Senator Pacheo – who makes protecting public employees jobs his raison d’etre.
I keep hearing that Pittsfield will be bankrupted by OPEB – but it seems to be put forward in a vacuum. in fact, every community has this issue. It seems like we are going down this rat hole together. Some States have it worse, and others less so.
if you eliminated every dollar of waste (which I am in favor of) – I would like to see what the tax rate would really go down to. in other words, presume we could agree on which $2 million in spending is wasteful (another dream), what is $2 million worth on the newly approved tax rate? Since the new tax rate adds about 70 cents per thousand (or $140 to a home assessed at $200K), what would cutting $2 million from today’s budget do to my tax bill? and if cutting the OPEB liability is so important – wouldn’t that $2 million be better direct there (causing my current tax bill to still rise? Would a $2 million OBEP finding each year make us really more solvent or should we just wait for the State takeover – then that liability might disappear on its own?
Interesting question Barry. I think part of the problem is, OPeB, since it doesn’t “exist” in any particular, hard budget year, is an easy responsibility to kick down the road. Most politicians are extremely short-sighted, with a horizon that ends at the next election. If a line item is not IN the budget they are currently working on…well, it’s easy to ignore it, or worse, pretend it doesn’t exist. Taxes in a particular year go to fund expenses for that year (i’m sure I’m not telling you anything new here) with “future expenses” pushed off indefinitely into the future.
I agree that you shouldn’t be expected to speak for the mayor elect.
Unfortunately public retirement systems tend to morph into Ponzi schemes. That includes SS. A shifting demographic controls the equation.
What is your political philosphy Barry? Liberal, conservative, libertarian, socialist or what?
BARRY
First, let me add my voice to the chorus and thank you for your participation in this forum. You have been one of the few office holders who dare to walk the narrow bridge over this flaming lava pit! Moreover, you have done it well, with heapin’ helpins’ of candor and forthrightness. Second, a thousands pardons, sir, for calling you a “Democrat.” How could I have erred so brazenly? Calling someone a “Democrat” is like calling a Methodist a … well, a Methodist! Third, the existence of free cash can only be a proof of overtaxation, unless you are willing to concede that money appears the same way it vanishes — out of thick air. The presence of free cash also points to imprecise budgets. Your logic is good but your premises are bad. $400 million in unfunded liabilities do not in any way mean people have been under-taxed. That’s your error. The enormous liabilities come in the form of future obligation made to current city workers and retirees. They are promissory notes, if you will, and do not at all reflect the level of taxation, whether over (which it always is) or under (which it never is). The city could have taxed people 100% for 30 years and it would have had no impact on the pension costs and the OPEB. Therefore to link the two is erroneous. Incidentally, OPEBs jumped the rails in the early 1980s when the city council, then led by Joe Ryan, voted to uncap pensions. The top rate (then 35% of salary, I think) was ditched. In its place the city “leaders” put the ruinous 80% of your top three earning years. D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R in the making. I said it then, those 32 years ago, but I was just “using demagoguery in my unquenchable thirst for ratings.”
Barry, could you as a City Employee tell us where our tax revenue will come from with the looming and impending exodus of homeowners and jobs leave this City? I’m waiting.
No, which is why I have advocated for keeping our savings account up and reduce spending.
I’ve tried. What have you done? Maybe you should run for office, since I have done such a poor job.
Barry
I’m a taxpayer who didn’t get a chance to vote on a mega million project. I’ve never said you weren’t a good City Official, but when you went before the School Committee, Mrs. Banke to you to the woodshed.
Will Tyer use inmates to clear the snow from the new Taconic use pick axes to bust up the ice? Or will global warming make snow “a thing of the past” as their models predicted?
How are the new school buses holding up to Pittsfield’s roads?
Will Tyer keep Bianchi’s sweetheart deal with Scarafoni going, keeping the city offices in a rented building?
Should it not have been included in the city charter that “free cash” (the people’s money) be returned to them by way of tax refund?
Tax and Spend – so easy, a kindergardner could run the city.
What happens when you Carmel coat a rotten apple? Looks good on the outside.
