DEFEAT OF AMAZON IN QUEENS A RARE CASE OF THE LITTLE GUYS WINNING OVER THE SUITS
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY FEB. 18, 2019) — One of the most under-reported aspects of Amazon’s stunning pullout from its HQ deal with Long Island, Queens is how the left battled the left. When you arm wrestle yourself, you can only lose. You can only win.
One the left were New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and NYC mayor Bill DeBlasio. Not typically allies, they joined together to put together a $3 billion incentive package for the world’s richest company. Opposing them on the left were Rep. Alexandria Ocascio-Cortez, D-NYC (NY’s 14th district, Bronx) for whom this was a constituent issue, and the NYC city council. Cuomo touted the 25,000 jobs @ $150,000 per plus bennies. His opponents said that their constituents overwhelmingly did not want the Amazon facility disrupting their way of life with skyrocketing housing costs, traffic congestion, and other quality-of-life issues.
AOC and the council did what NEVER would happen in Pittsfield. They fought for the people they represent. In part, Amazon’s smug CEP Jeff Bezos fueled the anger. THE PLANET gets that. He ran the competition to build two new Amazon facilities as municipal beauty pageant. Each contestant would parade themselves in bathing suits, humiliatingly perfect and pretty, each offering favors. When Long Island City, Queens doubled the offer of any others, Bezos granted it the pleasure of his company.
Next, another NEVER. With the present set of hacks, you will NEVER see your Pittsfield reps fight for you. They will ALWAYS side with the Special Interests and The Suits. That’s why Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski didn’t get a say on The Beacon. Cost to the Kapanskis, $30 million. That’s why they didn’t get a say on a new high school. Cost to the Ks: $121 million.
Stop us if you’ve herd this one before.
There’s something else that would NEVER happen in Pittsfield. When incestuous politicians cobble an incentive package for the next Savior-Economic Engine (SEE), it NEVER involves legitimate companies offering the real deal. They go after Spice. They go after Eversource. They go after WorkShop Live. They go after Nuclea. They go after the Beacon. They go after Hotel On North. They go after Wayfair. What do these SEE outfits have in common? Broken promises, fakery, hucksterism, and backers Who Know Someone. Most of the public money ends up in private pockets and unaccounted. The enterprise fails, the principals skip town (or in some cases end up in the stripey hole), and the city moves on to the next SEE.
Go away. Nothing to see there, folks.
———- 000 ———-
The silly little gathering held last week at the Colonial Theater exemplifies how out-of-touch the economic development “strategists” are in Pittsfield. The theater drew the usual suspects, a halitoxic mix of Suits, hacks, hangers-on, sycophants, back slappers, and back stabbers. They enjoyed a circle jerk, telling themselves what a great job they’re doing and how everything in Berkshire County is rosypeachykeen.
“It was an amazing body of work and it set the sails for an amazing amount of work and effort to begin and really to supercharge the next decade of economic expansion in the Berkshires,” said Tyler Fairbank of “Blueprint 2.0” Yes, he actually strangled those syllables: “an amazing body of work” that will “set sail for an amazing amount of work … to begin and really supercharge” the economy. What the Ford Frick does that mean, Mr. I Want You To Take Me Seriously? Pass the Brioschi, Doan’s Pills, Phillips’ Milk of Amnesia, and Pepto Dismal.
Fairbank blathered about “a new narrative” regarding the local economy. In response, THE PLANET offers 1Berkshire free of charge its next economic development slogan. Picture this plastered on ads, banners, electrical boxes, trash cans, and fiberglass sheep: “New Narrative. Same Old Results.”
The usual suspects attended, people who don’t work for a living. Among them: Adam Hinds, John Bissell, Tyler Fairbank, Benjamin Lamb, Jon Butler, Linda Tyer, JBIII, Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Paul Mark. How much you want to bet Shirley Edgerton, Peter White, John Kroll, Earl Persip, and the rest of the merry bunch haunted the Colonial that day? You know, the ones who Know Better Than Us.
Winners and losers from Amazon’s pullout.
Winners:
- AOC. The congresswoman scored a huge political win and probably ensures her re-election for eternity. Cortez showed she’s more than the sum of her Tweets. A most impressive show of strength.
- The people of Queens. They get to preserve their way of life.
- Amazon. The company is too big to lose. They build in Nashville, TN and Alexandria, VA.
Losers:
- Cuomo. He put everything into this deal. He thought he had it nailed. He celebrated too soon, now the egg from his sorry mug runs in rivers.
- DeBlasio. Loses face with his ultraleft base. Ripe for the picking.
Left battled left. The left lost. The left won. Great politics.
