NEW COUNCIL, MAYOR EACH ACTING THEIR PARTS; IS THAT REASON TO HOPE or IS IT ANOTHER FALSE SPRING?
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY JAN. 24, 2024) — Two meetings in the new term of THE PLANET‘s Right Honorable Good Friends on the city council and three weeks into the new mayor’s baptism, at least the council’s acting like a council and the mayor is acting like a mayor.
Of, this being written prior to Meeting Two, any conclusions along those lines must be taken with a salt of grain. Whole is preferred.
The sample size, being too small to draw definitive conclusions, suggests one of two things: (1) the healthy separation shown by the two branches will be a regular feature going forward, providing a ray of hope for citizens OR (2) it’s simply (and sin-ply) the result of the newness, a tentativeness one can expect in the early phases of most any multifaceted joint venture. If (2), basing a judgment on both ancient and recent history, we can expect it not to end well for taxpayers but great for the Special Interests.
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THE PLANET does get tired in having to teach elementary civics to office holders.
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All things being equal, a mayor-council relationship implies cooperation with confrontation. If a city is lucky, that relationship portends a joint venture that sees and respects health in the strict separation of their respective powers. The alternative, feared by many after the November municipal election results, is an edict-issuing mayor (taking orders from his handlers) and a rubber-stamping council.
———- ooo ———-
Recently THE PLANET got into a “rousing discussion” with one of the key players, who asked us (paraphrasing), “If you have a ‘strict separation’ of powers, how the hell can anything get done?” This person argued that coziness between those on the dais and the occupant of the corner office “is good the for city.”
After we stifled a laugh and tied our brain behind our back just to even things up, we pointed out the cluelessness of the question by way of its major premise, i.e., that a separation of powers precludes progress. What nonsense. It betrays a shocking lack of fundamental knowledge on how government in our system of republicanism is supposed to function.
THE PLANET does get tired in having to teach elementary civics to office holders.
Nonetheless, we kept our patience, which we have in endless supply, and instructed our Right Honorable Good Friend that not only does separation help but it’s a necessary condition to administrative and governing vitality. Cooperative confrontation on the part of the legislative branch helps the executive sharpen their initiatives. It also tends to keep the executive from losing touch with citizens represented by the legislators.
It still surprises us that Civics 101 has now turned into a graduate-level seminar on Advanced Theory of Republicanism. Such are the times in which we live.
Hours after our rendezvous, our Right Honorable Good Friend contacted THE PLANET, realizing that everything we talked about was technically on the record. By the way, “technically” means it’s ON THE RECORD. Always. And it will be up to THE PLANET to use it or not.
She or He asked if that if we were going to write about it, could we leave names out of it. This time we did not stifle the laugh and happily agreed to the request. That’s the only way we know how to deal: Fair, square, and not from the bottom of the deck.
In closing, what happened, if anything, at the council meeting last night?
Is there still reason to be hopeful?
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“I had a gift to simplify things and reduce them to their essentials” — Adolph Hitler.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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The fundamental obligation of government is complete accountability to to the citizen. Corruption seeks to avoid any accountability. Power corrupts, and strict checks strictly check corruption.
Well stated, SIR CHAZ.
I would conclude that the red is little hope to be found if elected Americans speak like Soviet bureaucrats.
*there is (not ‘the red’)
Are you referring to executive order illegitimate Joe dictating bills illegally? Or his politically charged illegal persecution of his political rival? Or the Democrat sheep that have their heads stuck in the sand unable to see and witness how their party and their votes are destroying the greatest country that ever was formed?
SK: The degradation that happens in the large structure inevitably replicates itself in the small ones.
I refer to “If you have a ‘strict separation’ of powers, how the hell can anything get done?” The councilor, wishing not to be actually seen or known for his thoughts (‘please don’t tell anyone I said this’). He sounds like a Soviet bureaucrat making backroom deals and getting things done, but not for respect of professional ethics or public interest.
At the beginning of my term, I felt the Mayor’s presence at the Council to be both inappropriate and a distraction. This concern dogged me the entire two years. Everytime I proposed a challenge to the Mayor, the Council preferred I make it a personal request off the Council’s time. As a result, by the time the Mayor got her request to the Council, there was no mechanism to motivate the Council to debate and send her a revised option. It is an authoritarian approach to governance.
You raise a most interesting point. This is the COUNCIL’s meeting, not the mayor’s. The mayor is only there by invitation, same as the other members of the administration. There is a case to be made from keeping Administration members out of the meetings except by prior invitation.