Just how many homeowners are smart enough to sell their homes and get out? How many will be sucessful in selling at a fair price?
Will gang membership and drug dealing increase or decrease in the next four years?
When Pittsfield goes into receivership, what will happen to the school department then? Will Mr. and Miss Barry Tyer get all the blame?
“Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes
And she’s gone”
Nota,
I disagree.
You are one of the biggest complainers on this site. Put up or shut up. Run for office. If you don’t, you are part of the problem.
Be proactive, be part of the solution.
Barry
Last time I checked you were still my At- Large voice. Speaking of voice, what was you’re opinion of the no -say vote to the taxpayer on the School? And what were the real numbers on a renovation? Do you think the new school budget have cost overuns? That’ll be it for me? Sir.
If the “unfunded liabilities” had been included in the tax rates, by what percentage would taxes have gone up instead of the “normal” 5%? Would people stand for a tax increase of 50 or 100% 1000%? or Would they have shown up at city hall with pitchforks and shovels?
Spending money the city does not have. Borrowing and including it in future tax increases – is that any way to run a city?
To say that taxpayers have been undertaxed is seriously messed up.
The people cannot afford a new high school. Even Mayor Banchi has admitted that. Yet…..
Borrow, tax and spend, deny the people a vote, Carmel coat the unfunded liabilities…..tax the people back to the stone age and tell them they are undertaxed. Only in Pittsfield.
During the debate moderated by Dan Valenti on Planet Valenti TV, Linda Tyer accused Dan Bianchi of overborrowing money and then using the excess in the city’s coffers.
She, being city clerk would be in position to know this to be a fact.
Is this not another way of overtaxing the people, burying it in loans?
So the city runs a slush fund of free cash, over borrowing hidden taxation and the tax rate still increases. Its never enough is it?
Had enough yet?
Nota,
If the taxpayers wanted a vote, there was a way for that to happen. No one exercised their right. Again, not getting involved, just complaining.
The number I was told for a renovation was 36 million. I’m not a cost estimator for building projects. I couldn’t tell you if that is was right or not. I assume I wasn’t being lied to.
By “school budget” I assume you mean the cost of the new school and not the current operating budget. If I’m correct on that, they can’t have overruns because there is a limited borrowing authorization.
BTW, I like how you keep changing the subject without answering my questions. Everyone DEMANDS answers out of us, but when we ask a question back it is somehow off limits.
Barry
No other city that I can think of has made its citizens get petitions signed in order to have a vote on a new high school for their city. I think many people were so disgusted by that time that many people moved from the area rather than fight back against the sheer arrogance of a city that would exclude its citizens from having a say on such an important issue. Many citizens were loudly complaining before the vote, but were dismissed by the arrogant councilors and others in city government who said that this new school issue has been in the works for years and nobody complained in all that time so how dare they start complaining now. In other words they were told to sit down and shut up. We didn’t. We kept complaining and contacted the proper ward councilors, but they did as they pleased anyone by ignoring the people and voting unanimously for a new Taconic with many saying it was a no brainer. Again, the sheer arrogance was stunning.
One can only hope the new Mayor and City Council isn’t as thin skinned as the present ones in there. Planet and Nota are legitimate in thier complaints, think these two weren’t critical of the present Mayor. Curious Councilor Clairmont wants the back and forth but never answers the question of raising taxes, instead refers to the new mayor…Barry, what kind of relationship do you have? L T is a Progressive, do you really expect tour constiuents to believe you wouldn’t know how high,the tax rate can be raised? Who on School Building Needs is a cost estimator??????? The Tyer Administration is off to a flying start, maybe it can learn some important lessons when dealing with the
Ack of transparency from the last Administration.
Ms.Tyer said 1700 job openings in Berkshire County, is that true?
Yes, 1699 of them are at Dollar Stores, the other one at Walmart.
The rest are for masters degrees. As usual, it’s the jobs in the mid income range that do not exist and are what we need.
don’t forget the 26 openings at the PPD soon to be filled !!
make that 27
All this talk about the 4 years till prop 2.5 means one thing, the Tyer administration and City Council will eventually be looking for a prop 2.5 override vote. And there are enough dumb people in this city to vote for it.
