WITH NEW BUDGET, PITTSFIELD SCHOOL SCAM GETS WORSE
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY JUNE 10, 2019) — Suppose you take a healthy interest in local government. Suppose, further, that you want to educate yourself about the city’s finances. THE PLANET realizes that these two suppositions, alone, are enough to put a private citizen on The Suits’ surveillance list. The Suits, you see, want government all to themselves. They don’t take kindly to private citizens showing the audacity to get involved in the government they own. Nonetheless, let’s continue with the “supposes.”
Suppose you delved deep into the finances of the Pittsfield School Department.
Suppose you did a forensic audit.
Suppose you did a quality audit on personnel, particularly administrative.
THE PLANET doesn’t have to tell you what you would find. It’s on display each and every sad day of the year, particularly when school is in session. Failing schools. Out-of-control students “mainstreamed” to destroy the chances of education for serious students. Good students “held back” because of a politically correct catering to those who, for whatever reason, can’t “keep up.” Annual failure of the department to meet its objectives or live up to its mission statement. Drug dealing and violence, on campus. Parents pulling their kids out of the district to go elsewhere, costing millions. This merely scratches the surface.
Yet, due to apathy of the citizenry, the marginalization of those who truly want healthy reform, and the 1,300 employees forming a formidable voting block in the sham process called “free elections,” each year promises not more of the same, which would actually be an “improvement.” Each year promises worse. They’re adding $7 million and 25 new positions to the school budget. Call it a form of fast-acting political concrete. And paying for the mess? Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski, the bedraggled taxpayer.
The Pittsfield School Department eats up 71 cents of every dollar incoming to the city. Don’t believe the budget figure used by the administration and dutifully reported by their lap dogs in the local mainstream press. That figure doesn’t include health insurance and OPEB benefits for department employees, costs of busing, and maintenance. Only THE PLANET publishes the true cost to taxpayers, most of whom do not have children in the system.
The PSD budget, counting everything, takes up $124,251,012.43 of the city’s total expenditures. It works out $21,496.12 per student per year. More, actually, because of the number of students who will have transferred out of Pittsfield by the start of the new school year in September. In simple cost-benefit terms, is the cost put on taxpayers worth the benefits produced by the department?
The only objective, honest answer has to be a resounding “NO!” The PSD is an epic failure. Many are to blame, but the following are the true culprits:
- Supt. JIV McCandless, he of the $157,000+bennies salary — A shameless failure, essentially a $157,000+bennies con man.
- Wicked Witch of the West, school committee charwomen — er, chairwoman — Kathy “Lady Boots” Yon — A wrinkled prune who couldn’t chair a chair.
- The School Committee — A timid group proving what “they” say about work-by-committee. This office will not attract one decent candidate in November. Only the retreads will apply. Six will run for six.
- Mayor Linda Tyer — Like her predecessors, too afraid to “take on” the department.
- The Pittsfield City Council — Need we elaborate?
We could write prose poems and Teutonic tomes (and we have) about the vitiating and corrupt nature of this department, especially for the way it has punished the good personnel and good students. No need here. THE PLANET will merely offer this up as our prediction for the day after Election Day: The school scam will get worse.
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“Thanks for the honor of being what I was” — Casey Stengel, on being named the Greatest Living Manager at MLB’s Centennial in July 1969.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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So now do you understand that pocket pool and pickle ball have to share a commissioner ?
It could be worse.
California is trying to get FREE health insurance for Criminal Aliens, paid for with……YOUR FEDERAL tax dollars!
It’s time to pull the federal teat from the suckers in California. If they want to pay for this foolishness and incentive for more Criminals let them. Relocate all the border jumpers there also, right next to Pelouseys house.
And because Tyer gave McCandless everything he wanted and more he will instruct his cadre to vote for her reelection. Mazzeo blew her opportunity when she pretty much came out waving a flag that said,… if elected mayor I promise not to cut funding for anything or cut your taxes. So what else could she campaign on that people care about?
If I were younger I would have packed up and left by now. This city seems almost proud of its demise. It brags about how its schools feed all the hungry children. (why are they hungry in the first place?) It brags about its schools even though parents are scrambling to get their kids educated elsewhere. It brags about its suboxone clinics. It brags about how many addicts it has saved from overdosing. It brags about its quasi culture even though most of it is located in a crime infested area. (it sold off its Norman Rockwell culture because apparently it was not good enough for Pittsfield)
Thank god we have this site to vent because for many of us it is all we have left. City hall sure as hell does not want to hear our problems.
