AGENDA ITEM 12 IS HUGE!! … ARMED ROBBERY AT THE BEACON … QUIK HITZ & HOT LIX: NO REPLY … WHASSUP WITH THE SALT? … SCREWED BY BIDEN, AGAIN … TESTS RETURN TO YALE … ILLEGALS’ FREE RIDE
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
ADD 1, 2/26, p.m. — Charles Kronick, better known as the gallant SIR CHAZ, posted this from his white steed in the comments section:
City Council Agenda Item 12: requesting $48,900 ($50,000!) payment on bills for services rendered 3/2023. !2 months late, they want $50K and as usual, the petition has no invoices, ledger reports, or bank records attached.
This requests suggests a full audit of the DPW. Red flag.
THE PLANET draws your attention to it, and to place Agenda Item 12 on YOUR agenda for tomorrow night (Tuesday) when our Right Honorable Good Friends on the city council meet. Pay close attention to which councilor, if any, asks questions of the Administration about how a $50 grand bill can disappear and not be paid on time. Note as well the kinds of question they will ask of the mayor, the finance director, the head of DPW, and anyone else involved. What’s the paper trail of this invoice? Where does the blame lie? Is there any indication of wrongdoing? Will the city use this situation to drive improvement? Or will it be business as usual: “Nothing to see here, folks, now run along. We’ve got it covered.”
SIR CHAZ added later:
AGENDA ITEM 12. Take no excuses!
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Add 2, 2/26, p.m. — Now playing at the Beacon Cinema, You Money or Your Life. We share this from the Pittsfield Police Department.
On Friday, February 23, 2024 at approx. 10:18 PM, the Pittsfield Police Department responded to a reported armed robbery at the Beacon Cinema, located at 57 North St. Pittsfield. A male party claimed to have a weapon and demanded money from a member of the Beacon staff. After receiving the money, the perpetrator fled the scene.
Due to the initial reports along with witness information, officers were able to obtain a description of the suspect and a direction of travel in which he fled following the incident.
A short time later, officers came upon a person matching the description at the corner of Francis Ave. and Bradford St. This party, Kyle Richard Wibur, age 32, was subsequently identified as the perpetrator by the victim. No weapon was discovered on his person. Wilbur was charged with Armed Robbery (MGL C. 265, S.17), placed under arrest and transported to the Pittsfield Police Department. An amount of cash was recovered off Wilbur and seized as evidence.
On Monday, February 26th, Mr. Wilbur was brought to the Pittsfield District Court where he was arraigned on the above listed charge.
Great work by the PPD in nabbing the Wilbur, who apparently wanted more than butter on his popcorn.
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(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY FEB. 26, 2024) — One concerning pattern has emerged with the new mayor and council: their reluctance to get back to citizens who take the trouble to contact them. You know the drill, when the phone doesn’t ring, it’s an official not getting back to you.
Case in point.
THE PLANET recently received numerous complaints about how the city of Bitchfield heavily salted roads during the recent “snow storm,” a “disaster of maybe 1/10 of an inch that melted by afternoon. Along with that came word from other residents who saw plows scraping the road for sparks. Several had sent message or called their councilors but reported that the messages were not returned.
A comment on THE PLANET Friday summed it up nicely:
Who ordered salt to be put down?how much did that cost the city? I didn’t even shovel my driveway and the snow is gone. Someone needs to be held accountable.
My neighbor took it into his own hands today(snowball) with a perfect bullseye at the plow truck
THE PLANET decided to intervene, just for curiosity and on the slim chance we might draw a response. We contacted the mayor, all 11 councilors, and the DPW chief. On Wednesday, we shall let you know who deigned with a response and who didn’t. To date, we have received two replies. Wanna guess who?
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Voila! Biden Screws Honest, Responsible Folks
(From The National Review): President Biden announced that 153,000 more borrowers would have their student loans “canceled” by his administration—which, in practice, means paid by the people who didn’t take them out and spend them. In January, Biden “canceled” 74,000 loans. Together, these moves cost $5 billion and brought the total expense of Biden’s program to more than $130 billion. By the time he is finished, the president will have spent $475 billion. Never in the history of buying votes have so many been so fleeced for so few. As policy, the initiative is a disaster. The administration has made no effort to reduce the cost of college; it has proposed no changes to the way higher education works; and it has done nothing to alter the funding mechanisms for anyone beyond the current tranche of debtors. By now, it ought to be clear that the “opportunity” Biden speaks of is the opportunity to shore up his political base in an election year. And boy does he intend to take it.
