BRADY IS FREE, THE COMMENT LINE IS OPEN, AND IT’S YOUR TIME TO SHINE ON ANY TOPIC … THE PLANET GIVES YOU 10 QUESTIONS TO GET YOU STARTED
By DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, SEPT. 4-7, 2015) — Now that a wise and intelligent judge has declared Tom Brady the greatest of saints and Roger Goodell the most heinous of sinners,
VINDICATION — TOM BRADY, reigning Super Bowl MVP, is on to defense of the title.
THE PLANET takes a break from 3P — Pittsfield’s Poison Politics — and opens The Comment Line for the weekend. Any comments on all topics are welcome. To get you started, here are 10 questions to ponder. Remember, though, that THE PLANET rarely asks a question to which we don’t know the answer.
Are you ready? OK.
- Why on Bog’s good earth did the school committee extend Jake “JIV” McCandless’ contract by two years. Pittsfield is now stuck with this money hog and the vacuum cleaner he has stuck in the taxpayers pocket for another six years. This is to pay for failure, mind you. Total compensation due to JIV personally? $1.2 million. That’s two years longer and many dollars more than the term of Linda Tyer, Pittsfield’s next mayor.
- Why, after paving (but not completing) Fenn Street, did the city order a 64-sq.-ft. hold to be dug just past city hall going west and just before 100 North St.? Is that supposed to be done before you pave? And how much extra will that stupid move cost taxpayers?
- Why are there two more lawsuits against the city in the departmental hopper. Mayor Lockdown is again targeted, joined by Sue Carmel, Kathy Degnan, and “others.” In the words of Casey Stengel, manager of the 1962 Mets, “Can’t anyone here play this game?”
- Which member of the PPD brass struck a patrolman in the face, according to several departmental sources?
- Why haven’t taxpayers heard one word about “progress” in The July 4th Massacre that left one young man murdered and four others left for dead with gunshot wounds?
- Which taxpayer supported “private” enterprise has a publicly supported office where there’s almost never anyone there except to play video games?
- What aren’t city officials telling you about the “dropped ball” in the Pittsfield School Department — and who is being shielded — in the tragic case of the father-daughter deaths? The poor, little 11-year-old girl had been dead for weeks when the body was discovered. Who dropped the ball?
- What new scandal is brewing over at the Pittsfield Boys and Girls Club?
- What long-time “pillar of the community” is praying that a certain lawsuit emanating out of Boston is not allowed to progress out of the “discovery” phase?
- Why did the city’s newly hired director of community development “leave” her job as housing and community development manager in Orlando, Fla.? She had only been on the job in Orlando since March 2013?
That’s enough to get you started. Fire away, but remember, THE PLANET has little tolerance for ignorance masquerading as information. If you “troll,” you will be pushed out of the plane without a parachute. This site is Exchange for the marketplace of ideas.
Have a great weekend, everybody.
——————————————————————————————————
“Don’t fret over your imperfections.” — St. Francis de Sales, The Golden Counsels, (1610)
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
The views expressed in any comment section are not those of PLANET VALENTI or endorsed in any way by PLANET VALENTI; this website reserves the right to remove any comment which violates its Rules of Conduct, and it is not liable for the consequences of any posted comment as provided in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and PLANET VALENTI’s terms of service.
Brady won because Judge Berman determined that he did not get due process…the jury is still out, and will forever be out, on did he knowingly and willingly participate in the tampering of game footballs
Everyone who cares at all had their minds made up seven months ago.
since when does due process apply to private business except as provided in the NFL Players’ union contract?
As it should have been called “Framegate” we can surmise Brady did nothing. He does like his football on the low end of the specifications and there were games where the balls were over the PSI limit. The question really is why did the league follow a junkies rants because he always loses to the Pats. Also why was Baltimore also colluding with the Colts? And why are there so many ex-Jet employees working for the NFL (also a relative of a Colt VP works in the NFL office) The only “good” that I see from the mess is PT Barnum’s famous line any press is good press.
Getting to Pittsfield…this city has been doing all these “behind close door shenanigans” for at least 50 years so I think the electorate are stuck in the proverbial posture position. That is why few people stay for more than one generation.
The Pittsfield School Committee extended the Superintendent’s contract because he is a “money hog”. They have just the type of person they want in that position and they don’t want to lose him. McCandless fits perfectly in the Pittsfield School Department because he is all about pulling in more money from taxpayers.
