PLANET POLL SHOWS PITTSFIELD PUBLIC VEHEMENTLY AGAINST FURTHER TAX BREAKS FOR BEACON CINEMA
By DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
Second of Two Parts
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, DATE, 2016) — Yesterday, we presented our case against Mayor Linda Tyer‘s shameless, water-carrying appeal for multimillionaire Richard Stanley, who wants another five years of exemption of real estate and personal property taxes on his downtown Beacon Cinema. Once again, another mayor is doing the bidding of this Svengali at the expense of you, the Pittsfield taxpayer.
After nine-years of tax breaks, which themselves were unjustified and a foolish risk, the future of The Beacon Cinema comes down to market forces. If it can draw enough patrons to remain profitable on its own, let it remain open for anyone to enjoy. If not, which is currently the case otherwise the project would not need the artificial money support from taxpayer dollars, let it fold. To throw more good money after so much bad would be a mistake any way you look at it.
Today, we present the views of our readers. THE PLANET can confidently state with truth that the vast majority of Pittsfield citizens do not want the city council to grant Tyer’s simpleminded request. We wonder: Does she realize she’s been had?
Here is jut a sampling of comments on and about THE PLANET:from previous posts. Yesterday presented another boatload. The council must realize: It will not survive a “yes” vote on this bad deal.
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FROM ‘THE CIRCULATOR’ (this came in late last night, via private message):
Dan, I am glad to see you addressing the Beacon and the tax break request plus the responses this AM. I often view the leadership of the City misguided with their priorities. This is a really bad one. It would be one thing if the cinemas were the savior downtown that Ruberto predicted, but if it is losing then its management had a terrible or no business plan to look toward the future knowing where the City had been headed for years. Amazing that Little Cinema, going back to 1949 shows the films that the Beacon touted it would. Although museum has gotten public monies, it is a non-profit and I never recall it asking for monies to continue Little Cinema.
It amazes me that the City leaders kiss up to this ungrateful carpet bagger who continues to milk the City’s taxpayers. It would be interesting to see what he would do if the City did not capitulate…cry all the way to nearest bank$, make a tad less profit, take his ball and go home?. It is inexcusable for these guardians of the local tax dollar to give any extension to a business that has gotten so much WITHOUT someone verifying his claims. Unquestionably a trustworthy party needs to see his books for any of the reasons he gives for the TIF, e.g., expenses including his profit, employee hiring/salary records, etc. This needs to be brought to the City Council and any decision by that body should be accountable for a decision it makes in the absence of data. Who is reachable in the leadership and has a sharp mind for this?
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- DUSTY: Will Mr Stanley be going before the city council on public TV asking for his tax break? Will he show his face to all the much less fortunate as he has his hand out… AGAIN?? I think he owes it to the other taxpayers to go before the public and explain (without all the sugar dripping bullshit) why he deserves a tax break and they do not.
- And the mayor should insist that he do it so that we all understand, through his explanation, why she is backing him. And then I want to hear the mayor tell us all on city wide TV why she feels he is more deserving of a tax break than anyone else.
- We deserve at least this small consideration. If he has honest justification this should be no problem.
PAINTER: The Mayor should stop worrying about the Beacon and start worrying about the 500 jobs Pittsfield is going to be loosing soon. And people are wondering what kind of Mayor she is going to be I think we have the answer.
Perhaps I dreamed this but it seems a guy named Scanlon did an audit of the cities finances not too long ago and said that the city could soon be running into problems with the tax levy capacity. This seemed to concern the finance director. But not so much the mayor apparently because she wants to give tax breaks to wealthy Pittsfield business owners like the mega property owner of the Beacon theater.
As most of you know when somebody gets a tax break other tax payers have to pay more to make up the difference. Being on a fixed income it does irritate me to have to subsidize the wealthy and it makes the pill even harder to swallow when the politicians elected to represent the best interests of the citizens, effectively reach into my pocket and give my money to special interests. That is what it amounts to.
GENE (IN REPLY): Great point dusty often lost in the discussion. If “A” gets a tax break of “X” dollars, that break is paid for by other taxpayers. It’s not fair, not good for the city, not good for business, and not good for downtown. Mr. Stanley of the Beacon shoould not receive an extended tax break. He got his already. I am calling on the city council, as my representatives, to reject another round of tax concessions for Mr. Stanley. The city’s financial situation is too dire for that kind of “development”.
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ROBem: Why are these businesses asking for tax breaks if lower taxes are not the reason they are here?
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CAROLYN BARRY: A few years ago I went to city hall to look into the Beacon deal. I had questions and was directed to Ann D [head of Community Development]. We sat down and my questions were: In the agreement that was made with the Beacon they were to employ a certain amount of employees full time and part time. What was that figure? What is the ACTUAL figure that they have been employing? They are sitting on one of the Free liquor licences for downtown, how often is that being used and for what purpose? I NEVER heard back. I don’t think they were hard questions.
