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TYLER STREET SCAM REDUX: MORE MONSTERS RISING FROM THEIR SLABS

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BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY JAN. 13, 2020) — What in Tippiecanoe is going on with Tyler, too?

Tyler Street, that is. Crystal gold. Meth tea. You’ll recall THE PLANET‘s most recent expose — TYLER STREET LAB: A MONSTER FROM ITS SLAB BEGINNING TO RISE (posted Nov. 17). As most of you know, there’s more mad science being conducted there. It will be the same old story: When you create a monster, it will eventually turn and destroy you. In this case, however, we wonder which party will be destroyed, the monster makers (a.k.a. The Suits) or the villagers (a.k.a. Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski’s)

This street has followed a familiar Pittsfield pattern: Let an asset sink into the grime, then let the vultures swoop in at rock bottom, do the cosmetics with taxpayers footing the bill, only to sell high.

THE PLANET presents a couple of thoughtful takes from our Z-Agents and correspondents. The first is from the esteemed Police Report, who explains what s/he calls “the current scam:”

https://www.iberkshires.com/story/61379/Pittsfield-Community-Development-Sees-Tyler-Zoning-Amendment-.html

He bought up the properties knowing that Community Dev would rubberstamp the rezoning of Tyler street.
The next phase of this is to get community preservation money to help do the redevelopment as well as state grants to fund it. This was why the Tyler Street lab (which still has no legal structure, is not a not-for-profit, has an open ended and illegal “contract” with the city positioned itself there.

“ David Carver purchased the property at the end of 2017 with plans to transform the historic property into 29 market-rate housing units.”

In the process, Carver found a new partner in the project in Mill Town Capital. The investment firm is matching Carver’s equity to secure funding from Berkshire Bank.

“This could have a potentially big impact on the city,” Mill Town Managing Director Tim Burke said of what attracted the company to the project.

MillTown and Carver are cut from the same cloth, get projects going that have no chance of success without taxpayer dollars, milk those taxes breaks and hard dollars, make their profit and walk away leaving the city on the hook for failing housing and over developed mixed use with empty store fronts.
People refer to this as the Richard “Dick” Stanley maneuver.

From iberkshires
“Large-scale multi-family housing is really not an option in the area because the parcels are smaller, he said, and the city would promote smaller multi-family housing units that would diversify the city’s housing stock.

The change in the northwest corner is quite smaller: the zoning of a single plot will go from Multi-Family Residential to General Business. Hoss said it makes the zoning more consistent and really affects a small parcel currently used for housing and that this use will be allowed to continue.

The amendment also would change parking regulations and reduce mandated parking regulations to one spot per unit.”

Isn’t it strange that they’ve already determined large scale multi family living won’t work but Carver has the city already paying for portions of his redevelopment?

t would be very telling if they investigated where all this money is going. Dick Stanley didn’t get that loan forgiveness “just because”. That overspending in the DPW is just a shell game to move money around for other projects.
Kerwood knows exactly how to hide money and to move it around. Spend the DPW money on pet projects, then claim overruns on winter roads to cover the deficits.
Clapp Park is a perfect example: there was no money in the DPW budget for Clapp Park materials in the 2019/2020 budgets. Yet they’ve spent over $200k out of that budget for materials because all the bids came in high. NOT ONE city councilor asked how they plan on making up that deficit. The answer is winter roads. When the DPW budget is in a deficit, everything is because of winter roads. The reality is, the money was spent on unbudgeted items prior to winter roads.

Here’s another question, how much money do you think Barry and Linda make? Does their lifestyle seem appropriate for that level of income?

Kerwood has used Scanlon in every town and city he’s worked in. What’s concerning is best practices would dictate that cities and towns use different auditors ever three or four years, so that one person or group of people can’t compromise the audits.
Know that these are just yearly audits, not deep look forensic audits.
The other problem is that the treasurer is the primary contact for the audit. I would suggest that the city council immediately request a forensic audit of Kerwood office, the DPW, and PEDA along with any contracts issued to not for profits.

Our next input is from Auto Phil. He writes:

Sally, if I recall from the tax rate council meeting, the assessor claimed that assessments were due to rise this year (in Dec 2019 for FY20) because of the rise of values in the housing market. I think the term used was “slightly” increased.

Next year’s tax bills (released Dec 2020 for FY21) will reflect the big reassessment project done every ten years.

The whole thing seems quite arbitrary. This year it’s worth XYZ based on the market (according to what qualifiers?). Next year it’s based on an assessment (a formula? in a market that may have changed in a years time?)

Like PR mentioned, your best bet may be to file for an abatement and see where the chips fall.

THE PLANET goes back to Mark Tully’s look at the assessment con. Proposition 2.5 has come meaningless in that it provides loopholes that cities such as Pittsfield use to gouge — and we mean gouge — homeowners and small businesses. Your thoughts, as always, are coin of the realm.

——————————————————————————————-

“Whenever we use technology to glimpse reality beyond the human scale, our evolved intuition should break down”Max Tegmark, paraphrasing Charles Darwin in Our Mathematical Universe.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

The views and opinions expressed in the comment section or in the text other than those of PLANET VALENTI are not necessarily endorsed by the operators of this website. PLANET VALENTI assumes no responsibility for such views and opinions, and it reserves the right to remove or edit any comment, including but not limited to those that violate the website’s Rules of Conduct and its editorial policies. PLANET VALENTI shall not be held responsible for the consequences that may result from any posted comment or outside opinion or commentary as provided in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and this website’s terms of service. All users of this website — including readers, commentators, contributors, or anyone else making use of its information, hereby agree to these conditions by virtue of this notice. When PLANET VALENTI ends with the words “The Usual Disclaimer,” that phrase shall be understood to refer to the full text of this disclaimer.