Standardizing Standardization
Yale University announced that it would return to requiring standardized-test scores for all applicants. Following the lead of Dartmouth College, which earlier this month announced its reinstatement of a standardized-testing requirement, Yale explained that “among all application components, test scores are the single greatest predictor of a student’s future Yale grades.” Children without connections, consultants, or access to numerous extracurricular opportunities often have no other way of distinguishing themselves on their applications. Congratulations to Yale for taking a critical step back toward sanity.
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Free Ride
Bitchfield has illegals living large on the Kapanski dime at the hotel-cum-flophouse behind Guido’s, whose workers and management doesn’t like it one bit, as it has led to loitering, pan handling, and what we might call a “scare factor” that Guido’s customers risk when shopping there. Business is down noticeably.
Under the Healey Administration, The Kapanskis are dishing out the money to these unvetted, undocumented criminals for housing, healthcare, transportation, education, phone, and a per diem for meals of $64 a day. We ask you, the taxpayer, how much does the government give you each day to eat or to spend on drugs, lottery tickets, and cigarettes? The freebies even include Class B controlled substances. Free, free, free.
Add the new “houseless” facility downtown on Fenn Street catty-corner to City Hall along with the plethora of social agencies and criminal justice locations, and you have a vibrant, dynamic, “openly gay” city and downtown.
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“Who buys a moment’s mirth to wail a week?” — William Shakespeare, from The Rape of Lucrece.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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On Monday, 2/26/2024, Pittsfield’s Pot King “Luciforo” turns “666”-0 years old. Nuciforo’s marijuana company’s lawsuit versus the City of Pittsfield is claiming that the city government owes him $440,000 in past HCAs fees plus unspecified damages. Maybe “Luciforo” will end up winning a sum total of $666,666? As Nuciforo is playing the victim card here, we should all sign his birthday – victim – card and wish him a Happy Birthday.
Poor 60-year-old Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior. He has made millions of dollars off his stinky marijuana company called “Berkshire Roots”, but nonetheless, he is playing the victim card by suing the city government. I hope he loses his lawsuit because he is a stinky old fart.
On the night of “Luciforo’s” 60th birthday, Pittsfield City Councilor Alisa Costa is holding her first constituent meeting at Living in Recovery off of McKay Street at 7:00 pm on Monday, February 26th, 2024. What if one of her constituents asks her about his addiction to marijuana, and if it is O.K. that Nuciforo is profiting off of being a drug dealer of pot products?
https://www.wamc.org/news/2024-02-23/pittsfield-city-councilor-costa-to-launch-new-series-of-constituent-meetings-monday
Jon Melle
Who are the actual parties to the lawsuit? Names, in other words. And, if the city failed to perform on it’s action plan, then surely there is merit to the complaint.
When the foolish decision to open the doors to commercial pot was cast, the people voted to blend both the commercial pot interests with political connections. They both shared a pursuit of money, but were they up to the task of navigating the laws that govern taxes, fees, and mitigation?
Forgive them this time. Bad laws, such as legalizing commercial pot and uncontrolled consumption, rightfully invites incompetence. There should be a theory that proposes one simply cannot competently administer a bad idea. Stockbridge did no better than Pittsfield; those townspeople now discover that they have a new neighbor, “Wise Ass Farms”. The brainy bunch down there thought it was progressive and cool to open the doors. To add to the silliness, their Town leaders spoke to Pittsfield leaders for advice.
Forgive them less for not following common sense and driving up to Berkshire Roots proper to sample the air for themselves. They are hiring the consultant that Berkshire Roots employs to review its stench mediation technology. BR got it down to clear air 9 – 5 (inspector hours) and heavy skunk after hours. They better nip that in the bud, or when the tax revenues flow in, they won’t find an inspector or politician to detect so much as a whiff of pollen.
If the government is involved, it’s screwed up.
They screwed up booze, they screwed up opiates,………
What is the solution to opiates? Ban them at home and take the fight to the enemy. I believe an argument can be made for declaration of war on importing nations beginning with complete international isolation.