Mazzeo doesn’t give a damn about about us commoners. Her only concern (political or otherwise) is protecting her silk-stocking standard of living.
Mazzeo’s a phony. She’s much like Bianchi was when walking down North Street ignoring everybody who tried to interact with him. She’s a snob and a wanna-be queen of (your) hearts.
And that’s the bottom-line!!
Actually the bottom line is that Tyer doesn’t care about the commoner either. Not a bit. And I think that can be said for much of the council. It makes me sad to see hard working people and seniors get steamrolled by the power people.
You have Mazzeo Derangement Syndrome. I think you might be cured if you eat more fiber and take a daily laxitive.
Brian has multiple derangement syndromes. Short of a personality transplant, I doubt there is a cure.
At least he continues to refer to Andrea Harrington as “Andrew.” I break out in hysterics every time I read it. Cleverness and wit at its best. The man is a comic genius.
Never has a person gotten so much (negative?) milage out of a typo in an online article. Rock on Brian Marquis!
You seem to have an axe to grind with Mazzeo because she lives in a nice home. And because she lives in a nice home, she is an elitist who despises commoners.
The best thing that ever happened to Mazzeo’s candidacy is to have you rooting against her. Eventually, you will become as unhinged and offensive as you have been in all past political races, and Mazzeo will be a shoo-in.
Please stay active over the next months. Continue to amaze us with silliness and celebrate the very few people who take you seriously. I believe your efforts are important so you should keep them up.
I aim to please, Blare.
And everybody on this site who writes in favor of silk-stocking Mazzeo will eventually be her downfall.
The majority of folks here favored Cacc over Harrington, and she won.
The majority of folks here favored Bianchi over Tyer, and she won.
Therefore, the majority of folks here will favor Mazzeo over Tyer, and the latter will no doubt win.
Get the picture!!!
Oh, by the way, since I worked on both the Bianchi and Caccaviello campaigns, I have earned my right to speak out.
Best part is: You know who I am; we don’t know your true identity. I’m accountable, you’re not!! That’s what separates the men from the whinny boys (on the sidelines).
Get in the game, then come at me. Until then . . . .
And that’s the bottom-line!!
Brian – I saw this on a Facebook post. Apparently, in your effort to decry the wastefulness in Lanesboro, you have cited your $6k tax bill multiple times. I also learned that property taxes are public knowledge, and you paid $3,750 (annually), not $6k as you have claimed multiple times.
How do you think this impacts you credibility?
Many typos. Thanks for pointing that out Blare.
As my facebook page claims: “my post will either delight you or thoroughly enrage you.That’s called balance.”
With regard to my property taxes, your quote of $3,750.00 is a huge increase from the $1,009.00 I paid in 1999; with little or no increase in an investment return since then.
My credibility is less than admirable . . .
. . . and that’s the bottom-line!!
The bottom line is you lied about your taxes. Expect your taxes to go up as the mall won’t be paying any.
Eagle article covering PHS graduation at Tanglewood. With all the supposed cultural venues in Pittsfield they had to hold their graduation out of town. And that was probably appropriate since so many Pittsfield students go to school out of their home city.
And among the speakers were Yon and McCandless. Yons gem was something like, go ahead and change the world. Priceless. Must have been up all night coming up with that line. But McCandless had the best advice. “You have to save yourself before you can save the world.” And I wondered if that was a subconscious message for the kids to get the hell out of Pittsfield while they could. Maybe he feels guilty and is trying to throw them a lifeline.
and you stayed awake all night going to your computer at 4:00 A.M.to show how many positives you could turn in to negatives. are you sure your too old to leave Pittsfield? you seem to be very unhappy.
Government = Govern: To Control. Ment: The Mind.
Government is literally to control the mind.
Children are indoctrinated not educated. Regurgitate information. Not taught to think for themselves.
Graduation day. Wearing a cap and gown. The cap is their mind squared off. Move the tassel from right to the left.
The system is reasonably sure that the grads will walk the path of the Darkside of the Moon.
The Game is a Maze. Find your way out.
CC…you are not the president so you can’t just make crap up or say stuff that is just flat not true. “Ment” has nothing to do with “mind,” certainly not a Latin or Greek equivalent. Please, avoid untruths even though they serve your narrative.
ment. This ROOT-WORD is the Suffix MENT meaning ACT Of, STATE OF & RESULT OF AN ACTION. MENT makes nouns out of verbs when added to them.
