Article

‘FOURTH’ TRASHED … plus … THE NO-RENT BOOGIE

0 0 votes
Article Rating

BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY JULY 6, 2017) — First, THE PLANET appreciates all who took on that most difficult question: Is there still such a thing as “the American Dream.” For the most part, commentators stayed on topic with insight and sense.

FOURTH TRASH — The Fourth came and went with perfect weather and a parade. It’s what happens after the parade that causes one to choke on the oatmeal. In a move that makes little sense, Pittsfield once again removed the trash receptacles along the parade route, relying on people’s sense of civic and personal responsibility. How did that workout?

Of course, that pales with news of the latest 4th shooting and murder. THE PLANET is on it. Our report comes tomorrow.

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before.

“Responsibility?” In a city that has lost its sense of self? In a city that does everything it can to make life on citizens more difficult (one of our favorites: only two parking spaces available on the west side of North Street between Union and Summer streets; Hotel on North (HON) takes up half a block with reserved parking, and the bumpouts rob the other half of half its spaces). Needless to say, Pittsfield officials don’t actually believe the call for civic pride will actually work. Councilman Pete White said so to a constituent in a text after the person had expressed her concern about the trashing of downtown that followed the parade. The parade left North Street looking like the city dump after a wind storm.

With the help of city sources, THE PLANET added up the cost of “no trash receptacles.”

  1. City crews had to pick up and remove about 50 garbage receptacles.
  2. The receptacles had to be truck and stored.
  3. Following the parade, 20 city workers involving five vehicles worked about about 4 hours at time and a half to clean up after people. Cost to taxpayers for labor: $600 an hour.
  4. The 50 receptacles had to be removed from storage and set back up.

The final “bill” for cleanup, absorbed by taxpayers and not the private “not for profit” Parade Committee: Conservativelt put at $5,000. That doesn’t include public safety officials “on call” before, during, and after the event.

THE NO-RENT BOOGIETHE PLANET recently heard about a case all too typical of the rental scene in Pittsfield. A young woman with two kids and no husband (an abusive, coked-up boyfriend hardly qualifies) has stiffed her landlord for $3,000 in unpaid rent. The landlord, a good one, exhausted all good-will efforts and finally had to go to court. Several appearances led to an order for eviction. The woman ignored the eviction notice. After four days, sheriff’s deputies removed the contents of the apartment. The landlord, not the bum tenant, now has to store the tenant’s goods — at his expense — in a heated, secure, commercial storage facility at $300 a month. The items will sit there for six months unless the owner claims them. If not, the landlord has to auction off the contents.

The infestation of human scum into Pittsfield, propelled principally by the drug trade and overly generous “welfare” benefits (free rent, food, insurance, cell phones, and the like), has overwhelmed the courts, compromised the rental market, drained the public treasury, and inflicted a huge cost in quality of life for the good people of Pittsfield. Authorities stand by helpless as this plague of maggots ruin a once great city.  THE PLANET knows of one landlord with eight rental units. All are “rented” by single moms. They all have boyfriends living with them, illegally. All of them receive Section 8. Not one of them has a job. And yet, when the landlord has to go to court, HE is the bad guy.

Something’s incredibly screwed up about that.

——————————————————————-

Woke up this morning, got yourself a gun.” — Theme from The Sopranos.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

The Ususal Disclaimer.

0 0 votes
Article Rating
50 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
CosbiesLadies
CosbiesLadies
6 years ago

Well, the Mayor did say ‘Come here to Live First’.

LoneGunMan
LoneGunMan
Reply to  CosbiesLadies
6 years ago

* mic drop

mi
mi
6 years ago

Where was Downtown Inc. on that One?

Wilson
Wilson
6 years ago

Don’t feel too sorry for the landlords since they are part of the welfare economy, probably illegal for them to refuse to rent to bums, but they have made their choice

Gigi
Gigi
6 years ago

In response to the “Fourth Trash,” I would like to commend the police department for an outstanding job of protecting its citizens in this era of terrorism. Each street feeding into North St. was barricaded by school buses, dump trucks, etc. to prevent the crazies from ramming a vehicle into the crowds. My husband suggested that the trash receptacles were most likely removed to prevent explosives from being dumped into the trash cans which would hide them from view. So hats off to our police department for a job well done.