—————————————————————————————————
“I figured out how to beat Vegas. When you get off the plane, walk into the propellers” — Steve Allen.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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Pittsfield Mayor said Amazon is welcome here because the Housatonic is such a small river.
Pittsfield can indeed offer Amazon employees incentives like electric,battery powered cars to commute in, all produced locally by E.V. Worldwide. They could reduce stress by learning to play the guitar online, with local tutorials by Workshop Live. And their future health concerns could be easily assuaged by Nuclea. Plus Amazon corporate could follow the successful paradigm of PEDA for growth and sustainable development.
Cynicism ??? Never. Well, potentially they could actually purchase their furniture online through a local call center.
Amazon would request 100% tax relief for eternity which the mayor would grant without batting an eyelash. High end jobs for local washed up politicians would be part of the deal. Moon would transfer in as second in command of Pittsfield operations.
But when Tyer refused to repair the roads Bezos would back out and set up in Stockbridge where Dan Valenti would be put in charge of marketing and communications which would piss off Donald Trump who would put in country tariffs on all Amazon products.
And that is all in the first week.
JOHNNY
Man, that’s a bizzy first week. I don’t think Bezos could afford me, though.
Dan, Bezos would like to offer you a free subscription to the National Enquirer to work for him. Let me know and I’ll let him know.
LW
Tell Bezos to call my agent.
Well done, mate!
This is either the worst straw man or a parody or the worst bit of logic I’ve ever seen. Dan did you hit your head? Are you having a stroke?
Amazon actually creates jobs, there were performance requirements in the deal. The job cost creation was a surplus $25k in the first year per job. That’s very different than Bianchi or Ruberto or Tyer throwing millions after no job creation or after pie in the sky numbers for music lessons or movie patrons.
This was a loss for the people of Long Island city and a win for the Republicans. The Virginia headquarters will go through and the job creation and prosperity will be a “beacon” shining it’s harsh light northward on Long Island City.
This is EXACTLY Pittsfield, a bunch of small minded politicians looking out for themselves and their friends, led around by a woman who’s not smart enough to waitress.
AGENT
It must be the years I played tackle football without a helmet. It’s now known as Gerry Ford Syndrome.
At least Ford had a leather helmet on when he played at Michigan. Dan your TBI from your playing days are showing in some of your thoughts on this article. Although Ford did make that pardon.
Dan,
I have to agree with Agent on this one, for most of the reasons she mentioned, with one exception – I would not say it was a win for the Republicans.
https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2019/02/16/prager-on-aoc-push-to-reject-amazon-hq2-leftism-is-an-emotion-its-not-a-position/
Thanks, GIGI.
I disagree with you too on this issue Dan V. Pittsfield gives tax breaks and makes a big deal about companies coming to Pittfield that are not great and in many cases are extremely shady. Also an extremely poor city like Pittsfield giving tax breaks to companies? New York, on the other hand, has the money to do so and the job benefits at 25,000 jobs paying $1500,000 would have been unbelievable and brought real prosperity to that area. Amazon is a big win for any place that is lucky enough to have it come to their community.
Amazon is just the beginning for Ocasio Cortez. She wants all companies to meet standards determined by the far left and the government to be in charge of who wins and who loses. The questions being asked of Amazon by the far left crowd included such gems as “why are you so wealthy?” and “Why don’t your employees have unions’? We have seen the chaos that unions have caused right here in Pittsfield.
PAT
Thanks for the well-articulated comments. I agree: Amazon was and is not Eversource, Nuclea, of Wayfair. It’s legit. I agree it would be a big win for any area. That wasn’t enough for the NIMBYies in Long Island City, Queens, however, and AOC, like a vulture picking at a kill, swooped down.
Again, O,C.’s actions make sense due to her base. They have loads of job opportunities in LIC just a subway ride away – why do they want to get displaced out of their neighborhood by a big company? Likely the locals don’t have the specialized skills to get those software engineer jobs and new people will come in to take those jobs and transplants would get the jobs.
Further. NYC labor unions are famous for pushing their weight around – and this is big -no union jobs, no amazon in Queens. Check check check and so she paid off her base.
Buffalo or Albany would perform human sacrifice if it meant Amazon would come there – or Pittsfield. But they never will for transportation and quality of life issues. If they were good places to live before the big savior company they might stand a chance. If Amazon came to Pittsfield (they won’t) they would have to recruit out of the region and they would struggle as the bad schools, low educational attainment of the population, and crime and issues with medical providers makes it a less than ideal setting.