But wait! Trumps mouthpiece, Kellyanne Conway, endorses alternative facts. In fact, alternative facts made Trump what he is today. And you can decide for yourself just what that might be.
The alternative facts you speak of…that would be the truth. You are just so indoctrinated by false propaganda of the MSM that you can’t handle the truth.
You also cannot handle a straight shooter who fights back and defends himself. Go back to your safe space.
Matt enough Trump Derangement Syndrome
Mr. G (Mr. Gamer) you should ask your “Mentor”. Your handler. Everything is just a “State” of Mind.
“Can you hear me that when it rains and shines, its just a state of mind, can you hear me? Can you hear me?
This is all just a GAME. Literally a Game. It’s a Maze and you must find your way out. Your way home.
“Yes there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run, there’s still time to change the road you’re on”
From American Heritage Dictionary online:
-ment (suffix)
1. Action; process: appeasement.
2. Result of an action or process: advancement.
3. Means, instrument, or agent of an action or process: adornment.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin -mentum, n. suff.]
Now, “-ment” does actually come from the Latin, mens, mentis, mind, but that is in foreign adverbs, such as
absolutamente (Sp.) = lit. “with an absolute mind” =absolutely
tranquillamente (It.) =lit. “with a tranquil mind” = peacefully
heureusement (Fr.) = lit. “with a happy mind” = fortunately/happily
But “govern” comes from
Middle English, from Anglo-French governer, from Latin gubernare to steer, govern, from Greek kybernan
In Greek/Latin, the gubernator/κυβερνήτης is the ship’s pilot.
When it is referred to as mental illness, it is meant that something is off with the “mind”. Ment-al.
When a “Governor” is put on an engine, it is done to retard or limit the speed at which the engine can function.
The Game is to indoctrinate the people, making them just smart enough to work a job (expend their energy) to earn enough to buy property and pay the taxes to the “Govern”ment. (Don’t pay your taxes and you will quickly find out who really owns “your” property).
The indoctrination is designed to repeat information buy never to “think” for themselves. If enough people ever were to figure out that this is all just a Game and exit, the Game would be over.
Knowledge is power. Lest anyone ever become self aware.
“Well you run and you run to catch up with the sun but its sinking. Racing around to come up behind you again. The Sun is the same in a relative way but you’re older. Shorter of breath and one day closer to death”
“When at last the work is done. Don’t sit down, its time to dig another one”
The human “race” is on.
Public Schools receive state administered funding based on a prescribed financial formula. The Eagle reported that public schools in Massachusetts are underfunded by one billion dollars. Where does all that money go to instead of education?
As for Pittsfield politics, it is always predictable when it comes to its 5% per fiscal year tax hikes. The vested interests (Big 3 Unions: School, Police, Fire) always win, while the local taxpayers always lose.
“Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski: Assume the position for City Hall”!
– Jonathan Melle
The money goes towards yearly raises/pay steps, overpriced mandatory insurance and salaries of way, way too many administrators
I give up.The administrators believe that they are doing great.
Thank you for your activism TSC. I doubt very much that you will be giving up.
You should look into the finances of Adams/Cheshire. There’s a reason the turn over in superintendents is really high lately. Anyone that tries to fix the problems there gets railroaded by the school committee.
Because the school committees of the past are also culpable in the demise. Mainly for turning a blind eye to the mismanagement of Al Skrocki’s successor.
She hired her incompetent inner circle, mismanaged funds, had an affair on school grounds during school hours and basically walked away Scott free with a payout due to her contract.
The district is still feeling the administrative effects of that era. I must be careful about using names as this person and her hubby are well connected.
Sadly she’s actually a nice person, just never should have been superintendent.
That district as a whole is a shot show and a half. It’s all cliques and internal politics. And Bullying is rampant both with students and staff.
Like Pittsfield, any young teachers worth their salt vacate immediately.
What is it with staff having affairs?!? With other staff, with parents, with spouses of other staff members…
From North Adams to Sheffield, from Richmond to Becket
Drove by the Mercer building this more at 8:30. There were three middle aged woman, I assume school employees, sitting at their little picnic table smoking cigarettes. What time do they start that they get a break at 8:30?
somebody ought to sneak a camera into that place and see just what the hell really goes on all day. Did they get their bi-annual pay increase?
There’s no smoking on school property, or any municipal property.
Not just the building but the grounds as well. WTF
Guess they get a mulligan cuz they be connected. I will take a pic next time.
