SPEAKING IN TONGUES: SPEEDED UP BIDDING MEANS ‘THE SUITS’ WANT TO PUSH THROUGH THS JOB BEFORE SABIC LOSS SINKS IN
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18, 2015) — More than 300 of the city’s best paying jobs will vanish from the loss of Sabic Plastics. Nonetheless, the only public questioning of $121 million+ in new borrowing for construction of a new high school the city doesn’t need and cannot afford has come from THE PLANET.
During the election, candidates refused to go near this question, even though $200 million a year will vanish from the local economy — $1 billion over the next five years. Call it more evidence of a “fix” a decade in the making to make sure the new Taconic High School would be built, regardless of the fiscal conditions.
For insurance, The Suits revved up the process so that there could be no turning back. While you werent paying attention, the School Building Needs Commission (SBNC) decided to receive bids on “select elements” of the THS project ahead of schedule. This will include bids on site work, precast elements, foundation concrete, and structural steel.
Ca-chinga.
A Foul Redolence from the Get-Go
The cover story floated by the project consultant is that the early bids will drive efficiency. The SBNC won’t have to wait for bids until the designers finish their work. Nonsense. The Suits knew of Sabic’s decision far before they let the general population know. The SBNC, hedging against someone questioning the wisdom of building THS in light of the Sabic exit, gave the marching orders — snap the ball before the opposing coach throws the sock.
The chief architect of DRA Architects, Carl Francheschi, spoke in tongues about this artificial rush: “Things are moving at a high pace behind the scenes.”
The words reveal much. “Things” covers a lot of ground, including the rocks under which the fine print hides. For example, did any SBNC members question the wisdom of securing bids before the design is finalized? Why not? THE PLANET spoke to a well-known independent contractor. He said the “unusual practice” would ensure that “change orders would come in by the bushel basket.” Change orders are precipitously expensive, and those additional costs are not reflected in the $121 million “budget.”
Francheschi mentioned “high pace,” not “fast pace.” What’s the difference? A “fast” pace implies a process still within oversight by neutral third parties. A “high” pace is a slip of the tongue indicating decisions made in the closed, back rooms by the power brokers.
Too Much $$$ Is On the Line
The advertised $121 million+ will be borrowed. Two things are to be noted: (1) Pittsfield taxpayers will be on the hook for a minimum of $45 million and likely much more; (2) The final number — once the last nail is driven and the final cash-stuffed envelope should there be any; it’s been known to happen! — is passed, $121 million will look like a bargain. There is simply too much money on the line and too many promises delivered for anyone to allow this project to stop. That’s why Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski never got a chance to vote on THS.
Backers of the project insist “the people” would have overwhelmingly supported the project, and therefore their vote was unnecessary. You know differently. You know that if there had been a city referendum, the vote would have turned it down. In Albany a few days ago, voters rejected a $196 million high school construction project. From reporter Bethany Bump in the Albany Times-Union: “Voters polled on Election Day complained of the project’s hefty price tag and tax impact, which would have been an extra $30 to $77 a year for homeowners with assessed values ranging from $150,000 to $200,000.”
Of course, the Albany school committee and school superintendent have vowed to “give it a shot again, because it’s too important to let it go.” In other words, The Suits there will try to overturn the will of the voters, but at least taxpayers didn’t roll over and play dead the way they did in Pittsfield.
Check that. Pittsfield taxpayers didn’t roll over and play dead. They were dead, having long ago been murdered by the well-tailored vermin in and out of office who run local government as their private piggy bank.
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“For the days are few, and their filled with tears. And since I’ve lost you, it feels like years.” — The Beatles, “You Won’t See Me,” from the album Rubber Soul, (1965).
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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Yes, the cost overruns are starting already. We all knew it was going to happen. This project will go over $200 million easily.
Oooops, we found pcb contamination. We have to clean that up. The sky is the limit. The taxpayers will have to pay every penny without ever voting on this extreme waste of money.
Taxpayers of Pittsfield are about to get screwed, royally. This is going to bankrupt the city. A few elites are going to get rich on the backs of the taxpayers. This was literally shoved down the throats of the people.