KERMIT
Yes, that was my point, which seems to have been lost in the emotions of the issue involved as well as its characters. She played to her base and demonstrated the strength of that base. That’s why it was a win for her. It may be aa loss for her party in 2020, though, but I don’t think she cares about that. She’s looking at 2028, when she will be old run for Prez.
I don’t know. I chuckle at the thought of how steaming mad Cuomo must be – just Yosemite Sam hooping mad. He is not nice to his ‘frenemies’ on a good day. She’ll get the metaphorically death blow when she least expects it.
We are doomed! Boy, I wish someone could ask Elizabeth Warren on air about the Beacon. That would be fun.
KERMIT
Excellent observation. Cuomo has an elephant’s memory. Somewhere along the line, he puts a metaphorical hit on AOC. She gunna get hers, as my “associates” in the North End used to put it.
Good points however Amazon wasn’t even in AOC’s district, a majority of people in LIC wanted the jobs and actually welcomed the jentrification (to a point). As you note it would have required a labor force well outside the area but that’s sort of the point. The people in LIC wouldn’t have gotten the amazon jobs but they would have hootenanny jobs indirectly tied to the influx of that much capital rolling into the area.
Amazon placed that center in LIC because the demographics of the population in a 25 mile radius supported the employee types they needed.
As to playing to her base, yes she played to that base, 17k uneducated people she can manipulate. As to any future “presidential ambition” she won’t make it past the study.
This was more about the strength of unions and local pols who didn’t get their cut, she’s just the window dressing.
Kermit I was going to post the content you just posted. You cover all the bases in your post. Yours will be the best post of this session!!!!
Thanks Art!
AS, I think gentrification is a concern in NYS as so many people are renters and get pushed out farther away from their jobs when they have to move. I didn’t realize OC didn’t cover LIC – that area is already pretty gentrified. I keep envisioning the crazy Landlord lady from the show Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – if you have ever watched that. No whole food for those suckers! Heh.
NY was famous for unions tanking corporate projects/business interests. I’m thinking there is some organized crime too. – I think I sort of forgot how much influence the Unions have. They are huge financial donors so every politician in a blue state wants the union support.
Dan, I agree with AS and Gigi. AOC’s district isn’t even the one that was supposed to get Amazon, it’s the one next to it. Let’s see how the snobbish elites feel when that down and out person, who would have gotten a job at Amazon and turned their life around, now turns to drugs and crime and mugs them on the way to their Mercedes. And AOC’s motives had nothing to do with representing her constituents – it was all about the anti corporation socialist dogma she adheres to.
Also, using your logic Pittsfield should be happy that GE, Sabic, and KayBee all closed up shop because they brought extra traffic, higher house prices, and quality of life issues. How’d all that turn out?
You did get the Pittsfield part 100% correct though.
LW
Yes. She reps the 14th district (Bronx) and not Queens. My perspective on AOC here is on the pure politics. It may have been disingenuous, but as a political move, it was masterful … or is it, “mistressful?”
Now, since Amazon is out, AOC can reappropriate that $3b somewhere else – to benefit her district.
Only a government official can magically pull down $3b nonexisting dollars and claim it a windfall.
Dems appear dumber and dumber as climate change becomes more pronounced; with AOC and Pocahontas leading the way!!
Only when the last tree has died
And the last river [has] been poisoned
And the last fish [have] been caught
Will we realize we cannot eat money.
Cree Indian Proverb
Over regulated boob.
I couldn’t believe the question in today’s BB: Should Pittsfield declare a stance against white supremacy as recommended by the Human Rights Commission?
I find this question to be insulting.
What prompted the need for this question? Did something happen that I am not aware of? When? Where? How?
The HRC has gone off the rails, due in large part to the warped, leftist thinking of Drew Herzig.
Fritz, does this mean I can’t hire Nigerians wearing MAGA hats?
Marxachsetts,
You can hire them if they take off their hats and put their Obama tshirts on. Mr. Hertzig would give you his blessing.
By the way, I love your blog name! Wish I would have been clever enough to think of it first!
Marx, of course you can. And they come with rope and bleach already provided.
Hardly surprising, that commission was created to oppose whites, just like the Conservation Commission was created to oppose development.
SPIDEY
Yes, the very question is an insult to every citizen in the city. It’s the equivalent of a candidate declaring he or she is “for quality education.” The purpose of this loaded question is to imply racism on the part of everyone who doesn’t back its need. The answer, by the way, is an emphatic “No” by virtue of it already being understood. It would be like, “Should Pittsfield declare a stance against infanticide?”
Exactly, Dan! I would like to also think that Pittsfield citizens are better than that.
I voted NO!!!!!
This is the “have you stopped beating your wife?” question for the next generation.
