OBESE SCHOOL BUDGET REFLECTS WELL THE POUNDAGE
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2024) — Who started the rumor we shall never know.
“The ink pad is dry!” The panicked call echoed within city hall.
It send shockwaves throughout the building until council president Voltron the Porkchop, looking for a secret place to wank-off to a picture of a flashlight, found the pad in a supply closet dripping with fresh ink and ready for the rubber stamp.
Crisis averted.
Our Right Honorable Good Friends on the city council breathed a collective sigh of relief. They had a meeting upcoming on the Bitchfield public socohl budget, an inflatable air mattress officially pegged at $82,885,277 but also costing $38 million additional dollars hidden in the city ledger for busing, transportation, maintenance, and bennies.
THE PLANET salutes our Right Honorable Good Friend Earl Persip for sharing the true numbers: $122 million for 5,000 students. That works out to $24,500 per student for what Persip generously terms “not great” performance. For years, we have been along among the media and city officials for sharing the true costs of public schools. Finally, a city official dares speak the truth.
Well done, EP!
———- ooo ———-
The Kapanskis will be paying almost $25,000 per student, even though the vast majority of them have no kids in the system. For that, Bitchfield gets an inferior product in perpetual decline.
THE FACE THAT LAUNCHED A THOUSAND QUIPS: City councilor at-large Alisa Costa-Plenty, during the recent council hearing of the school budget. This is the face of citywide representation. Notice the enthusiasm, friendliness, dynamism, love for the job, and look of intelligence etched on this stone face. Tells you everything you need to know about “representative” government in Bitchfield. (Photo: iBerkshires)
Multiple city sources relay what REALLY went down.
Secret, illegal meetings.
Meetings that other media didn’t dare write or broadcast about, if they knew at all, and if they DIDN’T, shame on them. They’re not doing their jobs.
Our sources, one of whom is on the dais, say the mayor had illegal meetings with the city council president and school committee well-beforehand to rig the school department raid on the public treasury. The plan:
- Go in unrealistically high
- Lower that number
- Get an 8% raise, and
- Call it a “cut.”
Guess Maypo and the others don’t know about the state’s Open Meeting Law. Even Linda Tyer didn’t have such disregard for citizens. Maypo knew he could count on the rubber stampers. Most councilors knew the vote total in advance, and a few made token bids for cuts they knew had no chance. That’s having your vote and hurling it, too.
———- ooo ———-
The blowhards whined. Super super Jumpin’ Joe Curtis pants caught fire when he said the budget contained $1.5 million in “cuts.” He said the $110+ million theft “did not even come close” to accommodating his department’s needs.
Right, Crew Cut. Way to tell The Kapanskis to go pluck themselves.
To Jumping’ Joe: We don’t buy it. You preside over the worst city department. You’re in over your head, and you couldn’t manage your way out of Voltron’s closet. Any honestly-run school board committee would have had you packing a long time ago.
The meeting’s final highlight was an appearance by state rep Tricia Country-Buffet at open mic, blathering about something or other.
It’s a good thing the podium did not include a weigh station.
——————————————————————
“Forgiveness should never take long” — Sir Donald Turpentine, Knight of the Bath.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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The Berkshire Eagle had an opinion piece on Saturday/Sunday May 18-19 titled TIGHT BUDGET CYCLE UNDERSCORES NEED TO GROW TAX BASE.
Nowhere in the shallow dive did it suggest not giving away the tax base they do have. You know, the one where millionaire business owners get their taxes slashed and then they get the slashes extended resulting in non millionaires having to pay more out of their pockets to make up for the reductions the wealthy politically connected folk do not want to pay. And a mayor and city council who believe this is good business practice while not really giving a shit about Johnny paycheck or the home owner on a fixed income. Does it really make fiscal sense to talk about “growing your tax base”, while giving it away in real time? And have we not been talking about growing our tax base for three decades now with the result being a complete failure?