If your kids are smart, pull them out of Pitts Public and send them to Lenox Public, Berkshire Christian, Berkshire Country Day or other private schools. They will not get the attention or the instructional time that they need in the Pitts. In the Pitts, it’s all about the special ed, votech and slower learners.
The demographics have changed substantially in the last ten years. Majority of students come from single family / public assistance homes. Middle & high schools are struggling to maintain law & order. The School Committee members have no clue what’s going on in the schools and they need to be replaced!
Lee and Richmond and Great Barrington have good programs too
Ask any school employee where they send their child to school. Most will not give you a straight answer.
I wrote this before and it didn’t pass the filter. Muddy Brook has a terrible ranking and Richmond is not any better than Williams. Given that those schools are full of kids of all the doctors, lawyers and Indian chiefs around here maybe PSD isn’t so bad.
Also consider St. Agnes in Dalton. They have a solid program from Preschool on, and have taken significant steps to improve their overall classroom offerings. You don’t have to be Catholic either. All faiths to no faith have enrolled over the years. Plus, there’s a couple of extra things that are lacking in public schools – high expectations and discipline.
So how do illegal immigrant children get admitted to public schools without birth certificates and immunization records? Our government is shipping illegals all over the country and then they complain about measles and other diseases running rampant.
The same way illegal immigrants get drivers licenses without any ID in many areas. American citizens are put through the ringer for all of this ID while illegals have no responsibility to provide any kind of ID for licenses or proof they are disease free to attend public schools.
If our government is shipping illegals all over the country I assure you they are doing it under Trumps orders. Nothing happens without his permission. So you need to be mad at your man child Donald Trump. But I suppose you could blame Hillary and the Benghazi episode. That is how Fox would twist it.
Funny how Trump knows everything but Obama didn’t.
Not true Mr. Absurdo. HS is following the laws as they exist. Can’t hold them for longer than the law allows. Congress needs to get their act together & tighten up the existing laws.
Are you saying Trump cares about laws?
Since when?
Maybe since he has been reversing all the illegal executive orders that President Obama put in place instead of trying to get laws passed.
Hopefully he will also pursue treason charges against all the attempted coup participants, right up to President Obama, Brennan, Comey, Clinton, etc.
Once we have equal justice to the protected class, then we will be a nation of laws again.
Liberals have the media in bed with them and they have the nerve to put down one of the few media sources in the country that doesn’t glorify liberals and say that everything that liberals do is wonderful. Unbelievable!!!
The immigration system is broken and has been especially throughout the Obama years and nothing was done by that administration, but it was all wonderful said the liberal media even when Obama was putting kids in cages. It was a thing of beauty.
That’s right, Fritz. And these illegals are not being vetted for diseases the way legal immigrants have been for years.
The measles outbreak is nothing compared to what we will see in the future. But it’s too late now!
The City Council has every right to express their frustration with our Failed School System.They also do not have to believe 25 new employees will change anything so the council can say how much money the will give schools.Its only common sense that one of the poorest cities in Ma.can only give so much money.Tyer,Marchetti,Mazzeo are allowing city school employees to be abused by students.The schools are very very close to a complete loss of faith.Its 3.Groundhog day every september.These educators are out of gas.
When is someone going to stand up to this? Why doesn’t the teachers union show a voice ? Why doesn’t the City Council speak up?
Of course the reason is obvious. As plain as the nose on your face!!!!! Bring in the mafia. Break a few legs. Just saying.
Wow! What a mess. Keep exposing this rottenness that exists in the City of Pittsfield.
I think eventually daPitts(as some call it)will be going the way of Detroit.
Pittsfield seems to be running hard, trying to catch up to Detroit. The difference being that Detroit wants to improve. Pittsfield keeps hiring and electing the bumbling, stumbling half seeing incompetents that are pulling the city out into the deep part of the ocean.
and at this point I can taste the salt
Haven’t we gone through this spending cycle before,about the last umpteenth administration. No voices ever on the Council and especially Mayors.
https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/pittsfield-councilor-donna-todd-rivers-drops-reelection-bid,576159
PITTSFIELD — Ward 5 Councilor Donna Todd Rivers has announced that she no longer aims to keep her seat.
After “much thought and soul searching,” the two-term councilor said she fears increasing demands in her personal life will take from her ability to serve constituents.
She made the announcement Friday evening via an email to her colleagues on the City Council, as well as in a letter to the editor at this paper. Two people pulled nomination papers on Monday to run in her place — Patrick Kavey, of Spadina Parkway, and former councilor Jonathan Lothrop, of Willow Lane.