A “foolish decision” indeed, Mr. Kronick. Reminds me of a developer wanting to build almost anything here, it’s a deal so good that they need money and 10 years of tax breaks that the City is more than happy to provide while raising your taxes to pay for it.
Have you ever thought of meeting up with Andy and talking things out? Maybe you two could smoke some of his top-shelf product and find out you’re very similar to him.
I did try to warn you about calling him a hunky lovebug way back when. Much different times then Jonathan. Reach out to Andy but be a gentleman about it. Not over the top with cute names.
Excellent suggestion, ES. In fact, THE PLANET would be willing to serve as a mediator.
Don’t forget to bring the lube. Jon might get frisky when he’s loaded
JM,
You should come down to the meeting at the Living in Recovery and bring up and discuss your addiction to Andy before you finally over dose.
if you want to meet Costa plenty read this from Josh Landes;
A Pittsfield, Massachusetts city councilor is starting her first term with a new series of constituent meetings.Former community organizer Alisa Costa won a two-year term for one of four at-large seats on the eleven-member council in November.
“After meeting with lots of people during my campaign, sometimes there’s this us versus them feeling about government, and I really wanted to change that,” Costa told WAMC. “So, this is not your typical government meeting where we’ll be up on a stage or behind a podium talking. This is going to be an informal setup around the fireplace at Living in Recovery to get to know government a little bit better, hear people’s ideas, and really build that relationship.”
Living in Recovery, a peer-led group for community members grappling with substance misuse issues, moved into its new long-term headquarters in downtown Pittsfield in late 2023.
“What’s always important to me is that I’m not the one driving the conversation, I’m here to listen,” Costa continued. “So, I did reach out to Living in Recovery to host, but I asked them who in the city they wanted to get to know better- And they chose the Department of Community Development and Parks and Recreation.”
Community Development Director Justine Dodds and Recreation and Special Events Coordinator Maddie Brown will be at the meeting to represent the city of Pittsfield.
“They’ll be talking about all the recreation opportunities and things to do within the city, they’ll be answering questions from folks about how to interact with them, and also helping people understand on a broader level how that department works, what they do, and how they can serve the community better,” explained the councilor. “They might also be sharing upcoming job opportunities that the Community Development and Parks and Recreation offer.”
Costa’s event on Monday is just the beginning of her constituent meeting program.
“I’ll be hosting these meetings monthly on the last Monday of the month,” she said. “Most of them will be in the evenings, and they’ll be in a variety of settings that are still to be determined, either at local nonprofits or local businesses, to welcome people into different spaces across the city and be accessible to and welcoming to a variety of people. And the goal is to just have conversations, answer questions, and build that relationship. I think, for me, and what I said during the campaign, is government is a conversation. It has to go two ways. We have to listen. And building that relationship, I hope, will help people feel like they belong in Pittsfield and there are opportunities to get involved, and also ways to make our community better.”
Between 2017 and 2021, Costa worked as the initiative director for Berkshire Bridges Working Cities, which describes itself as a resident-driven program aimed at expanding economy opportunity for low-income community members.
Costa says she expects community feedback – from hosts and participants alike – will shape how the series operates as it continues.
“For me success is steady engagement, having a decent number of people there, at least 10 people there each time, and actually accomplishing what residents asked us to do,” she told WAMC. “So, if they have an idea, it’s really important to me to follow through and make that happen, so they know they can go to government and things can change. If we don’t respond, then they’re not going to come back.”
Costa’s first constituent meeting is at Living in Recovery off of McKay Street at 7 p.m. Monday
When meeting with all these people during her campaign run did any of them mention high taxes? I am guessing they did but it sounds like her focus will be looking for ways to spend even more money, not less.
Same old same old typical bought and paid for councilor.
Alisa Costa-Plenty.
No way Costa Plenty wants to bring up lowering taxes or even hear about it.She thinks there is Good & Plenty of endless taxpayers $ for her socialist agenda available.
I am glad that Ms Costa is going to meet with her constituents my only issue is why are we just hearing about tonights meeting the morning of the event. Personally I already have a commitment but I would love to ask her what area of the budget does she plan to cut so the taxpayer sees some relief?
It was on Facebook for several days. I thought there was a Zoom option but I couldn’t find a link.
Don’t have Facebook but I do check the city’s website which I think would be the right place to look for information regarding meetings with government officials. Thanks for the information though
Paper towels!