Nowhere in the piece does it suggest cutting $100,000 from the insanely bloated botanical adornment budget to help ease the problem. And just what is the total amount the city is paying for the city street plant decorations? We seem to be ALWAYS GROWING this line item. Every year more and more plants and planters spread out everywhere? Something is weird here if you ask me because this is an in plain sight line item to chop and no one seems to want to touch it. It just keeps getting bigger. Whom are the cities plant vendors?
This is what happens when their is no oversight. When the puppets are being controlled from behind the scene.
They could cut costs that would help the over burdened tax payers in so many places but aren’t willing to do so because they owe their master’s first and foremost. They claim giving taxpayers money to all their masters that it will help grow the tax base in doing so. I ask, why have we not grown the tax base very much after years of giving taxpayers money away to do so?
Don’t ever buy “The Left Winged Parrot”.
True
The Catholic church consolidated over shrinking neighborhood attendance.
And President Voltron Porkchop couldn’t wait to report the following after approving it all, “Council meeting got done earlier than usual tonight so I went to Hot Plate Brewing Co. for a sour and dinner delivered from Espetinho Carioca.”
Your local beer and food promos brought to you by a cartoon payroll patriot.
8% is a huge increase. Good enough to cover Biden inflation and make sure the school personnel vote for Joe. Most people can’t count on big raises to fight back against Bidenomics.
Marchettinomics
Mayor Marchetti said what Pittsfield needs is a bigger tax base.Every business opening or investing in Pittsfield won’t add to that tax base because that is part of every investment is to not pay realestate taxes.That means you consolidate and freeze hiring and cut all positions made for the last 8 years under Marchettis council budgets or you tax people into oblivion.Pete Marchetti is ruining 12,000 home owners lives.Marchetti is a banker who does not know math.Pete said give him 90 days and be patient. Be patient for what.Our water bill has gone from 240 to 1,100 on top of home taxes……Pete is so transparent now that we know he begged Pittsfield voters to give him another retirement so he can be wealthy.Disgusting greed.
This City Administration is so crooked and getting worse by the minute. IBerkshires recently had a picture of the whole left side of the CC, Four Useless Angry Women. Has tag along Ward 2 Brittany Noto even spoken a word since voted in? Is Dina Lampiasi upset that she can’t sit with them, is that why she has been absent from many recent meetings, because she has to sit on the male side?
Mayor Maypo now takes $786,000.00 from free cash to pay back an error to local pot shops Maypo, isn’t this free cash for taxpayers, how does this benefit us? By the way has Kerwood ever figured how much monies have been taken in from these pot shops? Whatever the amount is it certainly is not being spent along with our Excise taxes on the Pittsfield roads. The same potholes have existed for over 8 years now, all having been reported to and ignored by Bitchfield’s useless PitSmart. What about the hard-working taxpayers and other businesses that have to deal with the pot fumes from Berkshire Roots on a daily basis, do we get any kickback on our taxes?
Administration also claims to not being able to add police officers due to budget cuts, but they can hand out to our failing schools, with very little questions asked. With two traffic fatalities in less than a week in Pittsfield, Mayor Maypo, wouldn’t adding more officers help with traffic enforcement? Crazy erratic driving is totally out of control in your city. Unlicensed electric bikes, dirt bikes and motorized scooters seem to have more rights than licensed drivers. Be careful out there folks.
They could easily hire a traffic officer out of the plant decoration money. If there was one fourth the greenhouse plant material on Pittsfield roadsides no one would notice. (except the vendor and maybe whoever set that cherry deal up) But that is not how Pittsfield/Marchetti works is it?
Get out now! Today if you can. These people want every dime you have and will use any ruse to get it.
Start packing!
“Crazy, erratic driving is out of control” – so true. We need more patrol officers. I wish I had a nickel for every time I’ve witnessed cars/trucks plow through red lights. Still waiting to hear about charges in the recent dirt biker/scooter rider deaths on city streets.