The July massacre has for all intents and purposes been swept under the rug. All they want us to remember about that day is the July 4th parade. The same with the mysterious death of the 11 year old girl. If actual news reporters were to dig too deep into this story, they would find neglect on the part of people in important positions. That can’t happen.
Why is it that Pittsfield pols continue to hire people for important jobs in the city who have either been fired from other jobs or have shady backgrounds? Are these the only type of people they can get to come here? Is a shady background a part of the job description for being hired by the city of Pittsfield in order to fit in?
I am intrigued by item “I” on your list Dan – “pillar of the community praying about lawsuit originating out of Boston.” Could his initials be C.M.? Can’t wait to hear more!
Not a Pats fan and do believe he is guilty as hell – but isn’t it time for the NFL to stop all this nonsense and just move on? Now they are appealing the judges ruling and this could go on for months and months. As a huge fan of football, I’d rather they just get back to playing football games.
Couldn’t agree more, the Pats were fined 1 million and lost 1st and 4th round pick. All this for a equipment violation, that is a 25,000 dollar fine in the rule book.
This is the rumor going around, a certain city councilor just completed a rehab stint to get off of pain killers. a certain councilor hasn’t been seen in public in a while, maybe it’s true.
I have not seen any councilors out in public. It is an election year after all. Think they would be out meeting the voters.
Geez I hope its not Mellissa
Why don’t the league just create an option range of PSI for the footballs? Let each quarterback pick his own comfort zone. Who the hell cares?
Thank you, Dan, for bringing up the same questions I have. In this day of modern technology, they certainly should know by now what caused the little girl’s death. What possible reason would they have not to reveal it?
And still not revealing the names of the July 4th victims. What the hell!
This question should be put to all candidates. Will you promise to tell us ALL the facts or give a damn good reason why you are unable to.
“lockdown
LockDown
LOCKDOWN
LOCKDOWN!”
– Mayor Lockdown
Mr. X has it right. Berman found that the process did not meet Federal standards of fairness. He did not rule on the merits of the case. The case is being appealed partially because Berman violated a principle of labor law to only consider the labor contract.
The case is being appealed because Roger Goodell cannot let it go. If he had the best interest of the league it would be over. His ego will not let that happen. The team was fined and lost 2 draft picks, for a equipment violation. Enough already, let’s play some football.
Dan,
On Monday (or Tuesday) can you elaborate more on item D. It seems the PPD ship is sinking fast. From reading both lawsuits on here, it seems like Granger is out of control. If I were in charge, and possibly to mitigate some of the damages from these lawsuits, I would remove Granger from any sort of enforcement role and put him in a paper pushing position. I mean two lawsuits and he seems to be the primary figure in both? As the old saying goes: fool me once…..
Where is the outcry over Wynn?. Granger is running the show because he can.
Does the new scandal at the Boys’ & Girls’ Club involve the incredible waste of money spent by Terry Hughes on the cabin by the pond which has since been condemned by the town of Richmond because it is ready to fall in the water? Is the scandal about a supervisor at camp who conducted drug transactions during camp hours at camp witnessed by other full time staff? Is it about the board discussing the viability of having Camp Russell?
Freel breakfast and luunch for ALL elementary school children in Pitts public schools. Your tax money pi** ed away. What a city!
Perhaps next year we can put them all in dorms for the school year and save on bus fare.
September 4, 2015
Re: Open letter to Dan Valenti
Dear Dan Valenti,
Your weekday blog about Pittsfield politics shows how corrupt Pittsfield’s state and local government is, and how the insider’s politics ran by two local political camps (Wojtkowski’s and Del Gallo’s) under the banner of the state Democratic Party in Boston is hurting the little guys whom you call the Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski family.
The Dan Bianchi campaign stems from the late-Mayor Anne Everest Wojtkowski administration of the late 1980’s. The Linda Tyer campaign stems from Mayor Jimmy Ruberto’s administration, whose roots come from the Remo Del Gallo administration of long ago. In early-November, 2015, the Kapanski’s are going to choose from the same two political camps that have ran Pittsfield into the proverbial ditch over the past 4 decades.