But not the toilet paper!!
I hear the mayor is proud to be as queer as a $43,000 bill!
He’s been know take his boat on Onota lake , grab his rod and commit a piscatorial act
Has anyone investigated the rise of the cost of college? Maybe it started when the government started to guarantee loans to students so they could attend higher education. Since that point in time colleges started to raise prices and start building newer buildings on their campuses which cost money to run but makes them look more appealing to the dumb consumer. Why do I and my family have to pay for others poor decisions? I paid off and my kids paid off all their student loans. It was a struggle but it was a contract that we signed understanding we would have to pay the money back. Does anyone in todays society take responsibility for their decisions? Or are we already in the communist nanny state where people can’t be responsible and they need the government to tell them how to live and what to do
Those costs are obscene.
They should pay off the loans by serving in the military.
DAN- A QUESTION If a person files a sexual harassment suit against an “openly gay” mayoral candidate that the BEagle is supporting they might find their picture on the front page of the paper, victim shaming. But others get arrested for doing crimes like stabbing, shootings, assault and battery, drug dealing or robbing the Beacon Theater and a mug shot is never made public. How or why is that?
CRAB
It sounds like a rhetorical query, one to which you know the answer. There are two sets of rules. One set for the “ins” and the other for the “outs.” So it depends on whether or not you are a member of one of the “protected classes.” Also helps if you “check the right boxes.”
Crab, my guess would be the “DIE philosophy.” This should help further explain it:
D-Diversity *Means fewer white people.
I-Inclusion *Means exclusion of white people.
E-Equity *Means stealing from white people.
D means doofus
I means ignorant
E means emptyhead
The picture was likely meant to intimidate. With media help they probably hope to get her to drop her lawsuit.
They can play dirty when one of their own is threatened.
City Council Agenda Item 12: requesting $48,900 ($50,000!) payment on bills for services rendered 3/2023. !2 months late, they want $50K and as usual, the petition has no invoices, ledger reports, or bank records attached.
This requests suggests a full audit of the DPW. Red flag.
They need to start with a full audit of all business with that vendor. How many contracts and the history of payments. Get to understand how the DPW conducts business would be the first thing to learn.
The first two targets of audit should be the ARPA free-for-some and the DPW. Both were/are crooked. An honest look at the books would probably result in criminal charges, all things being equal (which we know are not).
They were about to save 3 million dollars on the snow plow budget but did not want the line item low budgeted next year so they are sending plows out to give them some exercise. Problem is that it just tears up the pot holes unnecessarily. Can’t fix stupid.
Thing is: it’s unnecessary. It is traditional for department managers to burn all the paper and pens, order hundreds of thousands of staples and paperclips before year end to keep their offices funded. But DPW has a blank check. The mayor can ask CC for $20 million for salt and get it. All needed is say: “Let’s upgrade the salt quality and buy new vehicles. We can’t predict the weather!”
SIR CHAZ
Thanks for pointing this out. Yes, a request to pay an overdue bill of 50Gs, without a stich of paperwork. The Kapanskis are forced to take everyone’s word for it being on the level. Let see on Tuesday night of the council “dares” to press this issue.
Can’t wait to see Morales and Kerwood mumble and bumble through this one.
Yes. It will rival SCTV, Monty Python’s Flying Circus, and Uncle Floyd for hilarity.
You’ve already seen it. IT’ll be no different. Only quicker. It requires in order of preference: Referral to Finance, Table, Charter Objection.
The system is based on a series of unwritten rules… “You don’t out me, and I will not out you… and that will
protect us both.”
Was there a consultant clause in the arpa co mangers contract?
Good Q., DUN. The public doesn’t know, because that contract has never seen the light of day.
AOC was recently holding a meeting and several people in the crowd were yelling about the illegals being given priority over Americans. It’s true, but AOC had no interest in listening. These people voted me in she said and they care about bringing the illegals into this country. Some in the crowd started chanting “AOC” to show their solidarity with her because far left voters are electing people like AOC. Here in Massachusetts many people are being kicked off of MassHealth so they can give more financial aid to illegals and no interest was shown in our housing crisis until the illegals started pouring in. The far left thought they could keep the majority of the illegals down south and the northeast wouldn’t have a problem with the invasion. Governor Abbott changed all that when he started busing them out of Texas because before that the far left kept calling Texans a bunch of racists for complaining about the invasion until they got a taste of their own medicine here in the northeast.