The Taxing Tale of Alisa Costa Plenty”
In the heart of Bitchfield, where politics brew, Lives Councilor Alisa, with a name that rings true. She wields her power, a fiscal sorceress bold, Extracting gold from wallets, as tales unfold.
Her name, a paradox—a blend of cost and plenty, A dance of numbers, a tax collector aplenty. With every budget meeting, she sharpens her blade, Slicing through wallets, leaving taxpayers dismayed.
In the chambers of debate, she weaves her spells, Proposing levies, fees, and fiscal shells. Her eyes, like ledgers, tally up the cost, While citizens groan, their wallets nearly lost.
“Alisa,” they cry, “our burden grows heavy, Our savings depleted, our spirits unsteady!” Yet she remains unmoved, her resolve unshaken, A tax hike here, a surcharge there—no soul forsaken.
Her office adorned with charts and graphs, She calculates the tolls, the aftermath. “Fear not,” she proclaims, “for progress requires sacrifice, And in this city, my dear friends, we pay the price.”
But whispers echo through the cobblestone streets, Of secret accounts and offshore retreats. Is Councilor Alisa truly for the people’s good, Or does she dance with greed, in shadows understood?
Perhaps her heart, once soft, now beats in decimals, Her soul entangled in bureaucratic rituals. Yet still, the citizens gather, their voices raised, Demanding transparency, justice, and fairer days.
So here’s to Councilor Alisa Costa Plenty, A name etched in ledgers, both cruel and plenty. May she heed the cries, the weary taxpayers’ plea, And find a balance where cost and plenty can agree.
I give EP credit, he’s stepping up his game after getting his footing. Ironically, the white admins are all claiming poverty is the reason for the failing schools
The one POC councilor is crying BS. Go Earl!
Earl the Pearl knew his no vote wouldn’t hold. Strictly a PR move.
A couple of things from the post today I thought I would share.
First, I was doing in a little research into the public scohol edubacation system and came up with a few numbers I’d like to share with all.
Public scohol’s revenue from 1970-2018, went up 152%.
Teacher’s salary in that same time period only went up 8%.
These numbers are inflation-adjusted public school funding per student versus average teacher’s salary in the same period. I found these stats from the Digest of Education Statistics and the National Center for Education Statistics.
It’s no shock when Picklefield Public Scohols have assistants to paraprofessionals, assistant to the assistant attendance counselors, and of course we can’t forget the $100,000+ a year (not including benefits) Cultural Competency Coach.
CUT THE BUDGET and get back to TEACHING THE BASICS so these kids have a chance at life and won’t be on the government’s dole or in prison, in the near future.
And lastly, that Glamour Shot of Alicia Costa-Plenty, is exactly what I think of when I picture today’s white-liberal, woman: angry, hates regular men, purple/red/green hair, face piercings, tattoos, holds worthless degree, can’t find meaningful employment because of it, hates regular men, TDS, enjoys the company of women or men who act like women, such as Voltron Porkchop or other “men” who suffer from TDS, and lastly, thinks George Floyd is an American hero.
Downtown Pittsfield, Inc.
·
School Street will be closed to traffic on Saturday, June 1 from 12 to 5 pm for the Pride Kick-Off Block Party. Parked cars must be moved by 11 am and there will be no parking on School Street from 11 am to 5 pm.
Event info: https://www.facebook.com/events/462863332858997
They should have to pay for all the police overtime as was just discussed in the budget meeting. Unless Mr. Marchetti feels they deserve a waiver in which case how can you make any other special interest group pay?
This will be an “openly gay” deal, and so the “openly gay” mayor will grant an “openly gay” waiver. Every other special interest group should declare themselves to “openly gay” so that they may get the special, “openly gay” treatment from the “openly gay” mayor. “Openly gay” = good. Not “openly gay” = no good.
This is the best comment on this page – not the one I am replying to, I mean the one I am typing right now.
