HOTEL ON NORTH WILL RATTLE THE JEWELRY, BUT ONCE AGAIN THE LITTLE GUY IN PITTSFIELD GETS SHUT OUT OF HIS AND HER OWN CITY
By DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY WEEKEND EDITION, APRIL 10-12, 2015) — As Pittsfield continues to die its death, there are two types of mourners. The first is the ordinary citizen, who laments how this little gem of a place could be “led” to such a fate. This person works two or three low-wage, no-benefit jobs to try to keep the head above the rising waters of incessant city spending and ever higher taxes.
The second mourner will be found among The Suits, The Vested Interests, and the Big Shots — Pittsfield pathetic version of The Beautiful People. They mourn by voting themselves fat pay raises if in office and if not by using public money for their private gain. The last names are familiar to all of us. They feel a lot of things, but one thing they don’t feel is the pain of Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski.
A Failure of Economic Proportions
The biggest failure of the past generation of politicians has been that of failing to rebuild a true local economy after virtually all of the manufacturing jobs left the city. By 1990, it was pretty much “all she wrote.” Dan Bianchi, the freeloader posing as mayor, stepped in to apply the death blow with his abject disinterest in economic development.
Under his watch PEDA has morphed from a stupor into a coma. Bianchi’s idea of economic development is to (a) grease the palms of Connected with favors and to (b) give tax breaks to the wealthy so they can play Monopoly with real properties using taxpayer dollars. He apparently doesn’t realize how much he’s being played for “stupid.” Why should he? He got his big pay raise, and he’s working his full-time gig not for citizens but for Global, a private energy company. As an example of (a), why do you think he’s pushing so hard for the building of a new high school the city doesn’t want, doesn’t need, and can’t afford? For (b), look at Hotel On North, which we shall do in a moment.
THE PLANET won’t even get into an immensely disturbing aspect of the mayor’s “outside employment.” No, we’re not talking about his double dipping, being paid to be mayor while he works in the private sector. We refer to the likelihood that Bianchi’s company is supplying gas and other energy to the City of Pittsfield. Amazingly, not one outlet of the local mainstream media has cared to, or dared to, look into this situation that, if true, provides the veritable definition of “conflict of interest.”
Corruption, thy name is indifference.
All of which leads us to the next serving of pate de foi gras and hummingbird tongues on toast to the First Class passengers on board the H.M.S. Pittsfield Titanic.
Going Where Spice, WorkshopLive!, EV Worldwide, etc. etc., Have Gone Before
The hoity-toity Hotel on North (HON) is going in where Spice in all its forms has previously failed, and it inherits Spice’s favorable tax breaks plus more of its own. The building was once the venerable Besse-Clarke department store, which had the best sporting goods department in Western Massachusetts. Mark Belanger used to work there in the off-season. In 1965 for $39.95, THE PLANET purchased our left-handed Rawlings PG-8 “Clete Boyer” baseball glove from Besse’s, a mitt we still possess. It was the first “major” purchase of our life, with our own money. Besse-Clarke got no tax breaks.
Success and failure, of course, are individual visions. We each have to define what those terms means for ourselves, in our own lives. That includes our public, personal, private, and professional lives. If HON makes money for the owners and by extension the city and taxpayers, it can be considered a “success.” Of course, the other possibility is that the project will flop, as did the many versions of Spice, Spice Dragon, Spice Porcupine, Jae’s Spice, Spice Goes to College, and Spice Gets a Hickey.
THE PLANET will not make mention of WorkshopLive! or WorkshopDead!. Or EV Worldwide. They, too, got the big tax breaks, took the money, then ran when they had a product that the free market did not want. That’s the danger when government steps in and provides financing (via tax dollars) where the private markets dare not tread.
These failures occurred despite the artificial boosts that local government provided in the form of lucrative tax breaks. Projects like HON wear a red letter “A” on the breast in the form of tax breaks, recognized when The Suits describe the projects as “economic engines.” Locally, when someone like the mayor, a school committee member, or a city councilor refers to a project as an “economic engine,” it means with near certainty that the project is, from the start, dead-on-arrival. To be called an “economic engine,” a project must be heavily supported by public dollars, incapable of making it on its own, and be one that the city doesn’t need and citizens don’t want.
We have many economic engines revving up right now: HON, PEDA, The Howard Building, The Onota Building, the Berkshire Innovation Center, the Airport Extension, the construction of a new Taconic High School … and many more. In each of the projects, the public’s unwilling investment is high, the risk of the private sector is small, and the prospect of positive returns minimal. That’s the type of enterprise that Bianchi wants. It has “sucker” written all over it.
‘Boutique Hotel’ — as in ‘Boo! Boo! Get Dat Bum Outta Here!’
Hotel On North is being touted as a “boutique hotel.” Translation: HON will cater to the mucky-mucks and the La-De-Dahs who will spill over primarily from South Country (Tanglewood, Norman Rockwell, Red Lion Inn, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Canyon Ranch, Kripalu, celebrity spotting, etc.) and a little from the Big Winds from the North, particularly theatergoers at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and art lovers from MassMOCA and The Clarke.