Another contrary political agenda.They legalize gaming and dope. They have Info-Mercials about problem gambling but nothing about smoking to much dope, let alone driving while toking,like Alchohol,at least not on pctv or other media outlets.
Stop looking up people asses Mass. legislatures or don’t vote to make this crap happen.
The government wants all your hard earned money and will get it from any vice you may have. They will be jacking up taxes on cars, going out to eat, sleeping, etc. If they can’t get it through taxes they get through your gaming activities….The house never loses remember that
The irony of it. A good year for a pot seller is a bad year for someone’s family. Forget about the fact that pot is a scavenger for lead and heavy metals. Consumers are better off with tobacco, but no billboards present.
When lawsuits for lead poisoning, lung cancer come forth 15 years from now, should the State Cannabis Commission be a party?
The cars that the Barrington stage and Colonial get to drive come from any monies the taxpayer subsidize?
A couple three have been pulled over in the last year or so,in the early morning hours.
I saw a clip last night showing an illegal holding up his child who was just born on US soil saying he came here to vacation and not work.He held the child up high in to the camera and said, “ This is my gold mine” because now I get everything I want and need. Disgusting that this is going on while our own American citizens such as vets, homeless,etc.. could use that money to make life a little better for themselves.
RE: ADDS: Absolutely, take no excuses. Needs to be seen: vendor statement of activity, correspondence, invoicing.
“I misplaced it” translate to “No comment.”
Yes. DPW commish said in his brief transmittal letter that due to “administrative” error the bill for $50Gs was “misplaced.” Something’s not right there. On the surface of it, grounds for dismissal. Won’t happen, though.
I would also ask about the late fees. No vendor can let $50K go 12 months without recovering lost use.
Perhaps the vendor might contact Dan and tell his version of the story.
Perhaps not. But an interesting story nevertheless. Not one the Eagle would be interested in though.
Good suggestion, SAG. THE PLANET would be most receptive.
He’s on thin ice with the new administration. While Marchetti is giving him leeway to get his shit together, I see no reason for Pete keeping him on if things continue the way they are. Linda has ZERO oversight and basically hid as much as possible
It’s still a federal felony to aid and abet CRIMINAL ALIENS.
What is the chance of Merrick Garland doing his job instead of being a political stooge?
A few dozen politicians arrested and this criminal enterprise would cease.
The are also fed by Jaes and most dont eat because it does a number on there stomachs and make them sick. The other hotel is the one behind cvs in Gtb. There the Market places is feeding them. They get gift cards and bus passes also
Biden on Day One opened the borders that Trump effectively secured. Three+ years later, it is on the verge of whelming the country. If Biden is re-elected (or any other prisoner of The Left), it is the end of America.
Pretty much the whole of Congress has abdicated their oath to the US Constitution and should be removed, some for treason and those tried and punished. That would include the entire mASSachsetts delegation (voting D-Rat this fall liberals?).
The state government is worse. They bused Covid+ bums to the Berkshires under the ruse of a medical pandemic. They are still here harassing motorists on nearly every intersection and defiling public places which include most parks and even the city library.
On recent visit to the library in PITTSfield, I was shocked by the number of bums using it as a flop house. They come inside to sleep and/or pass out; maybe they could replace some book shelves with bunk beds? I would be concerned bringing children in there.
I witnessed an incident at the “Anthenaeum” where a group of the bums rushed into the Men’s room. Apparently one of them was overdosing, and they were filling him up with NARCAN while waiting for the PPD and ambulance to arrive. This is Governor Healey’s and Democrats new liberal/leftist utopia.
As an encore, corrupt Gov Healey is bussing and funding an invasion of CRIMINAL ALIENS to “the (once) beautiful Berkshires”. Go to any supermarket or store and they are filling their carts with goods paid for by US taxpaying CITIZENS, while living in style at expensive hotel rooms.
As a reminder, when Gov DeSantis flew some of these same criminals to woke and inclusive “Migrants”, er Martha’s Vineyard. The rich affluent leftists residents, were up in arms!!! Goobbernator Healey promptly came to their rescue, with ,The mASSachusetts National Guard and deported them!!! Well sort of, she just hid the undesirables about the rest of mASSachusetts. You might see some at the Walmart on Hubbard Ave.