If you aren’t from either the Wojtkowski or Del Gallo political camp, you don’t have the organization to win the plums in Pittsfield politics. It helps if you are related to one of these multigenerational families in Pittsfield. For example, former Pittsfield State Senator and Registrar of Deeds and failed U.S. Congressional candidate Andrea F. Nuciforo, Jr. is the son of a Pittsfield Probate Court Judge, the nephew of the late-Mayor Anne E. Wojtkowski, and the nephew of former Pittsfield State Representative Tom Wojtkowski. Another example is Pittsfield State Senator Ben Downing, whose late-father, Gerry Downing, was a Berkshire County District Attorney. Jimmy Ruberto’s late-brother was a Berkshire County D.A. and Judge. The list goes on and on.
The Good Old Boys club that controls Pittsfield politics only serves the vested interests through huge yearly budgets with annual 5 percent increases in spending, high local taxes that the average working family struggles to pay, and colossal debts that hover in the one-half billion dollar range. The vested interests are comprised of police, fire, and public school unions, the hundreds of non-profit organizations in Pittsfield, and the politically connected powerbrokers.
Despite all of the political corruption you blog about, local services in Pittsfield are substandard. Over 600 children choice out of Pittsfield public schools per year. The school system takes about 70 percent of the budget pie with inadequate performance results. The streets of downtown Pittsfield have seen major violence with shootings and murders. About 70 percent of Pittsfield residents live in poverty and rely on welfare and social services. Thousands of people keep moving out of Pittsfield. There are no full time, living wage jobs in Pittsfield, unless you have connections to the G.O.B.’s.
The Dan Bianchi administration is failing to address Pittsfield’s social problems and continuing to spend money like water to serve the vested interests. Mayor Dan Bianchi and the PPD is being sued by multiple police officers for alleged discrimination, conspiracy, and corruption. PEDA is still a toxic waste site with no private business investment. Downtown Pittsfield is still dead and a place most people avoid, especially after hours.
The citizens of Pittsfield are afraid to speak out about all of the corruption and sad realities facing Pittsfield. If a brave man or woman speaks out against the politically connected powerbrokers, he or she will lose his or her job faster than you can snap your fingers together. People who speak out about Pittsfield politics are blacklisted from ever finding one of the scarce full time, living wage jobs left in Pittsfield. The bottom line is that the people live in fear in Pittsfield.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Melle
Very well said Jonathan. How do we change this situation? We need more honest and decent people who think about all of the citizens of the city and not just the vested interests. The Pittsfield School Committee is also corrupt in my opinion as they try to consolidate power for the poorly performing schools. All the budget increases given to them over the years have been used for higher salaries for teachers and administrators and have not gone toward their basic mission of education.
Excellent letter, JM. That fear you talk about is real and palpable. But fear is an opportunity. You can only show courage when fear is present. I, for one, choose probity over politics, intelligence over ignorance, and fearlessness over fear. OThers can do the same thing. It’s a choice one makes. If enough people do it, We The People win.If not, well …
It was a group of old jocks from the great teams of the early 50’s who met last Wednesday for a reunion breakfast at the home of Dick DiOrio, one of Pittsfield’s great shortstops, Other players in attendence were Bob Traversa, Walt Miller, John Dalone, Bruce Robarge. Non-Pittsfield residents unable to attend were Denny Cohen and the great southpaw Larry Bossidy.
These players were the nucleus of a PHS team that won 40 games and lost 2 over a two year period. The same group playing for American Legion Post 68 won the New England championship and the following year playing for the Pittsfield Majestic Restaurant were the national champions at the All-American Amateur Baseball Tournament in Johnstown, Pa.
The success of area baseball this summer rekindled memories of the great legacy of Pittsfield baseball. We remain a great baseball town. Post 68 were Mass. state champions and gave a great account of themselves at the eastern regionals. These kids made us proud. They were every bit the equal of the 1952 and ’53 sectional and national champions.
The coaching skills of Pat Bassi were of paramount importance in guiding this team. It was wonderful seeing a reincarnation of buddy-ball and the skillful players doing it in a way Buddy would have approved, I’m sure. Pat’s coaching made optimum use of the run, steal, bunt skills of the players. And it won him more than one key game.
The administrative and managerial talents of a trio of gentlemen giving their time and talent came within a whisker of guiding this team to the nationals.Jimmy Mazzer and Gildo DiSanctis along with Bassi’s coaching talents deserve a community thank you.
I liked Pat Bassi’s agressive philosophy on offense through some of the tactics you mention, Chuck. The hit-and-run, the stolen base, bunting, taking a lot of pitches and working an at bat are ways of keeping the other side’s defense off balance. When teams run up against this style of play, especially against a squad GOOD at it, it puts them literally on the defensive. This style of play gets in their heads, and when they start thinking, their reactions become tentative.