“Have you stopped being racist?”
I think it has something to do with all the white folks showing up in greater numbers than the African American folks at just about every single meeting that has to do with race relations here in Pittsfield. Every photo of these events show less participants of the African American community than the white community.You would think the venues would be better attended because it effects them because of white surpression. Yes racism exist and should be addressed just not on a one way street. I’m tired of being told and hearing that just because your white that all whites feel and act like those that are truly racist and need to be held accountable regardless.
Absolutely asinine question. Whomever thought it up should be censored and whomever thought it was a good question to put in the newspaper should be given a month off without pay and made to take sensitivity training.
The Amazon proposal is certainly better than Pittsfield’s frauds, but it’s still part of the rotten system of giving corporations tax breaks so they can make more profit while mercilessly taxing people just trying to survive. Of course the majority of tax money is always misused, so the goal should be to minimize tax: if Amazon gets a tax break everyone should, and government employees put to productive use cleaning toilets in the Amazon building.
In Amazon’s case NY the state and city would get alot of money back in taxes. When approx. 250 jobs averaging 150k are added, those employees pay both state and city taxes, not to mention hotel, meal, sales tax, gas tax, property tax, etc. These jobs also help small businesses (restaurants, gyms, retail, etc.) increase their business and profits which also adds to tax revenue.
And Dan’s take that that little guy won is off. The little guy is the one who needs these opportunities, not the snob elitists who already have 6 figure jobs so don’t want Amazon to come.
In Pittsfield’s case what did we get for the tax breaks offered to the special interests? Nothing. A handful of part time minimum wage jobs do absolutely nothing to boost the local economy or alleviate the huge tax burden on the hard working middle class.
AMAZON = A / MAZE / ON
AMAZON = A / MAZE / SON = A / MAZE / SUN
Global warming activists argue carbon-dioxide emissions are destroying the planet, but the climate impacts of carbon dioxide are minimal, at worst. Activists would also have you believe fossil-fuel emissions have driven carbon-dioxide concentrations to their highest levels in history. The Obama-era Environmental Protection Agency went so far as to classify carbon dioxide as a toxic pollutant, and it established a radical goal of closing all of America’s coal-fired power plants.
Claims of unprecedented carbon-dioxide levels ignore most of Earth’s 4.6-billion-year history. Relative to Earth’s entire record, carbon-dioxide levels are at historically low levels; they only appear high when compared to the dangerously low levels of carbon dioxide that occurred in Earth’s very recent history. The geologic record reveals carbon dioxide has almost always been in Earths’ atmosphere in much greater concentrations than it is today. For example, 600 million years ago, when history’s greatest birth of new animal species occurred, atmospheric carbon-dioxide concentrations exceeded 6,500 parts per million (ppm) — an amount that’s 17 times greater than it is today.
Atmospheric carbon dioxide is currently only 410 parts per million. That means only 0.04 percent of our atmosphere is carbon dioxide (compared to 0.03 percent one century ago). Only one molecule in 2,500 is carbon dioxide. Such levels certainly do not pose a health risk, as carbon-dioxide levels in our naval submarines, which stay submerged for months at a time, contain an average carbon-dioxide concentration of 5,000 ppm.
The geologic record is important because it reveals relationships between carbon-dioxide levels, climate, and life on Earth. Over billions of years, the geologic record shows there is no long-term correlation between atmospheric carbon-dioxide levels and Earth’s climate. There are periods in Earth’s history when carbon dioxide concentrations were many times higher than they are today, yet temperatures were identical to, or even colder than, modern times. The claim that fossil-fuel emissions control atmospheric carbon-dioxide concentrations is also invalid, as atmospheric concentrations have gone up and down in the geological record, even without human influence.
The absurdity of climate alarmism claims gets even stranger when you consider there are 7.5 billion people on our planet who, together, exhale 2.7 billion tons of carbon dioxide each year, which is almost 10 percent of total fossil-fuel emissions every year. However, we are but a single species. Combined, people and all domesticated animals contribute 10 billion tons.
Further, 9 percent of carbon-dioxide emissions from all living things arise not from animals, but from anaerobic bacteria and fungi. These organisms metabolize dead plant and animal matter in soil via decay processes that recycle carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. The grand total produced by all living things is estimated to be 440 billion tons per year, or 13 times the amount of carbon dioxide currently being produced by fossil-fuel emissions. Fossil-fuel emissions are less than 10 percent of biological emissions. Are you laughing yet?
Every apocalyptic pronouncement you hear or read is nothing short of insanity. Their primary goal is not to save plants, humans, or animals, but rather to use climate “dangers” as a justification for centralizing power in the hands of a select few.