 

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Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

Here is Mayor Linda Tyer’s financial formula:

Pittsfield politics = Scammers shaking down Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski via Matt Kerwood’s creative accounting

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

January 13, 2020

Hello, blogger Dan Valenti,

I was wondering what you think about Pittsfield City Council Prez Peter Marchetti giving the shaft to Melissa Mazzeo supporters on his new subcommittee appointments for City Councilors? Ward 4 City Councilor Chris Connell was ousted from his long-standing post as chairman of the Public Works committee (i.e., the costly water and sewer plant project & planned rate increases), and Connell was also removed from his seat on the Finance Committee (i.e., Matt Kerwood’s creative accounting), where Connell served for several years. Also, Ward 2 Kevin Morandi City Councilor, who, like Connell, supported Melissa Mazzeo, lost his role as chairman of the Public Health and Safety committee. Eagle city reporter Amanda Drane wrote: “The appointments are already producing some grumblings from the city’s dissenting voices, and Connell says his appointments amount to political payback. They hark back to a longstanding divide in Pittsfield politics“.

– Jonathan Melle

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

This reaffirms the belief that Marchetti is a special interest agent and a violator of the oath he took. He will go down in the annals of shamed Pittsfield politicians with Doyle, Bianchi and many other hacks who were in the game for their own personal gain. Shame on you Peter. No hiding now what your game is.

Merry & Bright
Merry & Bright
Reply to  Johnny Absurd
4 years ago

I am sure that PeePee Petie was advised by Lovely Dynamic Vibrant Linda to remove Connell and Morandi. These two councilors have worked tirelessly for years to vote to benefit the hardworking taxpayers might as well stay home during the City Council meetings for the next two years at least. No matter how hard they try to do the right and proper thing to help the taxpayers, the rest of the Council is there to kiss Lovely Dynamic Vibrant Linda’s butt, and we all know Lovely Dynamic Vibrant Linda finds a way whether legal or not to get her way. I would like to thank Connell and and Morandi for trying to help us and wish them the best of luck surviving the next two years possibly four years.

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  Merry & Bright
4 years ago

I would think Mr. White would speak up and tell Pete not to be such a, uh, douche. Surely Mr. White and the other councilors see what is going on and feel badly that their new term is going to start off with such partisan bullying.

Jumpin Joe Curtis
Jumpin Joe Curtis
Reply to  Johnny Absurd
4 years ago

you spelled “anal” wrong

GuinPallay
GuinPallay
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

Tyred has no clue that benefits the taxpayer,or just plain ignores it. Connell and Morandi are going to have a loooong two years.

Johnny2Shoes
Johnny2Shoes
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

The Lovely Linda is the best ever?

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
Reply to  Johnny2Shoes
4 years ago

January 13, 2020

Re: Mayor Linda Tyer

I support the lovely Linda Tyer in Pittsfield politics because she stands for nearly everything I believe in when it comes to government and politics. That does not mean that I agree with all of her decisions. Also, that does not mean that I agree with her all of her political bedfellows.

I do, indeed, believe the lovely Linda Tyer is the best Mayor of Pittsfield (Mass.) – my native hometown – EVER! She is progressive, fair, and cares about all of Pittsfield’s residents. She shows interest in Pittsfield’s poorest neighborhoods, attends diversity events throughout the community, and has shown compassion when violent crime, gangs, and drugs has hit Pittsfield’s inner city. She speaks at progressive rallies like the “Four Freedoms” marches, and she speaks out for Human Rights for homosexuals. My heart warms when I think that such a good and decent person as the lovely Linda Tyer works in public service. I wish there were more politicians like Mayor Linda Tyer!

Per Pittsfield politics, the fact remains that Mayor Linda Tyer inherited a total mess from the recent past failed administrations of the last two decades. Not one negative issue or problem has begun on her watch as Mayor of Pittsfield. She was not able to assume the corner office in City Hall and magically undo the string of failed policies she inherited as Mayor.

My disagreements with Mayor Linda Tyer include that she is too close to the Good Old Boys such as Gerry Doyle and Jimmy Ruberto. It seems like she owes the G.O.B.’s for her political success. She should be more independent as a leader.

Yesterday and today, January 12 – 13, 2020, I was upset to read that City Council Prez Peter Marchetti chose to marginalize Melissa Mazzeo’s supporters – City Councilors Chris Connell and Kevin Morandi – by ousting them from their previous committee assignments where they had oversight over the Tyer administration’s projects and related fiscal policies. If Mayor Linda Tyer was a true leader, she would speak out against Marchetti’s retribution, and she should speak out for the need to unite the political divide that has plagued Pittsfield politics since the 1960’s.

Mayor Linda Tyer should not have given millions of dollars worth of tax breaks to out-of-town and out-of-state millionaires, as well as politically connected businesses. Instead, she should have worked to lower the annual 5% tax increases on Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski and the many other hard-hit city taxpayers. The vested and special interests always win in Pittsfield politics, while the common taxpayers always lose. Mayor Linda Tyer has not reversed this long-standing terrible trend!