Yes, South County “in Season” is getting to the point where even a Bentley may not mean automatic admission to The Club. Compared to the dude and his chick who fly in by private helicopter, the Bentley people may have to settle for Pittsfield. The cheese-and-brie aspect of “summer in the South County Berkshires” has never been more insane, a place for the megarich, the super elite, and A-listers of all sorts. Next July, before the NFL opens its training camps, we’re going to take a short walk up Prospect Hill and ask our neighbors Tom and Giselle Brady if we can borrow a cup of sugar.
Does this patronage describe the resident Pittsfieldians? Not at all. Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski, hard working taxpayers though they are, cannot afford anything like HON or the other time-passers favored the bored, lonely, and the wealthy. They have been removed from the daily opulence only to be thrown into a more repugnant form of imprisonment — that of existential angst. They’re trying to survive. Period.
Ventures such as HON end up assaulting the ordinary, hard-working, law-abiding citizens from the top. God knows, those poor folks have been decimated from below, or what’s the redeeming purpose of the massive influx into down Pittsfield of gangs, drug dealers, drug users, imprisoned and families, welfare cheats, alcoholics, “gimme gals,” and others on the scam? We wonder what the city’s plans are to keep the riff-raff away from the Rich and Famous? It ought to be interesting.
The Little Guy Gets Bupkus
To fit oh-so-snugly into the space at the former Spice, the boutique HON has requested and the Pittsfield Zoning Board has endorsed a change in zoning that will affect parking. The general public will be losing downtown parking spaces for the Jaguars, Mercedes, and the occasional Bentley that gets bumped out of downtown Stockbridge. They get priority. The Little Guy bets bupkus.
The zoning change will also allow HON to “repurpose” a nearby parking lot for its own use, since the postage-stamp lot behind Spice will simply not do. HON is asking the city to rezone several lots behind the former Besse-Clarke building. This, too, will impact for the worse the lives of ordinary citizens who look to come downtown and find a place to park.
The residential-family zoning has changed to business use so that, according to HON’s barrister, the enterprise can handle “an overflow parking lot” and “create uniformity for the block.”
In other words, if you’re The Little Guy, don’t bother — unless you work there for minimum wage or slightly more. In that case, please, use the service entrance and don’t mix with the patrons.
You’re not good enough.
——– 000 ——–
Have a great weekend, everybody!
You know Dan, I’d like to accuse you of inciting class warfare…but all you said is true! And as far as South County goes, when I tell people where I live and they respond with, “Oooo, that’s a really wealthy area,” I always tell them that in season there are a lot of Ferraris, Teslas, Bentleys and etc., but the rest of the year you see a lot of 15 year old Hondas and beat up pick up trucks. I hate for it to turn into an us vs. Them scenario, but when the local government gives away the store for “their” benefit it’s hard not to resent it. I mean, who couldn’t see through the pretense of the airport renovation?!? That may be the biggest, most useless municipal boondoggle ever conceived!
Columbia County NY just said no to their airport expansion and the FAA said OK.
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FAA OKs shorter runway, ending airport flap
April 4, 2015 by DEBBY MAYER
GHENT—Paint a line across the runway, move some fence, move some lights and it’s done: the Columbia County Airport will be in compliance with Federal Aviation Authority runway safety requirements.
The cost should be under $200,000, Supervisor Art Bassin (D-Ancram) said Tuesday, not the $3 million the county was looking at last year, and the work should be completed this year.
That is, after hours of Airport Committee meetings and research last year, the FAA has confirmed that for safety, Columbia County needs a shorter runway safety area (300 feet) not a longer one (1,000 feet). The confirmation is verbal, as of last week; written confirmation is pending an FAA review of pen-and-ink drawings, similar to planning maps, of the proposed changes.”
EDITORIAL: Public helped shape airport success
April 9, 2015 by PARRY TEASDALE
BLAME IT ON THE WINDS of change. The big news story at the beginning of last year–what to do about the county airport–isn’t big news anymore. Other stories now grab the headlines. And no wonder. Conflict and change capture our attention. Who cares about a government project with a happy ending?
As reported here last week the end of the airport saga was indeed good news for county taxpayers. Instead of having to shoulder a portion of the costs for a runway area upgrade, estimated at somewhere between $3.8- and $6 million, the Federal Aviation Administration now agrees that the way to make the airport safer for private jets is to paint lines on the runway saying, in effect: Land here.
This will cost about 5% of the estimate for upgrading the runway. The wasteful, supersized runway plan would have spent tax money lavishly on chopping down lots of trees and seizing private property from unwilling owners, all for no good reason at all. Consultants who should have known better and self-appointed local experts assured the public the big plan was essential for the airport to operate safely. It sounded reasonable even though it seemed as if the authorities anticipated jumbo jets using our single-strip airport. All it lacked was a landing pad for the Tooth Fairy.