I have no hope in the ballot box after the last two Sellections.
They have not fixed the mail-in/early voting farce nor the manipulated voting machines.
So, they are not even using the hotel’s kitchen?
Some places get $64 EACH meal, delivered meals.
You are paying for it.
Not anymore, MT.
To change the subject CHP community health program is run and dictated worse then BMC. All these companies with joke board of directors, over the top pay for Ceo, Cfo, Coo, Senior this Senior that every where you turn. You take your complaints up the chain of command with witnessed, documented incidents against 2-3 people high up in the company and guess what you are the one that loses your employment and offered a low deal not to talk. Bmc as you know hates the press. Just maybe The Planet should do some digging. The fish smell is bad.
BMC may be local medias largest advertiser
And Berkshire Money Management. Those two companies are in effect running the newspaper.
I just listened to “Up on Taconic” on WTBR. Once again, the guests were from the “LGBTQ / Straight Alliance”, an after school group “facilitated” by (presumably homosexual) teachers where 9th graders and up can meet and learn all about the wonderful gay and transgender lifestyle, and plan “drag” events. Do the parents sending their kids to Taconic know about this?
More “openly gay” B.S.
Whatcha got against drag queens. Stop gaslighting.
They don’t belong at “story time” for young children.
Nothing, why don’t they do their thing anywhere but schools?
one Bitchfield.
Off Subject, somewhat, but still a failure of Bitchfield’s crappy administration!
It was a beautiful day and now a beautiful crisp evening with stars in the sky. But as taxpayers in the Allendale area step outside we are totally blasted with pot stench from Jon Mele’s enemy’s Nuciforo’s pot farm building on Dalton Avenue. Why in surrounding towns this stench is NOT allowed but the Mayor, City Councilors and Health Department just close their eyes and noses to this stench? It’s bad enough that residents of Allendale are having to deal with a huge pile of PCB’s behind Allendale School, now we can’t even take in a breath of fresh air. Our Ward deserves some answers!
Nuciforo owns multiple properties that he rents out in both Pittsfield and Boston. Nuciforo’s mansion home in Pittsfield is 0.3 miles from former Mayor Linda Tyer’s mansion home in Pittsfield’s elitist Gated Community west of Berkshire Community College. Nuciforo does not live near his pot growing building on Dalton Avenue. Nuciforo also has a residence in Boston, as well as a law office in Boston’s Financial District. Nuciforo is suing the City of Pittsfield over his marijuana company’s $440,000 in HCAs payments from years ago, along with unspecified damages.
I agree with “Merry& Bright” that your Ward in Pittsfield deserves some answers about Nuciforo’s Pittsfield Pot Kingdom from Mayor Peter Marchetti, City Councilors and the Health Department. It seems like everyone but me – Jon Melle – is afraid of Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior, whom I believe belongs in prison for being a corrupt disgraced former politician, unethical lawyer, and a stinky marijuana businessman.
Jon Melle
And is this venture getting tax breaks from the city? Are taxpayers subsidizing this private mega business along with so many other super wealthy politically connected business s?
And if so would anyone ever disclose such a thing? Does the mayor ever talk about all the business s in Pittsfield that get tax breaks which Johnny paycheck then needs to make up for?
Perhaps the next time he and White are sliding down the hill at Clapp Park on a piece of cardboard they can make up a list of these parasitic enterprises and share it with the public? NO? You say no, he cannot or will not do that?
Oh, OK. I understand. They might be too embarrassed and not want their customers to know how utterly greedy they are. No prob. Let us not discuss it then.
One bitchfield.
February 26, 2024
Hello Erin Leahy at Act on Mass,
I read your latest “Saturday Scoop” political email whereby you pointed out that Governor Maura Healey cut $375 million in state funding to social services and other programs throughout the very economically unequal commonwealth, and that Healey won’t raise state taxes, while Healey included her proposal for an online lottery in her proposed fiscal year 2025 Massachusetts State Budget bill.
You asked: Why would Beacon Hill rather raise new revenue from working class people and put vulnerable adolescents at risk of gambling addiction than by taxing wealthy people and corporations?
Answer: To illustrate why the fictional Massachusetts State Representative Sellout Shakedown and greedy lobbyist Dan Bosley support (voluntary) regressive taxation schemes such as the state lottery SCAM is MONEY!