People did not vote out the bastards so now they will have to pay up. You are currently paying .71 cents on every dollar you pay in taxes for the school system. This is insane. Now, your taxes will be increased. You ain’t seen nothin yet.
When its all said and done, most people will not be able to live in Pittsfield. A Mass exodus, forclosures and property seizures will be off the charts. Just try and sell your home once the tax rates include this foolish project. Nobody will buy it. The ripple effect to Pittsfield’s economy will be catastrophic.
Who will help start an organization to put a stop to this nonsense – Citizens Against a New Taconic (CANT). Or has the horse already left the barn? Is it truly too late, or not?
Is it still possible to force a vote? Can the new mayor save the day by pulling the plug on this fiscal fiasco? Can she at least force a vote? Will she? Will she bring a mall downtown? Will she be the first mayor to actually get tough on crime? Or will shootings, OD’s and murders continue to skyrocket, along with tax rates?
Will the new school have metal detectors? What will it be named? Who decides? Will Mazzeo and Far Away Farley send their kids there?
I say Jan 4th, we all show up at the footsteps of City Hall, are you guys in?
It’s hard to fathom how the two people that had the most to do with blocking the taxpayers from voting on the new high school got re-elected in the last city election. Can anyone explain to me how Melissa Mazzeo & Kathy Amuso got as many votes as they did?
It’s easy Henry, most of the population are to involved in Facebook and social media they don’t pay attention to what’s going on.
A large percentage don’t pay taxes. Apathy is a lazy attitude. Not exercising your right to Vote in America is giving up a Freedom that our Country is built on.
they all pay taxes. even if indirectly.
No they don’t. Not all people pay taxes. Sec 8 housing, EBT. They even get money back on tax returns that they haven’t paid taxes on. Government calls this a tax credit, I call it bullshit.
Shakes is talking about consumption taxes. everyone pays a tax of some kind
Thank you for paying my housing, Joetaxpayer, and for my phone, and my utilities, and for my vacations, and for my food. Thank you so much for all you do. Because all the things you selflessly provide for me, those things allow me to overlook your bigotry.
But there consumption is played for by the government. The government is paying the tax back to themselves.
it was the easiest vote ever taken, said one Clowncilors.
This will be the most irresponsible act of fiscal mismanagement linked to this sitting Council. Not one has the balls to stand up and do the right thing for this City.
A school project in Gloversville, NY was “resoundingly approved” yesterday by a vote of 450-125…in a town of 16,000 people!!! What is WRONG with people? Does no one care anymore? Or are people just so beaten down they just don’t even bother?
Or did they possibly realize they needed a new school?
Thats a turnout of less than 4%. There’s double that in the school system alone there. No Mr More, they didn’t “need” a new school. My sister lives there and said pretty much the same thing. It was a rigged vote, when you combine that amount of apathy the SIGs know that they can get anything they want.
It was for a school upgrading Hackett and you are using Planet math. There are 16,000 people, not 16,000 registered voters. Small communities usually have a large turnout when it comes to money matters.
That was my point Mr. More, it was a substantial expenditure, for turf field, improvements & upgrades…and almost nobody voted! They had it put before the taxpayers, they had a chance, and if you figure maybe 9000 registered voters (although likely more) in a town of 6000…that’s still only a 6% turnout! Shocking
There are about 11,000 reg. voters in Gloversville so Planet math says brings turnout up to a whopping 5 per cent. So about 3.5 pc approved 1.5 per cent against. 95 percent didnt vote.
No mandate. Another school dept ripoff. You last sentence makes no sense in terms of a pathetic 5 per cent turnout.
My coment was @ Tom More
Every fiscal year, Pittsfield politics raises taxes by about 5 percent. The new Taconic High School project will add about another 1 percent to the budget. That means, Pittsfield politics will raise taxes by about 6 percent per year over the next 2 decades. Once Pittsfield politics reaches its levy limit, they will need voters to approve overrides to keep raising taxes by about 6 percent per fiscal year.