What saved the county a pile of money plus a lot of trouble and time was an open process of discovery fostered by the Airport Committee of the county Board of Supervisors. The committee welcomed comments and creative ideas from its members and the public. Most committee members used what they learned to make good decisions.
The board should review how the committee functioned and adopt its approach as a best practice for handling major public projects in the future.
One of the takeaways from this episode is the need to treat the opinions of experts with skepticism. In the matter of the airport the information they offered came with two distinct biases: 1. There’s only one way to solve this problem, and, 2. The more we spend to solve it, the better the outcome will be.
Fortunately, the committee, led by Supervisor Art Bassin (D-Ancram) with bi-partisan support from most of his colleagues, managed to sort through this fog of bias and craft a plan that received verbal approval late last month from the FAA. The relatively small amount of funding required for the change is reportedly available.
There’s another aspect of this story that shouldn’t be overlooked or underestimated. The county might have lurched ahead with a costly airport project nobody needed if it there hadn’t been persistent pressure from citizen activists, otherwise known as our neighbors.
They demanded a better plan and got one.
The City of Pittsfield, through community activism, also negotiated a scaled down set of airport improvements.
It will be interesting to see how they rezone that area and what specific parcels are impacted. There is a little thing in this state, and most other states, known as ‘spot zoning,’ which is illegal. You cannot just rezone specific parcels without rezoning an entire section of that area, which may now include residential housing. And if they rezone a legally defined area to business and it includes several houses, that means the owners of those homes cannot in the future sell them as residences – they can only be used under whatever the business zone definition is. I’m sure their ‘barrister’ has covered this, but you never know. I serve on a public body in another town that handles zoning, and we’ve had many lawyers come in and try this without knowing they can’t just rezone a few isolated spots.
Great info here Bull, I had heard of spot zoning and this sure looks like it. Illegal? Dont matter in the Pitts.
Respectfully disagree, Dan. If it’s OK for your town of Stockbridge to exploit well-heeled tourists then it’s OK for Pittsfield to do the same. We can’t afford NOT to participate in the Berkshire tourism economy.
Thank you Mr. Ward. One of the problems with Pittsfield is our overwhelming negativity about participating in the tourism economy. We’ve got a real chicken & egg problem. We are not going to attract new major businesses to a city with a run down and unattractive downtown but the only way to fix up the downtown is to exploit the tourist economy. Many other old industrial cities like Pittsfield wish they were close enough to a tourist base like South County. Why the negativity everyone? Don’t we all want to make Pittsfield a better place? Sometimes no, no, no, no, is not the answer.
The business is booming. The job opportunities are exploding……..Everything is Rosy in Pittsfield. Mc Conkey.
You gotta start somewhere. We happen to be starting at the bottom. Saying no to everything is not the way to get out of this hole. GE, Besse Clark, & England Brothers are never coming back. We need new completely out of the box ideas. Hotel on North is one of them. Open your minds people.
I don’t agree that Berkshire people are negative at all. About 15 years ago, we went through this same nonsense where the powers that be were complaining that Berkshire County people were being negative. Well, people did try to to be optimistic about life here in Pittsfield, but look at what it has brought us. The city is more messed up than it ever was while we all go around trying to maintain a happy face because god forbid we don’t want to sound negative. No, I don’t think so. The powers that be brought in the arts thinking that would be the answer to all of our problems, but it hasn’t been. This area only attract the rich artsy people for about 5 months of the year. The rest of the time we are ignored.
The mayor gives himself a raise and he earns enough money for himself and his family to hang out with the south county rich crowd, but nothing has been done for the people of this city. We are tired of it and will not go quietly. Expect not only a whole lot of complaining in the next years, but also a lot of actions to take back this city for the average person. The time has come.
McConkey. Obviously you must think your on another blog. Your not suppose to write anything nice about Pittsfield on The Planet.
Hey guys, I don’t think anyone is naysaying here. People are objecting to the constant economic development efforts that end up being bad investments of public money into private ventures. I think, in theory, an upscale hotel in Pittsfield is a fine idea. I just don’t want to be a partner or unwilling investor in it.
The sad fact is, the cultural economy, or arts economy is a phantom. John Barrett promotes his rampant success in North Adams based on it. What is left out of the story is, they were able to bring in a world renowned museum partner in MOMA and do something on a huge scale very cheap. Could it be done in Pittsfield too? Replicated? Well, do you know anyone on the Guggenheim or Met boards? THEN it could happen. Without a major world class arts/culture presence (like Tanglewwod, etc.) Pittsfield remains a terribly run down, drug infested, industry-abandoned town with a nice hotel (and a small museum and movie theater) Anyone who comes to stay in said hotel will take about 2.5 minutes on North St. Before getting in the Bentley and heading to Lexox or Stockbridge. There has to be reasons for them to stay and spend money here as well…or industry to bring in business travelers.
Great point, MR G. Pointing our inconvenient facts and asking tough questions in Pittsfield is called “being negative” and “naysaying.” It’s by design, of course, since the master plan is to exhaust anyone who cares to get involved in local politics and take on The Suits. Few have the time, inclination, or stomach for it. They because apathetic. Every time a citizen drops out of the process, The Suits put another notch on the belt. That’s how criminals get “all legal like.”