One more post I wanted to share with everyone. Seems like JM’s nemesis, Andy Nuciforo, cashed in once again. Andy settled his marijuana lawsuit with Bitchfield. He’ll get a nice summertime vacation bonus check of $341,000.
Pittsfield has settled lawsuits with three cannabis retailers for a total of more than $780,000 | Central Berkshires | berkshireeagle.com
JM, have you begun reading or telling story time with the illegal alien children at the VA that you go to? You know, the one where the war vets were kicked out of in place of illegal aliens.
Ask any bleeding heart liberal about the invasion, which they think it is not, and they will justify it it simply by saying we need the workers, or we have to show compassion for the needy downtrodden “migrants”. If you try to corner them into asking them what sacrifices they are willing to make then the conversation gets confrontational. If you dare bring up that many of those coming over are chinese nationals, terrorists, criminals sent by our enemies, and jihadists, they scoff at you and call you a conspiracy theorist. Yes, they are that stupid. And if you query the DOL you find we need skilled workers, not millions of unskilled laborers. There is that.
May 29, 2024
Hello blogger Dan Valenti,
What is wrong with this picture in Pittsfield politics?
Nuciforo’s pot settlement from the City of Pittsfield of $341,000 for his HCAs fees his marijuana dispensary named “Berkshire Roots’ paid many years ago now, along with the other two settlements that equal a sum total of $780,000, reeks of Mayor Peter Marchetti’s corrupt, weak and failed leadership.
Nuciforo filed his pot lawsuit versus the City of Pittsfield (Massachusetts) last Summer 2023. Then Mayor Linda Tyer said the city will fight him in Berkshire Superior Court. Less than one year later, Mayor Peter Marchetti and 10 out of the 11 Pittsfield City Councilors voted in favor of the three settlements.
Please know that Nuciforo has another pot lawsuit in Suffolk (Boston) Superior Court to try to bust the unions that advocate for marijuana workers in Massachusetts. I hope that Governor Maura Healey and state lawmakers will NOT follow Pittsfield’s path of settling this pot lawsuit with Nuciforo because just like city taxpayers should matter, unions and marijuana workers should matter, too.
Best wishes,
Jonathan A. Melle
Maybe the voltron union will weigh in. Voltron boy loves unions.
The failed leadership was Linda. Pete is saving us from an actual judgement that could cost us much more in the long run (lawyers fees included). Linda and Barry put us into this mess. Pete is saving us a hassle and moving on.
The pot companies agreed to the regs when they signed contracts. This needed to be taken fully to court. The case was (is) winnable. Settlement with “free” cash is a cop-out.
Did Andy get a TIFF when he set up his business? Odds are good that he did.
The problem is largesse not largeness.
Like the play on words.
FUing idiots can’t even pave the the roads that needed it 5-10 years ago.
I’m considering going to New Dork/Hokieland to use RT22 north/south, and bypass $#!Tfield altogether.
I see new CRIMINAL ALIENS, who “no habla ingles” every time I go to: USA post office, wally world, any market,… using an EBT card I PAID FOR.
Was THE BLIVIOT, on a sturdy cement platform “Ricky RumpASShole” built , just for the show?
Does anyone know if charges were filed against the pickup driver involved in the dirt bike fatality on Sat. evening?
In Pittsfield the public employee unions have ripped off taxpayers for decades. It is criminal what they have done. The elected leadership are the representatives of these parasites and they only care about the vote’s and power and are willing to give away the taxpayers money no matter what the cost to the taxpayers every new budget.It shows the idiocy of progressives thought with the word derivative of progress being defined by our useless political actors. The end result isn’t progress at all it is in fact regression.
This is OUTRAGEOUS:
https://fallriverreporter.com/while-migrant-families-get-120000-in-housing-benefits-disabled-massachusetts-veterans-mostly-get-a-250-a-year-increase/
Please remember that the three Berkshire-based State Representatives Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Smitty Pignatelli and John Barrett III all recently voted against giving at-risk homeless Veterans priority for emergency shelter in Massachusetts.