Also, this year’s parade was outstanding! Good job Peter Marchetti and the Parade Committee. It was professional and a great assortment of bands, floats and vehicles. Please make a contribution to the parade fund to help offset their expenses and ensure that the parade continues to be held annually!

Pat
Pat
Reply to  Gigi
6 years ago

Yes, thank you police department for keeping people safe during the parade!

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
6 years ago

Planet Valenti shows no compassion for the underclass living in Pittsfield’s downtown area. We live in the wealthiest country in the history of the World. Why can’t the government train these poor people to work in living wage jobs?

The sad part of poverty is that it becomes inter-generational. The USA is the #1 country in the developed World for teen pregnancies! Pittsfield has the highest per capita rate of pregnant young women smokers of cigarettes in Massachusetts. Berkshire County has a poor record on pre-natal healthcare, which is the most important form of healthcare.

Let us blame the homeless, the welfare recipients, the poor, and the rest of the underclass for Pittsfield’s many socioeconomic problems! Don’t be a Christian or Humanitarian and help those who are in need.

Pittsfield is one of the most economically unequal communities the state and nation. There are a few wealthy households, a shrinking middle class, and a majority of low income residents.

– Jonathan Melle

Johnny2Shoes
Johnny2Shoes
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
6 years ago

I don’t have compassion for those who make it a lifestyle of needing,at someone else’s expense! There are to many people capable of working and won’t. I wish Massachusetts would institute the work and or volunteer requirement for people receiving government assistance.This would mean more for those truly in need.

12 Gauge
12 Gauge
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
6 years ago

To JM…..Why can’t the government train these poor people to work in living wage jobs???????

Don’t they get 13 years of free education? Why are they not prepared to work after 13 years of free education?

Pat
Pat
6 years ago

I do think though that the city would be safer especially on the 4th of July if all the fireworks activity was brought under control. People used to view one giant fireworks display at the end of the day on the 4th and would be perfectly happy. It gets to the point on the 4th, however, that it’s overdone throughout the city and it’s just annoying. It’s illegal, but people insist on having their own personal fireworks display in their backyard. When so many people do that throughout the city I think it creates an atmosphere of lawlessness and disorder that encourages crime.

The school committee
The school committee
6 years ago

A country that can not provide jobs for its people gets a heroin problem and everything that goes with a failed economy of the last 25 years.Job,jobs jobs.Trump is busy getting tax breaks for people that dont need it.Trump is also working to take affordable health care away from the working poor

Pat
Pat
Reply to  The school committee
6 years ago

I didn’t hear liberals complaining about a lack of jobs during the Obama years. It’s true though that people with too much time on their hands easily turn to drugs. Too many able bodied people put on Medicaid during the Obama years should be working.

Info
Info
Reply to  Pat
6 years ago

Do you know who Mitt Romney is Pat?

Pat
Pat
Reply to  Info
6 years ago

We have Obamacare now here in Massachusetts until something happens on the federal level.

12 Gauge
12 Gauge
Reply to  The school committee
6 years ago

Working poor is democrat code for unemployed bums who hang around North St. Are drug dealers and their girlfriends on 0bama care?

Shakes His Head
Shakes His Head
Reply to  12 Gauge
6 years ago

Working poor is people like you.

12 Gauge
12 Gauge
Reply to  Shakes His Head
6 years ago

Not stoners like you?

Trumped Up
Trumped Up
6 years ago

Trump thinks he’s at Wrestlemania Poland, what a script.

12 Gauge
12 Gauge
Reply to  Trumped Up
6 years ago

Liz Warren is the daughter of Chief J. Strong Bow!

H
H
6 years ago

Please Stop the Circle Index Finger,Please,And get back to the U S we could be attacked by North Korea. America Third.

Radar
Radar
6 years ago

I would assume the trash receptacles were removed for the same reason there were snipers atop multiple buildings along the parade route as well as all vehicular access blocked with trucks and busses. I’ve read that this was at the direction of MEMA. Not the city. Pro-active protection of a massive group of people from potential terrorist activity.