If it’s run-down after $60 million in theater renovations and $30 million in “streetscaping”, the chicken & egg problem is how to get the government to put itself back in the shell
The bigger problem is that most of the new ventures get tax subsidies, and the folk’s and businesses that have been here for decades are left holding the bag. I wish the Tierney’s great success and don’t blame them for taken what is given to them. At what point will Pittsfield start to rein in there spending. Spend for what we need not what we want. If that’s negative, then you just don’t get it,and probably never will.
Funny thing is I agree, Mr. Scalise wanted to refurbish a brick building on Dalton ave.that would have generated tax dollars, but was voted down. A developer want to build homes on YMCA property also voted down. Another group proposed building shopping Center at Stanley park also dismissed.I suggest if you want to spend like sailors on leave you should say YES.
Mike, Pittsfield can participate in the tourism economy without handing out tax breaks (welfare) to the business owners. If they can’t run a profitable business AND pay taxes they have no business running a business. Do you really think this hotel is going to do anything for the Pittsfield economy except create a handful of low paying jobs without benefits? Meanwhile the owners, who probably don’t even live in Pittsfield, make all the money.
And comparing ritzy Stockbridge to low income Pittsfield? Apples to oranges – c’mon man!
Yeah, I really do think this hotel is good news for our economy. And yes they actually are creating good jobs with benefits. I know someone who was hired already. And yes the owner David Tierney does in fact live in Pittsfield. I could fact-check negative posts like this all day long but I have other interests.
Great reply Mike. Wish you were still on the council!
The jobs will be largely seasonal. While we’re on the topic, what constitutes a “good job with benefits.” Can you be specific? “Jobs” do not a vital economy make. That lie is how the federal government likes to tell us the “economy” has recovered. Look at all the jobs. Right. There are so many jobs that many people have more than one — just to stay afloat to pay for tax breaks to wealthy developers, among others.
Mr. Ward,
I agree Pittsfield cannot ignore Berkshire tourism, but what is now Stockbridge took over one hundred years to create and the good fortune of having Norman Rockwell move to town. Pittsfield is trying to waterboard the tourist economy at the expense of almost everything else. I doubt very much that the Fitzpatricks received any tax credits when they purchased the Red Lion Inn and turned it into a year round destination.
Ah yes, the well-worn argument “at the expense of almost everything else”. How does that work? How exactly is tourism/industry a zero sum game? I’ve been waiting for someone to explain this to me.
I shall attempt, MIKE. In a vacuum, tourism and industry exist in complimentary fashion. They did in the 1950s in Pittsfield, to some extent and far more than today. In the reality that is Pittsfield, a town that has no functioning economy (that is, there’s no industrial base), throwing public dollars into what The Suits call “tourism” is a money loser. See JOE PINHEAD’s comments below. That’s what your argument fails to take into account: a generation of economic sabotage that’s being “balanced” on the soon-to-break back of city taxpayers. When it happens, no one will be able to say THE PLANET didn’t send out the warnings, well in advance.
functioning economy is not equal to industrial base. It is equal to adding value. The value added to tourists is measurable. The back of City Taxpayers is being broken with overpaid municipal and school employees that artificially props up housing values. The $100M company in Pittsfield that is not performing is the one that collects your taxes.
I’m convinced that PCB contamination is directly responsible for this type of persistent mentally stunted reasoning in my fair city.
I personally wonder if there’s something in the water in this county. This particular affliction is not unique to the Shire City, although it is particularly strong here.
Telling, Mr. Ward, that any opposition to your thoughts results in an insult from you. i even agreed with you that tourism should not be ignored. Is it total compliance you are after?
I apologize for implying that your argument is the result of a PCB induced pathology, Mr. Shepardson. I’ve just heard it one too many times, and it’s wrong. Not only are tourism and industry not mutually exclusive, they’re actually synergistic. Young people who are considering moving to Pittsfield to work for corporations like Sabic or General Dynamics take a good hard look at our downtown offerings.
Yes, yes, and yes! Couldn’t agree more. MAyor Ruberto’s downtown first approach to economic development was and still is the only way to attract new residents, businesses, and yes jobs.
Mr. Ward,
One again , I agree with you. There are many factors that contribute to a robust economy. We are also lacking in education, infrastructure, security, housing etc..I would hope that anyone who looks at relocating to Pittsfield is interested in more than the number of bars and restaurants we have on North Street. Worst case scenario is that we end up like Great Barrington. Vacationers and second homeowners supporting the nightlife and retail while being served by the local, working poor. And I don’t believe that Great Barrington’s tourist economy has brought in a single new industry to town in the last 30 years.Nor has Stockbridge’s. I’m not saying to ignore tourism, just don’t bet the farm on tourism.
Wow… not like Mr Ward to hurl the insults. Too bad in a way.
Give Mr. Ward a break, he probably took a header on his bike from one of are monster pot holes.
joetaxpayer wins the Internet today!
I guess I bring out the worst in some.
