ELECTORAL EMPTINESS: CITIZENS, YOU DON’T STAND A CHANCE
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY AUG. 23, 2017) — As a group and in the whole, the Pittsfield City Council has been an Enemy of the People going back to the early 1980s. That time, now a universe far away and long ago, saw the city in the last blush of GE prosperity. More than 10,000 manufacturing jobs created a tax base large enough for the budget, which at the time was a little more than a quarter of what the bums soak you for today. That faux-gilded age, plus reptilian politicians such as “Tell ’em” Angelo Stracuzzi, gave out-of-tune council president “Banjo” Joe Ryan the go-ahead to provide one of the greatest screw jobs ever performed on Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski. THE PLANET refers to the uncapping of pensions for city employees.
The pension, largely and generously funded by taxpayers, used to be capped at $35,000. No retiree could exceed that amount. That’s when the snakes went to work and decided to pop the lid. Today, the Kapanskis are on the hook for countless hundreds of billions of dollars in post-employment benefits accruing back to that fateful day more than a generation ago. It’s not difficult to do the math. The pension allows a retiree 80% of the average of his or her top years of salary. For instance, if your apex annum averaged $100,00 a year, you get to do the backstroke in the pool and rake in $80 grand. That explains why we have so many payroll patriots lining up like pigs at the trough to perform their “public service.”
You can see that in the latest round of nobodies eager to run for or return to office. Take Helen “How High The” Moon, who will steamroll to victory in Ward 1 — please. She has employed the winning “suck-up” strategy worn out by such profiles-in-courage too numerous to name. You no who they are. THE PLANET need not delineate the finer point of this game plan, which involves serving as water boy/girl, gofer, and unquestioning supporter of Pittsfield’s political status quo, that invulnerable force field comprised of voter apathy, unionism, and the strict political agenda dictated from Boston and eagerly lapped up by the city’s Democratic Committee. Mary Jane and Guiseppe don’t have a chance. The Suits only need to wrap up six votes on the council and four on the school committee to perpetuate Pittsfield’s headlong rush into the gutter. One can discount the tear-sheet Gospel issuing quarterly from the Good Ship Lollipop, that vibrant, corner-office vessel from which the mayor now issues a newsletter telling the sheeple “how great thou art, Pittsfield.” In other words, for ordinary citizens, Game Over.
Whatever brave citizens foolish enough to go up against The Machine finds themselves marginalized into the chloroform ward, often as much from their own doing as not. No names needed here. You know them. Once upon a time true individualists, true Public Servants, stood a chance [Note: historical reference available under “Arlos, Peter, aka, The Aging Greek God”]. No more.
When a citizen such as Alex Blumin dares stick his nose in We The People‘s business, The Suits light the torches. Blumin in made the mistake once again of agreeing to run a fool’s errand for another party, one trying to pull off a political stunt for selfish gain. Blumin would I future be much better off retaining his admirable insertion in local politics but with autonomy. Being a bobo does him no good. He needs to be his own man or risk honorary promotion as Mr. Irrelevant. Nothing would please The Suits more.
At that, Blumin made the most of a case that was questionable at best, ridiculous at worst, although THE PLANET hasn’t examined all of the evidence and consequently makes no claims for validity or otherwise. We do know that facing a kangaroo court consisting of the fire chief’s girlfriend — sitting in the role of being her own judge, no less — the finance director’s wife, and an attorney wired at the hip to the political establishment, he would have lost if he was arguing that the sun rises in the east over an elliptical not flat earth.
So don’t sweat the November election, ladies and gentlemen. You don’t have a chance.
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“Now Eddie …” — Herman Munster.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
The Usual Disclaime
The only hope for Pittsfield is if you vote for me-None Of The Above -for school committee and ward 6 city council. Send them a message aand do not vote for any Tyer toady. Write in None O(f The Above. Thank you for your vote.
Blumin for Mayor 2019.
Thank you. I agree.
Was I right or wrong is one question, but another question is was the Board of Registrars of Voters competent?
Did they follow the Laws?
Was the member of the Board, attorney, William Barry violating City Board purpose and Mass Bar Associating Rules and Regulations stating in the end of the Hearing (where not even one single point of my Opposition was examined closely) that whole Opposition was a “Shameless plug” and he supported candidate for School committee, Dennis Powel basically promoted him while being member of the Board of Registrars and Election while speaking in Municipal building. William Barry said: ” This opposition was a shameless plug. I remove my hat and you (Mr. Powel) has my voice!