The financial, corporate and ruling elites in Boston all make a lot of MONEY from exploiting the underclass residents of Massachusetts. Most low- to moderate-income residents who play the state lottery and pay other forms of (voluntary) regressive taxes to the state are financially illiterate. It goes over the poor peoples’ heads that the lottery is a means for greed-ball Dan Bosley to lobby State Rep. Sellout Shakedown for millions of dollars – collectively billions of dollars per fiscal year – in state tax breaks for Boston area big businesses that do not exist in many areas of the commonwealth.
Unlike the Harvard University educated Attorney Governor Maura Healey, I – Jon Melle – grew up in Pittsfield (Mass.), which is full of social services agencies and sells thousands of lottery tickets everyday. While I have a Master of Public Administration degree from UMass Amherst (May, 1999), I – Jon Melle – have spent the entirety of my a little over 48.5-year-old adult life as a no, low and moderate income man. In graduate school, I studied the state government in Boston, only to have been thrown off of the cliff by the corrupt and greedy political insiders from Pittsfield to Boston.
Governor Maura Healey’s financial policies are inequitable and do a DISSERVICES to the PITTSFIELD’s and otherwise uneducated Jon Melle’s of Massachusetts. But if you are a member of the elites or greedily serve them like Dan Bosley does, than Healey is the best thing to happen to you since the invention of sliced bread with a melting pat of butter on top of your cut of the dough.
Best wishes,
Jonathan A. Melle
School consolidation and reorg would presumably serve efficiency, costs, and optimize resources. Think again:
“Curtis estimates that the project will likely cost somewhere between $100 million and $110 million, but said that estimate is likely subject to change.”
Perhaps they could build a wing of classrooms within the new 40 million dollar stadium and they could share heating and maintenance costs? What kid would not love to go to a school built within a baseball stadium? And they could get subsidized lunches at the snack bar.
Maybe the plan is to turn the refurbished stadium into a flophouse for criminals and illegals, with “free” everything.
Has anyone put a gauge on how much education for the general population is hampered by teachers having to constantly stop and explain in Spanish what is going on to millions of South Americans? Probably at least half of whom s parents are not even contributing to paying for any of it?
Does that sound mean? Or is it a real thing that woke folk get offended by?
That is actually an attractive idea. Humor is oft the germ of innovation.
Rest assured that Pete White would be there masticating his wiener!
Of course it’s going to cost $100 million at first then they will need more buses with there new thoughts of having schools with only 2 grades in them, moving away from the neighborhood schools theory. This will cause long days with a lot of pollution. During the school’s meetings they showed option 5 and 6 but no where did they show option 1-4. I’m sure those were the ones that said just close the outlying schools like Williams and Stearns and centralize everything. Also they were basing this all on a made up census report stating the population will increase once all the boomers pass away or move away. Unfortunately another census report came out and is predicting a decrease of 10,000 in the next 50 years. Who do you believe?
These boondoggles are dreamed up by people who will make tons of money building it and have zero to do with need or sound education practices. Same with the stadium, same with Pontoosuc Lake reinvention, same with new North street makeover. How much has the city lost on its parking meter investment????? How did those Bird scooters work out????
And I say this because all this stuff does not take into consideration the taxpayers ability to pay for it and not go bankrupt themselves. A real mayor would insist that angle was front and center of any such project. But we never seem to see that in Pittsfield. Why do you think that is?
I would bet my bleeding hemorrhoids that this did not originate with the school committee or any other education associated function in Pittsfield. Possibly some fully funded investment think tank that rolls out these kinds of white elephants everyday.
I buy your bet.
Remember 1 room schools? Why do we need 100 million dollar school buildings? In my high school, we were still handwriting term papers. It’s just chalk, books, paper, and pencils for school. That quality of learning is vastly superior to the artificial media today.
This is profoundly true.
How much would it save to consolidate city hall offices and get them all back in the original building?
I completely agree Charles. Curtis wants to build a new elementary school instead of consolidating & reducing staff. Friends have told me that their kids’ classrooms at Egremont have only 12 students per class. The student population is shrinking yet PPSD continues to operate 8 elementary schools with a bloated staff of teachers, counselors, principals & vice principals, curriculum leaders blah blah blah. They continue to pitch to the slow students while neglecting the bright ones. I’m surprised the state hasn’t taken over these level 5 underperforming schools!