In closing, I support the lovely Linda Tyer for her progressive beliefs in politics and government, but I disagree with some of her decisions and political allies.

– Jonathan Melle

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

So would it surprise you if you found out that it was HER idea to take Connell and Morandi off committees where they might be able to question dubious projects she might be pushing? And that Marchetti was just being a good little sheep totally ignoring his oath to work for the common good of the people and not to get in bed with special interests?

Well it did not surprise me. At all. I would fully expect her to behave like Trump and remove anyone in her way. And she did.

Mr. Fritz
Mr. Fritz
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

JM : a study in hypocrisy

Johnny2Shoes
Johnny2Shoes
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

Sounds like she inherited this new formula?

SallySays
SallySays
4 years ago

I wouldn’t call a 7.5 percent increase in property taxes slight. And assessors clerk told me that the FY2020 assessments were based on the 10 year door to door re-evaluation just done.

CC The Maze Sun
CC The Maze Sun
4 years ago

“You’re traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That’s the signpost up ahead…….”
– Rod Serling

“You see a long time ago life had begun
Everyone went to the Sun

Eyes full of sorrow, never wet
Hands full of money, all in debt
Sun coming out in the middle of June
Everyone’s gone to the moon“
– Kenneth King

Police Report
Police Report
4 years ago

And they scam deepens:
https://www.iberkshires.com/story/61479/Four-Berkshire-Co-Working-Centers-Get-MassDevelopment-Grants.html

As you will see, Tyler Street Lab is not on the list of organizations that received grants. That’s because since it’s inception, Tyler Street Lab has had no legal structure, it was using the NFP structure of Goodwill and goodwill was its fiscal agent…of course it wouldn’t want to continue. Tyler Street lab didn’t have an EIN for an NFP, wasn’t registered with the city or the state as a not for profit, didn’t do FASB accounting nor did it follow any ASUs. Would you want your legitimate NFP acting as a “Fiscal agent” for a structure that borders on criminal and fraud? There are very strict guidelines on how a NFP disburses funds and does accounting. Tyler Street Lab did none of these things.
Feel free to try and find Tyler Street Lab anywhere in any of the IRS databases of NFP.
Now the City Of Pittsfield and Mayor Linda Tyer and Matt Kerwood have authorized the City to act as the fiscal agent for this organization?!? and has somehow contracted with this organization to provide services?!? How is that even possible or legal?!?!

A phone booth?!? Haven’t they heard of cellphones? Just put a door on a closet if you want privacy.
• Framework Pittsfield Coworking, Pittsfield: $7,000

Framework Pittsfield Coworking on North Street is a co-working space for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small
businesses. Framework will use this grant to buy and install a free-standing private phone booth.

Are the offices made out of gold? That’s $10k tops.
• Lever Inc., North Adams: $24,000

Lever Inc. on Main Street is a co-working space and startup incubator. The organization will use grant funds to create two additional offices and improve efficiency throughout the space.

Yikes!
• Old Stone Mill, Adams: $75,000

The Old Stone Mill on Grove Street aims to be a community-accessible space for creative expression, collaboration, innovation, and zero-waste practice and education. The center will use this grant to bring the rehabilitated textile mill building up to code and allow the center to open to the public by improving the electrical system and completing water sealant projects and accessibility improvements.

I thought this was a bar?
• The Stationery Factory, Dalton: $100,000

The Stationery Factory on Flansburg Avenue is a 100,000-square-foot former manufacturing facility that was redeveloped for event and commercial office space. The building is home to a multifaceted co-working space that includes artist studios, incubator space, a commercial kitchen, and a community emergency resource center. The grant will fund infrastructure investments for code compliance, kitchen renovations, and the expansion of usable space.

TellitLikeitIs
TellitLikeitIs
Reply to  Police Report
4 years ago

It all sounds like a big fat efffin waste of our tax dollars.

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
4 years ago

Just wondering, is there a legal means to force pittsfield to open the books and expose graft? FOIA comes to mind.

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

A FOIA might save the city $$$ as the crooks scramble (payroll), or get some of the stolen $$$ back.

Shakes
Shakes
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

What specific records would you request?

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
Reply to  Shakes
4 years ago

Detailed school and DPW budgets and expenditures, bidding process records.

Overtime payments, time sheets for hourly work.

Perks like personal vehicles.

Details of finances for things like the cinema, the topic of this column, and other pork given out.

The building of the unneeded high school.

The process of selecting contractors/consultants for the above, and water/sewer projects.

That would be enough to have those in city hall a case of the runs.

Shakes
Shakes
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

Do it, just be prepared to pay the charges to obtain the records

Jumpin Joe Curtis
Jumpin Joe Curtis
Reply to  Shakes
4 years ago

not even monetary, probably political repercussions when word gets out you did it.

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  Jumpin Joe Curtis
4 years ago

Repercussions for sure. Look what happened to Morandi and Connell. Don’t cross this mayor.

Shakes
Shakes
Reply to  Johnny Absurd
4 years ago

Oh please, you don’t think Mazzeo, with the Bianchis in her ear, is as vindictive as they come?

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  danvalenti
4 years ago

Spoils is one thing. But she is weakening the council to the detriment of the taxpayers. What seems to be totally forgotten in Pittsfield is that the city council is SUPPOSED to be and independent watchdog over the mayor. Pete did not get that memo and has attached himself to the teat.