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LOCAL YOKEL: You will … fund the school, plus fund the millionaire at Beacon, fund the parking deck, fund the raises and stipend for the P S C fund the O P E B – pay all municipal pay raises, buy new fire truck, throw in a new Public Works and Police Dept. There Is more, let’s wait for the violins.
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SHELLY LIVER: We need to take a look at these economic engines like the Beacon, when then can’t sustain themselves. It’s incredible that this Mayor would even consider any help in these times?????
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DUSTY: I cannot believe this one. According to the local newspaper, Mayor Linda Tyer wants to extend tax breaks for the millionaire owner of Beacon theater. After all the breaks and freebies he got building that place they are going to pile on more tax breaks while soaking the shit out of the elderly trying to hang onto their homes???
If anyone had ANY doubt about how indebted she is to her backers they know now. Forget about any help for long time suffering blue collar taxpayers. You want a tax break in Pittsfield you need to be wealthy to get it. Spice got one. Haddad got one. Hotel North Tierney got one. I am sure there are more but none of them are living on a fixed income that is for sure. I will be boycotting all business’s who feel they deserve tax breaks while others suffer.
She might as well just take a dump on our heads. I had a tad of hope left for her but that has gone completely out the window.
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ALREADY TYRED: Why was Warren Dews, a resident of Hinsdale shilling for the Beacon at the CC meeting? Maybe if the Beacon had a wider variety of Movies they might actually attract viewers.
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JOE THE TAXPAYER: Also, wondering if the town of Great Barrington gave them a tax break, and if so is it still in effect? If they receive a tax break from the City of Pittsfield, all City residence shall get 3$ off ticket prices and 2$ of beers.
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BERKSHIRE BLUE COLLAR: Does anyone else doubt that he holds 30 full time equivalent positions? I don’t know a movie theatre that employs that many. If he really wants those breaks, open your books! Half of the people involved with this crap couldn’t be transparent if they were a sheet of tracing paper.
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PAUL: The other thing with the Beacon is it has not delivered as promised. We were promised that it would be playing movies like the Triplex in Gt Barrington. All they play is the same thing as the Regal at the Berk Mall. Why would anyone go to the Beacon when you can go to the mall, get tons of free parking, super nice employees and great reclining seats.
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INDEPENDENT: If that is true then no one has to waste anymore to find out what kind of Mayor L T will be.
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MI: I thought the tif for Mr. Stanley was a one time deal? And yes, he did say that about certain flics coming to that theatre, more or less disappeared. Don’t forget that used to be Angie and Skinny legs Jimmyms political stopping ground.
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WILL IT GO ROUND AND ROUND?: I had one interaction with Richard Stanley when former Mayor DB tried to take over the carousel project. The mayor’s goal was to remove Jim Shulman from his own project and put Stanley in charge, being that he is such a good businessman. The goal was to earn revenue for Downtown, Inc. so the City could save on subsidizing the organization. Stanley was totally clueless about the project and referred to it as a carnival ride. After the man insulted the carousel Board and Jim’s wife, Jackie, I realized the City had been duped. He has no board of directors and no accountability to anyone. The City believes downtown would die without the cinema. He was able to get huge State grants through the efforts of Deanna Ruffer, including $1 million of the City’s GE economic stimulus monies. His claim is he is creating jobs, but has anyone checked to see if these are mostly minimum wage and/or parttime without benefits? He should be required to have a complete audit before getting another nickel from the City, if at all. I recall he got something like $20 million of City, State and Bank monies and was litterally seduced into doing the cinemas. No competitive bidding ! In this sum he received a package of $5 million from five banks with extremely favorable terms if any.
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LANDLORD: Received a call this morning from a goofy tenant I have to take to survive in apartment business to tell me he dropped a plastic under arm deodorant in toilet. Instead of picking it up and out he attempted to plunge it away thus forcing it down pipe where it is now stuck and cannot flush. Now my responsibility at weekend double time. And Stanley receives tax breaks. He’ll get it. This city is hopeless.
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Tyer has made her deal with the devil. Therefore, City Council, it’s up to you. For once, for one lousy time, go to bat for the citizens of Pittsfield, and deny this egregious tax break. The city cannot afford it.
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“Charity is no part of the legislative duty of government.” — James Madison
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
The views expressed in the comment section or opinions published within the text other than those of PLANET VALENTI 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.
Beacon Cinema’s feature movies
Now Playing!
Theater 1 – The lovely Linda Tyer teaches public financial management! Raise municipal taxes, increase spending, and give the benefits to multimillionaires.