Agressive Planet!
When the inmates run the prison,it is what is is when you have Union on one side and armless Chiefs on the other, a quasi leadership run by the rank and file and who you know. Frankly the two Chiefs in question are doing a fine job, in my opinion.
Wow! Really, did he really say that? Berkshire Mall owners see Best Buy closing as an “opportunity”. One of Berkshire County’s major retail outlets is closing. A total of 63 employees, 28 of them full time, will lose their jobs. It’s just wonderful someone sees it as an opportunity. I hope they are right. But it reminds me of a time not that long ago when England Brothers closed and remaining merchants said, “This is our time, we’ll pick up business that England Brothers used to get”. Within a year they were starving and North Street died, never to return as a retail destination. If a now gasping mall represents an “opportunity”, I hope it has a better future than North Street.
Chuck new owner’s of Berkshire Mall could give a shit. They talked a good game, but have done nothing to the place. There just waiting to sell it, who knows maybe they need a loss.
@ Chuck times are a changing for sure, Amazon is the largest Internet-based retailer in the United States. Brick and mortar stores certainly aren’t going to go away, but supply and demand is a stark reality to the Berkshire Mall, most days you see more cars parked outside of Price Rite than the mall.
Ron, Good points and on target. An additional worry is half the cars we see parked there may be those 0f employees,not shoppers.
We have major space on East Street with a railroad running through it.I wonder if PEDA has met with Internet-based retailers pitching this property. I know of one top
salesman on this committee. I hope he’s not just pushing paper.
North street died when we didn’t get the Mall.
North St. died when the banks started opening branch offices.
With 80% of North Adams residents relying on welfare and 70% of Pittsfield residents relying on welfare, the only growth in Berkshire County’s local economy is the underclass. North Street has been known as Social Services Alley for decades. The Berkshire Mall is competing with the Dollar Store for customers.
Why does Pittsfield and North Adams have such high rates of poverty?
Can the average working family earn a full time, living wage income in Berkshire County?
A majority of people in Pittsfield and North Adams end up in poverty reliant on welfare!
Baloney. Cite your figures.
May because Arts replaced G E and Sprague and Beloit and whatever. if you don’t have a job, an economic engine doesn’t exist..School or no School
It is unfair to blame GE, Sprague, Beloit, and other businesses for Berkshire County’s economic inequities! Pittsfield and North Adams have had decades since the economic collapse of Berkshire County’s local economy. 70 to 80 percent of local residents are living in poverty in Berkshire County in 2015!
Is high per capita poverty numbers going to be the future for Pittsfield and North Adams?
Poverty is the ultimate societal injustice and the most structural form of violence.
Why does it have to be this way? Where are the leaders? What is their plans to change Pittsfield and North Adams from welfare and poverty to living wage employment and economic equity.
Maybe Pittsfield and North Adams needs socialism to establish equitable capitalist communities?
I wish I knew the answer, but it is not to blame Jack Welch!
Did not Blame anyone Jon?
Pittsfield politics is a sad situation. I can’t blame anyone either. I don’t think a miracle worker can change Pittsfield for the better. It is what it is!
Agree Jonathon, we need to go to a town government. Select board and town manager. Try to take the politics out of it. Give the people more control.
Without GE, Pittsfield would never have become a city in the first place. It would have always been and remained a small town in the hills of western Massachusetts.
People flocked into the area due to the abundance of jobs at GE. They built houses and raised families here. When GE pulled out lock stock and barrel it left a vacuum and pcb’s in its place.
What business in their right mind would move into socialist taxachusetts? Dunkin Donuts, WalMart, small shops, Big Y and Stop & Shop type jobs cannot support the people living here. $9.00 an hour is not a livable wage. Many jobs are part time so as to side step ObamaCare requirements.
Welfare and food stamps are the better way for a majority. 60% of families sending their children to schools here are living in poverty. Selling drugs on the streets and other gang related activity is appealing to the youths. Teenage girls get pregnant and then live off the system. Not enough people working are paying into that system. Mass healthcare is bankrupting the state. High fees and taxes are a huge burden on elderly homeowners on fixed incomes who cannot afford to pay.
Pittsfield’s best days are behind it. All that is left in ever increasing high taxes, crime and poverty.