As public petitioners, the may provide information, that is fine.
What is improper is to reject council deliberation of a Mayor’s petition and instead refer challenges off the body and make personal conversations out of them. Further, it is against council rules for a councilor to interact personally with a member of the public on the City Council when the motion is directed to the council.
so good to hear your thoughts.
Richard – I hope you are in good health. Have you discovered anything further regarding emailing councilors? For my part, I floated my concerns regarding digging in the Tyler Street GE site to the Ward 2 Councilor. No response. Not a great sign of energy.
I would assume that a new Councilor, new to Pittsfield and not living near GE who also has not introduced herself to any of her constituents, would want to study the PCB situation and would invite information from two prior councilors (one who no longer has a personal interest at that.)
No i still get blocked by Amuso and others.
I suppose that since email is a standard method of communication with councilors and you pay for their email account and laptop, and their email contacts and phone numbers are publicly posted on the City’s website that they are infringing on your right to petition them by blocking access.
Is it illegal to block access? This needs to be vetted.
I think, given the public presentation of the councilors’ contact, that they may not block them. Also, the email accounts are taxpayer funded.
Remember, the Democrat party isn’t trying to run from its dismal track record as much as it’s trying to conceal the fact that it’s all intentional.
There’s a need to show the American voting public that the struggles and travails they have experienced for the last three years were not an accident. They were the point.
Well said. The working class is intentionally being made to suffer by Joe Biden and his globalists for their agenda of making everyone dependent on the government and destroying the work ethic in this country.
Your posts are invariably festooned with flagrant lies and desperate disinformation. The DOJ is prosecuting Trump because he committed myriad felonies.
And, democrats did not storm the Capitol, threaten to hang the Vice President and interfere with the peaceful transfer of power. That’s how your crowd behaves. Like thugs.
The Democrat Junta looted the treasury to launder money in Ukraine.
Have an ongoing election fraud enterprise.
Have weaponized the Department of (IN)Justice and THE FIB, to persecute and silence (state sponsored censorship of the press and social media) political adversary’s (POTUS Trump, J6 Defendants, Christians, Veterans, Parents). Violating the 1st (freedoms of religion and speech) and 4th Amendments (due process, unlawful search/seizures).
Have allowed the invasion of America by MILLIONS Criminals,aided and abetted the same Criminals. This being a violation of both Federal Law and Sections 1 and 4 Article 4 of the US Constitution. This being a failure to protect the nations borders enumerated in Section 4.
“The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence.
The Democrats may be starting Civil War II, as Florida Oklahoma and Arkansas, have sent their own state National Guard troops to aid Texas, with putting down, the Democrat sponsored invasion of America. Other States may join them soon.
To clarify Article 1 Section 10 Clause 3.
Gov Abbott has invoked the clause, declaring the Biden Junta has failed to uphold Article 4 Section 4, and declared an invasion is in process.
I bet The Left Winged Parrot won’t cover this:
“Red State Alliance Grows: More Governors Stand with Texas in Standoff Against Biden Regime Over Escalating Border Crisis”
“In total, 14 states—Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Idaho, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming—have stepped up to support Texas’ efforts and deployed personnel and resources to secure the border in President Biden’s absence.”
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/01/developing-red-state-governors-stand-texas-against-lawless/
Biden Junta hates Americans and wants Civil War # 2
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/01/developing-red-state-governors-stand-texas-against-lawless/
“In a significant escalation of tensions over the U.S.-Mexico border policies, several Republican governors are uniting in support of Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s challenge against the Biden regime.”
“In total, 14 states—Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Idaho, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming—have stepped up to support Texas’ efforts and deployed personnel and resources to secure the border in President Biden’s absence.”
“democrats did not storm the Capitol, threaten to hang the Vice Presiden”
FWIW: there is evidence (not ‘proof’ which no longer is the burden of prosecution anyway) that they did.
I am wearing a mask, and washing my hands thoroughly each time I respond to you. Your infection is getting progressively worse judging by wordcount.
No, there is not.
Those who do not need proof are never concerned with evidence.
(rinse)
Status Quo
Can we take up a collection to buy Marchetti a neck tie? Wal-Mart has clipons on sale.
Maybe he’s boycotting Gillette because they’re a bunch of woke-a-holes. May I suggest either he man up and grow a pair, I mean a beard, or shave! And then cut the budget,biggly!
I was thinking coupon…to Jenny Craig.
Maybe Scambino Kerwood could give him a bow tie.
Or some Kufflinks.
