A CAPITOL MOVE: PITTSFIELD ‘A PERFECT LOCATION’ FOR BAY-STATE
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY FEB. 3, 2020) — THE PLANET, bowing to numerous requests, reprints a Boston Herald article suggesting a move of the state capitol from Boston to Pittsfield. The notion is not as far-fetched as it seems, although it has about as much chance of happening as Pittsfield has of changing over to a city manager form of government. Nonetheless as food for thought, writer Peter Lucas presents us a feast.
Perhaps it’s time to consider moving state government west
Pittsfield would be a perfect location
Gov. Charlie Baker in 2020 ought to move the capital from Boston to Pittsfield. It is one way he can help deal with the growing traffic congestion crisis and help save the environment. Traffic is strangling Boston and poisoning the air.
Baker should take his Statehouse staff, the Legislature and the state government with him, turn the historic Statehouse into a museum and make Beacon Hill a car-free zone. It would give him and legislators a new way of looking at things. Instead of being in Boston on the inside of the problem looking out, they would be in Pittsfield on the outside looking in. He could pay for the move to the less populated western city, hard by the New York border, by emptying out and selling the McCormack State Office Building beside the Statehouse to condo developers.
The millions the state would reap from sale would pay for the move and the construction of a high rise in Pittsfield. The new condos would help Boston’s housing shortage and the new construction in Pittsfield would boost that city’s economy.
If you build it, they will come.
Yes, Boston is the population center of the state and it is the capital. But this does not mean that state government should be centered there forever. The population center in New York is New York City, yet the capital is in Albany. The same is true in California where Los Angeles is the population center while Sacramento is the capital. Instead of commuting to Boston thousands of state workers would reverse direction and commute to Pittsfield, thereby instantly relieving some of Boston’s congestion. This reverse commute would not only include state workers, but legislators and their staffs, state constitutional officers and their employees, not to mention hundreds of lobbyists and special interest groups that work at the Statehouse or in downtown office buildings
New start ups and other businesses that deal with state government would be forced to follow the state to the west because all the many boards of registration, inspection and certification would follow in Baker’s footsteps
The adage “Go west, young man,” with Baker as the wagon boss, would find new meaning.
And Pittsfield, a fine old city of some 45,000 people that has seen better economic days, would turn into a boom town. Such a relocation would not only revitalize the city, Berkshire County, and the region, it would revitalize the state as well.
It would also give the lie to those who believe that the Massachusetts border extends only to Interstate 495, and that anything west of that much traveled road is the wilderness.
It may be time to turn the tables.
The idea behind it all is to give the governor time, space and vision — breathing room, as it were — to deal with commuter gridlock in Greater Boston that one day soon will shut the region down.
Nobody will be able to go anywhere. Greater Boston is the most congested region in the country, according to a study, and things are getting worse, not better.
There is no room, let alone the will, to build any more roads, and mass transit, meaning the MBTA and commuter rail is a mess.
And while Baker is committed to dragging the MBTA into the 21st century, while easing people out of their cars and onto to trains, buses and subway cars, he still has a long way to go. Every winter day the MBTA is one snowstorm away from disaster. Two in a row would be a catastrophe.
A change in venue, and breathing the fresh, clean air of the Berkshires, could inspire sweeping changes in mass transportation. Governing from Pittsfield, away from MBTA breakdowns and growing road rage, Baker could outline visionary plans for high speed rail on the Massachusetts Turnpike, for instance, and on other existing highways. High speed rail could connect Boston to Pittsfield, Boston to the Cape, New Bedford with Gloucester.
Motorists in Boston would find parking spaces and mass transit riders would find seats and get to work on time.
Impossible, you say? Well, not entirely. That is because Massachusetts has a secret weapon, or two of them. They are Deval Patrick and William Weld, both former Massachusetts governors, one a Democrat and the other a Republican, and both are running for president.
All Charlie needs is for one of them to win.
Yeah. Right. Dream on, Luke, dream on.
Email comments to: luke1825@aol.com
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THE PLANET thanks the Herald and Lucas for this column. We do not know how much of Lucas’s tongue slipped inside his cheek — at least a ribbon’s worth, it seems — but the notion underscores the troubles extant in municipalities at both ends of the state. Thoughts, anyone?