SallySays
SallySays
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

Nope

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
Reply to  SallySays
4 years ago

Seems all you have to do is make a request with city clerk, they have 10 days to come up with the goods. From town of Malden website

Public Records Requests

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
Every record that is made or received by a government entity or employee is presumed to be a public record unless a specific statutory exemption permits or requires it to be withheld in whole or in part. A list of exemptions may be found in Chapter 4, Section 7(26) of the Massachusetts General Laws.

The City of Malden’s “Records Access Officer” is our City Clerk, Greg Lucey.

Submit Public Records Requests
A public records request is a request to either inspect, copy or both, public records. There is no requirement that the request be made in person or in writing, or be in any particular form. The person making the request is not required to identify himself/herself, or to provide information about the reason for the request or how the records will be used. The request must be clear enough to enable the City to conduct a meaningful search.

The City may ask questions about the request in order to respond to the request fully and in a timely manner. The State acknowledges that access to information is a fundamental and necessary right of every citizen. Submit a Public Records Request (FOIA) request now.

dusty
dusty
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

Back when Doyle was mayor he tried to discourage people from asking for public information by charging them outrageous prices for using their copy machine and paper. I believe none of the people at city hall today will be very helpful. Prepare for a Trump like stonewalling but I do wish you well.

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
Reply to  dusty
4 years ago

Mt Doyle sits behind Allendale School

dusty
dusty
4 years ago

We are hearing the term forensic audit more and more. It might be helpful to educate the taxpayers on just what this is and why it might benefit them and the city as a whole going forward. More and more it seems like regular folk trying to maintain a homestead are funding business enterprises for politically connected adventurers.
My simple question is why are so many taxpayer dollars going towards redeveloping Tyler street when we apparently cannot even afford to fix our roads. Who sets the priorities and can we replace this person immediately?

Gert N Zi
Gert N Zi
Reply to  dusty
4 years ago

Krol stated before he left roads aren’t that important priotity wise.

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  Gert N Zi
4 years ago

They were important to him cuz he got on one and got the hell out of here.

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

To save the poverty stricken taxpayers money we must first get rid of the republican right wing conservative idea of school choice.Why should Pittsfield subsidize the Elite town of Lenox Ma.who take our white flight students and suck those state dollars to their system.School choice is a racist/class law ruining public education by seperating those of means from those without those means. Where are the educators and administrators on this racist law.Where is Bouvier Smitty and the others who CARE so much for children.Education is a joke politically and the politicians are so ignorant about this issue.Class education is upon us and the winner is the wealthy again and again.With the new sports tournament structure will also have the unintended consequences of poor school systems probably not able to afford sports expenses and drop programs.Where is Mccandless Yon Tyer Marchetti Yuki Moon White Elias Caccamo Cameron on the school choice law.What are we doing about this inequity the Republicsns gave us in the late 1980s.

Pat
Pat
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Until the political indoctrination of the young in the schools is stopped, the public school system will continue to be a terrible place. The far left has taken over the public school system to guarantee that when this harvest of youth heads to the polls, they will believe in big government taking care of them, have no knowledge of the history of the failure of socialist governments and no knowledge of what happens when government is given too much power over the people. They are intentionally not being taught all of history to guarantee that this next generation is in real danger of repeating the failures of the past. Some young people were interviewed recently who insisted on calling President Trump a dictator. When asked if they thought President Trump was worse than the Nazi regime, they stared blankly at the interviewer and said “What is that”? This is the harvest of youth heading to the polls very soon and it doesn’t bode well for freedom in this country.

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  Pat
4 years ago

Maybe it is not the young in schools you should be worried about being indoctrinated Pat. Hannity and Fox news get all the trophies for indoctrination. Hands down. Perhaps you should check yourself against who you were 3 years ago and see if you recognize yourself in the mirror.

Rocks 4 Jocks
Rocks 4 Jocks
Reply to  Johnny Absurd
4 years ago

Funny how several of the investigators that are on Fox News that actually research and present facts are accused by you of indoctrination. Yet main stream old line media make up information and you buy it wholesale.
Even when they are exposed, they double down on lies, and people like yourself are to lazy to read well researched books with well documented information.

Jumpin Joe Curtis
Jumpin Joe Curtis
Reply to  Pat
4 years ago

Wouldn’t that basically make either Lady Boots Yon, or Jivin’ Jake the American versions of Baldur von Schirach

She does have blonde hair and probably blue eyes…

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

Pat we are not cavemen and we do learn things that educate us.Progressive is a ugly word for you but most people see it as inteligently moving forward not backwards to another time. Regressive party wants to move back in time.

Gobsig
Gobsig
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Eugenics and prohibition were Progressive programs. They have been trying to progressively destroy the Constitution step by step.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Gobsig
4 years ago

Ridiculous

Gobsig
Gobsig
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

true

Rocks 4 Jocks
Rocks 4 Jocks
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Progressive is the new polite company word for socialism or communism. Remember the ultimate version of national socialism. It was implemented in Germany, and the US and allies fought against it, and its murderous philosophy.
And those that accuse President Trump of being a dictator…
dictators do not support the second amendment, they want an unarmed population…easier to subdue.
Dictators do not reduce taxes, they want more money taken away from the people and put in their control.
Wake up!