My view of a good system of local government are politicians who understand that the people are the community’s most valuable resource. Why? The answer is that the people live, work, shop, pay taxes, invest in their property, and participate in Pittsfield politics. In return for people paying local taxes, the municipal government returns the favor by investing in people. It is supposed to be a two-way street. It is not supposed to be the special, vested and bureaucracy cashing in. It is not supposed to be Pittsfield politics increasing city spending by 10 percent this current fiscal year 2024. It is not supposed to be Pittsfield politics other name: RETRIBUTION!
Dan, so glad you referred to the person as she or he rather than “they”, The alphabet soup Nazi’s are ruining the Kings’ English with all this woke bs and personal pronoun non-sense. “They” need to get their heads out of their rectums and so does the electorate, before this country is ruined too!
have a nice weekend and don’t get shot in Shittsfield.
Their goal is to make language meaningless.
The post-modern guerrilla sees language as the core evil – the holy host of oppression. They have been waging war against Language, one word at a time, since before I stumbled into their midsts in the late 1980’s. What they want: meaning to be removed from words so that they can be assigned as needed where wanted.
For example: History/herstory. Amen and awoman.
Were any of these councilors backed financially by the special interests who actually brought up the idea for them to run in the first place? And if so, were they at that time read the riot act on how to behave, speak and vote while on the dais? And did media tools recently attempt to shame them publicly in order to steer them back in line with the special interest power structure? And if so, how will these councilors react to it? Will they crap in the face of the voters they begged to vote for them or do the job they took an oath to honor?
Keep in mind that most shit eventually floats to the top as we saw with the last council and leadership.
Unfortunately as I watched the council meeting last night I had a strong desire to find some mason jars stuff all my money in them and start digging holes in the backyard to hide my money. All the councilors seemed focused on spending money and not holding the administrations feet to the fire. Still trying to figure out how PHS and the city’s garage is important to the Long Island Sound. Not happy with you Dan because for a week I haven’t been able to get the Beatles song Taxman out of my head and this is how our government looks to me right now,,,take every workers hard earned money and spend it any way they want which is usually to the connected
Mayor Maypo asked to give him 90 days! Bullcrap.
He needs to answer as to why the Pittsfield Schools are closed today. Hill towns are on a delay. The side roads are supposedly icy. Why can’t our public works department deal with a bit of snow? When is Mayor Maypo going to finally realize Morales is not the man for the job? We also deserve answers to why the public works can’t handle plowing and sanding the Pittsfield roads, is it a lack of help, lack of training, lack of sand and salt or inept planning? If the public works can’t handle a couple of inches of snow what in the hell are they going to do if the city gets a foot of snow. Something in just not right with this scenario.
Have the Pittsfield Public Schools completed one solid week this school system? Explains why our school system ratings are in the toilet.
C’mon Maypo, it is time for change, Tyer is gone, who are you afraid of now?
We got less than 2 inches of snow and temperatures remain above freezing. What exactly is the hazard that prevented schools from opening at all. This is New England! What a joke this city is.
Ice. Imagine driving a giant bus on black ice and being responsible for everyone else’s kids. Marchetti doesn’t close schools, Curtis consults with Morales and the highway depts… they make the call
You also have assholes speeding down roads and hitting kids, not shoveling sidewalks/drivesways, etc.
Great, your shitty little prius made it to work. NOT the same
Why was every school district open for business but PSS
Mayor Peter Marchetti publicly said in an online WAMC radio interview by Josh Landes that he wants a 90 day grace period free from criticism, and that he is not a fan of social media outlets and blogs. Would someone please ask Mayor Peter Marchetti to please clarify his message to the people he works for in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Thank you.
Ninety days? Why did every question from this Clowncil end up with Maypo having the department head doing the answers. Clearly the same administration flunked out the last 8 years Maypo. It’s your turn again.
E Mail him and ask him what he means. After all he’s you’re cousin.
The guy looks like he just rolled out of bed every time i see him, complete mess. Psst Kavey, can’t you take him under your wing and clean him up maybe take him to shopping and to the barber.
Yea because, like, Kavey has a great hair cut, at least on the sides. High and tight as we said in the Marines.
The school personnel needed a shopping day. The weather wasn’t that bad for most of the day. A 2-hour delay would have been sufficient. Will they have tomorrow off too because there will be too much slush?
Why does the city buy sand and salt from an out of town contractor? Thought it had it’s own supply.
The concrete question is more nuts and bolts than that. Money trades hands, what is exchanged?
Accountability….
AZ RINO-Rat resigns amid attempts to bribe Kari Lake.