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“Another day, another night. I want to love. They want to fight” — Robin Trower.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
Pittsfield and Boston have one thing in common. Both cities no longer have a strong middle class anymore. If you want to live in Boston, you have to make a couple hundred thousand dollars per year, or you are poor/disabled and rely on social services like public housing. If you want to live in Pittsfield, you have to be able to finance a +$200,000 home with yearly increases in municipal taxes and fees, or you are poor/disabled and rely on social services. But, Boston’s economy is growing, while Pittsfield’s economy is diminishing.
Most of the political clout and taxpayer money centers in and around Boston. Western Massachusetts always gets the proverbial shaft in Massachusetts politics. Berkshire County is losing population, while Suffolk County/Boston is gaining in population.
Where I live in Amherst, NH, I am only an hour’s commute to Boston. I can take a bus from Nashua, NH, to Boston and back to Nashua for $14 round trip. I have seen plays, gone out to eat at the North End, gone to museums, and attended Red Sox games, along with a Celtics, a Bruins, and Patriots game, too.
Berkshire County is very beautiful, but there are scarce living wage jobs in Pittsfield. Both Pittsfield politics and Boston politics are totally corrupt and an insider’s game where Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski’s voices are shut out in City Hall and the State House.
I think you just made the case for Pittsfield.
They can put the capitol building on the PEDA property.
Move it to Provincetown.
Get the Politicians as far away as possible., and stench will blow out to sea.
Put it n the old Hess site and have sessions at the Colonial.
FOR
It could go there, but what of Hess Forest and the plans to turn it into a national park. It would rival Yosemite.
Yosemite. Not lately… lol
no geysers just geezers.
Kerwood could be quite the geyser back when he was on the council. blah blah blah blah blah..and “another arrow in the quiver” Whenever Kerwood would start one of his rants my grandfather would say, “Shoot me now!”
Once they found out the per diem bennies the deal would be sealed for sure. Great idea.
RK
Go nailed it. Ca-chinga! Ca-chinga!
Really? An author is touting her book at the Colonial Theatre? Rachel somebody. Is business that bad? Put the statehouse on the P site.
It’s a free community discussion about domestic violence that’s happening at the Colonial. People have been talking about her book for months. You have an issue with this?
She’s advancing her book,go to The book place up yonder.
I would suggest they do a forensic audit of all Pittsfield things before they even think about moving here. There is no stable foundation to build anything on in Pittsfield unless the taxpayers are going to fund it and even PIttsfield taxpayers could not be taxed enough to support a metropolis the size of Boston moving here. Now that is not to say they mayor would not try it. She just might. And her rubber stamping council/ducklings/lapdogs would surely endorse it.
Plus we do not have enough parking and nobody from the Boston area is going to send their child to a school in Pittsfield or drive their cars on Pittsfield’s moonscape roadways. Not gonna happen people.
JOHNNY
You may be on to something. Prior to any such move, Boston would run such an audit. They might do it for honorable reasons, or they might want to do it to make it easier for them to take over the scamming. The latter would be sort of like when a new mob boss or family takes over a territory.
Pittsfield politics accounting secret is that the municipality has hundreds of millions of public debts and other liabilities, including OPEB debts. Pittsfield’s debts and other liabilities will never be paid off in our lifetimes. Matt Kerwood’s figurative municipal credit card has a lot of municipal debts on it. An audit would show that Pittsfield politics has increasing taxes, increasing fees, and increasing municipal debts. The future of Pittsfield politics’ finances do NOT look good! Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski should put Matt Kerwood on their proverbial dart board.
Are the poor Pittsfield banks making any money on this debt??/ I mean I know it was not set up that way or anything but just coincidentally?
And put the people on the dart board who he is doing it for. He isn’t acting on his own .
Dumbass Stooge doesn’t even know what’s underwriting his program means. It’s free,what a Buffon.
Someone said Richie Neal was on the dumb morning show. Time to think about it ? What really does that show offer students which t b r was intended? And the other clown ready to take over is not going to do any better. Jake, do you really think people aren’t onto this formally dedicated student program and becoming a self partisan and bargaining chip for tax monies and jobs, both schools and non profit?And how does the S D still have this License when all it is a good ol boy non student political and non – profit slap on the back comedy.
Is it free or are the taxpayers funding it?
I’m not sure if I lost more brain cells reading the article or the comments.
Did you have many to begin with?
They could lease the Berkshire Mall and place lots of state offices there- RMV, DFW, DCR, Mass lottery, etc.
Dan, they could make Hess a ghetto park for the Fresh Air Kids.
And it’s close to the jail. That’s a plus for democrat speakers of the house.