A bit confused I can only assume that it’s from the PCB’s. Not being as enlightened as some and more negative ( I assume that’s what the enlightened are now calling questioning) than others I have just a few questions I am hopeful for clarity on.
I do not mind “investing” (there word not mine) in projects as part of a community, however as an “investor” I do demand certain information and I expect that information to be factual and relevant.
We were told by the Professor from Williams a few years back that the Colonial would generate an additional $ 40 million in revenue downtown a year. I ask anyone to show me the receipts for that please. I would guess the number is much lower. Yes silly me I expect the City to show tax receipts from the downtown area stores and restaurants in the downtown development area showing an increase of XXX dollars due in part to the venues. I’m guessing way short of the 40 million mark.
One only need to walk downtown at any time of the day to see that project feel way short of the panacea that was promised. It had to as it too was also way oversold. That does not mean the project wasn’t worthwhile or viable let me be clear.
EV worldwide if you recall; Congressman Olver and all the local Pol’s were on the steps of City hall as a large cardboard check was handed over and we were told of the wise investment we just made billboards installed welcoming the 1,000 jobs, are you or one of the self-proclaimed “positive” people going to now tell me that the road conditions and potholes are due to the thousands rushing to work each day at EV? Or is it the airport expansion that was going to bring tens of millions to the City and County can you demonstrate in a positive manner the additional Tax revenue generated by and accepted into the general fund or any fund by that project? Or is it our “investment” into the Beacon that generated millions into the general fund and the dividends on our “investment” is lower taxes. And additional services based upon the receipts generated by these and other projects?
Remember the Downtown development in the restaurant sector that was going to occur once we got Patriot resorts built? Remember the 1,ooo’s per year going through downtown on their way to look at condos? They would stop on north and all along route 7 for a bite to eat some country shopping etc. remember? I went to the hotel on 3 separate occasions and asked for directions to Jiminy peak. They cared so much about my “investment” they sent me over route 20 to 22 in NY State as the “quickest” way to get there.
Pick any lottery ticket project you wish and exam it as to how it was sold to the public and you or anyone would be hard pressed to show how it matched up against how it was sold.
The mere fact that the downtown hotel needs special funding consideration(s) speaks to the failures or short comings of the projects mentioned above. If the aforementioned projects were half as successful as they were sold there would be a rush on building permits at 100 North for downtown development.
Now I ask one from the “positive” crowd to pick say the Colonial project as an example. We all are aware that State funds were in fact leveraged to complete that project. What were the strings attached to that funding? What are the liabilities for those funds or did the State simply say here you go spend as you wish with no strings attached? Or was there transitional units attached? (McKay Funding) or something of the sort?
In short if they want us the Citizens of the City to “invest” the conversation has to be based in reality, upfront, honest and part of a larger vision. The vision has to be shared with all the stakeholders of the city not the same few.
I guess I have been impacted negatively by PCB’s: Politically Corrupt Bastard’s
Yes I know its for the children
let my bashing begin lash me for wanting accountability
JOE
One cannot honestly “bash” the truth. Great comments, as always.
HON is a fine idea…..just not at taxpayer expense.
We need to stop worrying about the downtown and focus on these other streets. Once you go down north st. than it looks worse and worse. The whole area needs help
Where is the WATER WIZARD on this topic?
Dan is on the money. My wife and I can’t wait to sell our house and get out of here. So sick of the corrupt politicians and all special interest stuff. I could go on for miles but everyone knows what I am saying. The Berk E is pathetic and biased and won’t print anything that is not in line with their views.
It is interesting that we have spent tens of millions on fixing up the downtown including all these fancy new little and big parks and self watering planters etc. It is too bad that along the way they did not keep up the roads that lead to the arts and parks and theaters. This is not just a pothole problem and it is not just one bad winter so I don’t want to hear that excuse. It almost seems like a bad joke to invite the wealthy folk to come to Pittsfield to see how 21st century we have become and then have them bump and bang along the roads on their way to their destination.
My feeling is that perhaps not enough graft and kickback money can be built into roadwork to make it worth while for the politicians. Yes I really do believe that.
Diving by last week, some dude was puking in a watering plant.
Welcome to downtown Pittsfield.
The average citizen in Pittsfield is mad about our current situation what with the schools taking 70% of the city budget which is a disgrace and with the media and the powers that be in bed with the special interests which includes the school system. We are mad and have a right to be and we are not going to take it any more!!!!
The school dept should be proud. They can’t even teach children how to cross the street at PHS. I’m sure more money is the answer.
The school department demanded $4 million in pay raises and school committee & everyone else approved. Now supt. has the nerve to complain of $2 million deficit. Answer to Bianchi: Tax hikes.