Theater 2 – The lovely Linda Tyer supports the Good Old Boys political agenda! The vested interests receive their raises, while the politically unconnected scrape by on $10 per hour or public welfare benefits.
Theater 3 – The lovely Linda Tyer presents her first municipal budget! Another about 5% tax hike in the works. What is another about $4-million spending increase among a shrinking tax base?
Theater 4 – The lovely Linda Tyer finances the new Taconic High School! Let us add another $1 million to $2 million a year to the record setting municipal budget. It is for the children!
Theater 5 – The lovely Linda Tyer wishes Sabic good travels to Houston, Texas! Pittsfield is going to lose between 300 to 500 jobs within the next couple of years. Let Pittsfield politics bury their heads further into the sand to escape reality!
Theater 6 – The lovely Linda Tyer tells blogger Dan Valenti to stuff it! The City Council and School Committee are rubber stamps! Pittsfield politics is a China-like one political party corrupt system of political hacks that do the bidding of the Suits, G.O.B.’s, and Vested Interests!
Dear Dan Valenti,
I remember that Pittsfield politics went financially insolvent during the Doyle debacle in 2001 that led to the election of Sara Hathaway later that year.
Here we are 15 years later, and Pittsfield politics is on the verge of financial insolvency within the next 5 years.
What happened in 2001? I remember that millions of city government dollars went unaccounted for back then. The then city Treasurer received a severance package to keep quiet about the situation.
No one was ever prosecuted back then! After Sara Hathaway was defeated and ousted by Jimmy Ruberto, the public mismanagement of Pittsfield politics was forgotten.
Do you know what happened?
The reason I ask is that it seems history may be repeating itself with the new Taconic High School project. Will their be cost overruns? Will new city officials receive severance packages to stay quiet when millions of new city government dollars go unaccounted for?
How can we nip another state government receivership of Pittsfield politics in the bud?
Sincerely,
Jonathan A. Melle
This news article parallels blogger Dan Valenti’s public information request to the lovely Linda Tyer administration.
News Article –
“Mayor Walsh must release race and ethnicity records on city workers, judge rules”
By Andrew Ryan, Boston Globe Staff, May 17, 2016
A superior court judge has ordered Mayor Martin J. Walsh to release public records detailing the race or ethnicity of individual city employees, a once routine disclosure that the Walsh administration resisted despite pledges of increasing diversity and transparency at City Hall.
In a statement Monday night, Walsh’s administration said it would abide by the order and compile the records for release, although it would not say when.
The ruling by Suffolk Superior Court Judge Mary K. Ames came more than two years after the Globe requested the data under the state’s open records law. The federal government requires the city to collect information on employees’ race and ethnicity, and for years the records had been released publicly.
Walsh took office in 2014 with a pledge to build an administration that reflected Boston’s increasingly diverse population, but the mayor cited privacy and other concerns in refusing to release race or ethnicity data on individuals to the Globe and a Boston city councilor.
In a 10-page ruling dated May 9, Ames wrote that “the purpose of obtaining race and ethnicity data is to prevent discrimination and promote a diverse workforce by ensuring that the city provides equal access to opportunity to all individuals.”
“The court does not find that the Legislature sought to shield from public scrutiny information that is collected for the very purpose of protecting the rights of the public,” Ames wrote.
Walsh’s press secretary, Bonnie McGilpin, said in an e-mail that under the mayor’s leadership the city has “made creating a diverse, inclusive workforce a top priority, hiring the first ever chief diversity officer, appointing the most diverse cabinet ever in Boston, and launching [a web-based] diversity dashboard.”
Leaders in Boston’s African-American community had urged the administration to release the information.
“Mayor Walsh ran on a platform of transparency and diversity,” said Darnell L. Williams, president of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts and a member of the mayor’s transition team, who noted that communities of color catapulted Walsh to a narrow victory in 2013. “They should swiftly comply with the judge’s ruling, especially in light of them coming up on another election cycle.”
City Councilor Tito Jackson said that without the data on individuals, it was impossible to assess pay disparities among races and genders.
“We should be moving forward, not backward in transparency,” Jackson said.
The judge’s decision reversed a September 2014 ruling by Secretary of State William F. Galvin’s office, which oversees the state’s public record law. That ruling — made in Galvin’s office by Supervisor of Records Shawn A. Williams — said listings of gender and race for individual employees represented personnel information exempt from the public records law.
The Globe sued and in her ruling, Ames declared “the supervisor’s decision was incorrect as a matter of law.” The decision represented the fifth case in which the Globe has successfully challenged a ruling from the secretary of state’s office over the past three years.
In a statement, Galvin’s communications director, Brian S. McNiff, said public record rulings are written narrowly to follow the law, and the judge’s decision regarding race and ethnicity data is now a precedent that will be followed.
Public records advocates hailed the ruling.