Even wealthy communities cannot afford 5 to 6 percent yearly tax increases! Pittsfield is not a wealthy community. Pittsfield has about 70 percent of its population living in poverty and reliant on welfare and social services programs.
Pittsfield politics finances are unsustainable. Pittsfield politics is on the path to financial insolvency and future bankruptcy. Before the day of reckoning arrives, the Good Old Boys club is going to keep raising municipal taxes by about 5 to 6 percent per year.
Pittsfield politics is totally corrupt!
Yes 200 million DOLLARS. That will be much closer to the final cost. The fish is hooked and all they have to do is slowly reel it in and net it. People are selling their homes and bailing out while they can still get fair money for their homes. And the ones who can afford the higher taxes stay but send their children to the better and safer schools outside Pittsfield, Ma.
The real estate people cannot believe their good fortune.
GD Bianchi !!! If only he met with Yousef Abdullah Al-Benyan quarterly this never would have happended – Mayor Elect LT has promised to meet quarterly with each and every local business employer so this doesn’t happen again !!! Thank goodness. IMO we need a new school and it’s gonna hurt for a while, but in the long run it’s worth it –
no, I assure you that there is nothing that the mayor could have done to keep those jobs in Pittsfield.
Some more thoughts on allowing refugees from Syria into this country. The streets of liberal country France continue to be war zones with last nights raids being among the worst. A woman Jihadist blew herself up and apartment buildings in France are infested with terrorists. Nearly 500 raids in the past 3 nights. Why?
It’s not just because France is close to the action in Europe. It’s also because the liberal policies of France allowed so many refugees into their country. Many of them have been living there for some time and became radicalized while living in France. This is America’s future if we continue to allow in refugees from countries that hate us. Even if they are vetted okay when they arrive here it doesn’t mean that they won’t become radicalized while living here. Obama and his liberal friends are playing a dangerous game. Gun battles in neighborhoods and innocent people being lined up and shot like in Paris would be in future. He thinks the Syrians will like us if we allow them into our country, but France allowed hundreds of thousands into their country and they are not showing kindness to the French instead they are murdering them in retaliation for making them leave their country in the first place.
whaa whaa wha Liberal this liberal that go tune in ur friend Rush Limbaugh and have a nice soak watching ur fake news…. Get a brain Pat.. do u do any indep. research.. ? And can u do a simple cause and effect analysis of a problem…
I never listen to Rush Limbaugh. I listen to common sense.
If you don’t listen to him how do you know what he says isn’t common sense?
Rush Limbaugh probably does make a lot of common sense, but I really honestly don’t listen to him. I am responding to this John Loomis who is telling me I am brainwashed by Rush Limbaugh and I am telling him that you can’t be brainwashed by somebody you don’t listen to. I listen to all the news networks even some left leaning ones, but never got around to actually listening to Limbaugh, maybe I should just out of curiosity. If they can’t get me on Limbaugh next they will try to say I’m a FOX news junkie.
Dan- Is it too late to issue a restraint against the contractors assigned to tear down the existing and build a new High school that the city cannot afford to build, much less needs, as the student population is constantly decreasing?
I would think that someone could issue a warrant based on the school project that the voters had no voice in its construction. I would seem it is unconstitutional to build it with only 11 votes of the thousands of Pittsfield residents.
Does anyone feel the same and can anyone have an idea as to how we can stop this rediculous building from going forward?
I was one of four who toured the present Taconic and deemed it worth saving at a fraction of the cost of a new building.
The present Taconic is a state of the art vocational school. One only needs to visit local mechanics or body shops to see that the proposed re-tooling is a total waste of money, etc.
We did have a say. Every SBNC meeting was open and I don’t think any of us offered any opinion until it came to a council vote. Then we had a city election and every incumbent except the mayor was swept back in to office. The two new councilors and the new mayor will back the high school project 100 percent. I guess the majority of voters must be satisfied. To answer your ? about what can be done perhaps you can recruit the 12 people who are blocking the turf field. They certainly know how to stand in the way of progress.
No we didn’t have a say. Most meetings were held at times and in places working people couldn’t attend. They werent well publiczed.
