BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2016) — When the City of Pittsfield wants you to think everything’s great, they trot out the artists or send the mayor or police chief to a third grade classroom to read to The Children. The artists and sweet innocent kids become propaganda pieces, human hostages of sorts, exploited for a cynical purpose then dumped.

Another ploy to make it look like we are living in a combination of Oz, Shangri-La, and Tribeca is to make a hero out of fly-by-nights and con artists — so-called “developers,” “entrepreneurs,” and “investors” — who come into town. These cads use little of their own money, get a fortune of the taxpayers’, and open “economic engines.” A few years later, after the businesses fold, they fold the tent and vanish to find the next community foolish enough to have them. The classic example is Nuclea.

In Pittsfield, you see, everything is great. The city has been in a “renaissance” for so many years we’ve lost count of the Raphaels and Da Vincis. Please, enough already. Save us from such “success.” Official Pittsfield will do almost anything to keep the truth from citizens, but there are times when veracity breaks.

Small City, Big Fun, Lots of Bull

Downtown Pittsfield Inc. (DPI) markets weekly events under the logo “Experience Pittsfield, Downtown and Beyond … Small City, Big Fun.” Neat slogan, eh? It ranks up there with “It’s Happening!” and “Pittsfield: W.T.F!”

Other organizations (Berkshire Chamber, 1Berkshire, PEDA, and the endless assorted of “make-job” organizations that eat up public money but create few jobs) make it sound as it they’ve just talked sunlit hours down from the Good Lord’s Throne. You and THE PLANET know better.

For example, we get empty words such as this monstrosity: “It’s through the support of our major donors, the City of Pittsfield, and our members that we have the privilege to continue the work that supports our mission to foster the ongoing growth and vitality of downtown Pittsfield, Massachusetts through vision, leadership[,] and advocacy and to position downtown as the creative and business hub of the Berkshires for the benefit of all.”

What on Palmer’s good earth does that slop of a sentence mean? Who is it fooling? Maybe you should ask its author, DPI executive director, the pretty, ravishing Kristine Hurley, or perhaps its board of directors. They include

— Rebecca Barnini, Owner, Circa

— Gloria Beraldi, AVP, Branch Mgr., Greylock Federal Credit Union

— Michelle Butler, Project Manager, David J. Tierney, Jr. Inc.

— David Carver, Partner/Real Estate Dev., Scarafoni Associates

— Yuki Cohen, Owner, Methuselah Bar & Lounge, and VP & Financial Advisor, Alexandra Dest Capital Management

— Lou Costi, Owner, Wholesale Auto

— Warren Dews, VP of Audience Dev., New England Newspapers
— Ken Green, Owner, Museum Facsimiles
— Elie Hammerling, Downtown Resident
— Adam Hinds, Exec. Dir., No. Berkshire Community Coalition
— Sean Jennings, VP Support Services, Berkshire Health Systems
— Gary Levante, Community Engagement Officer, Berkshire Bank
— Joseph Lotano, Branch Manager, NBT Bank
— Peter Marchetti, VP Branch Operations & Administration, Pittsfield Co-Operative Bank
— William Mulholland, VP for Community Education & Workforce Development, Berkshire Community College
— Tim O’Donnell, Manager Business Analytics, Finance – Individual Disability, Guardian Life Insurance Company of America
— Earl Persip III, Sr. Program Director, Pittsfield Family YMCA
— Rachel Plaine, Owner, Berkshire Yoga Dance & Fitness
— Ian Rasch, VP/Director of Dev., Allegrone Companies
— June Roy-Martin, VP, Member Services, Berkshire Chamber of Commerce
— Van Shields, Executive Director, Berkshire Museum
— Kait Stinchcomb, General Manager, Berkshire Theatre Group
— Lindsey Struck, General Manager, Hotel on North
— Eddie Taylor, CEO & Founder, S.E.E.D Network/ F.U.L.L. Program & Director of Literacy, Big Head Books
— Steven Valenti, Owner, Steven Valenti Clothing
— George Whaling, President, Whaling Properties
— Tristan Wilson, Managing Director, Barrington Stage Company.

What a list! Alphabetical order is cool, because it disguises The Suits. Yes, some of the names are way more equal than others, if you get our drift, and most of you know who They are.

Cut the Funding

For all the good it has not done actually helping the brave merchants of North Street, DPI has been a colossal waste of taxpayer dollars. What is its mission? THE PLANET lets you decipher this for yourself. Download a digital version. We could be interested in your comments. We shall offer these quick thoughts:

1. Beware of any official pamphlets that talk about “creating an overall vision.” There is no vision.
2. It lists as its first priority “Public safety.” An epic fail, or do the break-ins, stabbings, shootings, and the like not concern you?
3. Another big DPI goal is “Increasing Foot Traffic” — Walk downtown. Notice the empty sidewalks and how nicely they contrast with the heavy vehicular traffic.
4. DPI also lists “Quality of Life” as a major mission. Walk the street with an honest, open eye and tell me: Do you feel it? Are trash and graffiti part of “quality of life?”

Of course, these problems are chronic following a generation of economic degradation, a fleeing and fleecing of the middle class, and an influx of degenerates, drugs, and dependents who suck city resources and contribute nothing in return. This immediately suggests eliminating DPI’s public funding. It serves no useful purpose. The savings will be piddling and utterly symbolic, but then again, that’s the point. In tackling an enormous problem of a broken economy and an egregious spending problem, you start with the achievable.

We close with this appeal to mayor Linda Tyer and our Right Honorable Good Friends on the city council. Cut the funding of DPI. No brainer. Let the merchants create their own private guild. It will be more effective and cost-efficient.

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