“In recent years, the supervisor’s decisions have continued to broaden the personnel records exemption,” said Robert J. Ambrogi, executive director of the Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association. “This ruling counters that trend and makes clear that it is not meant to be a blanket exemption from the public records law.”
Attorney Robert A. Bertsche, chair of the media law group at the firm Prince Lobel Tye, said the case was “an example of a broken system.”
“This case really reinforced the need for passage of new, beefed up public records legislation,” said Bertsche, who has done work for the Globe but was not involved in this case.
Walsh has struggled to keep his pledge to introduce a new era of transparency at City Hall. The Globe has two other pending public records lawsuits, including a case filed earlier this month alleging that Walsh’s administration is improperly withholding subpoenas and public documents related to a widespread federal investigation into the activities of local unions.
The mayor campaigned on a promise to build a diverse administration, but a Globe analysis found that his first wave of hires was overwhelmingly white and predominantly male. In a subsequent records request, the Globe sought gender and ethnicity data for all city employees.
The Walsh administration denied the request but provided statistics that seemed to show it had diversified hiring. A list of new hires included gender and ethnicity information for each position but omitted names.
But the list included 50 people — all of whom were black and Latino — who were not city employees. They had been hired as part of a temporary youth employment program to work in restaurant kitchens and other private companies.
Earlier this month, the administration unveiled a digital diversity dashboard displaying statistics on city workers by race, gender, salary, and tenure.
“It’s wonderful putting up an interactive dashboard and providing [the administration’s] interpretation of the data,” said Bertsche, the media law attorney. “But that doesn’t take away the right of a free independent press to get that information for itself and analyze it for itself. That is fundamental to the First Amendment.”
Andrew Ryan can be reached at andrew.ryan@globe.com Follow him on Twitter @globeandrewryan.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/05/16/mayor-walsh-must-release-race-and-ethnicity-records-city-workers-judge-rules/TreSWITaedECbxGM9OXBCJ/story.html?p1=Article_Recommended_ReadMore_Pos3
Thanks, JON.
It took the Globe two years of mayoral resistance. Even now, despite the court order, the mayor hasn’t indicated WHEN he will release the records, only that he will.
My wife and I sent an email to our councilman asking him to vote against the tax break for the Beacon.
Dan Bianchi and Jim Roberto never let public opinion stop them from stomping on the taxpayers and I doubt Linda will either. If special interest backing put her in office she cannot disrespect them.
Did not know about Bianchis move against the carousel but a truly slime ball move. I hope he has moved to New Jersey.
How does this tax break for the Beacon help someone on SS pay for a new dean of students orMrs.Behnkes 30,000 raise.
Just read the Beagle story about how all the suits are supporting the Beacon getting special treatment and that the rest of the taxpayers will have to make up the difference for them. Apparently he is doing so bad that he wants to make a half million dollar upgrade. What the hell kind of logic is that?
So the only thing I have left to fight this kind of heavy handed money grab is to continue to boycott the place. I have never been there because I was so upset with all the handouts he got to build the place in the first place. I do go to the theater at the mall several times a year and it seems very nice to me. Plus there is much less chance of me getting mugged on my way in or out. Everyone should give the mall theater a look see. Very nice place.
Boycotting is one of the few tools the lowly consumer taxpayer has left and I suggest everyone consider it. I also will not pay for the local newspaper though I usually have access to a free copy so that I can find out what is happening everywhere but in Pittsfield.
I agree dusty, we won’t go to the Beacon for any reason if they get the tax break. We can still vote with our feet.
TIF deals always result in greater tax revenue than the original property because of the new construction. It’s a net increase in our tax base even if you don’t like the practice. The other businesses mentioned would also be eligible for a TIF if they were looking to double their property value.
Where’s the outrage over banks and other businesses that pay zero property tax?
Mike
If he is doing poorly why is he upgrading? The new seats at the mall theater have only been there a few months and Stanley apparently claims to have been losing money for years. So the seat upgrade theory is hollow. New seats are not going to come close to saving him…assuming he is really losing money in the first place which I do wonder about.
and Mike do you know if these tax breaks are pro rated for the theater and not the whole business complex he is running out of there? No one seems to be speaking about this. Isn’t he making big bucks with the rents he is charging?
Good question. My guess is the original TIF covered the entire structure. Tenant businesses would be responsible for their own personal property taxes.
Mike, I am torn on TIF’s. They can, when used jumpstart the development on a property which may otherwise be left vacant. However, I am a firm believer that if a development cannot work without a TIF – then you may just be delaying the inevitable.
However, several buildings have received TIF’s and in the process, got upgraded fire suppression, life safety, HVAC, and electrical systems. So the buildings have benefited even as businesses may have failed (Link to Life an Spice come to mind). The building as it was left by Besse Clarke was antiquated and had no current uses – so maybe those TIFs gave the City a building that could house viable businesses.