The only “say” on a project this expensive is a direct vote. Why do you think the suits and the SIGs were scared to death of a vote?
LOL…good line Thomas
Thomas More -Do you call this new school progress? Pittsfield has a shrinking population of less than 44,000. Of that total, about half pay the property taxes to pay for a new school, a new police station, a new public works garage, and of course the new school buses that are less than 50 % full on any given day.
The “old” Taconic at 45 years old has maintenance problems just like most of the buildings in Pittsfield. But this “OLD” Taconic had no maintenance plans since its inception. That is the comment from our school superintendant to me when I and three others toured the present Taconic.
Every taxpayer I spoke to prior to the council vote had no idea this school was on the city agenda. I suppose they should have read every article in the Eagle concerning the new school. But so many cannot afford an Eagle subscription so they were unaware of this flagrant waste of taxpayer money.
I spoke with a woman in Bennington recently about our new school project. Apparently the Bennington taxpayers were against a major school project and voted it down. I asked her if she knew how many voters voted against the school and her answer was around 6,000 of the town’s residents. She indicated it was a small percentage of the town’s population. When I told her that only 11 voted for the new Taconic, she was shocked. “You mean to say that was the total city vote, she asked.” My response,”when you consider that the city council is made up of city residents totaling 11″ she was shocked and immediately stated, “that’s unconstitutional.” To which I stated, “ya think.”
The way to change Pittsfield is to change the city council. We have one totally new member and that’s great. Now we have to get rid of the worst of the worst….Kroll……is there anyone out there in ward 6 who can start laying the ground work for a ward 6 run?
Maybe more importantly we need to change the culture of the school committee, after all they are the ones charged with the bloated school budget. As it stands now they should be renamed the school teachers committee. Are there any fiscally sane people out there willing to run?
The three at the Tyer Campaign, Krol Clairmont Lothrop was a vendetta of sorts against not just Bianchi but Bianchi- Mazzeo. Remember the dressing down Mazzeo gave the three, it was not forgotten. The question becomes, what will Mazzeo do about it come January?
Yes thats the way I read it. Boil the campaign down and it was all about the vendetta. Not a good way to govern or to start a new administration. Tyer beware.
She might be on an Island and like it. Do the math, who does she have for votes as Prez? White would seem to be the key? Where does Amuso and D T R stand?
Attention Planet,Photo 39 is pretty disturbing.
5 Syrians were just caught in Honduras Central America with fake passports trying to make their way to the US. Ya lets just invite these people in. Our fool of a President say we need not fear the woman. Tell that to those harmed in France today by a female suicide bomber.
Says. Women.
Oops
@shakes, Don’t care what you have or don’t have. Just stated a few facts. Our entire welfare system needs reform to ensure the money goes to the right people and no children go without food.
Was in Rite Aid yesterday. A very young mother with child in a stroller and her teeny bopper friend in the line was loading up on candy bars. How did she pay for them, with an EBT card. How nutricious is that?
There was a direct vote on the new City Charter that gave the power to the City Council to vote on the new school. I watched some of the televised hearings on the new charter but was not interested in reading the boring details before I voted for it. So I am to blame for the $121 million and so are you. If The Planet was the watchdog it portends to be the possibility of an expenditure of this size would have been a constant subject of this site prior to that vote which an embarrassingly low number of voters bothered to participate.
My clue to not vote for the city charter was when the Berkshire Eagle gave its endorsement to the new charter in their editorial. I knew that meant it wouldn’t be good for the general public so I voted against it on that basis alone. It was purposely made long and boring so nobody would take the time to read it. The suits purposely kept that part from coming out in the local newspapers about the public not being allowed to vote on a new Taconic.
I read the new charter, it wasn’t that long. I also read the old charter. If any of you would make an effort and do the same, you would know that the new charter did not take away the citizen’s right to vote for a large expenditure. There was never any provision in the old charter. Proposition 2 1/2 overrides are the only measures we have a right to vote on and we’re not at the limits yet. Please stop repeating this myth that the new charter took your right to vote away, it just shows your ignorance on the subject.
Then why weren’t Pittsfield voters given the chance to vote on a new Taconic?