Tyer, the next mayor? Yeah good luck with that. Her agenda of tax and spend, progressive liberalism will only fail. The new high school will be built along with god knows what else, putting the final nail in the coffins of Pittsfield’s taxpayers.
In Pittsfield, deflated footballs are the least of anyone’s worries.
The new jail didn’t help anything either. The dirt bags from outside the area get sent there. Then their welfare wives and girlfriends come to Pittsfield for their section 8 apartments. When the dirt bags get out where do you think they go?
Taking about the jail, well guess what, no one was suppose to know but they were trying to use the old jail for an early release program. Hard criminal from outside this community. The plan failed but my question is; wasn’t the old jail supposed to be demo once we build the new on? Now where is Tully and Morandi on this? Did they know? Watch out neighbors because we never know what else is planned for these two neighborhoods. Dump all the trash on the poorest neighborhoods in the city? Pot dispenser center on Dalton Avenue, etc. I’m afraid of what is next.
They were going to demolish the jail and the old library as well because they were inefficient and cost too much to heat. As soon as they got the new buildings they decided the old ones were worth keeping.
Seem like just making excuses to build and spend taxpayer money huh? This is the exact same mindset with Taconic high school. They could have put a few bucks in it and fixed it but then there is no graft to spread around.
Many questions for the politicians these coming debates. Make them answer. I don’t agree with the FU from Tammy Ives fence but that proves to me that she will stand for herself and tax payers. Not a classic way to defend herself but I take that. She’s got my vote and hope that others give her a chance.
She’ll stand for herself all right. Taxpayers? Yeah, heard that one before! Lol
The Berksire Eagle and iBerkshires both did articles about plans for the Second Street site last June.
http://www.iberkshires.com/story/46665/Berkshire-Sheriff-Hoping-To-Build-Pre-Release-Center-.html
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/ci_26059965/pre-release-center-county-jail-inmates-works
I guess we missed it the first time but definitively not the second time around.
Jon, You hit the nail on the head! But you forgot one thing. If you are not “with them,” it’s presumed you are “against them,” even if you remain apolitical outside to voting machines curtain. So, you can’t win; may as well fight!
Pittsfield Police chew threw OT. I Berkshire reportd .Maybe its time to hire part- time officers. Does anyone have the balls, I didn’t think so.
Balls in Pittsfield are a rare commodity among elected and apptd officials. I think DV has the market cornered.
What a choice over in Ward One, man, that’s a tough one for sure.
Not tough at all. Lisa had her chance and blew it. Now Tammy should be given a chance and if she doesn’t live up to expectations, she should be voted out next election. Tammy doesn’t seem like she would be pushed around by the other councilors and whoever is mayor. That is what we need. The GOB’s want Lisa to win because Lisa plays their game of higher taxes for the schools every budget cycle and she is easily led to do their bidding.
Curious Pat, have you driven past Tammy Ive’s house and observed the derelict fence with the large letters FU painted on it? I especially liked the house numbers of her neighbors painted on the fence. A classy women? Hardly. I agree with you that Lisa is a horrible councilor who forgot all her promises to her constituents only to be a puppet of Bianchi. They both need to be replaced but Ives over Tully and Tyer over Bianchi, how does the taxpayer benefit from past and future candidates. Pittsfield needs honest and intelligent councilors and a ded icated mayor for the people. Not the present bunch of liars and cheats.
I don’t see a whole lot of help on the way. Things have gone from bad to worse and now may go from worse to worser.
That’s right i said worser. I am from Pittsfield so cut me some slack will ya?
Honestly at this point the city doesn’t need classy we need sassy. Someone who can stand up to the people in this city who want to take away power from the average citizen. This will take a healthy amount of confidence and some spunk to be able to stand up to authority figures who think they know what is best for everyone in the city. In my opinion Tammy has these qualities. I’m not happy with the comments Tammy has on her fence, but I think she should be given a chance as councilor. I think Tammy understands what is going on in the city and what needs to be done to fix the problems. I know another few years of Lisa would not be good for Ward 1 or the city.
“[T]he greatest beneficiaries in the post-industrial society are young urban professionals.” These technocrats are managers that manipulates us with information instead of coercion. These high income earners, technocrats, and managers live in gated communities, wealthy suburbs, and in high end condo clusters.