Now some specifics from Denial—-PartIII : Finding Facts:
1) The Respondent was required to file 150 signatures
2) The Respondent (Mr. Powel) timely filed 222 signatures.
3) Testimony of the Objector was given as his opinion only.
(How else they want me to testify? I said about what I saw)
4) The Objections filed were to nomination signatures, however, testimony was to the addresses listed on nomination papers.
( In this #4 they VIOLATED MGL! Please–google MGL Chapter53, Section7–the same person who signs–must write his/her address! unless disabled. Therefore, when I spoke about addresses only because it was obvious on addresses————– I assumed they knew the Law.
Section 7. Every voter signing a nomination paper shall sign in person as registered or substantially as registered, and shall state the address where he or she is currently registered, but any voter who is prevented by physical disability from writing may authorize some person to write his or her name and residence in his or her presence.
PartIV Conclusion.
1. Mr. Dennis Powel did not sign his own name on nomination papers–Overruled
2. Several times spouses signed for each other. Overruled.
(Excuse me?–It is 100% correct . I can show it to anybody!)
How come Board Overruled MGL??
3. Most nomination signatures were done by the same person
the same handwriting patterns/style–Overruled!
(without even looking at one single example I was talking about!)
4. I intend to order forensic evaluation of all Nomination signatures(meaning whole thing, including addresses)–Overruled
iBerkshire, who supports Dem/Liberal/Progressives wrote an article saying:”PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Two city gadflies wasted everyone’s time on Thursday in a “shameless plug” when they accused Dennis Powell of falsifying nomination signatures for School Committee, according to Board of Registrar member William Barry.”
if I said it about Mayor –I would be arrested on the spot, but for them it’s a Free speech as Pete White emailed me his view.
But I feel I am done fighting alone… I can’t do it.
ALEX
My point is that you should devote your terrific energies for public service on initiatives of your own doing. You don’t have to do it alone, by the way. Be a leader and try to rally support. Carrying water for dubious third parties will render you ineffective. With that, THE PLANET applauds your political involvement. Unlike others, who are in it for self-gain, you seem to be coming from a good place in your heart.
Pete White, John Krol an Cocomo are less than useless and should be voted off the council. It’s time that Krol gave up his fake business and got a real job. Maybe in another state where they don’t know him.
Government is the master instead of the servant. So much for self government idea the founders came up with.
This is exactly what has been happening in Europe. The elites are making the decisions for the countries while ignoring the wishes of the people. Bringing in massive amounts of refugees and immigrants into these countries and transforming Europe into a place that is becoming unrecognizable. The people do not support it, but their leaders don’t care.
Reply to Pat–You are absolutely right about Europe situation.
I was in Hamburg, Germany in June this year. Hamburg used to be a beautiful, nice city, but not any more.
On Haubanhoff –Hamburg train station homeless refugees sleeping in the parks; garbage is everywhere. Hundreds of immigrants from African and Middle East arriving each day flooding train station’s hotels and nearby streets.
On Hamburg subways i seen at least 50-60% foreigners and Germans became like guests. Considering a different birth rate, Germans will be replaced by immigrants in 40 years or faster.
The media and the elites are working together (a dangerous situation for everyone) to create the impression that bringing tons of refugees and immigrants into your countries (as in Europe) is humanitarian and we would be mean to do otherwise while ignoring the long term implications of what they are doing and certainly ignoring the voices of the people.
We would be having the same problems now in this country if Hillary had been elected because she only listened to the radicals in her party and was also going to do the same as Andrea Merkel in Germany and pour in the refugees. Only Trump is preventing that happening here now.
I lived in Germany for several years back in the 70’s. Loved it (except for the unrepentant Nazi’s). Lived there again in the 80’s, still nice. But now, there is no chance of me ever going back again.
I believe that most people who go into politics do so primarily to feather their own nests. Reflecting back 40 years I do not think my votes in local politics has changed a thing for the better. Most of the time while I thought I was voting for change and less corruption I was immensely disappointed. Bianchi, Ruberto and Doyle come readily to mind. But there are too many more to list primarily on the city council. And these pocket liners know who they are.
How can you truly vote for a candidate that you think will represent your interests when they are all lying through their teeth during their campaign? Can you imagine how hilarious it would be if they had to be hooked up to lie detectors on the campaign trail?