Thomas More
Thomas More
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

You hit it right on the head TSC. The choice law was passed to help city kids escape their neighborhoods for a few hours but never made any provisions for them to get to the suburban schools. Those with the where-with-all jumped all over it. In 2018 Lenox’s valedictorian and salutatorian were choice students. If your looking for help from Bouvier forget it. She sent her kids to Lenox causing Pittsfield to lose $10,000 a year. Seven years=$70,000 x at least two = $140,000 from our coffers.She’ll be reelected unopposed in November.

Hendrix
Hendrix
Reply to  Thomas More
4 years ago

You took the words out of my mouth, why would politicians want to change a law that has benefit them. I don’t think school choice should be completely off the table. Some students would benefit more from a vocational education provided by a McCann or Taconic.

Shakes
Shakes
Reply to  Hendrix
4 years ago

What about Pittsfield schools not being good enough for Mazzeo?

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Shakes
4 years ago

She chose a private school like fhousands of Pittsfield residents chose St Joe High which does not cost Pittsfield money. Bouvier chose Lenox elite white flight public school choice and redirected cash to lenox.Hinds Smitty and Bouvier are costing Pittsfield tens of millions in the racist school choice law.You are what you support if your a lawmaker.

Shakes
Shakes
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

I mean, I wouldn’t send my kids to Pittsfield Schools either.

Mr. Fritz
Mr. Fritz
Reply to  Shakes
4 years ago

I’ll agree with you on that one, Shakes.

Rocks 4 Jocks
Rocks 4 Jocks
Reply to  Shakes
4 years ago

She is obviously smarter than you on this.

Gobsig
Gobsig
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts allows the school committees of public school districts to have open enrollment policies. Towns in Massachusetts represented by the “School Choice Receiving District Status” (open enrollment ……This is left wing MOONBAT Massachusetts.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Gobsig
4 years ago

School choice was supported and promoted by right wing racist so whites could flee urban districts.Lenox is 40% out of district students or Southeast Pittsfields high school.Yon and Mccandless need to be part of this change.We need that money.This law is destroying urban schools.

Jumpin Joe Curtis.
Jumpin Joe Curtis.
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Remember when the state voted down charter school funding? There was specific language to give choice first to the kids in crowded, underfunded urban schools.

Our progressive loyalists voted against it because the teachers union fed them bullshit like the sheep they are

Kermit Frog
Kermit Frog
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

There was a New Yorker article a few years back about how school choice (or magnet schools I forget) was hurting a famously competitive experience high school in Queens, NY. I had never looked at it like that before – but don’t I think parents want to wait around (or should have to) for a district to get their act together. Our best districts probably survive due to choice and the bad ones have been bad a really long time so school choice is not really the cause. I can understand wanting to invest locally. I am fond of Pittsfield High, less so Taconic.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Kermit Frog
4 years ago

Its pure racist.Lets get 50 minorities to go to Lenox and try it for 40 years.Lenox wont let it happen

Kermit Frog
Kermit Frog
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Is school choice racist? I thought it gave kids from less good districts the option to get into better schools. Maybe locally that opportunity is taken advantage of by largely white middle class people who don’t want to buy a house in the better district? I thought it was supposed to create more diversity in schools. I also think the idea that a school with black kids should be expected to be terrible is a pretty racist idea. I do get your point about self selection – Lenox doesn’t take the special needs kids. Williamstown has lots of kids from North Adams. SATs from Lenox – they seem to not be off the charts amazing, maybe equivalent to a good capital district school, which do seem better integrated. The New Yorker article I talked about mentioned the cream of the class moving to magnet schools (but they were leaving an already good school). Also, I think the whole area was diverse though. Probably a lot of high achieving Korean and Chinese families, who are minorities too.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Kermit Frog
4 years ago

For institutions to work everyone needs to participate.For goverment programs to work Jeff Bezos needs to pay his real taxes.The reality is who can go to Lenox if you cant get a ride everyday and night from a available adult.School choice benefits who?It was a right wing think tank idea to destroy or weaken Americas greatest asset of Public Education.

Kermit Frog
Kermit Frog
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Elizabeth Warren was famously for school choice. Democrats have short memories? I agree with the point poor kids in Berkshire Co can’t get to the other schools that are far away. Bussing is a problem for everyone. But in cities kids can get to Magnet schools. A dysfunctional system like Pittsfield is not going to get any better by forcing the choice families to stay – that is propaganda. The Pittsfield schools get more money per pupil than they should already. It is a complete snow job that lack of money is the problem, an absolute boondoggle. They should start with structure and dress codes and better leadership. Have the balls to expel the discipline problems and make their parents pay a money fine. Re electing the same failed leadership shows there is not real thought to improvement. Our society has no expectations for behavior and then wonders why the kids are rude or lawless. Also, most elementary teachers don’t follow up with kids falling behind and can’t teach. We had teachers who couldn’t cope with 4th grade math. If you aren’t capable of teaching 4th grade math what good was your degree? I saw this in higher achieving schools too. Ask a teacher locally how their kids are doing and they do not know – they don’t know the kids and their class. The teachers are all brought in on connections and many are just very, very weak. The unions have a lot of answer for. Other nations do much much more with less and can teach black children which you seem to imply Pittsfield can not. So much for this new world of looking out for the disadvantaged.

Truthsayer
Truthsayer
4 years ago

If anyone needs to know how successful David Carver is, just take a look at the north side of Main Street in North Adams. He bought up everything. Startups that he suckered into renting space from him and had finally started to make a buck were given the choice of rents that were so high that closing was their only option. Buildings that if it weren’t for Mountain One would be crumbling. 85 Main Street had its fifth and sixth floors gutted for apartments that never came to be, and the space was left exposed becoming an indoor pigeon farm. Projects launched but never completed. I know all of this because I once rented from Carver.