Ms. Tyer Mr. Gaetani or whoever is our next mayor, tell us you will stop this craziness
Pittsfield politics is totally corrupt! The vested interests reap all of the rewards or benefits, while the average working family bears all of the costs or hardships. Pittsfield politics acts like a wealthy financial institution from Wall Street ready to bankroll projects for the connected few. Pittsfield politics under Gerry Doyle went insolvent and had to go under state government receivership. Then, Andrea Nuciforo, Jr. placed his puppet named Sara Hathaway into the mayor’s office for one two year term. Nuciforo made his puppet ensure no one would know about what happened to the millions of dollars that is still unaccounted for under the Doyle debacle. High roller/Good Old Boy Jimmy Ruberto moved from Texas into his mother’s Pittsfield home to start his career in Pittsfield politics. On his second try, Jimmy (still in his mother’s home with his mother quickly put in a nursing home) Ruberto ousted Nuciforo’s puppet, decrying the very Good Old Boy network he represented. Mayor Jimmy Ruberto went on to raise taxes and increase spending at a record pace. He put tens of millions of dollars into downtown Pittsfield revitalization. Jimmy Ruberto even had Andrea Nuciforo, Jr. swear him into his third of four two year terms as Pittsfield’s Mayor. Dan Bianchi challenged Ruberto, but he lost by a close margin. Dan Bianchi decried the Good Old Boy network, similar to Jimmy Ruberto during his challenges to Sara Hathaway/Andrea Nuciforo, Jr. On his second try, Dan Bianchi won the Mayor’s office in another close election against Peter Marchetti. Mayor Dan Bianchi said he would reform Pittsfield’s corrupt government and insider business practices. But like Jimmy Ruberto, Dan Bianchi built his own Good Old Boys club. Dan Bianchi continued the tax hikes and spending increases. Mayor Dan Bianchi wants to spend tens of millions dollars on a new Taconic High School that presents multiple legal problems, including conflicts of interests, PCBs pollution sites, and Pittsfield’s tightly constrained finances. Now, Linda Tyer, who is backed by Jimmy Ruberto’s former supporters, is going to challenge Mayor Dan Bianchi based on him (Dan Bianchi) working two jobs, an unfriendly management style, and Pittsfield’s downward spiral. There are also fringe Mayoral candidates challenging Mayor Dan Bianchi, who will point out Pittsfield’s looming financial crisis, including its fragile bond rating, Pittsfield’s long term debts, and OPEB unfunded liabilities of approximately $400 million dollars. Then there is Dan Valenti, who points out that the little guy, the proverbial Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski, is losing ground in Pittsfield politics, while no one in state and local government and the Fourth Estate (excepting Dan Valenti) gives a damn.
Do you want to work for the City of Pittsfield and earn a yearly salary of $85,209 plus bennies? Then apply for the full time position of Commissioner of Public Services.
https://www.smartrecruiters.com/CityOfPittsfield/82194316-commissioner-of-public-services
This job was posted today, Friday, April 10, 2015. Get your application in early!
My guess is that someone has already gotten that job but that they are going to go through the motions. There is no cherry picking in Pittsfield that the connected don’t get first shot at.
The ship is sinking. Over his head…total incompetence, and failure. His Supervisor needs to be replaced as well……not quick enough.
The people of Pittsfield voted, not once but twice for a mall in downtown Pittsfield. That would have essentially revitalized the entire downtown area. The Federal government even offered to kick in a few bucks.
The then mayor of Pittsfield single handedly said no and the will of the people was never accomplished.
Pittsfield’s crown jewel of a cultural icon – the old train station – was torn down in favor of building a supermarket. That city council decision made grown men cry. At least the elite bentley owners can now drive through the pot hole ridden streets of Pittsfield to get some groceries at the Big Y and at least now they can catch a movie at Beacon, step outside and buy some heroin before getting mugged on their way back to the new hotel.
Well done, LOVE ME.
HUMPTY DUMPTY
This may be too direct and to the point !!!
The sitting city councilors and the mayor as well as the China Doll aka TFB have lost their intellectual rationale as well as their grip and insight of true realities.
They feel insulated and secure, therefore they’re acting like a drunken sailor with someone else’s credit card that has no limit.
What they fail to realize is that with the changes anticipated in Washington and Boston, their sacroscanct municipal pensions may be severely effected.They themselves are directing the city into an untenable, irreversable financial crisis, that will ultimately negatively impact their own expected personal portfolios.
Excellent analysis Ed. You’re correct. DV has also laid out the scenario. Contracted benefits in jeopardy because of reckless spending.
The municipal pensions will be paid, if at all, in pennies on the dollar. As DV puts it “Pittsfield has a spending problem.”
Absolutely, Ed. Fantasyland.
ED
It is direct and too the point. Not a drop of “too” here.
The North St. area and surrounding streets have a terrible (and true) reputation due to drug and gang related issues.
We can spend all day arguing over HON, pot holes, budgets, etc., but until this city is cleaned up….FORGET IT.!
PUBLIC SAFETY ALERT!
Stay off of:
North st.
Tyler st.
Lincoln st.
First st.
Second st.
Linden st.
Dewey ave
Cherry st.
Burbank st.
Kent ave
Madison ave
And Seymour st.
And you might survive.
Dan,
I guess the guy responsible for uploading pvtv to youtube hates doing it. I haven’t been able to see your show in a long time. Gave up quite awhile ago. Just checked and nothing is there from 2015.