Parents need to demand a revision to School Mission statement to form a coherent definition of education and its role for Pittsfield. There is no big picture in what they have produced.
Stearns has not only classes that small, but 2-3 co-teachers per classroom One regular, one SPED and an interventionist and paraprofessionals.
Sara Luciani must have scabbed knees at this point getting all the resources.
Didn’t the teacher’s union weasel some contract language about class size?
Same page in the Eagle, there is an article describing how Healey is draining all the state’s reserves, looks like starting with over $1billion, into housing the illegals. One year. She warns that cuts are coming.
‘Mariano in January cited slowing tax collections as a factor in making decisions about shelter funding. “As revenues continue to bottom out and flatten, it becomes harder and harder to support some of these things,” he said last month.’
Don’t plan on generous subsidies from the State in 2030.
Some day all these immigrants will have learned English, get trained for a job and be a huge contributing part of America.
That is if they don’t overburden the systems of education, health care, food supply, and courts to the point of collapse along the way. The existing population may become a lot poorer supporting them and their own kids education and health care may suffer because someone thought it would be a good idea to have no limits whatsoever on the masses coming in. No one thought it was too important to check for communicable diseases such as measles. No one thought it was important that it would make it easier on everyone if they learned the language of the land. No one considered if these countries were emptying their jails in order to get rid of their most undesirables. (Venezuela is refusing to take any of their people back if that tells you anything)
The best part of the article was how they admitted that Conte and Morningside historically neglected upkeep and maintenance.
Thanks McCandless and Eberwein! I bet Jake is helping all those Black/Brown and Purple minorities up in Williamstown
I caught that. Historically neglected. As in, futuristically to be neglected. Gives you much confidence in a new building. Just like their plow trucks: buy them, smash them up and watch them rot.
Isn’t that why they tore Taconic down? Poorly maintained? Isn’t that why we keep needing 50 new school buses? Poor maintenance and driving them daily on shitty roads that were also not properly maintained?
“If Biden is re-elected (or any other prisoner of The Left), it is the end of America.”
If Biden is re-elected it will be America’s saving grace.
You need to be elected, to get re-elected. Biden was installed, just like a toilet.
I heard you can get your head examined, for free, down at BMC, and get a free ice cream cone while you are there. Come On Man!
I just watched Biden on the news with Macron talking about NATO and Ukraine. Damndest thing. He and Macron talking seriously with ice cream cones, and the guys behind them holding just empty shells.
Ruth Bass needs to retire.
You try writing something new every week for that long.
Ruth stultus es
Ruthus stultus es. And pretty mean too.
Why isn’t anyone asking this question – why are drug addict agencies and programs being relocated (and concentrated) to the downtown commercial district?
We now have “Living in Recovery” at 75 North Street, CleanSlate Outpatient Addition Clinic at 53 Eagle Street, Savida Health Addiction Treatment Center newly relocated to the Bagels Too building at 184 North Street, and some other tax-exempt agency now in the space formerly occupied by Flatburger and Flavours.
Is this what Marchetti meant when he promised to enlist a Substance Abuse Task Force during the campaign?
Pittsfield being overrun by bums and addicts isn’t by accident. Pittsfield has created this monster and continues to feed it. Abundantly.
Yes, BLAST, that appears to be what he meant. It typifies the radical left’s “do gooder” policies that have destroyed cities across the country.
Cultural Development has moved into city hall?. Hold on to your wallets.
Budget will never be reduced. The more subtracted the more added.
Find out who owns the buildings and you may have answered your own question. State pays high rent I imagine, to whomever the lucky bdlg owners may be.
Dan. Why do they go into executive session and keep people waiting to come back and finish the agenda? Why not go through the agenda and go to executive session at the end.
Because it is an inconvenience to you and The Kapanskis. They look for every little way they can add to the frustrations of being prey to Big Government.
Colliquy
Concerning the 40 g at a city Council.So,your answer tonight at city council was shit happens and the mayor will make sure it doesn’t happen again. The DPW commissioner was not available due to an illness.
Yeah. An illness. He got sick from his own incompetence.
It’s “vibrant and dynamic”!
Agree. The other question, why not consolidate these Agencies? Seems to be a lot of duplication of services.