The Beacon is in a couple of buildings that also were severely antiquated and functionally obsolete. But the nine years’ worth of forgiveness on the real estate increase due to the improvements and total forgiveness on personal property taxes should have been ample jump start n’est pas? At what point does the value of the tax forgiveness outweigh the value of seeing if another operator can make a go of the endeavor?
And while we are defining desirable outcomes – why should the community count FTE’s? Why should we not count only full time, benefitted jobs, at living wages? why is a $10 an hour part time job without benefits allowed to be counted as a percentage of a real job for purposes of meeting goals? I would rather see an honest count of 5 real full time benefitted jobs plus 10-12 part timers with decent wages being listed than a fictitious number to make me think the place is thriving.
And finally, while on my rant – the tax credits used as financing have a lot of requirements of the owner. there are benefits if he hangs in, and serious clawbacks if he walks away. Maybe we need him to risk a few of his own pennies (which he probably has not done to date) before giving him more of our dollars. In fact, the tax credit agencies require audits of at least the property (not the businesses located therein). I would not doubt the place loses money once you count depreciation but that tells us nothing about the viability of the movie business.
With the others, as long as its a Regal Theater redux, it is hard to compete with the parking and reclining seats – and lower prices. Richard Stanley underestimates Pittsfield’s ability or desire to support more intelligent programming and now bitches when we stay away from his theater.
Agree on all counts. I didn’t, and still don’t, agree with all TIF deals. The rules keep changing. Now you don’t have to create a special zone for a TIF, which was unnecessary overhead in my opinion.
Excellent points, SE.
That why we put people in office to bring these things to light and for them to stop any business from not paying there fair shear. From where I sit giving tax breaks hasten stop business from leaving Pittsfield.
Has anyone seen any paperwork on this project? Has there been no review over the past few years to verify the project was meeting goals and objectives? I do believe it is required under the law to be evaluated every so often. How does this City or any municipality verify the economic development plan and the taxpayers’ dollars are working effectively? We find out after 9 years that our investment hasn’t panned out?
If he needs tax breaks to make this project work after 9 years maybe the project isn’t the correct one for that location? Who has been monitoring this project along the way?
Please see the checklist that Barnstable uses I found a few other communities use them as well in the Commonwealth I did not see one for Pittsfield can anyone supply a link with the vital project information so we can see what our investment has returned thus far? Also see the enabling legislation
http://www.town.barnstable.ma.us/economicdevelopment/TIF%20Application%20Checklist.pdf
https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleVII/Chapter40/Section59
Just sayin
Mike great response . You make too much sense to be responding to some of these bloggers. I admire you useing your real name, not useing a fake like so many of these people.
It’s pretty sad when a Victory for the taxpayers is that a mega project will be one with no cost overruns.
Attracting new Business has come to a new low when outsiders looking in Expect tax Breaks for their Businesses to come here. But when they see a Business that is failing and only sustainable contingent on another tax break, what does that say about the Citys’s direction for jobs and revenue.
Nicely stated S L. Great piece again Dan!
Maybe because they employee real jobs,Mikey.
Question: If Mr. Stanley is denied the extension of the TIF…..will he close up shop or will he continue as usual?
Any thoughts?
He’ll go the way of Spice. Hey Joyce.
or convert to condos
Off topic: I came across this old article and noticed one of the names…Pam Farron
Is it a coincidence that a person fired for being a horrible teacher, forced back with compensation by the unions is now on the esteemed School Committee
or could it be a doppleganger?
Crikey!
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_18076817?source=most_viewed
I have always felt that teachers and former teachers should not be allowed to serve on the SC.
This is a perfect example of “conflict of interest”. Pam F. will always support any union initiative because they successfully fought and won for her.
But Spider – she ran and was elected. Is this the “keep me from harming myself” school of thought? We always seem to get what we know is coming in every election, yet there is a dearth of candidates running – and those who do run sometimes might have a good idea, but to get to that we need to get beyond the mental illness or the other, sour pieces of their personalities. Remember, we HAD Terry Kinnas – but we did not support him despite his perspective which matches many of our own.
Then we get a good candidate and servant like Mike Ward, who tells us how he thinks and how he approaches the job – so even if you disagree, you know why beforehand. the folks like Mike serve for a while and the folks who replace them are self-serving and have thick skin so they don’t care what kind of barbs we toss their way.
Unfortunately the voters spend more time checking out the candidates for CC instead of the SC. And it is the SC that can cause more harm to the city by their decisions.
I, also, liked Terry Kinnas….a good man! But they forced him out.
And Mike Ward was one of the finest Councilors to serve.
We seem to lose the good ones!