Great comment Dr.
The definition of insanity is – being out of one’s mind
Insane = Luna/Lunacy/Lunatic. The Moon = Lunar
“The lunatic is on the grass
The lunatic is on the grass……
Got to keep the lunies on the path”
“Centralizing power in the hands of a few”
Give that man a cigar. He has rung the bell!
My sources also corresponds to Mr. Valenti’s take on LIC. The people didnt want it. Good for the politicians who sided with their constituents. In Pittsfield’ politicians side with side with the gobsigs. Think the new THS. We have a mayor with minimal life experiences living in a mansion in a gated community due to being a good boot licker. If she sought out employment in the private sector with her background as a secretary she would never find a position of leadership. She more than likely couldn’t be a good waitress as agent stated. Without gobsig support this individual would be remarkably unremarkable. She and the bulk of the council must be defeated in Novembers city election. If we dont get rid of them things will continue to degrade for all of us except the Gobsigs. Our city should be renamed to Gobsigsville. Pretty soon they will be the only ones living in gobsigsigsville. Soon there will be no one like us who these gobs can rob and they will have to find a new city to rob. At that point pittsfield will be renamed again to Noonesville. You might think I am kidding but I assure you I am not!!!!
It’s the GOBSIGS who oppose this. The union pinky ring thugs don’t want it because Amaz
on is non union
and th
ere
won’t be union members to rob.
Who are your sources Art?
Dorthy on register 3 is his domestic affairs advisor.
Mr Big. Info on this topic comes from NPR. Many other reputable news agencies also carried this story. The people of LIC didnt want it. I feel they were wrong to oppose this project but it is their city and if for what ever reason they didnt want it kudos to their local officials for carrying out the constituents wishes. In Pittsfield the constituents wishes are not considered ever. The decisions here in pittsfield are made for the benefit of the gobsigs. This is a city of and for the gobsigs. Nothing in pittsfield will ever Change for the better until we take away all the benefits of the gobsigs which they so cleverly have learned to ring out of our hides. We can change things but this is a topic for another day!!!!!
LIC is a neighborhood in Queens NY. It is not a city. I’d like to know exactly who opposed Amazon. Go on Google earth and you’ll see that LIC is not a pretty neighborhood. I still say that special interests kept Amazon out.
Dr. Krafto – spot on, I agree. Global warming is the biggest hoax of our lifetime!
I say it’s not. Your thinking is right wing nonsense. Hoping you are well Mr. Garavaltis. I wish you a speedy recovery.
Art, double check the settings on your browser
Sucker!
Nice copy and paste, Dr. Krafto. Do you have an original thought to share with the class?
E=mc2
Art,
As is typical in your 75 daily posts that do not advance a single discussion point nor contain one piece of truthful information you have just posted another lie.
I am not nor do I post as Dr. Krafto. but why would a guy of your bloviating stop long enough to even consider facts. the only true fact attributable to you is the droves of readers and posters that you have driven away from here. Sadly you think your opinion matters Art newsflash NOONE cares what you post or even if you post
Look I am sorry that at your age you have finally realized that you will never amount to much. Do you really think that posting ( I cant really say contributing) a zillion posts that contain nothing of value is really meaningful?
Art take a good long look in the mirror I promise you with the lights on or off you will see the same thing Not much
Not Just saying
Dam sure
Joe Pinhead, my hero. Nobody says it better!
Art will never look in the mirror. It’s the Hillary Clinton/Democratic Party “It’s always someone else’s fault” syndrome on full display.
Well said, Joe – I couldn’t agree more.
It’s too bad that John Q. Citizen can’t get all these tax breaks for their homes. Ah,corruption is everywhere.
This Mayor is literally invisible to the taxpayer and very costly, Low-low,energy.
“Blame Linda”! That is the theme of most of the posters. Pittsfield’s tanked economy is supposedly the fault of Mayor Linda Tyer. After all, she has the backing of the Good Old Boys, she supports tax breaks for special interests, and she raises municipal taxes on the Kapanski family.
I for one disagree! Rather, I believe the lovely Linda Tyer is the best Mayor of Pittsfield EVER! She inherited a mess from the “Doyle debacle”, the “Hathaway hack”, the “Ruberto regime”, and the “Bianchi bust”. Mayor Linda Tyer speaks a positive vision for her community that was mismanaged for generations.
I hope Linda Tyer wins re-election in 2019!!!!