Very common today. No one wants to do their job.
Actually, that’s what’s happened. Our YouTube uploaded disappeared. If anyone wants to assist THE PLANET with this, let us know by e-mail.
You have to like Councilor Simonelli for getting the City to tear up Pecks Rd. At least he’s trying.
Clarence Fanto endorsed Pittsfield City Council Prez Melissa Mazzeo’s proposed rule change to open mic.
Clarence Fanto wrote:
In Pittsfield, City Council President Melissa Mazzeo should be applauded for her plan to propose new rules on public discussion. No wonder, since local resident Craig Gaetani, now a candidate for mayor, refused to abide by the three-minute comment limit at council meetings, claiming he had been chosen by five other residents to speak on their behalf for up to 15 more minutes.
Mazzeo intends to seek formal adoption of the Open Meeting Law section on public comment — in effect, underscoring and emphasizing the importance of the state’s rules. It’s unfortunate, but probably necessary in light of recent experience, that she also seeks to have a police presence at all meetings.
Source: “Open Meeting Law aims to prevent disruptions”, By Clarence Fanto, Op-Ed, The Berkshire Eagle, April 11, 2015
I think we can count on the Berkshire Eagle to denigrate certain candidates. The Eagle gets tons of city advertising…some of it could go elsewhere. i predict they will unfairly trash Gaetani as he may not coddle them. Look for it and point it out when you see it.
Look for Tyer to be put on a pedestal by the Eagle.
Clarence Fanto should have written: “All animals are equal, but in the eyes of the Berkshire Eagle, some animals are more equal than others.” (George Orwell).
Clarence Fanto is favorable to some local politicians like William “Smitty” Pignatelli, while he criticizes other politicians, like Craig Gaetani.
Clarence Fanto loved to write his praises for Jimmy Ruberto, despite Ruberto’s deplorable public record as Mayor of Pittsfield.
FANTO is an Establishment toadie, when he’s not sucking up to Arlo and Sweet Baby James so he can get in free to their sing-alongs.
April 12, 2015
Re: Clarence Fanto and the iron rule of Oligarchy
Clarence Fanto endorses police state politics in local government meetings in Pittsfield to control citizens who speak out against his or her perceived problems with Pittsfield politics. What Clarence Fanto is really endorsing is the iron rule of Oligarchy, which means that a few wolves always lead the many sheep. No matter what form of government is in place from Hitler’s police state in 1930’s Nazi Germany to the most grassroots New England town meeting where everyone is encouraged to participate, and every other system in between the two, the iron rule of Oligarchy puts the power in the hands of a few powerful people, while everyone else follows.
My dad and I upset the powers that be in local and state politics in Western Massachusetts a little less than 20 years ago when we spoke out about the state’s takeover of Berkshire County government. Of course, the Berkshire Eagle was on the side of the state government; nothing changes there. The local and state Oligarchs made life tough for me and my family back then. Since the Spring of 1996 when I was 20 years old, the Nuciforo network had people bully me without leaving behind the powerbrokers’ own fingerprints. From the Fall of 1997 to the Spring of 1998, the Nuciforo network file multiple “ethics” complaints against my dad to attempt to get my dad fired from his then state government job at the Pittsfield courthouse. When that didn’t work, the Nuciforo network filed false complaints with the Pittsfield Police Department in the Spring of 1998 to try to put me in the Berkshire Sheriff Carmen Massimiano’s Pittsfield jail. From the Spring of 2002 to the beginning of Summer of 2003, I spent a little more than one year of my adult life looking for a job in Pittsfield, but no one offered me employment. I felt like I was blacklisted by the Oligarchs. In 2005, the Nuciforo network spread vicious false rumors against me to the people of Pittsfield. Until this day, no one from the Nuciforo network has apologized to me or my family.
What’s my point? The local and state government Oligarch’s retaliate against citizens who participate in their government. If a local citizen participates in their government, they may lose their job and financial security. If he or she really upsets the Oligarchs, they may be blacklisted from finding a new job. I experienced it all as a young adult living in the Pittsfield area. Now, Clarence Fanto believes further reinforcing police state politics will improve the political process in Pittsfield politics. What about the fact that last year in 2014, not one of the state government elections were contested. Ben Downing, “Smitty” Pignatelli, et al, all ran unopposed. If Ben Downing or “Smitty” Pignatelli has a challenger in next year’s election of 2016, perhaps Clarence Fanto will support a police officer standing next to the citizen in the voting booth to ensure “proper procedures” are followed.
As long as the Oligarchs are in line with Clarence Fanto’s views, let Pittsfield politics implement police state politics to ensure an efficient, effective, and unaccountable procedural system of government. Clarence Fanto stands not for democracy and citizen participation, but rather, he supports the iron rule of Oligarchy that plagues every system of government known to humankind!
– Jonathan Melle
Mike Ward would be a great addition to the C C as will Rick Scapin. Come on Mike!