Cite:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-industrial_society
Pittsfield is a post-industrial community where low-paying service jobs (and huge welfare caseloads) greatly outnumber diminishing manufacturing jobs. A majority of Pittsfield residents are living in poverty. All Pittsfield elementary public school children receive free lunches. Pittsfield is a very unequal and economically inequitable community. The greatest beneficiaries of Pittsfield politics are the vested interests (i.e., police, fire, public school unions; hundreds of non-profit organizations; and the politically connected Good Old Boys network). All of Pittsfield politics beneficiaries are dependent on the local and state taxpayers. The vested interests in Pittsfield politics are the technocratic managers who manipulate the taxpaying public with not only information, but also, fear of citizen participation, low voter turnout numbers, and a local economy in a great depression with scarce full time, living wage jobs.
Cindy Hillard wrote a letter to the Berkshire Eagle today complaining about The Planet and Dan Valenti. She basically is lying about what is said here on the Planet. She said nothing good is ever said on the Planet as she has obviously never read all of the good advice given to city leaders on this site. She referred to the Planet as a “Dark” site. She said she doesn’t agree with most of Gaetani’s rants, but she does agree with his rant about Dan and the Planet. She said everybody in the city knows who is commenting on this site even though we try to remain anonymous. Talk about negative and talk about trying to shut down free speech!!! The comment about Dan V. really has me upset when she flat out said that Dan V. spins stories the way he wants them. Everyone here on the Planet knows that this doesn’t describe Dan V. Ms. Hillard is obviously a “cheerleader” for the city who only wants to hear the “good” things. She can’t handle the truth.
Just about everybody who has ever logged on to this site has raved about how fantastic it is!! They are blown away by the fact that the truth is spoken here on the Planet and that’s what many people in Pittsfield can’t handle. I think the BB is also worried about competition from the reporting that goes on here at the Planet and they would like nothing better than to shut down the Planet and the people on this site. Be warned people who enjoy free speech because many people in Pittsfield only like it when everybody is drinking the Kool-Aid.
The best reply is to write letters to the BB in support of The Planet and DV’s outstanding work. But wil the BB publish them?
We should all try. I know they didn’t print some of my letters in the past.
Everybody can read her nasty letter, but she also said that if someone disagrees with someone on this site, everybody gangs up on them and asks them not to comment on the site. Actually that sounds like what Pittsfield “cheerleader” types do when anybody dares to say anything about the city that isn’t positive. Nobody ever swears or curses on this site and its always civil. Intelligent conversation is what Ms. Hillard obviously doesn’t understand. I guess she just isn’t used to it.
Maybe she should get herself elected to city council president and then she could limit what people say or shut them down all together. She would be in heaven.
Did Dans headline questions for this particular column upset her? Does she not want people to read what might be coming down the pike?
Dan
Today you were mentioned in letters written by Bianchi loyalists. I find it so disturbing the mayor has been in two terms and has yet to take responsibility for anything? Mary O’Brien portrays as villains. Why? They want schools that preform ,they want roads the don’t look like a third world country.They don’t want ridiculous statements coming from the Mayor after a shooting near a local ice cream establishment. I have heard him and his allies say they were going to improve the quality of life of the residents and the overburdened tax payers yet they continue to focus on mudslinging instead of working. Mary O’ Brien is a long term Politician who I’m sure has a public pension and health care to go with it and has no clue what a majority our citizens deal with trying to survive day to day.Mary 70% of the kids in school are on free lunches.while a portion of our leaders end there kids to private or out of town schools? Really?Critics responsible for that to?
The mayor has a clear majority of rubber stamp councilors who sit there and do little to question his ever increasing budget request ,and have done nothing to cut spending. I did not hear one accomplishment he has achieved in his time in office,except to give himself and his upper level managers grotesque raises with no accountability.
Finally, the mayor and his cohorts try to vilify his critics ,whether they be from the state government or councilors. Those individuals still remember the first loyalty is to the tax payer.
Mr Bianchi ,people are leaving our city and our schools not because you have critics on the council or anywhere else.Citizens expect that in good government and to keep you honest.
They are leaving because:
1) Lack of leadership from the corner office,the buck stops with the mayor,he should stop finger pointing and learn the art of compromise ,his arrogance is why Mr Chartock
made those comments about Pittsfield being a mean city politically.He has lost his cool more times on Tv than can be counted ,which shows business he is not in control.
2) A over paid underperforming school system ,that is eating up more of our shrinking tax revenue.