Voting strategy is pretty much a foregone conclusion, you now have information that can be used to formulate how many people and who are actually voting, with the connected politicians, you pretty much know who is registered and how many votes a candidate needs to win an election. There used to be the idea of a bullet vote (selecting just one candidate) but now the gobsigs have perfected a fool proof way to elect the powers to be by bullet voting four candidates,if possible, all of them if they are gobsigs. So, if you have a thousand votes in a block, do the math, you would have to get the 20,000 or so to vote for the non gobsig to win, ain’t going to happen because they ( gobsigs) are organized and have the Information by design for a positive result.
Write in none of the above for school committee and ward 6 city council.
Agree.
I hope I have your vote in November.
So, don’t vote for anyone? Like a non gobsig…that’s totally giving up.
I suppose any write in vote is a vote for me “None Of The Above”
NONE
You got my vote … and I don’t even vote in Pittsfield.
Pittsfield politics is totally predictable!
Every fiscal year, municipal taxes are raised by 5%.
Every fiscal year, municipal debts increase by over $10 million.
Since 1980, thousands of living wage jobs have been lost, and they ain’t comin’ back, Jack (Welch).
Thousands of people have moved out of Pittsfield.
The Good Old Boys, political hacks, vested interests, Democrats following orders from Boston, control the political system similar to China.
The average local resident has no voice in Pittsfield politics. If one speaks out, they get blacklisted, lose their job, and are retaliated against.
A majority of local residents are poor or near poverty. To illustrate, all K – 6 Pittsfield public school students receive free lunches.
PEDA is 19 years old and still has 0 private businesses. Indeed, no Fortune 500 company is moving to Pittsfield.
The Consent Decree will always be the law of the polluted PCBs land in Pittsfield.
Downtown Pittsfield is not a cultural mecca that rivals Manhattan, L.A., Paris, and London. Rather, it is full of poverty, gangs, violent crimes, shootings, drugs, ex-con’s, etc.
Peter Arlos did not save Pittsfield! Moreover, Arlos collected all of the “Public Payroll Patriot” taxpayer benefits he could get his hands on. He even voted for his own pay raise and then was found guilty of violating “ethics” laws. Peter Arlos was a “Do As I Say, Not As I Do” hypocrite!
As much as Dan Valenti “bitches and moans” about Pittsfield politics, it only gets worse and worse! Pittsfield is in a never-ending downward spiral.
At least Mayor Linda Tyer is Lovely!
– Jonathan Melle
I hope you’ll support me by encouraging people to write in None Of The Above for Pittsfield School Committee and Ward 6 City Council. Also please look for None Of The Above on Facebook.
I like your campaign style. I will definitely be voting for you and would like a couple of your lawn signs for my front yard.
What do you think NOTA stands for dusty, get with it?
wa what? huh?
No budget for signs but homemade signs send a message.
I see alot of issues with these pensions:
1) The 80% includes all money made from overtime. But employees pay 0% contribution on any overtime worked. That’s right, that 10% only comes out of their base pay.
2) The 80% should not be based on select years of highest salary, but rather an average of every year the employee contributed to their pension. If an employee only paid 10% of the 30k they made 20 years ago, why on earth should they get 80% of the 70k they make now?
3) The 10% the employee contributes doesn’t come close to covering their pension – the taxpayer foots the bill.
4) 80% is ridiculously high. Time to scrap the whole pension system and move to a 401k.
But none of the above will happen. The unions control the politicians. It’s a constant quid pro quo between the 2.
WP
Good post. The pensions can be re-capped the same way they uncapped them — petition for home rule. Fat chance, though, that our political Masters in Boston would allow it. Perhaps your way is better. Scrap pensions in favor of 401K. 80% is, as you say, ridiculously high. Also, the 90% that taxpayers cough up the provide the lap of luxury: too high. The pensions only encourage road bandits to run for public office. Moreover, the chance of anyone running for (or in) office touching this issue is nil. It’s another of many Third Rails that have Pittsfield in a death spiral.
The museum is selling its art so it can remain solvent. The city of Pittsfield will have to sell off its parks to pay for these pensions. Seriously, you cannot do it through taxes because everyone would go bankrupt before the pension fund got caught up.
Who would buy a park?
The mayor just introduced some famous international artist from the sister city Cava de Tirreni. I thought it was Deanna.
It was Jon Gnagy.
Not Father Guido Sarducci?
The Mayor received some art work in which she’ll proudly display in the Mayor’s office? And just who will get to see it other than Barry during lunch?