When you have a tax funded private tif and enterprise who got millions, with no accountability, then, you have what is known as partisan Stonewall Politics. People who don’t vote because they don’t care,will get just that,lawlessness, giveaways with zero rhyme reason and no accountability.
Voting can’t solve the problem if the candidates are selected, promoted and heavily financed by the special interests. Joe blue collar running against the machine is a very long shot. Look at this 9-2 council. It has been near these bad odds for a long time. Our very own government, “elected” by us, is devouring its own. Us. That is why in some countries the people band together and revolt. Short of that you have the foxes in charge of the chicken coup.
Put it on the common where it was in 1791.
PHS has the Dome and 250,000 square feet on 4 floors.
Dome leaks.
Currently Lovely Linda and her in her pocket Administration and the CC can’t make a small decision without either tabling it or creating a sub-committee, then they drag the issue out for at least a year before they basically start the process over again, still not making a decision. Could you imagine if Pittsfield was the Capitol? They all would be more paralyzed then they are now.
Saw that there is a big ribbon cutting for the new BIC “double wide, double high trailer” building the end of the month. Anyone know who the architect was, want to make sure I never use them. Wonder if Lovely Linda will have East Street cleaned up for this big event. Will she repair the potholes, pick up the garbage, gather up the dead animals, especially the dead raccoon that has been lying in the road for at least 4 days (wonder how many City vehicles have driven by and over it)? She also needs to pick up the broken asphalt, sweep the sidewalks, gather up the empty nip bottles and needs to replace broken signage. Maybe she can clean up the old Kentucky Fried Chicken space for an extra parking lot because I am sure there is going to be such a large influx of companies wanting to rent space. Who would want to pay rent to have an office facing Woodlawn Avenue and have to stare at an over grown filthy garbage mess PCB lot and PEDA debacle. I know I wouldn’t. How is she going to explain all the empty stores on North Street. She is not doing a damn thing to clean up the City of Pittsfield, time for her to take her rose colored glasses off. All is not rosy in Pittsfield.
That building looks like a pre-fab that came in on six trucks. Agree on the architect. Had to be one of Tyers friends or campaign contributors who did the drawings on a short weekend.
I am trying to be kind here.
But I can’t.
Bianchi hired the architect.
I’ve heard it looks good at 3am
Mild winter, more scams.
This has been an extremely mild winter so far. There is little room for fraud when it comes to winter roads, little room for overtime and contractor graft but it’s going to happen. Pay close attention to winter roads this next fiscal year. Below is the policy for winter roads. Notice that only when there is a “small winter storm” are contractors required. If that’s the case, why then were private contractors out this morning sanding and salting?
An observation, some of these contractors are using city provided truck bed mounted salt and sanders.
Today in fact a truck was doing some early sanding at CVS, it wasn’t very interesting except it was a white, privately owned pick up that had just left the west housatonic “depot” and the sander was a municipal tagged sander on the back of a private vehicle.
Mayor Linda Tyer and Matt Kerwood are notorious for underfunding winter roads, let’s see what they come up with this budget season.
Levels of Storm Response
Although winter road conditions vary from storm to storm, we use the following four categories as a general guide for our response:
Light snow/ inclement weather: Snow accumulations of 1” or less. Generally requires salting/sanding operations only, dependent on post-storm temperatures and conditions.
Small winter storm: Snow accumulations of 1”- 3”. Typically requires limited plowing, accomplished with only Highway personnel and minimal hired contractors.
Medium winter storm: Snow accumulations of 3”- 8”. Requires full plowing operations with Highway personnel focused on main roads and contractors in residential streets.
Major winter storm/Blizzard: Snow accumulations of >8”. Requires full plowing operations with Highway personnel focused on main roads and contractors in residential streets. These storms are typically of longer duration and will often result in 12 hours on/12 hours off shiftwork for snow personnel.
https://www.cityofpittsfield.org/city_hall/public_services/city_hall/docs/Snow_Plan_Pittsfield_Revised.pdf
Another timely and revealing report from POLICE REPORT. You won’t get this information anywhere else but THE PLANET.
Kerwood already stated last week in a televised meeting that the salt/sand budget is already over by $500,000+. We have not even had a winter yet. Where did all this salt/sand go, to contractors? When Morandi and Connell questioned it, they were immediately shut down, like they are going to be on everything they question for the next four years. Lovely Linda and Bowtie Kerwood are basically laughing in the taxpayers faces. They are like defiant children. You tell them not to do it, they do it more. Forensic audit needed.
Pass the salt!
I have heard the number they need to meet this year is $1.2-1.4 million. Let’s see if by the end of the season, the winter roads are over by that much.