My concern is with the new charter did we also sign over ours rights to vote for the prop 2.5 override like we did with the new high school leaving our councilors to vote for us.
Barry, I do have a question for you if you don’t mind. If you were laughed at for proposing a 2 mil cut to the school budget, why did you vote for the budget? I mean, if I proposed smart budget cuts and was laughed at, that budget sure as heck wouldn’t get my yes vote.
I guess all they have to do is laugh at you and you tow the line. After all, who wants to be laughed at?
Yes Barry did propose some tax relief. However, just like Mazzeo promised to reopen the consent decree, it was meaningless.
Barry voted yes for every single tax increase to the taxayers of Pittsfield. Barry voted in favor of borrowing more money for new school buses. Barry voted for borrowing the money for a new high school. He was against allowing the citizens a vote on the project. He voted for raises to city department heads and a raise for the mayor.
Barry will no doubt have influence with Linda Tyer over the next 4 years. How do you think that’s going to turn out?
I didn’t vote for that budget. I didn’t vote for this one either.
Barry
Thank you for responding, Barry. Appreciate it.
Did anyone ever notice when Rep Bouvier is on a talk show she has the inordinate need to explain the protocol of the Legislative process? Get to the point already, Trish!
I would like to thank “B.Clairmont” for responding in a format (like this) that lets the questioner hide (like me) behind ridicoulous User Names.
Why this guy, who gave his time in an attempt to make Pittsfield a better place to live, would enter into a lose/lose blog forum….. speaks to some character trait which he evidently has and that I don’t seem to possess.
I agree. I am impressed with Barry for taking the time, and having the courage, to respond on this site. so thank you Barry.
My guess is that Bianchis soldiers have been told to stay away and of course they do. Others are not confident that they have the ability to answer questions on here and when the ran for office their handlers did not tell them they would have to.
I think he’s foolish. It’s like playing catch a pig at the county fair. Everyone drinking beers and laughing at you.
You are not the only one.
Barry
Naaah…I don’t think anyone’s laughing at Barry. I have a great deal of respect for his forthrightness, intellect and willingness to engage, even as his term ends. If one understands that he has absolutely nothing to gain from talking here one would have to reapect him whether or not you agree with him. He really is the epitome of responsive governing (or representation). Thanks for your efforts Barry, both here and on the Council.
You’ve done a good job Barry. Not always what I would have done – but if I was so inflamed, I should have run for office. it’s easy to pick everyone apart. the view from the big chair is different, and you need to understand every person who votes their conscience is not corrupt – just because you may disagree with them.
taxes ? taxes ? Pittsfield electorate just voted for a candidate that promised new PO’s, intitiatives to save St. Mary’s, expand broadband, intiate community policing, establish dedicated traffice bureau, create anti-gang unit, combat blight, remove snow and ice in a better fashion, fix the potholes permanantly, establish a consistent street improvement plan, and on and on…DV is right on here, we are in deep deep trouble.
Just a couple of observations….
Based on recent sales of homes in Pittsfield, I do not think home values are “stagnant” but it appears they have declined. If the true valuations of property were in place, and not the inflated valuations, I believe we may be a lot closer to the levy limit. My guess is that valuations are 10-15% lower than current assessments, and may be dropping even more. Remember February 1, 2016 is the deadline for tax appeals. It should be relatively easy to use comparable sales to make a case.
If you cancel sports in the school district, I think the school choice exodus will be even greater. BTW, the $100+ sports activity fees are now waived for students on free or reduced lunch, so charging for sports will just be a shell game to make the public think fees are coming in. I would think any increased fees would be handled the same way.
Mr. Clairmont.
Sol,let’s not confuse the E D P crowd with the Taxpayer crowd.
The powers that be have enslaved the people to the tune of $20 trillion dollars in National debt. Under BC’s reasoning, you are undertaxed on the Federal level.
Social security is an unfunded liability that is insolvent. When the full baby boom generation retires and receives their ss benefits, there will be more people collecting than there are working. Under BC’s reasoning, you are undertaxed for social security.