3) A docile city council that acts more like trained seals instead of fiscal stewards.
4)Lack off affordable housing for our working poor.
5) Lack of leadership by the council president,Mrs Mazzeo forgets she is there to run the meeting not to carry the mayor’s water.
6) Drug and gang violence,that rivals bigger cities per capita
7) Disenfranchised elderly population
8) Crumbling infrastructure,The city can’t afford to deal with it because the lion share goes to the School Budget.
8) Ride down Crane ave and see the terrible job that was done,it’s like a wave pool.
9) Look at the automotive store in the Coltsville intersection.It is so close to the road. You can’t see around the corner when you proceed. Where will the snow go when the plowing starts? I love to see what dunce the Mayor appointed to the planning board.
10) plowing was so terrible during the winter that our streets looked like side walks yet small towns kept their roads clear and well sanded. The Mayor and Collingwood and Swail blamed everything and everything and gave themselves raises for failure
11)We have multiple police legal actions against the city as well as many other legal actions .I would love to know what our legal budget actually is now? I bet it was cheaper when we had a law firm. I check those numbers
12) The city spent 500 thousand moving into a building we don’t own and nobody goes to because it so inconvenient and is incredibly ill planned.
The mayor needs leave one job and actually do the other one ,and who knows a miracle might happen and people will want to be in Pittsfield once again.i wouldn’t hold your breath though.
The title, Vote Bianchi to keep moving Pittsfield forward had caused my morning coffee to drain from my nose. I think that says it all about what I thought of her entire letter.
Pat, a couple of friends were going to the Common, simply because it was free and begged off, not for the reason of the shooting or fear but out of respect for the incident itself which paints a bleak picture for humanity, like the event never happened. As far as Valenti blowing things out of proportion, how many factual incidents has Mr. Valenti provided? Hundreds, I would say. Would the weeds and the clutter at the Hess Forest or at Silver Lake and Kentucky Fried Chicken be a mirage, the neglect of the Roads and the maintenance of them in the Winter, a fabrication? The 100 North Sreet transaction or the Current Police situation a fabrication? Or the tragic accident which the Planet gave up his freedom to attend a court hearing for Freedom of Speech and all that goes with our First Amendment rights?Do we need to add anything?This is why the Planet’s blog is one of the most read, because of the transparency and the lack of Officials to be held Accountable to the Taxpayer.
I can understand the reason they didn’t want to go to the performance that night. Who wanted to be all cheerful and happy after such a terrible tragedy had just happened? Cindy Hillard’s letters is trying to portray supposedly high attendance at the Shakespeare play that night as proof that people weren’t afraid of flying bullets, but she missed the point completely. To go on with everything as usual after such a terrible incident was insensitive.
Dan V. backs up everything he says with facts. When he makes a mistake, he admits it. No spinning goes on here at the Planet!!!!
We are spending money on a school we can’t afford to maintain.i predict it will look like the present building in less than a decade.
Small town have created a task force to deal with the fiscal “perfect storm” that is being ignored by Pittsfield
1( huge migration of students leaving
2( aging population
3(huge pension liability.mostltly school,fire ,police
4(most kids on free lunch
5) City leaders and making close to 6 figure salaries as well ass multiple layers off school administrators
6 redundant services and positions that can be shared or eliminated between schools.they can also share buildings and costs
The city leaders are out of touch with the people they were elected to serve. This has to change. It starts at the polls, but even after they are elected into office, the public needs to keep the pressure on these elected officials. They need to continually be reminded about what the PUBLIC WANTS.
You know they are desperate when they start attacking Dan V. and the Planet.
Meant as well as
Is Ms. Hillard aware that when “news” appears on this blog, it is confirmed eventually on the BB. Perhaps not for days later, but Dan is always (that I can remember) correct.
Can anyone confirm her connection with certain officials?
I don’t know her, but the way she warned in her letter that everybody in Pittsfield knows who comments here on the Planet made it sound like we will all soon have a public execution. Maybe we will be branded with a letter “T” for treasonous activities for speaking out against the powers that be. Is this modern day America? Or have I time travelled back to the middle ages?
What did she mean by “their identities are known?” Was that a veiled threat? Apparently someone took the trouble to find out so why? Can she have us thrown out of senior housing?
Oh my!