Thanks, southeast and spider.
It’s a definite conflict of interest, SPIDEY.
What’s shocking to me about this link is the level of discourse in the comments section! I think I saw one personal insult, and many well thought out multiple paragraph cohesive comments. Never thought I’d miss 2011!
KATHY
We are done playing nice guy with idiots who wish to spread their lunacy to this site. Glad you noticed that the level of discourse has improved. THE PLANET does know that whenever you contribute, it’s invariably well-thought-out and forward moving.
Praise be to Jesus if this means no more Shakes His Head
OMG….sounds like we have found the next school superintendent. You don’t get on that committee unless you have deep connections.
We live in a city where mrs behnke gave herself a 30000 raise,The raise is staggeringly high,this is stealing.She needs to explain this to a judge.
WE at the committee want to know if this is why you took all overtime away from custodians so you could fund your immoral. raise…..do these people go to church.
Tax breaks? No way. I’ll bet there is an undisclosed amount of cash that goes through the doors of the beacon that will never make it to the books to keep it as an “unprofitable” business to keep going back to the city to plead for tax breaks for the city’s own good. Stop funding projects that are not providing decent paying jobs and are certainly not growing. They had their gift already. Poor Mr Stanley might actually lose this game of chicken and have to close or more than likely, have to admit that this business does or could be profitable. Sorry, this is a NO WAY in my opinion.
POTHOLE
You raise an excellent question. There’s no way of telling if The Beacon’s books are on the level, but there are many creative ways to hide money, legally and otherwise. The principles in the enterprise gorge themselves yet make it look like they need a boost from the public. The other scenario is that The Beacon is losing its shirt in part because the owner has helped himself generously (and legally) to the money. So of course it would be a loser. Still another possibility: The Beacon has not made a cent for anybody, is on the verge of failing, and hence the desperate appeal to throw more money away on a project that will be dark in five years.
Its possible to pay yourself 500,000 dollars and show no profit with 200 k going into a roth IRA….please ,stop with the BS
Does MikeWard believe Mrs Behnke should get a 30,000 raise…
600 dollars a weeek raise,
TSC
Great question for our Right Honorable Good Friend MW — also also for every single person in the city. What has Behnke done to warrant a $30,000 pay raise. Keep in mind, too, that her office has 10 — count ’em, TEN — assistants.
I coulda swore I read $3,000; not $30,000. That’s ridiculous if I’m wrong. Fact check please
Not my bailiwick. Where’d you read this?
Does continuing tax incentives to private business so that it might continue to thrive and prosper sound like and good deal for the taxpayer? Are we the average taxpayer are the ones that will pickup the tab? Depending on your answers to these questions you might want to let your elected officials know how you feel.
Want to see how bad things are here in Pittsfield for taxpayers?– read the number of Mortgagee’s sale of real estate in todays Berk Eagle. ASK THEM IF THE CITY OFFERED THEM ANY TAX RELIEF LIKE THEY DID TO THE BEACON THEATER. For those who think things will get better for the taxpayer-you are kidding yourself. I watch all city meetings and the arrogance of these officials is downright criminal.
The theory is the Restaurants will take a hit if the Beacon Closes. Is the Restaurant Business thriving also?I thought the Arts were supposed to create Business for Restaurants,some Media Types are clamoring about how great Pittsfield is. It’s Not. Look around. Look at crime. JOBS LEAVING, revenues dwindling, to much spending, not enough production.Vagrants are kicked out of Hotel North all the time, people sleeping in breeze ways.
The tif is for business to create and employe jobs, mainly. He doesn’t have part time help for nothing, he can’t pay benefits, he can’t make money if is hires all full time, so only his full timers make out, and currently is failing even with the tif.
the tif.
Some History
The economic & community development subcommittee on Wednesday unanimously recommended that the city loan another $1.1 million to what has grown into a $22.3 million private project.
The city previously loaned $1 million from the account to developer Richard Stanley as well as provided support money from other sources such as Pittsfield’s allocation of federal community block grants
Deanna Ruffer – who has been coordinating the public side of funding effort for the project – said that the city would be paid back the majority of the loan over 20 years after the cinema is open for ten years. The city’s principal would be paid back with two percent annual interest.
A consortium of banks — who will be repaid within five years and with an annual five percent interest rate — is providing $4.6 million of loans.
Ruffer said that government-funded facade work valued at $1.8 million will be put out through public bid. But she said that the rest of the project isn’t public.
Stanley said that he has projected $1.5 million of annual ticket revenues, compared to $1.2 million at a four-screen Great Barrington facility he owns.
Ruffer said that — after the phase-out of a separate series of tax breaks the city has already awarded Stanley — the property will produce property tax revenues for Pittsfield. She also noted that the city is filling a specific role in the funding equation.