As for 1Berkshire propaganda, the only growth is:
* Poverty, welfare caseloads, teenage pregnancies, low-wage, part-time thankless jobs, and other forms of economic inequality
* Violent crimes, drugs, gangs
* Career political hacks, tax hikes, population and job loss
– Jonathan Melle
She was the Hope and Change 2.0 candidate that hasn’t brought much change that the voters hoped for. Come on ! Shouldn’t the needle have moved more in the right direction after she took the office she asked the voters for? Yeah I get not everything wasn’t her fault for the state of Pittsfield’s problems before hand.To keep blaming others for the continued mess after being in office for sometime now is just crazy.
That’s funny, all of your last paragraph is directly related to the Mayor,like it or not. No wonder you live in elswhere.
I thought the same. Could it be that Jonathan gets all of his information from the Eagle???? I wish he would invite her to where ever he lives and convinces her to stay there permanently. He would be a hero in so doing and do all of us a favor!!!!!
To the Johns, since I’ve moved here 10 years ago, my home value has gone down, the-assessment went up and in this fiscal year it went from 2300 the 3500, to a now all time high of 37 plus. Fu Pittsfield..
H. You haven’t seen anything yet. Wait till the bill of 160 million for water and sewer updates hits a few years down the road. This will be the single largest bill city residents will ever face. I truly believe because of the ignorance of the average citizen in this city that they truly are not aware of what is coming. People should be turning out in droves at city council meetings to demand halting these projects but the city administration without a drop of technical knowledge and not seeking out information from anyone who has experience in these fields have voted to wrap this 160 million dollars right around the taxpayers necks.
Jonathan – When is the last time you were in Pittsfield? Have a feeling it has been awhile. Why don’t you pay Linda a visit. Just a word of caution when you come back to Pittsfield! Be careful driving, as there are no speed limits anymore, most vehicles don’t go below the speed of 55, they don’t stop for red lights and most of them don’t have insurance. Your lovely Linda promised us a Traffic Bureau, yet there seems to be only a couple of officers performing that job. Guess she doesn’t feel she should confront Chief Wynn on this. Take notice of Dalton Avenue, Lovely Linda has allowed Mr. Turocy to use some sort of white chalk to paint the lines. All other surrounding towns have no problem painting lines, but Pittsfield can’t seem to find paint. The same potholes exists from year to year and he can’t seem to get them filled, Guess she is afraid to confront Mr. Turocy and just keeps agreeing with his bullcrap. Also, Jonathan, take caution on our beautiful North Street, prostitutes, drug addict, drunks passed out on the sidewalk. All of these issues are fixable and have nothing to do with previous Mayors, it is Lovely Linda’s problem and she choose to ignore it. Of course the one thing she did not ignore is having Andrea elected to DA. Of course Andrea’s office keeps losing cases and allows dealers (850 bags of herion transported) to go free. It is time for the blame game to stop and Vibrant, Dynamic, Lovely Linda needs to start doing her job, otherwise she should climb into one of her Tyler Street trash cans and hide, She does not deserve to be re-elected.
Merry and bright. Many on this site do not tell it like you just did. When you pander to get elected you only have to satisfy the Gobsigs. They have all done wonderfully under the reign of terror by this clueless secretary masquerading as a mayor.
Merry and Bright there is much truth in your post. I would add that I have never seen so much garbage on the sides of the roads anywhere I have ever been. If first impressions are important to a potential business Pittsfield misses the mark with bad roads and the garbage accent along side of them.
It seems that the city fathers and the special interests that are fed by them are more interested in fattening their own bellies rather than properly managing a city and it population. When I look at Pittsfield now it reminds me of that picture of the Indian with the tear running down his cheek.
I lived in the Pittsfield area for a majority of my life! I know what it is like to deal with Pittsfield politics! Since I was 20 years old during the Spring of 1996, Nuciforo had people bully me on his behalf without leaving behind his own fingerprints/DNA. Nuciforo filed multiple “ethics” complaints against my dad when he was a Berkshire County Commissioner from the Fall of 1997 – Spring of 1998. In the Spring of 1998, Nuciforo made secretive plans with the Pittsfield Police Department to have me arrested/jailed by making false allegations that I made “veiled threats” against him. When I was in my mid-20’s from the Spring of 2002 – late-Spring of 2003, or for one year of my adult life, I walked around Pittsfield looking for work without any success because I was blacklisted from employment by Nuciforo and his Good Old Boys club. After I moved away from Pittsfield in the Spring of 2004, Nuciforo had his network of bullies spread vicious rumors against me behind my back. At the end of the year 2006, then Mayor Jimmy Ruberto backhandedly emailed me that Pittsfield is a negative place for me. In early-2008, Ruberto had Nuciforo swear him into his 3rd-term as Mayor of Pittsfield with a big grin on Ruberto’s face. What is my point? It is that the Good Old Boys disliked me, and my made my life very difficult when I lived in the Pittsfield area. They are a provincial, incestuous, mean-spirited group of powerbrokers that will hurt anyone who speaks out against their corruption.