My lease called for A/C, heat, hot water. I got no A/C in summer and had temperatures running in the 90s. Couldn’t open the windows because they were so old, he had them painted or nailed shut. In the winter, heat was a rarity. Hot water never happened. We had to close on summer and winter days when the temperatures inside were unbearable. Carver’s solution was simple. If I wanted what my lease called for, I could repair the roof A/C unit or the part of the boiler that fed my space. The only problem with that was that I would be repairing these units that fed other spaces both occupied and vacant. In other words, I would be paying for work to repair a building owned by Carver that he should have been maintaining on his own. Frankly, I can think of only one conversion of a building to housing that Carver completed in record time and it was done right. Of course, it’s in Williamstown where his lordship resides and whose building inspector at the time was a brutal and strict enforcer.

Look around the city. Look at the buildings that Carver owns. How well are they maintained? How many problems do the remaining tenants have to deal with? Carver scoops up properties at bargain basement prices for the sake of owning them. He then does little to nothing with them because he’s stretched so thin financially that he can’t afford to. Carver’s like that lazy neighbor whose house is falling apart, his entire yard festooned in junk that instead of getting rid of any of it, he sticks it on the front lawn, buys more junk, and then can’t mow the grass because of all the junk. It’s an eyesore that sits there until the city finally spends thousands in court fighting to get an order to get things cleaned up.

Pittsfield is in bed with nothing more than a carnival barker running a rigged game. There’s this empty promise of that big prize and your kids really want it. You keep buying tickets trying to win the prize on a game that is rigged in favor of the barker. When it’s done, you’re broke and the barker still gets to keep the prize until some other sap comes along with a wallet to be emptied. God help you all.

dusty
dusty
Reply to  Truthsayer
4 years ago

Speaking of Mountain One, do they get tax breaks from the city of Pittsfield?

Sojourner Truth
Sojourner Truth
Reply to  dusty
4 years ago

Mountain One got a very discounted land lease from Corey Thurston and Mickey C. for their building on the PEDA property and never met their employment promise and/or projections. Good deal for somebody.

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  Sojourner Truth
4 years ago

Yeppers. Joe blue collar subsidizing the business community. Most of the business s hardly need the tax breaks but it sure hurts the little guy whose pockets it comes out of to make up for them. In some places it is called corporate welfare. Sad.

Shakes
Shakes
Reply to  danvalenti
4 years ago

Didn’t it move offices from downtown?

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

Took them off North Street and they brought Stevensons insurance with them

Kermit Frog
Kermit Frog
Reply to  Truthsayer
4 years ago

i think you are right.

Teecha Teecha
Teecha Teecha
4 years ago

Helen Moon is hosting a birthday fundraiser with all proceeds going to her favorite charity and cause… herself

January 15 Tavern at the A (5:30-7:30). Donations up to $250 accepted

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Teecha Teecha
4 years ago

Get your kids out of the chemical swamp at Allendale school Moon fund.

Gobsig
Gobsig
Reply to  Teecha Teecha
4 years ago

She’s building up money so she can run when TFB moves on.

Jumpin Joe Curtis
Jumpin Joe Curtis
Reply to  Gobsig
4 years ago

Wouldn’t be surprised. She’s the leader of the womens caucus for a reason. scissoring in those votes one at a time.

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  Teecha Teecha
4 years ago

I was actually thinking she might be the pioneer to lead the charge for the forensic audit. She is high energy and says she loves the city. And anybody who really loves this city should realize that we need to take a step back and regroup instead of being part of a headlong spending debacle. I think she does realize how much it is hurting the people in her ward and all the city. Hope she steps forward and maybe others will follow.

Gobsig
Gobsig
Reply to  Johnny Absurd
4 years ago

That would be great but I think the gobsigs got to her.

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  Gobsig
4 years ago

Awww…not her toooo? Another soul sold for trinkets and baubles? So sad to hear.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Gobsig
4 years ago

Shes pretty nieve except for spenfing poor people taxes

Thomas More
Thomas More
4 years ago

MOBY Properties LLC/aka Mill Town Capital will own the Melville Block by Friday. MOBY has itts offices at 45 Woodlawn Ave. (BIC)

Johnny2Shoes
Johnny2Shoes
Reply to  Thomas More
4 years ago

TM,
Don’t know if you or others caught this . Interesting.

https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/mill-town-capital-sows-seeds-along-tyler-street,582419

Johnny2Shoes
Johnny2Shoes
Reply to  Thomas More
4 years ago

Repost:
Tom not sure if you or others have seen this article about Milltown.

https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/mill-town-capital-sows-seeds-along-tyler-street,582419

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

How much rent do they charge at BIC for heat snd square footage parking electric …..somebody knows somebody in our crooked city

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
4 years ago

more on the crooks in Basstun:

https://www.projectveritas.com/2020/01/07/project-veritas-action-fund-challenges-massachusetts-restrictions-on-the-first-amendment/

“(Boston, MA) Project Veritas Action Fund made First Amendment history in December of 2018 when the Massachusetts law prohibiting undercover recording of public officials was ruled unconstitutional: “[T]he Court holds that [Massachusetts law] may not constitutionally prohibit the secret audio recording of government officials…”

At issue was Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 272, § 99 (“Section 99”), which criminalizes the willful “interception”* of any “communication.”…………

Dundee Donnie
Dundee Donnie
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

Dan,everyone should run over to Schenectady and pay for your property tax. Solution? Tonight’s College football has L S U favored by Five to beat Clemson. Dan, L S U will win by at least Twenty. I’m at Caesars,L S U taking the serious dough.