At-large councilor Matt Kerwood is confident with the analysis based on the “firm belief that people much smarter than I in the world of finance have looked at this six ways to Sunday.”
At-large councilor Peter Marchetti did not participate in the discussion or vote because he works for a bank that is part of the $4.6 million bank loan pool.
That’s how all these phony “pseudo public-private” deals begin. The Suits gaga with their support and unhesitant about their assurances to We The People. They ask us to trust it. We do. The “private” part of the deal makes out big. The “public part pays dearly.
Maybe I’m wrong but almost certain, this would not occur again. As a city councilor all you have to do is struggle with it.
Ms Amuso struggles with a lot on the CC. She never had those struggles on the SC or the SBNC though. She only seems to struggle with City side finance however. While there are some well paid City side workers, most have license or educational advantages that could command similar money in the DPS. City maintenance workers get a 1% pay raise, and there is no call for “parity”: Why? because the folks voting for it know it won’t fly. We forget that most City workers don’t get to do their jobs without the support of the folks at the bottom of the ladder. Unlike the schools, there are few if any “extra” hands to help spread the load to.
But paras, who admittedly may have a tough job – are compared to teachers. Well, if they wanted to be teachers, they needed to go to college, get all C’s then get a masters.
Read painters article above carefully, very interesting.
Oh yeah. And as I recall he got a lot more than that.
Also, he did not help his own cause any by ordering his poor kid employees to go through patrons purses and handbags looking for contraband candy and snacks purchased outside his building. This pissed off a huge chunk of a potential customer base, of which many I am sure never returned and told their friends about their experiences.
a little lesson from King Midas may be in order here
Why don’t we set up a program that gives a TIF to a person or contractor that buys a dilapidated house that is bringing down property values in a neighborhood to fix it up. No taxes on upgrades for 5 years? Replace the revenue that would have gone to the city with GE funds-it was supposed to go to tax relief for the citizens, correct? Hell, give a 2 year TIF to any improvements any homeowner wants to do. This would keep contractors busy and using the warped job creation numbers projects that the city always touts when they build something, we could be down to a 2% unemployment figure in no time!
XXX I have advocated that for years I presented a proposal to two different Mayors they are not having it.
Target an area we want housing development and Find first time homeowners. How it would work is they buy a property in the targeted area for say $75K invest another $25k in upgrades, repairs and renovations. They get a tax bill for $100k valuation. (mind you not the theater) Instead based upon family income and amount in renovations put together a sliding scale over say 5-10 years for them. They pay a higher tax rate we have a habitable home and develop a neighbor hood. over time in that targeted area we get stores moving in to serve those homeowners. We end up building what they refer to in some parts of the world a community. See with the proper understanding they have now lived there for 40 years raised a family educated the kids etc and they say Marge we can give back to the community etc etc. But it is so much better to hand it out to millionaires.
Just sayin
Yes! I had a similar idea and I wrote a column about it in the Pittsfield Gazette several years ago. At the time it was presented as an economic stimulus idea during the recession. In my version, homeowners wouldn’t be assessed for the new construction as long as they lived in the house. Upon sale it would be reassessed to the full value. I thought this would encourage people to stay in Pittsfield as an added bonus. Also, my suggestion was for this deal to only last for one year to create urgency and put contractors immediately back to work during a very slow time. I was told the DOR doesn’t allow this kind of local creativity with property taxes.
Chuck Vincelette said it best.. The voter won the election, not the taxpayer.
This is what you have, the same old with different players: Kerwood, Marchetti, Amuso, Krol, Dahoney…the biggest difference, a four year deal. I didn’t think it could be worse – it is.
Tax break to Richard Stanley a vey wealthy Great Barrington resident, meanwhile the actual people of our fair City that work hard everyday shoulder the burden of the taxes – why don’t we give Rob Proskin, Pat Arace, or Joe Andrews a tax break ? They actually deserve it – the number of political cherries handed out by this Admin so far is mind numbing – time for change my arse.
I think I overheard Mr. Stanley say,I’m with Linda.
People are too quick to assume the new leadership is part of the GOB. I do not believe this to be true. I believe Mayor Tyer is very well intentioned and intelligent and has so far done a great job getting herself acclimated to the position in a limited amount of time. We do need to express our satisfaction or dissatisfaction over projects, budgets, and procedures, but we need to give Mayor Tyer a fair chance. This city is in rough shape and there are no easy answers.
Too quick? Have you been paying attention?
LT was the clerk for 4 years – her honeymoon period is long over – she didn’t just fall off a turnip truck – or did she ?