Kufflinks’ comment was troubling in the extreme. Time to put our spies on it.
Democrats can’t even handle a simple caucus and they want to run healthcare
At least they don’t think Kansa City Football team is in Kansas..
If the Dems didn’t spend so much time investigating President Trump, then maybe they would be able to get their act together. They want to create massive government and run everything themselves and tell us how to live our lives, but they can’t even handle their own caucus. Just as well since their candidates are frightening.
Just a sample of Trumps sabotage. They will destroy the whole election process. Taking no chances on a fair election. Already have destroyed democracy in America.
JA,
The App for reporting results last night in Iowa was from a coal miner Biden told to learn how to code .
Putin loves the speech
Former 2020 presidential contender Julian Castro tweeted: “This is a total mess. I respect the people of Iowa, they’ve been great—but it’s become very clear that our democracy has been misserved by a broken system.” Buttigieg claimed victory without the votes.
The Democrats are a train wreck!
Joe Biden campaign was flying TWO MEXICAN flags at headquarters last night.
See at 2:38
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/iowa-caucus-results-much-slower-expected-state-democratic-party-quality-n1129431
I hope it isn’t using a mandatory App they roll out for all.
This country is a mess because we think technology is the end all, be all for everything. Iowa caucuses are so in the toilet, nobody is going to accept the results. Technology handed Trump the last election after he carried Moscow in the vote count. The IRS can’t deliver tax refunds or process returns due to software. Social media like Facebook slaps us around with lies linked to our own posts and tailored to fix key words. Google tracks our browsing. Our own phones track us and Siri and Alexa are always listening. Software can create virtually any picture by piecing together scraps from other photos and we are stupid enough to believe every piece of crap fed to our eyes and ears.
We need to turn off. Just do it. Shut off from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM every day. Turn off the news and watch a show if you want to do TV. Read a book on paper. Ignore the bleating of these jackasses from the right and left that tell you what you want to hear. You’ll be better off for it.
I look at my 5-year-old grandson. He could care less as he plays, and when he’s with me, I have no choice but to turn off. For the hours that I’m with him, I’m the happiest because I’m just being alive without all this CNN/Fox News/Republican/Democrat crap. Give it a try for yourself.
With you on that, TRUTH. And how about the mess technology created in the Dems’ Iowa caucus?
Pittsfield doesn’t nearly have the infrastructure to support a relocated state government. State commuters get off the train on Columbus Ave. and go where? Picked up by whom? A dirty rainbow taxi that takes an hour to arrive? Fight for one of the five consistent Uber/Lyft cars in the area?
And to the BIC, it would be incredible if a Grand Opening spurred a little pre-event clean up. East Street is shit from Woodlawn to Elm. The potholes and surface deterioration is pathetic.
And how about those street lights? The stretch of road from Merrill to Silver Lake has about one good working streetlight. It’s always a treat to navigate the pitted roads in the darkness when driving by the BIC.
Speaking of streetlights, I’ve noticed the same lighting conditions on the stretch of Tyler from Pine/Cherry to Pleasure Ave. Is the level of darkness intentional, to shade the Hess Forest and the crumbling fire station?
It’s funny that the Streetlight Bulb Replacement program was touted during the campaign as a success story. Looks like they picked some crappy bulbs. Six months later and they’re either burned out or slowly dimming…
Wait a minute, what a perfect metaphor for the City of Pity.
My car was bumping along on so many horrendous pot holes yesterday. The roads are a disaster…worse than last year if that is possible. The elites driving their great big SUV’s with huge tires probably aren’t as bothered by the pot holes. Is that why nobody cares about the roads anymore because they figure the people that matter (highly paid school personnel and hospital workers) have big expensive vehicles that aren’t bothered by the huge holes? The lower income people are on their own when it comes to car damage from these disastrous roads?
Great job DPW
I don’t know if it is worse than last year. YET. But I guarantee it will be and then some. Seems like about 15-18 years ago road money was getting diverted or absconded, I don’t know which. So now we are left with a couple of hundred roads that are decomposing from beneath and will need total rebuilds. And this is what happens when the special interests tell the city fathers what to spend money on. And it is getting spent on things that benefit them while the infrastructure is going to hell. Most of them live out of town or on the outskirts of Pittsfield and could give a shit. So sad.
Seriously, why in Gods green earth would any sensible business want to locate in Pittsfield, Ma? The only ones heading in our direction for the last ten years are the ones the mayors offer a free ride. And not many of them.