So, please don’t think I don’t know what it is like to live in Pittsfield, and deal with Pittsfield politics’ Good Old Boys!
– Jonathan Melle
Your dad was as corrupt as they come, hence the reasons for the filings of the ethics complaints.
You were arrested because you did threaten people and were (and seem to be still) mentally unstable.
You were unable to gain employment because many knew of what a mess you were (and seem to be still).
The only two people that made your life difficult in Pittsfield was you and your dad.
It’s all on you.
Your obsession continues today, with your website, your rants about events over 20 years old. You are your own worst enemy, and everyone here knows exactly the failings of your character.
Get some help already
You made my exact point about my past Pittsfield experiences with Nuciforo, Ruberto, and the rest of the Good Old Boys!
Sarcasm:
It is all my fault! I caused all of my problems in Pittsfield. Nuciforo is honest, Ruberto is ethical, and Carmen Massimiano and Angelo Stracuzzi can be trusted with boys!
Oh yeah! PEDA attracts Fortune 500 corporations. While were at it, Pigs have wings and fly!
– Jonathan Melle
All one need do is look here.
Twenty plus years of obsession
luciforo.blogspot.com/?m=1
Jonathan, I do have a question for you I hope you’ll answer. You seem to be a big supporter of Mayor Tyer. But she’s always been a big Ruberto supporter, she’s part of that Ruberto GOB network you describe. So it makes no sense to me that you support her as she’s been part of everything that’s wrong with this city.
It’s very simple, you are mentally ill, you have been for decades, it’s not even subtle. I clearly think most of the politics in Pittsfield is corrupt but it doesn’t negate the fact you are the source of your own problems.
You can fixate on Nuciforo, Roberto, Massimiano and the other players, and try to lay the blame at their feet but until you actually get healthy you won’t be able to understand how obsessive and mentally unstable you are.
….so says the pseudo-psychologist who doesn’t use his or her own name. “AgentSmith”, any real mental health expert would not use stigma and discrimination! You are a hateful and unfair person!!!!
This may be the first thing I agree with Jonathan about. AgentSmith is a hateful person and has brought the Planet to a new low.
No I’m just sadly one of the only people willing to tell you directly you need help. I’m not saying based on malice, I’m saying based on observable fact.
Not a day goes by that you don’t mention nuciforo, you’ve created blogs for over a decade focused solely on nuciforo.
It’s obsessive, it’s unhealthy, and clearly no one that even remotely cares about you cares enough to get you help.
Your father was right up there with the corrupt of the corrupt, he could match nuciforo lie for lie, graft for graft.
So I don’t know if your fixation on nuciforo is some transferee hate for your father but (and really I don’t care) but you need professional mental health care.
Wow, doubling down on attacking the guy with mental illness. The way you treat the handicapped says more about you than it does about them.
Yah, kind of an immature and unnecessary rant by AS if you ask me.
Agent Smith is trying to help Jon – he needs to let this stuff go. She is right on target. Jon, please take her advice – you need to move on.
Jonathan,
I think what AS is trying to say, albeit with a lack of tact, is for your own sake and your own happiness, is to try and find forgiveness for those who have wronged you and your family. Please do your best to move on. It’s the only way you’ll find contentment and happiness. It’s what’s best for you and yours.
Great post, LW, and well expressed. THE PLANET, too, wants the best for him.
What’s up with the foot?Klobuchar….just saying…….The Opioid Candidate.i like her.
To: Contact@PittsfieldProspers.com
From: jonathan_a_melle@yahoo.com
Date: February 18, 2019 11:00 P.M.
Re: Please add me to your email list
Message: Good luck in making Pittsfield a nicer community!
Notes: The official launch of “Pittsfield Prospers” is scheduled for 4 p.m. Wednesday [February 20th] at the Proprietor’s Lodge on the banks of Pontoosuc Lake.
http://www.pittsfieldprospers.com
I think we’ve just seen the next… President of the United States.
Dream on! She doesn’t have a chance!
Wish I could just tune out all this 2020 reelection stuff until July of 2020. Just capsulize it all for me at that time because it becomes nauseating day after day after day and to what end? Am I suppose to remember who said what for a year and a half?
The most nauseating part of it all is and will be the astronomical amount of money spent on all these campaigns. Imagine how much we could help those truly in need with all that money.
It’s disgusting and appalling.