“……..A newly leaked audio recording proves that RINO Arizona GOP Chairman Jeff DeWit, an agent of the Uniparty, asked Kari Lake to “take a pause” and step aside from politics for two years while offering her a job on behalf of people “from back East.”
However, Kari Lake retorted, “They’re going to have to f*cking kill me to stop me.”
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/01/jeff-dewitt-resigns-as-arizona-republican-party-chair/
https://rumble.com/v492pi0-kari-lake-goes-live-arizona-bribery-scandal.html
Live feed 8 PM EST
Kari Lake on bribery scandal and corruption in DC
What a city. What a mess.
Kari Lake and Matt Thayer are fighters…
https://x22report.com/aiovg_videos/matt-thayer-election-rigging-is-unraveling-the-more-the-people-learn-the-worse-it-gets-for-the-ds/
I meant to post this link which is an interview with former intelligence officer Abe Hamedeh and ran for office in AZ.
https://x22report.com/aiovg_videos/abe-hamadeh-a-black-swan-event-is-headed-our-way-its-time-expose-the-election-rigging-system/
Kindergarden, what do your “sources” say about this?
Or do you have “your ear to the grindstone?”
Either way, care to comment?
If AZ had a tough Gov/AG like TX does, I’d charge him with bribery of a public servant, a felony in AZ, to flush out the “powerful people back east.”
My bet, Killary and “he likes them young,” pedo-Bill Clinton w/Gates/Soros backing.
Wimpy white guys don’t fair well in prison, especially an AZ prison.
Drain the swamp!!
That’s why the uniparty fixed the 2022 election in AZ, and installed just like toilets, the Gov and AG.
Not sure what you’re asking about, Markus.
Stupid or just playing dumb?
Isn’t the story the deep corruption in the AZ GOP party? That talks about the uniparty that you cite.
There is just one party now. And they don’t care about Americans.
If you buck the narrative/plan you are ostrichised
Bankrupted and jailed.
Republican Niki Haley said Don Trump was not mentally stable .We know Niki,we know.MAGA does not know.Trump was beside himself .He thought Niki Haley was the speaker of the house.He also said they lied about the insurrection crown size.And he said he was running against Barrack Obama and he offered Nikki Haley troops to defend the Capital. Niki is right,Trump is mentally done
Cuckoo, cuckoo,cuckoo…….TSC’s clock is ringing again
Concerning Haley’s recent loss in NH primary, a national news headline:
” Reid Hoffman pulls out of Nikki Haley after NH pounding”
You can’t make this stuff up! ROFL!!!
God save the queen. JB
Pete is hurting the poor elderly in their last decade as he bankrupts Pittsfield.When Pittsfield dies so does the other 80k resident’s of the Berkshires. We need to cut 20 million from the budget over 5 years.
Interesting listening to recent council meeting. A taxpayer talked about the impact on the financially vulnerable taxpayer.
He had zero impact on the councilors. Especially after EHS radiation washed away his words
These Councilors are out of reach. Costa, for example, can see no further than employees consuming taxpayers’ funds. You are a distant blur. “My focus, are the specialists working for you getting their fair share of the grant? This ALL I care about!” What do the people in Morningside get for the Grant? She can’t see them.
Conversation about affordable housing the same thing. “KUDOS for coordinating with tenants to make this change.” A few more units helps, true, but the taxpayer shall subsidize, and the developer gets richer. Does he see who is footing the bill?
That is what happens when reps from publicly funded orgs and entrenched pols replace the taxpayer and citizen in government. They do not see you, and they have no one to provide accountabilty.
Excellent comments, SIR CHAZ. Your unique perspective gives you and your comments gravitas. Anyone who works for social services, which means they are publicly funded, has a built-in conflict of interest, making every vote a rigged one against The Kapanskis.
Costa stated about the $400,000 Shannon Grant, paraphrased: ‘what matters is not what ultimately happens to neighborhoods. I want that everyone working for 18 Degree (the private beneficiary of tax dollars) to be wealthy enough to buy a house in Pittsfield.’*
The beneficiary of the Grant is not the taxpayer, the tenant, a person. It’s the organization hiring people to spend the money. And that is where their interests end.
*Precisely – that those doing this important work are able to live in Pittsfield. Pittsfield, being the low rent housing for Berkshire County, unless I missed some great deals in Lenox, is the only remotely affordable region save North Adams. She must, therefore, refer to purchasing. The American Dream of owning a homestead is reserved for government workers.