Jon Melle
This is YOUR Democrat party at work. Wake up ignorant voter!
Why are you feigning outrage JM?
YOU VOTED FOR IT!!
Because Trump used “guy talk” and has been married multiple times, you’ll sacrifice the Veterans you (supposedly) advocate for, for those petty reasons? Are you kidding me?
No wonder why you couldn’t cut it in basic training. I bet the Army DI’s used “foul and harsh language” and it really stressed you out.
GTFOH!!
You didn’t answer my question from above, have you begun to read or do story time in the VA with illegal immigrant children? You know, the VA is the place democRATS are kicking out war vets in favor of illegal aliens?
When I used the term “illegal alien,” does that offend you or stress you out? I would hate if you couldn’t make it to illegal alien story time because I triggered you.
YOU vote for them D-s Johnny, then whine about it later.
How’s has that been going?
What if the D-RATS decide to give your disability to CRIMINAL ALIENS too? Then you can find a place to live in the woods……..
For you Johnny……..
https://x.com/MAGADevilDog/status/1795794854854758833
If other Vets wouldn’t suffer from it, I’d like to see if JM would still be offended by guy talk and multiple marriages, if he lost his VA payments/benefits from now until election time in November.
Let him get a first hand experience of how his democRAT party favors illegal aliens over him.
Something tells me he has to learn the hard way before he learns….if he even learns at all.
A 30+ year grudge tells me otherwise.
This board wants the Trump crime wave back in power, FOX told them they need him.
C’mon Dan, how can you expect to be respected and taken seriously as a scribe when you so freely use gratuitous insults and mockery? No wonder you so often hear the sound of them <I>not </I>getting back to you.
Thanks, my good friend. I don’t “expect” anything. I’ve already earned my respect as a scribe. Check out the two books I have coming out! As far as THE PLANET is concerned, its news and commentary on MY terms. At this stage in my career, I’m playing by MY rules. “They” are invited to enter the fray or not. This time around, if a public official wants to counter anything I write or comment, they can call us. We’re open to all and respectful of everyone who does. It’s the cowards in office who deserve what they get.
Duah Eggy!
Outed again! Well, I do believe you need not use insulting references to weight and sexual orientation. But then, that’s just me.
Well put Dan. Politicians and others are fair game as far as I’m concerned. These same people who complain have no problems with insults or satire until it is directed at them.
Thanks, OPIE. My approach is a form of IQ test. Now a smart, as in intelligent, pol would see a knock and immediately get in touch with me, either to (a) tell me what for or (b) share a rebuttal, which of course I would post. They don’t do (a) because they are cowards and “give me the dozens” behind my back, when I am not there. I much prefer it to my face. They are terrified of actual debate, which leads to (b). They don’t rebut me because they can’t. In debate, they would be overmatched. That said, my standing offer to debate any public issue anytime anywhere still holds, but they have to come to me.
They are not going to respect or reply to those who hurl gratuitous insults at them.
Who or whom they respect or do not respect is is no concern to me. In public office, they are not people. They are politicians. Our insults are never gratuitous. They are always well-earned, well-deserved, and paid in full. Say Hey Willie Mays!
Chris Coletta moves in to make the catch and…Chris drops the ball!! Chris drops the ball!!
May 30, 2024
Hello blogger Dan Valenti,
I wish to state for the public record that I was proud of then Mayor Linda Tyer for standing up and fighting Nuciforo’s pot lawsuit versus the City of Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
I wish to state for the public record that I dissent about Mayor Peter Marchetti and 10 out of the 11 Pittsfield City Councilors settlement with Nuciforo’s pot lawsuits versus the City of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. They also settled with two other Pittsfield pot companies in 2024.
Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior – also know as “Luciforo: Pittsfield’s Pot King” – is a FRAUDSTER many times over.