The Berkshire Eagle’s propaganda Editorial for a new Taconic High School tops Clarence Fanto’s argument for police state politics!
$$$$$
[THE PLANET has redacted this puff piece for The Suits. It’s fatuous “arguments” do not meet the rhetorical standards of this site. Thanks, anyway, JON. We honor the attempt.]
Yes, the Berkshire Eagle runs an article touting that, you guessed it, a new Taconic High School will be an economic engine for the city. As Dan says, how many so-called economic engines have we had in the last 15 years? This will, however, be the mother of all economic engines thanks to its cost and potential cost overruns.
The BB even tries to justify making the school “state of the art” which is code for “there is no limit to spending”. Supposedly the school will be busy year round in order to justify expensive air conditions although from what I’ve seen of local school administrators and teachers, they can’t get out the door fast enough once the warm weather hits so the new school will stand empty with its state of the art air conditioning during the summer months.
School employees are already preparing themselves for the increase in taxes from a new school by giving themselves their annual raises at taxpayer expense. Yes, you heard that right, only days before the big vote on the school, the school has demanded and received from our fearless leader, Mayor Bianchi, a 3.5 budget increase to keep school officials and all employees of the schools living well. The rest of us without these benefits that we pay for are left in the cold. As we watch our rents or our taxes increase due to this project, I don’t think we will be having warm fuzzy thoughts about the school department demands or the powers that be here in the city.
We can only imagine the school budget increases in the years to come if this new school project goes forward.
Unconscionable. Pittsfield is a city poisoned by industrial toxin in land sky and air, it is also poisoned morally by corrupt politicians like the mayor, school committee, supt. and anyone in league with schools.
I got out of Pitts last year. In my new city the schools are responsibly run. In the Pitts school dept is the enemy of taxpayers. As Pat says bianchi promises more raises for school dept just before big vote.
It is a corrupt city. Bianchi is a corrupt mayor. Between his two jobs (with city and his fulltime with, with Global) he must be making $250,000 a year. Will get a huge city pension. Glad we moved out. So happy where we are now.
Glad you are happy in your new location. So many would like to leave Pittsfield, but those who can’t and must stay will now have to fight to take back the city. Many in the school department are keeping these corrupt politicians in office at election time since they vote for those who will give them what they want. The politicians know it and are only looking out for them and not the rest of the people especially the poor and middle class who are currently without a voice. We must find our voice and make it very loud in order to take back the city.
Unbelievable that they add insult to injury by days before the big vote giving the school department their budget increases to insure raises for all. You are right. We need a responsible school system and this one is OUT OF CONTROL.
When does the HON officially open for business?
Looks like we will have a fresh new young face running for CC at large…his name is Taylor DiSantis…he has been working on the history making campaign of Independent Evan Fulchuk, who recently established that party with the outcome of this past election for Governor
Mr. Ward I have to disagree with your assertion that a new Taconic High School will attract business to the area. If this was true Massachusetts would be the leading state for business. Massachusetts educational system is copied and student’s graduating from our schools are considered as the top. Massachusetts also contains some of the most prestigious colleges found in the United States. So lets try to discuss why businesses choose to locate where they do. The first thing they look at is cost of doing business and one of the leading expenses a business has is taxes owed and wages. Let’s look there first before building a new High School that is unneeded and will not generate workers for the new millennium.
Agree. Mr, Ward, do think the CNR chose Springfield to assemble MBTA rail cars because of its public schools ? Pittsfield even offered $ 3 mil plus financial incentives and lost the bid. The only reason a MA site was selected was that it was contractually mandated.
The expense and tax impact of the bond and construction/operating cost of this red herring school will have just the opposite effect of an attractive economic engine, albeit the few vocationally trained students will leave the Berkshires to find higher paying positions.
I guess you lost me, Shirley. I thought we were talking about Hotel on North.
Those pesky PCB’s Mr. Ward.
apparently
i don’t think business opportunities without a travel lane is going to make sense? Time for some kind of a way in and out of here.
Growth in Pittsfield only means growth in welfare caseloads, teen pregnancies, job loss, population loss, corrupt politicians, …
Unfortunate … but accurate. We are now reaping the inevitable returns of The Suits’ failure to rebuild a vibrant economy. They chose mediocrity. They thwarted true developmental progress. Take a look around the city. You’ll see the results.
I agree. Our Pittsfield politicians keep concentrating all of our money and resources on the schools to the exclusion of a truly diversified economy here in Pittsfield and once the children graduate from our local schools they leave the area and find jobs in prosperous areas that have plentiful jobs, a high quality of life, and a balanced economy meaning an area where everything is not all about the school system. Diversity of the local economy is what is lacking here in Pittsfield. So we are investing all of this money in the schools, but the kids are smart enough to realize after all of the education that the first thing they need to do is leave the area in order to have not only a good career but also to live in a place with a high quality of life. That is not Pittsfield. It’s all about the schools while no attention is paid to disintegrating neighborhoods, lack of jobs, and quality of life issues. There is no money for anything else unless it relates directly to the school system which eats up 70% and growing of the city budget.