UAlbany, Are you saying that the city clerk position gives all the proper training and experience to take over the position of mayor, meet all department heads, get new budgets from them, travel back and forth to Boston to meet state executives, and perform all the day to day functions of Mayor? I think she has done a great job jun the very limited time she has held the office. I don’t agree with every move but many things that have happened so far had been in place before she took office. To me 6 months isn’t a ton of time to do everything that has to be done and with four years to concentrate and plan hopefully she will have support and encouragement instead of bashing and undermining behavior.
In honor of Herb Caen… DV, I love this blog and read/check for updates multiple times per day, thank you… I’ll never be local, but after 20 years, this is home… I don’t live in Pittsfield, but I counted and can say I conduct personal/business (BMC, UpSreet Barber to George’s Shoe Repair) at 20+ local businesses… I spend $$$ at these shops… I’ll do anything and everything possible to support local businesses but don’t kid, I use Amazon Prime on a regular basis… I’ve found most, if not all, local business owners to be courteous and respectful… Years ago I came across PCTV and watched a CC meeting – Joe Guzzo was talking, and talking and I’ve been hooked ever since… You get what you vote in… She sure does like that green sweater… I’m shocked there are not more candidates like M. Ward, T. Kinnas, etc… South / North Street are too wide, go spend an afternoon on Warren Street in Hudson, they NAILED it!… I like the Beacon, the seats, and have never found parking to be an issue… Maybe that’s because it’s always pretty much empty… I want downtown to thrive, I want entrepreneurs to have great success, but can the local market support these entrepreneurs… Social services, while important, can’t be on the main drag… Too many fluff non profs taking funds that should/could be pumped back to the local entrepreneurs / businesses… Smart, thoughtful, forward thinking representatives need to take control of Pittsfield soon, and make the tough, hard and in some cases, unpopular decisions, to get back on track… Detroit… Millennial post recently was solid… I deal with them daily, across the US, they’re not going to post up here… Those bangs… Appreciate and look forward daily to thoughtful responses / dialogue, regardless if I agree or not with poster… Kinda hot for Spa Girl, love the passion.
Great post, PJMH.
You’ve been to S F and you’re hot for SPAGIRL? Thatms a compliment rarely seen around here?
Planet viewers are in the thousands, trust me on this one.You probably ask why? His writing and columns are excellent. Dan rarely misses!
Hope Terry will discuss with the Planet these latest developements, Terry said we’ll be able to tell by the Mayor’s Administration, now these latest moves.
TFB started this TIF with the beacon. Shame on her
Tax breaks for rich investors are just simple Corruption and Socialism in worst stage of it.
Only village of Pittsfield residents
have a problem to understand it
I have had a change of heart. I am going to start a gofundme account for the poor unfortunate theater owner. Better yet I am asking everyone to look in their couches and at the bottom of their washing machine for any loose change. And if you will, then please deliver it to the Beacon theater that this hidden gem may continue to adorn the main street of our fair city.
and God bless the movie guy for he is all that is good in this world
amen
simple – make Richard Stanley disclose his tax return before the feeding at the trough commences !!
Stanley signing agreement with Pittsfield he should honor it.
I’m very surprised at the outrage over the Beacon and the Hotel on North, yet nary a word about the heavily subsidized employer of some of the highest paid people in Pittsfield.
Say, that’s what my granddaughter calls vaguebooking!
I’ll bite Shakes – who is that?
Berkshire Medical Center.
Do state reps pay tax?
I have no doubt this blog got Mayor Linda Tyer elected.Her experience in local pittsfield goverment made her a great candidate to change the funding of the schools.They will tell her she is against children.
She needs to save the school department from themselves.They need a time out before next year when they do this again.Profesional hiring freeze for 3 years.
Must be talking hot dog ranch?
Overwhelming support for the Beacon are you kidding me. And some of the articles in the past Stanley said he was doing well at the theater now all of a sudden he needs a tax break. remember when Roberto was mayor he said there would be 250,000 people on our street and then he changed it to 175,000 I don’t think so
Is 1/2 dunb as Kentucy and OreGONE and the rest?
She has a rapist husband, she “want’s to bring back” Bring back for what?
I stopped going to the Beacon when they started searching your clothing and pocketbooks, for food. Maybe they should had lowered their food prices to sell more, better yet get in healthy food like fruit and cheese.
This is what really makes me mad, I went to the Beacon to watch avatar when it first came out. When I was getting ready to leave I noticed towards the back of the room someone had a professional camera that you would be using to cover news, recording the movie. I was going to say something to the usher when I turned in my glasses, but did not because the usher was talking to the woman who was doing the filming. I called the beacon and asked for the manager on duty and told him about the filming of avatar. I was told not to worry about it because the woman worked there. So illegal, just another reason not to go there.
Great post, B. Yes, this is illegal. You know that FBI warning we all laugh at when you watch a DVD at home? The one that can send you to prison and fine you $250K? It sounds like the Beacon broke that law.