Lothrup probably knew ahead of time. I thought we were done with his rubber stamp vote for the GOB leadership. Can’t catch a break.
What was his reason for bowing out the last time? Did that change?
She doesn’t need the money from the councilor position. She has that very well paying job given to her by the city.
And you Pat have that very well paying job from Trump.
She ran, did nothing but toe the party line for a few years. Got herself a cushy, cushy do nothing job via her connections. Time to move on, she succeeded in everything she had planned
Hopefully Persip and Caccamo are next
Had enough of JLo–another public employee, administrator, no less.
How about Rick Scapin in Ward 5? He lost by just few votes to DTR last time.
He sold his house and moved to Florida, I believe. This took place about a year ago.
Barry
He was a smarter one than all of still here. Good weather, no snow, low taxes, more conservative government overall. Not perfect, obviously, but a far cry better than Pittsfield.
Live well, Rick Scapin.
Someone on this blog reported last year that he moved to one of the Carolinas when I inquired after seeing his house sell. He’s a great guy and one of the 3 amigos that stopped the civic authority with the Kapanskis. He ran again a few years back and sadly rivers beat em.
They all believe they are doing a great job and the thank each other for the many great things they accomplish for each other.Im tell ing you the absolute truth when I say these people only interact with each other and they believe with all their hearts they do great work.Mr Where and teachers union says nothing as they are in complete partnership with Joe Curtis and Money manager Behnke who takes 200k every year with her teacher husband.18 k per month for the 2 of them.You don’t mind paying taxes when you make more in a month than people do on SS for a year.
What else do you expect from a bunch of democrats?
Number 1 problem is principles dont patrol their buildings.Number 2 problem is they dont want to see or confront student as the Superintendants office wont back teachers or principles trying to control student behaviors.In the end they all hide and blame staff for not handling the kids.It is the worst run school system in New England.Joe Curtis does not respect people who work with kids and has no people skills.He and Eberwien brought the schools to the bottom 10 years ago and they taught McCandless how to keep them there.
At last night’s Cheshire town meeting the school budget passed quietly while voters denied the DPW a much needed piece of equipment to replace a 1986 model that has become a parts orphan. I’ve concluded that pure democracies are among the worst forms of government as they can lead to mob rule, and only a tiny percentage of the voters actually show up. At least with a representative form of government the representatives are more likely to educate themselves on the issues before a vote is taken.
Pittsfield maintenance of any kind is put off because of schools,police burn out is because of schools.We keep all departments small because of schools.Sherran will say nothing about employee abuse by students.
and to add to the dysfunction of it all is that for all the money they drain out of the taxpayers they put forth a pretty lousy product. Sadly there is no accountability at any level but rather encouragement to plod aimlessly ahead through the briars laughing all the way to the bank.
It would be hilarious if it were not so sad that it is the children who suffer the most. And everyone is pretending their efforts are for them. The wooden Indian cries for the children.
This is repugnant.
I believe Brendan Sheran has been an administrator for the last several years.
He slid into that after selling out the union to take care of himself, which he did accomplish. If he had been a strong union voice, he never would’ve been hired as an administrator. He is now part of the problem/ cover up of what is going on in the schools.
Watching the City Council meeting and I am sick to my stomach. Budget book doesn’t have the correct pages in it according to Bow Tie Kerwood. How can these so called representatives of the taxpayers pass a budget that is not even correct? Kerwood can’t answer a question, just talks in circles. Why do the councilors accept such a mess from this administration? The department heads are never prepared!! None of department heads including the Mayor would survive working in the private sector. This lack of preparation would not be tolerated. Councilor Morandi tries to ask questions about the hydrant issue and Dynamic Vibrant Tyer stands up and walks out of the room, evidently doesn’t want to tell the truth. How many times has this Mayor addressed the City taxpayers not many, what is she hiding. Moon is just sitting there wrapped up in a scarf chewing her cud, what has she done for the City? Turocy is so arrogant and he also can’t answer a question. I don’t understand how and why some of them complain about an item, but then turn around a vote for it. Do they realize they are contradicting themselves? I honestly don’t know how many of them can show their faces in public, are they proud of themselves? Really tired of the Tyer administration!
When Mazzeo becomes mayor whoever is on the council will be a better councilor because Mazzeo will not have the same agenda as Tyer. Tyer is too concerned about pleasing the democrat party in Boston. I think Mazzeo will use common sense and not be controlled by the party elite.
It would be interesting if Mazzeo ran against Rango aka the illustrious Mr Hinds.