Someone suggested the nickname Mama Cass for Costa. Pretty good. I like “Costa Plenty.” She’s going to spend for the Special Interests and screw taxpayers.
Right on Dan
Speaking on behalf of neighbors throughout Ward 2, irritating many at that, was the greatest honor. I strongly encourage others to weather the storm, take the knocks, and step into the ring.
For every one who abuses you, there will be ten who support you.
Watch for yourself: https://pittsfieldtv.org/program/?id=50181
Item 310. 16min 45 sec
20 million off next budget!!!!
Pittsfield has a population of 43,208
Westfield has a population of 40,200
Pittsfield’s last budget was 205.6M
Westfield last budget was 171.2M
The difference 3,008 people & 34.4M
Pittsfield has a spending problem that needs to be brought under control
he wants you stop your bitching
At no point yesterday was salt needed. How much did that cost ?
True, Pittsfield definitely has a spending problem. They don’t like change, lost a few thousand students the last 30 years, still have 12 schools. Lost 20,000 residents from back in the GE hay days, still have 5 fire stations. Have the second highest commercial tax rate in the State. Lower that rate and stop giving tax breaks to every new business or project that comes down the pike.
Pittsfield has a special interest problem. The problem is that THEY seem to run the city from behind the curtain. If you listen to them most of Pittsfield’s city government seem to be shadow lobbyists for special interests. Their actions seem counter to what citizens need, want or can afford. Some of the media reflect similarly. Not really any secret.
Get out while you can. Your taxes are NEVER going down. It is very unlikely they will ever raise less than 5% per year going forward and the trend is edging closer to ten percent isn’t it? If you can do the math you realize that this is crippling your own budget, taking money away from your ability to take vacations, fund your child’s college or make needed home improvements.
Marchetti says he cannot find anything to cut without taking it from necessary services. But he sure is finding things to spend money on isn’t he? Does this paper tiger have any real say as to what happens in Pittsfield? I don’t think so.
Make a plan to leave and follow up. Teachers, police and even postal workers are bailing. And they have the inside info to make such decisions. Consider why they are doing it and try to see what they are seeing.
SNARK
You nailed it. Bitchfield has now suffered a complete and hostile takeover by the Special Interests, and ordinary citizens (taxpayers … what’s left of the middle class) are going to suffer like never before. The only solution? Wait until they are all in the same meeting, then use the time machine bring back The Mad Bomber from the early 20th century.
Similar figures for Fitchburg.
I’m curious which statue you, H.L. MAP and other democRATS, will be erecting in Park Square to celebrate pedophilia? Conrad Mainwaring or Brian Hohman?
MN has a statue of a drug addict, ex-felon, Bitchfield has got to keep up with the Joneses.
My money is with Conrad Mainwaring, simply because he is black.
In keeping with Bill Clinton, “he likes them young,” and Joe Xiden, “showering with my dad (probably wrong),” and their unhealthy and illegal sexual appetite for children, the Berkshires has a couple of card carry pedo-democRATS:
https://www.berkshireeagle.com/crime/former-olympian-conrad-mainwaring-expected-to-change-plea-sexual-assault-case-camp-greylock/article_332162dc-baf3-11ee-b5b5-1f4f7fb361ba.html
https://www.berkshireeagle.com/crime/sandisfield-sex-offender-pleaded-guilty-to-federal-charges/article_6132a3bc-baf7-11ee-a82b-6f8e2affa8f4.html
Another accident at Ricardo Dina corridor on west street today. Where’s the concern? Does it take another deathbed?
Ideas for Vitchfield.
seniors 65 and up property tax relief
council members eliminated from boards like license board
polkce foot patrols like Saratoga ny community engagement officers
drug offenders registry (dealers:
road maintenance dedicated watch for dangerous roadways current condition of cascade st. and Churchill an example
If you are a pedophile/groomer, it qualifies you for a position as a Democrat, in the “woke” twisted world.
Is there hope he asked I would like to say yes but after seeing what goes on in Pittsfield all these years don’t think things will change.
Latest news is, 25 states/Governors are backing Abbott/Texas. And sending support.
Ready for Civil War two thanks to Biden and the Left/Deep State?
No,No you are so wrong Biden is a unifier not a divider…haven’t you read the NYT with all the lies fit to print?
Biden may be walking into his impeachment actually. The larger body of liquid democrat agents under the thin ice of leadership are threatening to flip the layers. Dems are against open borders, it is a fatal campaign issue. Impeaching Biden in the Senate would clean the slate for the D party. The hearings of Mayorkas will be something to watch.