The Casella operation in pownal vet. takes t v’s free.
Why doesn’t Trump fix your roads Pa.? I thought he was going to do infrastructure? Oh, I forgot he gave all the infrastructure money to his rich friends with his tax breaks.
Democrats and Republicans were about to propose a 2 trillion dollar bill for road improvement across the country until impeachment sidelined that issue. When our government is too busy wrangling over power, the needs of the people are forgotten. With such a terrible track record, the far left wants more government expansion which some foolish voters are only too willing to give them.
When it rains it pours.
Some Reid middle school students shared a video of another student performing a very disturbing sex act.
The video was not taken at the school but allegedly involved student(s) and an animal.
Report. Pigs are in nowadays. Take jaunt down North Street
Trump,highest approval rating yet! The only thing that will get him unelected will be S S. If your going to cut, cut disability lazees. Also,Iowa Democratic Caucas has Lev Parnas in the lead.
Sure don’t sound like the type of kids that would need a resource officer. I wonder if he/she was one of the honor students.
I heard the principal doesn’t have a clue.
There isn’t required reading at Reid for Animal Farm. I hope.
Changing the subject Dan. A sports hout out to the GreatChuck,Dan,was wondering if you knew the late Billy Gardner. Quite a gentleman and pretty good at hoops to. I knew him many moons ago, one of time he best.
Just doing a homework assignment for health / sex ed class.
Nothing to see here.
A horse wasn’t involved, was it?
Police Report,
If there’s anything there, please keep in mind these are kids. They have a long life ahead of them and much changes. If there is a video do all a favor, you included, and burn the damn thing.
Kids that need discipline.
There is a video, it’s been shown to students at school by other students. It’s an extremely unfortunate series of events. The principal and ppd are aware of what is going on.
Word is it involves a puppy
Apparently there is a video of an 8th grade student performing sexual acts with/on(?) an animal that was shared first with students and then brought to the attention of the police. The boy has been suspended from school.
If you ask me, a 14 year old knows right from wrong. You can’t just say “poor kid must have been abused” or something. There may be more to the story but when it comes down to it, some kids are just bad seeds. Sad, but true.
News flash!!! Another reason to sell the state property in Boston…global warming. The sea level is rising! The sea level is rising! One if by land, two if by sea… It’s a two!
Sell the Boston state assets and land to unsuspecting developers, take the cash. Invest it into Pittsfield/Berkshire County for state office buildings and infrastructure. Build a high speed train line from the east to the west. Add about three exits to the Mass Pike between exits 2 & 3. Let the prosperity begin.
Make Berkshire County Great Again!!! (MBCGA). Let the good times roll.
ROCKS
Funny post, dripping with irony and tacit criticism — well suited to our tastes.
Thanks Dan, but seriously, if these politicos come in, home prices will zoom up, I can sell my Berkshire estate for a big profit and move south to a red state. I can only pray that Charlie Baker will see the light.
Maybe Baker can also fund moving Fenway Park to higher ground…what about the Blandford plateau ???
This would make it safe for the future. It would also make it easier to get to a game for those so inclined. It’s all good I tell you.
The DNC is so corrupt. Not only are they screwing with the Iowa caucus results, but now they’ve changed the rules for the Vegas debate, allowing candidates to participate without any individual donor requirement – benefitting Bloomberg.
This is his ‘What’ve you got to lose’ Speech.
You heard em Fritz. Protect Social Security…
Our President said any sanctuary city that harbors individuals that commit crimes against a victim, the victim can sue theSanctuary City. To Madame Mayor and Representatives and State SenAtor. God bless Our President,we don’t want to get sued
Very nasty Nancy Pelosi tore up the President’s speech in full view of everyone right after the President’s address to the nation. His speech was awesome. Many people were crying with emotion and Nancy does that!!!! Unbelievable.
Nancy let the hate flow through you…….
Pelosi is senile, corrupt & arrogant. Her city of San Francisco is a disaster. She needs to retire.
Were you in tears? I turned it off.
It was a great speech. We agree. I don’t think it was the speech she tore up but her script for the announcements she had to make pre- and post-speech.
Interesting info came out this week that 4 (FOUR!) police officers suddenly resigned from the police force in December.
When will Chief Wynn be held accountable for the mismanagement of his department? When will the mayor be held accountable for not holding the chief accountable?
Overtime.
There are extremely odd things going on in the police department, but everyone is TIGHT LIPPED about it. The alleged daily newspaper should assign an investigative team to dig into it.