Because per the old and new charters it is the City Council’s responsibility to vote on appropriating the money for a new school. If the citizen’s felt they should vote on the school, they could have filed an initiative petition, but no one did.
Pat… Just ignore DL. You have seen him as other names in this forum. He does nothing to advance the conversation.
Dan can you please redact the harassing post by DL above. Thanks
lol
Nothing funny about you
I don’t know how this post harasses anyone. the new charter gives the CC the job of voting on this type of expenditure. now would it have been nice to get a non-binding referendum on a ballot before they voted – yes. but, only 25-30 or maybe 40% would have voted. now my theory is if you don’t vote, you did vote – for whatever the others wanted.
but in fact, that may have proven nothing. in fact, a non-binding vote may have been 50-50 or 55-45 supporting a new THS. to those who believe their taxes are too high or a new school is unneeded, that would not change their mind or make them “ok” with it.
but that the CC voted without asking me (I would have voted against it, unless it was a combined school for all students, and even then – maybe not for the one at hand). I was unhappy, but they did what was within their powers. what did bother me is that the usual alleged “watchdogs for the taxpayer”, Connell and Morandi and Tully were asleep at the switch that day. The others voted as I would have expected, and again, can’t fault them since folks keep voting for them. it is not as if John Krol, Church Cotton, and Kathy Amuso did not spend a lot of time telegraphing their positions.
in fact, if it were a perilous vote for those three, there would have been opponents in Ward 6 and more At Large candidates to choose from. there were not.
let’s move on. time to try and restore the city as a safe place to live. time to insist on transparency, time to realize that the problems in Pittsfield are little different from every other mid-sized city in New England. Why, because the global economy has not just singled out Pittsfield Mass. The heroin – it is in every community in this county, and probably to the same degree, but the dealers stay in the larger communities, and sell to their customers who travel to this town (and the other larger ones) to buy. Every day I read this blog, I see Johnathan Melle rehashing his tales of woe. if life were really better where he moved to he would leave this place in his rear view mirror, physically and mentally. instead, he chooses to blame and hate – and I bet his life in his new hometown is the same as it was here. I read the Union Leader and Nashua Telegraph a few days a week since I have friends in those areas. like here, some areas are nicer than others – and like here, it ain’t what it used to be. the truth usually has three or more sides, and we all know his side, but I bet there are other versions about what got him to be so negative. there are others who post on here a lot of negativity and they keep telling us to move. where? Lenox? Stockbridge? if you can’t afford to live in Pittsfield – you certainly cannot afford to live in a lot of the other towns in this county, except maybe Adams, N Adams, or Savoy. and then – if you work, you need to commute here anyway. I bet my combined tax and mortgage payments are 2/3 of what it takes to live in those (Lenox, Stockbridge or GB) communities. I know since I have looked and realized that I need to work to make this place better since I am not able to afford to move and live in a house as nice with a yard as large for the money I pay.
it’s up to us to make our community better and its up to us to vote or run. if we don’t and we keep getting more of the stuff we don’t like – how is it someone else’s fault?
Is John Kerry the biggest Jackass in the history of Jackasses?
Kerry & Obama are at a dead heat.
The good news is that far fewer GIs died needlessly in combat in the last seven years than the eight before. So there is that.
Photo 39 is disturbing.
What do you find disturbing? Two friends in a celebratory hug? What exactly is so disturbing that you have mentioned it 3 times? I’m really interested in a more detailed response.
I agree, GATOS. Nothing disturbing about friends celebrating a win. Good for them.
Could some conservative, who believes that we should not allow Syrian refugees into our country (What would Jesus do ?) explain why when an armed gunman kills 20 children there is silence or Staunch myopic interpretation of the 2nd amendment…. mass death is the end result in both situations, but conservatives seem to be on both sides depending on who perpetrates the act… This is why Liberals don’t understand you .. Please explain … I am listening… no ranting or talking points please..
The same can be said on crime committed by illegal aliens or US citizens , a crime is a crime ,, if ur against crime then address it …. me thinks its because that is what is not really at play in conservative minds… they fear the browning of America ..