Munkee Renche
Munkee Renche
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

We don’t uphold the laws here.

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
4 years ago

Well Warren likes terrorists more than Americans, so do the rest of the D-s running for POTUS.

It seems James O’Keefe has some dirt on the communist Senator from Vt he’s about to release. O’keefe of Project Veritas Brought down Obama’s Acorn for helping to set up Brothels using taxpayer money.

https://www.redstate.com/nick-arama/2020/01/13/james-okeefe-teases-in-tweet-to-trump-something-big-about-to-drop-on-bernie-sanders/

“…..Then O’Keefe responded, teasing that something big was about to come out on Sanders.

Stay tuned everyone. Something very big is going to happen.

The first bombshell tape is going to drop this week. https://t.co/BFGnoCeJE7 https://t.co/fJzoguHplM

— James O’Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) January 12, 2020

It looks like there are going to be multiple drops. Pass the popcorn!…”

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

Fox news Sean Hannity is now repeating this for the brainwashed

Edward R. Murrow
Edward R. Murrow
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

If you want brainwashed, see the link I provide in my post below.

Dundee Donnie
Dundee Donnie
4 years ago

Ask stanley

Stooge Neckbulgered
Stooge Neckbulgered
4 years ago

The welfare of the Law is always more important than the welfare of the people

Police Report
Police Report
4 years ago

It only gets worse:
Letter: Mayor Tyer seeks refugees for city
Posted Monday, January 13, 2020 4:30 pm
To the editor:

My opinion piece that appeared on Jan. 11 in The Eagle urged Pittsfield to sign up for refugee resettlement (“In fact, we do want to help refugees”). Just hours after The Eagle landed on doorsteps, I received a very nice phone call right from Mayor Linda Tyer. She informed me that she had already written Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to join other states and localities around the country willing to host refugees in need of resettlement.

The bad news is I was wrong. The much, much better news is that the mayor and the city are on board in offering to accept refugees. We certainly have the resources and social service organizations that could support this effort. And now we have the will. Thank you, Mayor Tyer.

John Dickson,
Pittsfield
(This was either very poorly written or edited)
If I ne’er stand this correctly Mayor Linda Tyer has offered to open up the city to refugees and spend tax payer dollars to help in the resettlement. Strange that in Pittsfield we have a shortage of Section 8 housing yet we are trying to bring in more people that will need those services?
I guess we know who will live in the Carver/Mill Town properties.

Jumpin Joe Curtis
Jumpin Joe Curtis
Reply to  Police Report
4 years ago

Hawaii shirt Barry can house about 300 of them in his mansion. Doubt that will happen.

Johnny Absurdo
Johnny Absurdo
Reply to  Police Report
4 years ago

I think the mindset is that since she is driving a good portion of the population away she needs warm bodies to fill the void. I know for sure that the school teachers are looking forward to having more kids that cannot speak English and may have never been in a disciplined environment before.

Maggie May
Maggie May
Reply to  Police Report
4 years ago

This is Fantastic news to all the small and large business owners. People that want to work be on time, not have a doctors appt at noon on a Friday stoned drunk or hungover. YES PLEASE!!

Mr. Fritz
Mr. Fritz
4 years ago

Your Governor & Mayor have signed on to request that more refugees be sent here – brace yourself, Berkshire County!

Dawes Ducked
Dawes Ducked
Reply to  Mr. Fritz
4 years ago

Connell kicked off finance and relegated to just a member on public works,also loses chair on public works.

Shakes
Shakes
Reply to  Mr. Fritz
4 years ago

Looking forward to the Pittsfield average IQ increasing all because of the refugees.

Shakes
Shakes
Reply to  danvalenti
4 years ago

It’s not like Pittsfield is Ithaca NY

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Shakes
4 years ago

And how did your family get here.Its nice to know the reason.Most fled war and famine.Or you had wealth.

Jumpin Joe Curtis
Jumpin Joe Curtis
4 years ago

I personally think it’s time Dan did an expose on Amanda Brain Drane. She’s as much of a political shill as McKeever, yet somehow gets taken as a serious, non-biased journalist. You know, one with integrity…

Where’s Jen Smith when you need her. She was the best they had for a long time

Edward R. Murrow
Edward R. Murrow
4 years ago
Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
4 years ago

project veritas with Sanders campaign worker

#Expose2020: Sanders Campaign Part 1; Field Organizer “F**king Cities Burn” if Trump Re-Elected

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsUAvh_PCWA&feature=emb_title

GET EXCLUSIVE UPDATES: http://Expose2020.com

• Kyle Jurek, Iowa Field Organizer, Sanders Campaign: “I’m Ready to Throw Down Now…The Billionaire Class. The F***ing Media, Pundits. Walk into MSNBC Studios, Drag Those M*****F***ers Out by Their Hair and Light Them on Fire in the Streets.”
• Kyle Jurek Suggests That Liberal Democrats Should be Placed in Gulags or be Put to Death: “Liberals Get the F***ing Wall First.”
• Jurek: “Well, I’ll Tell You What in Cuba, What did They do to Reactionaries? You Want to Fight Against the Revolution, You’re Going to Die for it, M*****F***er.”
• Jurek Affirms That “Free Speech Has Repercussions…There Are Consequences for Your F***ing Actions…You Should Expect a Violent Reaction. And You Deserve a Violent Reaction.”
• Jurek Lambasts Elizabeth Warren, Suggests That Warren Does Not Deserve Support Solely Due to Being a Woman.
• Jurek: “Like F**k if We Can Beat Donald Trump, as Long as We Nominated a Woman. Like F***ing Idiot. Like What the F**k? The World is on Fire. This is an Emergency Situation, and You’re Hung Up on Vaginas.”