May Hemm
May Hemm
Reply to  danvalenti
6 years ago

We’re there any LENCO sightings, good day to show America where the Vehicles are made. Surprised these Vehicles haven’t had a greater influence on our local economy, everyone has them and are in great demand.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  danvalenti
6 years ago

Dan,do you feel that way about Boston Marathon, New Years in time square….we should not gather together,tanglewood,Berkshire theatre, sporting events….its a great event for the kids and Pittsfield knows how to run a parade

Shakes His Head
Shakes His Head
Reply to  danvalenti
6 years ago

The parade could be managed more effectively so it sustains itself. It also never spends the $80k it claims.

AlaskanBushClowns
AlaskanBushClowns
6 years ago

Hess Forest could be a Springside Arboretum type for the peeps or a Planet Picnic. Bring a weed wackier, Kevin, you in?

h
h
6 years ago

trump is about to put thousands of troops in harms way, be careful.

Pat
Pat
Reply to  h
6 years ago

A dangerous world situation was ignored by the previous administration. That’s why we are in so much trouble now.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Pat
6 years ago

Not true.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Pat
6 years ago

The worm just left North Korea

May Hemm
May Hemm
6 years ago

trump is in charge now and the first thing trump enacted was to increase military spending, the last administration put Jung under control with frequent visits by Obama mediator Dennis The Worm and Street Ambassador Rodman, had Red Auerbach had the Worm back in the Day the Celts would have had three more Championships.

Bill Q
Bill Q
Reply to  May Hemm
6 years ago

I spilled my oatmeal.

The school committee
The school committee
6 years ago

Almost everyone knows Rich folks and corporations are helping offset cost of Obama care….poor uninformed people want Trump to get rid of AHA so the rich can get a tax break….insane sheep

Pittsfield Bureau of Instigation
Pittsfield Bureau of Instigation
Reply to  The school committee
6 years ago

Is that why premiums more that doubled and deductibles are through the roof?

Life in the Pitts
Life in the Pitts
Reply to  The school committee
6 years ago

Actually it was the hard working middle class that got hit the hardest from obamacare. Insurance companies were losing money (aka profits weren’t high enough for their liking) because of the ACA to they upped premiums and lessened coverage on those with employer based HC to make up for it. And that’s the middle class.
If there is one thing you can be sure of, any bill passed by a Republican or Democrat will serve their special interests and hurt the middle class. You know, those that actually work for a living.

h
h
6 years ago

trump wants to throw crumbs at the peeps.

Paul
Paul
6 years ago

The piece of crap jail brought lots of scum to our city. The low lifes in jail we’re followed here by their section 8 Queens. When the scum gets out where do you think they go?
The new jail stuck it up our butts.

Shakes His Head
Shakes His Head
Reply to  Paul
6 years ago

I’m guessing you don’t mind objects in your butt.

12 Gauge
12 Gauge
Reply to  Shakes His Head
6 years ago

I’m guessing that your head is up yours.

Shakes His Head
Shakes His Head
Reply to  12 Gauge
6 years ago

Are you back from Topix? Can you get closer than 1000′ feet to a school or daycare yet?

12 Gauge
12 Gauge
Reply to  Shakes His Head
6 years ago

I’m not into that so you have no competition. It’s all yours.

Spider
Spider
Reply to  Paul
6 years ago

Many people predicted that building that jail in Pittsfield would bring all the scum, as Paul says. And weren’t they right!

Trumped Up
Trumped Up
Reply to  Spider
6 years ago

Karm and Kliff had to have a job?

Linden Tyler
Linden Tyler
6 years ago

So we have a nice 4th of July parade each year and the parade committee does a good job…..but what benefit to Pittsfield id this? Years and years of great parades but Pittsfield isn’t getting any better……just a lot of bread and circus.

The school committee
The school committee
6 years ago

I’m guessing the planet does not go to the parade.Its a parade that honors veteran for about 1/3 of it then its pretty much firefighters and youth of Pittsfield.

Don T
Don T
6 years ago

The Parade announcers were brutal.

Amnesiac
Amnesiac
6 years ago

How long you been back Dan? So long I forgot my handle