Absolutely. And the irony of it all is that the same person may have won had nobody spent a dime.
Dan will probably make a buck or two and I wish I could also get in on the gravy train selling something.
DOOMIE
We hear you. The bad news is: This is just the beginning. From now until November 2020, it will be 24/7/365 Presidential politics. And with a million people running, it will be have some of the chaos of those old-fashioned banana-republic “elections.”
If this makes Jon feel any,better Carm has been pulling down 90 g a year in pension.
The media (advertising) and journalist have to make their money L W
Anyone feeling the Bern? He has announced he is running again. I read where the new dem theme song will be “ Highway to Hell”. Read they are doing a remake of Clint Eastwood’s “For A Few Dollars More” with Bernie starring. Buckle up as this coming presidential election will be about which candidates can offer more free stuff than the other.
Dan, did I get redacted yesterday? Or did my post just not post? As I recall, I agreed with you and didn’t trash anyone. Just curious if I crossed a line…or if I am sinking into dementia…or if the back end of your site failed me. Thanks.
MR G
No. You weren’t rejected. Never would do that to a poster like you, always on message, agreeing or not. I checked the back end and it doesn’t appear your post got to us. Please resend.
ROFL…No, I know for a fact that I have forgotten to hit the Submit Comment button in the past, instead hitting enter and feeling my work is done. If I’m gonna be that soft in the head that comment, whatever I said, does not deserve posting. Thanks Dan.
Cleaning up after Trump is a full th time job.
Jussie Smollett just called – he ran out of bleach and is wondering if he could borrow some. We couldn’t talk long because he was busy cutting up magazines to make his next fake letter.
What many who post on this board are desperately in need of is a refresher course on who has their hands in or out of your pockets. The present lightweights running this city has a green light to rob you blind. A concerted effort must be made to inform city officials that the buck stops with the taxpayer period. Just look at some of the drivel that is posted on this board daily. There is a difference between fact and opinion but fact should always rule the conversation. Opinion rules the day actually drowns out the truth and facts. We are all aware of this but we do nothing about it. We can’t do much to change things at the national level accept at the ballot box but we can do something here in pittsfield by ousting every city official and starting over again. But before we go to the polls in November we need to know who will have their hands in our pockets from those who will hold our hands to try to help us. Many on this board are clueless as to fact or fiction and unless we come together to elect individuals who will honestly address the problems and do what ever it takes to correct them no matter how drastic a measure it might take nothing will change. Unless we come together what we will get for the next four years will be the same stale bread we have today. I’m going but many have many more years and you should do every thing you can to rid yourself of the cancer in city hall because if you dont Cancer will consume you. These are Facts with just a little bit of opinion!!!
I was sad to read the story of the Chester man on a hunger strike as he waits for response from the Pope regarding sexual abuse in the church.
He attended a meeting Feb. 11 at St. Joseph’ Church open to the public. However, the media was not allowed to attend.
So much for all that transparency promised by our church.
That is sad. It’s sort of amazingly brave too.
That VOICE OF democracy has to be the lamest Award ever given-by the City of Pittsfield, or V F W. Why not spend the award on a needy Veterans Family.
just heard on my car radio scanner…..a man at Pittsfield Cem outside,making Religeous Statements? …..only in Palookaville
Outrageous! Must be some kind of troublemaker. Get him the hell outta here!!!
Trump 2020. American jobs at stake.
The latest on democrat governor Coon Man:
It’s been a bad month for Virginia Governor Ralph Northam. He faced massive backlash after supporting post-birth abortion. Then his medical school yearbook photo went viral, revealing a picture of him in blackface standing next to someone in a Ku Kux Klan uniform.
At the same time, disgraced FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is on his book tour, bragging about participating in a coup attempt against President Trump and colluding with Rod Rosenstein to misuse the 25th Amendment and say the best president in decades is “mentally unfit” for office.
Aside from both being unhinged Trump-haters, Northam and McCabe have a special relationship: Northam personally convinced McCabe’s wife to run for elected office, after which Clinton crony and then-Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe bumped off the primary challenger and showered the McCabe campaign with cash.
President Trump already knows about McCabe, McAuliffe, and a large amount of cash changing hands.
It does seem like they are all in on this coup together….Northam, McCabe, McAuliffe, and it all leads back to the Clintons.
Jon needs to “come out” or seek professional help!
https://www.courts.state.nh.us/forms/nhjb-2826-d.pdf
Let’s help Jon!!!!
It all started day 1 with Flynn and Russia.Deep State ,what kind of baloney is this.Focus people,Trump,Puttin,Flynn…..scary stuff.