I could be wrong but by writing in None of the Above won’t the person with the most votes still win. Seems senseless to me
6 candidates on the ballot for 6 seats on the school committee and no one on the ward 6 ballot to oppose Krol. I’m writing in none of the above as none of the above is worthy of my vote.
I was listening to Helen Moon Ward one and the other candidate for Ward two. Kevin you have nothing to worry about, the gobsigs won’t be able to get that one in.If Moon gets in, then we’re all eclipsed.
You mean Dina Guiel? She’s been busy talking to people in ward 2 and she seemed pretty smart when I spoke with her.
GOB SIG alert
Trump is clearly the most disgusting phony President in the HOTUS.
Trump isn’t running in Pittsfield this November. So let’s focus on Pittsfield for a while.
Great job on outer West Housy today one lane,no directive traffic,cops looking the other way into the ditch,one lane. Another is the street sweeping with parked cars, you might as well not even sweep it if you have cars parked all along the road. Almost took out a woman crossing North at West yesterday, if a car had been behind me, definitely would have been hit.
Took an extra five minutes at least to navigate the city today with all the traffic red lights. the best one was going on Center to West Housatonic and running into that detour near Hurlbut.
Commisioner Turocy started out ok, then he got sloppy, the salt account, the line painting bids, he got in with meter parking crowd, and looks like he’s gained a few pounds in between, so he’s eating well,you don’t hire someone who is on the verge of retirement, unless I’m wrong about his age, but can’t the city hire from within and younger, like Greg Yon, who got screwed over and wasa great boss.
Greg is in his sixties?
Has there been anything in the news about a hit and run yesterday? They find the vehicle.
There is a new pole out now, AAmerica believes President Atrump is not Level Heades 60/40
The same organization that said Hilary was a lock
Or sum thin like that,dang computer!
Mr. Blumin, Village Night,could you show us the signatures in question for you’re paper from,the registrar?
Line 27 /28 in particular.
There were a few signatures that Mr.Powell didn’t shake his head, so , could it be possible about the same person writing? If so, what is the consequence for instance,if one signature was penned in by the same person?
The six on the ballot are clowns. Write in none of the above for school committee
I am still confused. What does none of the above mean? Above what? Nothing above nothing is still nothing so what is the point? Please splain
i guess it’s the opposite of none of the below. The Tler Street project is going to put the Mayor over the Top.
Anyone who lives in and Pittsfield and has looked at a ballot should understand.
dusty
None of the Above is in some states an actual ballot choice. It allows citizens to engage in their right to vote while still giving them an official option NOT to vote for candidates on the ballot. This is particularly handy when the ballot is full of wannabees, retreads, and kiss asses, as will be the case in Pittsfield’s muni elections this year. THE PLANET has long advocated the option, NOTA, for all state and city ballots.
In some states as in only Nevada. one state.
Trump flew 2000 mile to find some friendly faces,Trump is not stable but feeds off the 30% who thinks hes the second coming
I wish he’d feed off you the same way sharks do with their young. Do the workers at the asylum give you free reign on the internet? Or is it during 30 minutes during your midday meds?
Truer words have never been written.
Are any of the candidates running on the platform of pension reform? That is the one thing every city across the country needs more than anything but ironically it is a death sentence because the unions would eat that candidate alive at the ballot box.
So, would this be pension reform going forward? or breaking iron clad contracts and reneging on them,because that would be the only way to get any real money in the coffers..And the Unions aren’t going to give back anything, and they shouldn’t.
Contracts with criminals aren’t valid. These union members should be eager to give up their pensions in exchange for not being arrested, most of them already have enough taxpayer cash to live the rest of their lives comfortably. Let’s see their financial statements whenever they complain that they are underpaid, also the government can put liens on their estates like it does for the elderly dependent on taxpayers for healthcare
so public employees have to show financial statements? Start with President Trump.
DV – I recommend you review the evidence – technically the law was broken – nomination papers are illegally signed every election and it’s an accepted practice – Blumin was treated poorly b/c he is an immigrant and Jewish – his problem is that he so naïve as to believe that the system in fair – poor shmuck –
Yeah, but he looked good. Luv the bag.
Hand Bag Blumin’s, so it is said, and shall be written.
Glad I see the Powerball tickets numbers live, when they announced winner was from ma. Last week plaed a quick pick got the powerball number and yesterday again te powerball number, problem is both tickets had te first three numbers ago..with
Dan, someone told me the Commisioner of P W lives in Ct. If so, that’s a new one.