What is the debt and unfunded liabilities of the State of Massachsetts? If its more that what you are paying then you are undertaxed.
BC has already stated that because of the unfunded liabilities of the city of Pittsfield you are undertaxed. Therefore, overtax the people, keep the money and tell people they are undertaxed.
You are not paying enough in taxes.
The real problem though is global warming. Everyone must pay a carbon tax to solve this or NYC will be 2″ under water in 100 years.
The whole concept of living within our means is absent from the minds of those who govern by a tax and spend mentality.
Bankers make money by charging interest on loans. Whether it be credit cards, houses, cars individuals, businesses and even government. If you can’t afford it, don’t buy it.
The city has a unlimited source of income by raising taxes. Your home is their collateral. Don’t pay up and they will take your home away from you.
Sell your home and you pass this burden onto someone else.
Local government typically get large influxes of cash periodically through their fiscal year. “free cash” and really all the funding the city gets, should be mostly stored in a series of short term interest bearing instruments that become liquid at scheduled times, like payroll or large purchase orders. It is typically the function of the treasurer to manage those investments and see that they are prepared when invoices/expenses arrive, NOT to predict the long term fiscal health of the community or even estimate future revenue. They should be involved or even influenced, but ultimately advising on the City’s financial health should fall to the tax collector, the assessor, the clerk, and community development AND the treasurer/finance director. It is shared and far to complex, as you now know, to pin on one vastly undercompensated person in Pittsfield. I guarantee you the CFO for a $200 million dollar company would make much more than the City is paying Ms. Carmel.
I am curious just how much money in loans the city has out right now. And how much projected interest are the taxpayers on the hook for? I have never heard anyone discuss this at all. And who are the loan institutions whom benefit from such?
Not expecting any info on this subject AT ALL. Ever
I don’t know that answer, but an entity the size of Pittsfield should have both short term lines of credit and longer term bond issues that spread out payment for capital improvements for years. Long term loans should never be used for operations. Typical these interest rates are very low because the likelihood that a community will default is so small. Honestly, this information should be readily produced and a part of the annual budgeting process/document.
I’m not sure if Massachusetts has an installment loan provision for local government where cities can go directly to banks rather than go through the more costly bond sale process.
I’ll make this comment short.
Even wealthy communities with high median income bases could not afford Pittsfield politics’ unsustainable finances!
Can someone tell me why some names are orange and others black?
Anyone having trouble posting today?
Love the fact that Silver over in NY was found guilty on all counts. Dirt bag it a polite term for him. He’s a rich white guy so probably will be a home enjoying his millions waiting for an appeal 2 or 3 years from now. Poor white people and people of color get escorted directly to jail when found guilty. Look at the bs with the X chief from Lee. Case in point.
That Joe Buffis Case is the most foul smelling rouse down the pike. Absolutely unbelievable.
I always wonder why every once in a while one of them political thieves is dragged out in public. I figure for every one that hits the news there are 75 whose dirty dealings have been covered up. Usually dirty politicians do not point fingers at each other because they are doing the same or worse. So what did the few who are outed do to be exposed?
Does anyone know the outcome of the court hearing for the former ward 3 councilor that was to be today?
Thank you Mr. Clairmont for your long service to the city. Hopefully you will continue to provide advice to our new mayor. Appreciated your fearless questioning of Mayor Bianchi during the infamous expensive move of city offices to the Scarafoni building – you asked the hard and obvious questions when many of the other councilors seemed to be in a fog. Thanks for doing the research and standing your ground.
Gigi,
You are welcome. It was my job.
Barry
Well deserved. Thankyou, Mr. Clairmont.
Paul is innocent, just ask his Lawyer.
Just shows that corrupt is live and well.
under our system – you are allowed to plead not guilty, and the State needs to prove its case. who on this site would just plead and say I did it? I doubt anyone would.
Who on this site would be protected, and, given probation for this crime? Then after violating probation, all information is secret. Not one person on this site.
There are seventy seven more cost cutting ideas in my Rolodex, will wait and see what the new Administration has before presenting them.