Nuciforo’s marijuana company named “Berkshire Roots’ has a “largest in the region” 3-story tall pot growing building on Dalton Avenue in Pittsfield, which stinks up nearby residential neighborhoods with unpleasant pot odors. Nuciforo himself lives in a mansion in Pittsfield’s elitist Gated Community neighborhood west of Berkshire Community College, along with his wealthy neighbors Linda Tyer and Barry Clairmont.
There should be a class action lawsuit versus Nuciforo’s Berkshire Roots for allegedly lowering the nearby residential neighborhood(s) property values in Pittsfield. When Nuciforo double dipped from 1999 – 2006 as a Pittsfield State Senator who chaired the State Senate Finance Committee back then, and who at the same time served as a private Attorney for Boston’s big banks and insurance companies, he should have been prosecuted and sent to state prison. There are so many alleged wrongdoings by Nuciforo over the years, including his conspiratorial persecution of me: Jon Melle – since I was 20 years old in the Spring 1996 when my dad began his successful campaign for Berkshire County Commissioner (1997 – mid-2000).
Who are the alleged unknown private investors in Nuciforo’s “Berkshire Roots” pot business? Are any of them from his political and legal connections from the Boston Statehouse and/or Boston’s big banks and insurance companies. What is the status of Nuciforo’s law office in Boston’s Financial District? Did Nuciforo do any unethical and/or illegal favors for his pot company’s alleged unknown investors?
Where are you, blogger Dan Valenti, on this matter? Where is The Berkshire Eagle points east to The Boston Globe and Boston Herald?
Why is Nuciforo trying to bust unions and workers in the marijuana industry in Massachusetts with his other pot lawsuit that he filed in Suffolk (Boston) Superior Court? Do unions and workers in the marijuana industry even matter to Governor Maura Healey and state lawmakers?
How does Nuciforo always get away with all of the above matters? I believe the answer is because he plays people and institutions for fools. I must be the only person on Earth who cares about Nuciforo’s public record in Pittsfield and Massachusetts alike. I hope that Nuciforo will be stopped sooner than later because he is a son of a bitch in both “Bitchfield” and Boston!
Jon Melle
You are the only one in Massachusetts who has this much of an unhealthy fixation on Andy. You truly need help. And stop with the “What about Bob Shit” and your fucking political career shit.
So if you have excess trash under the new Marchetti toter plan “you can drop it off at the upcoming Casella Transfer station”. It is THAT EASY.
EXCEPT THAT.. each homeowner will have to pay a $120 annual resident permit fee and ALSO pay for the trash each time you drop it off. So if the only thing you need to get rid of is your child’s plastic tricycle that will not fit in a toter it will be $120 plus perhaps an additional 10 or twenty dollars for the item. If you have another one later in the year it will only cost you $10-20 because you have already paid your annual resident fee.
This is the sneaky shit Marchetti was holding back on while selling his toter plan but we all knew he would have one more knife to stick in the taxpayers back didn’t we?
Breaking, Trump guilty of 34 felonies by a jury of 12.Have a good night
Trump beat Clinton by a small margin.Trump got 2 billion from Saudi for Ivanka and 17 patents from Chiner for baby Ivanka….it needs an all out investigation to see how much damage dopey Don has done
Marchetti said he needed 90 days to consolidate nothing and spend 100 million more on the table to be spent.He must be having problems.Who asks for 90 days to spend more money.It is a concern about his mental state to keep spending.more and more to ruin elderly lives.Marchetti is gentrification our city. Marchetti has made Pittsfield the king of taxes in the Berkshires.If you are of a certain income you will have to leave your beloved city.
Tear down the Wahconah grandstands and put up two big 500 seat bleachers
Please take care of what we have.Belanger field has a disgusting bathroom facility for the rehabbing elderly Pittsfield senior.Marchetti needs to replace this 5 years ago.Bets are being made that Wahcona park
Parks commission does not care about the historic Wahconah park going away for 20 million phase 1 moderization of history.Taxes will never be reasonable.Pete won’t say no because the departments are more powerful than he is.