Edward R. Murrow
Edward R. Murrow
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

Fuller presentation by O’Keefe with the same lovely content here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsUAvh_PCWA&feature=emb_title

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
4 years ago

https://www.redstate.com/brandon_morse/2020/01/14/project-veritas-releases-the-first-expose-of-its-footage-inside-the-sanders-campaign/

Project Veritas Releases the First Expose of Its Footage Inside the Sanders Campaign and It’s Disturbing

“So the only way you can confront them is with violence,” he adds to the undercover reporter.

Violence seems to be a common go-to for Jurek. For instance, in the video, Jurek claims that it’s time for a very real revolution, and not just a political one, and that all those who resist should be killed.

“Well, I’ll tell you what in Cuba, what did they do to reactionaries? You want to fight against the revolution, you’re going to die for it, mother f***er,” said Jurek.

https://www.wnd.com/2020/01/gulags-good-way-de-nazify-trump-supporters-says-bernie-sanders-organizer/

Gulags good way to ‘de-Nazify’ Trump supporters, says Bernie Sanders organizer
‘Re-education’ necessary if Vermont socialist wins White House

“If Bernie doesn’t get the nomination or it goes to a second round at the DNC convention, f***ing Milwaukee will burn,” he said. “It’ll start in Milwaukee and then when the police push back on that, other sites will f***ing [explode].”

“Be ready to be in Milwaukee for the DNC convention. We’re going to make [1968] look like a f***ing girl’s scout f***ing cookout,” he said. “The cops are going to be the ones f***ing beaten in Milwaukee.”

Dawes Ducked
Dawes Ducked
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

You can bank on it,every Mayor initiative will be voted throughly this Council. Nine to two for real.

Dawes Ducked
Dawes Ducked
4 years ago

Thanks to the L S U info, but it was posted to late by Planet.

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

Its time White and Caccamo grow up about elderly people finances.What I mean by this is they h ac ve to find compassion for people.

Jumpin Joe Curtis
Jumpin Joe Curtis
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Caccamo probably lives in his parents basement and doesn’t pay rent.

Falippe Saudre Contreros
Falippe Saudre Contreros
Reply to  Jumpin Joe Curtis
4 years ago

Connell and Morandi are reduced to Chumps. They are no more effective than TEs was at this point. Sad. That would be the day I’d let someone downgrade longevity and experience for partisanship. It’s going to be sad watching those two squirm.

Thaddeus Bladeous
Thaddeus Bladeous
Reply to  Jumpin Joe Curtis
4 years ago

Remember in two years that former Councilor Lothrop was walloped by five hundred votes for a reason. This should not reflect on how his successor evaluates. Never let Low in again. There is a reason for his demise. Hopefully he knows his political career is over.

Dawes Ducked
Dawes Ducked
4 years ago

And that Hess Gas Station plight has been in peril for more than The four year promise or term. Blight program,what a joke.

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

Pittsfield Councilors are allowing the Schools to spend irresponsibly.They got an extra 5 million from the state but no tax relief for people over 66 years old.Educators and courthouse workers all retire on 50k to 100k per year and John Doe is paying them on his 1300 a month SS check.White and Caccamo are representing the elite.Tyer is a lost cause.The spending tells me there is as crime somewhere in this city….Audit needed at the schools business offices

Thaddeus Bladeous
Thaddeus Bladeous
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Sc I can remember recently the questioning of the Beacon debacle,when a suggested forensic audit was brought forth, Ruffer said that an appropriation would be needed to fund that. It was dropped like a led fart,no more discussion. What is needed on this current c c is someone who will challenge the status quo,just like Pete Arlos did when he was a lone wolf. The thing about Pete was,he was right,he was for the taxpayer. Don’t be shy Councilors,take em on at every turn. Get some balls for the next twenty four months. There’s a lot of crap going on here. Morandi and Connell should be embarrassed. At Machettis assignments. Because their support of Mazzeo,or better yet the Water Wizard water suggestions?

Groton Stanslsonabich
Groton Stanslsonabich
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Stanley trumps school spending. Council voted for School Spending following hagcindeeand boots lead

Supp Lips Covochich
Supp Lips Covochich
Reply to  Groton Stanslsonabich
4 years ago

Maffucio has a ton of petitions. Maybe Fooch’ Will be the one’… with the balls?

Bacdoor Deliberaidor
Bacdoor Deliberaidor
4 years ago

Connell and a Morandi will have No Say… at real time votes….sad…

Gigi
Gigi
4 years ago

And the Democrats continue to eat their own.
One of the craziest, Michael Bloomberg, states that “California is a blueprint for the rest of the country.” Really?? What a nutjob!
https://www.breitbart.com/2020-election/2020/01/14/the-nuclear-option-the-democrat-field-gets-a-little-whiter-a-little-crazier/