If we can confirm that she has no connection with certain officials will all agree that she is entitled to her opinion and had the courage to put her name to it. She could have written all the same here and called herself by some silly name and sat back and chuckled at how we all went for the bait. Our real hope is of course that we can show that she’s not her own person and that she’s entangled with some high or low level person in town.
Even if she is speaking for herself, it’s still frightening if her attitude will be what voters heading to the polls are thinking. Thinking like that of Ms. Hillard is what has brought Pittsfield to the place where it is today.
Cheerleader types who refuse to hear any negatives about the city allow corruption to take over the city. In order to save Pittsfield we need critical thinkers who aren’t afraid to speak the truth even if people can’t handle that truth. We need voters heading to the polls who understand the critical issues facing the people of this city and who don’t need to put a happy face on everything. This is the only way to make the city great again for all of the citizens.
The Planet in all it’s Transparency, has warmed readers with Sunshine, in a City where Freedom hasn’t been accountable to the taxpayer.
Thank you Planet!
One word to describe the format of the Planet would be…Pervasive.
I stand by…I stand with .. I stand for The Planet. Valenti has them rattled, that shows how effective he has become. He is going to decide the election this year and thats why the mayor and his goons are attacking.
Melissa Mazzeo isn’t pleased about getting called out on those $500 tickets in part of this article.
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/local/ci_28771359/pittsfield-city-council-weigh-appointments-bid-sideline-president
Her own misdeeds are “frivolous” according to Ms. Mazzeo, but didn’t Ruberto get in trouble for a similar offense with Red Sox tickets? Is Ms. Mazzeo above the law? Apparently she thinks she is.
The conflict of interest law is as follows:
The conflict-of-interest law prohibits a municipal employee from directly or indirectly accepting anything of substantial value either for themselves or for any act within their official responsibility. Under the law, an “illegal gratuity” is considered anything worth $50 or more.
Ms. Mazzeo accepted $500.00 theater gala tickets.
This site continues to bury the competition day after day.
I agree this site is useful however I have a few questions. If the new City charter allows the City council to authorize the borrowing of 50 million dollars without a vote of the people, why didn’t DV warn us of this. If he did warn us how could the charter possibly have passed. I would like to know the totals on voter turnout for this all important document in which we entrusted supposedly untrustworthy council members with such a power. Most of the problems faced by this City is a result of voter apathy. I voted for the charter because I liked some parts of it but I certainly wasn’t aware of this provision.
I knew I was going to vote against it from the time I saw who was putting it forward. When special interest representatives push for anything this should be your first red flag. The same crowd that wanted the civic authority wanted the charter. Enough said.
I wasn’t aware of all of the provisions either and maybe Dan V. wasn’t aware of this particular one either. All I knew was that the Berkshire Eagle was all for it. That was the first red flag for me. I think I remember that Dan V. was against it at the time, but the corrupt voters came out in force to vote for it. At that time there wasn’t enough of a backlash against the illegal shenanigans in this city. Maybe there still isn’t if the letter by Ms. Hillard is in any way representative of those who will be voting in the upcoming election. Corrupt voters give us corrupt politicians.
I would also add that low information voters give us corrupt politicians.
You are correct, PAT. I wrote numerous times against this charter, outlining how the provisions would help to stifle democracy in Pittsfield. Turnout was paltry. The Suits made sure the charter wasn’t well publicized, for example, not providing hard copies for review. The suppressed vote gave them the victory they sought. This, my good friends, is the price of apathy, not paying attention, and lack of oversight.
When the makeup of the c c is present day politicians, of course don’t vote for it. van tou say Tammany Hall.
That should say…when the make up of the Charter Commision are assembled by present day politicians.
Labor Day and the proliferation of political lawn signs tells us the election season is in high gear. We’lll certainly be hearing wonderful suggestions on how our leaders and leader hopefuls will improve our economy by attracting industry that offer full time jobs with good wages. We really should be hearing about this, but we’ll see. One hundred years ago when I was on the city council atracting companies was a hot issue. At that time an important issue was an industrial park.that companies would be interested in moving into. A study of successful areas that attracted industry found an Airport Industrial Park was a winner in attracting industry.We have a well run airport area with two major runways and maybe, just maybe, a company that provides jobs is interested in our area. How do we know if we don’t try?
The GE property has been 10 years of hot air. Won’t hurt to try sometning new.
yes, try something new….vote Gaetani…..bye, bye good old boys
Mazzeo violated the law……filing a disclosure doesn’t empower her to accept a $500 freebie…..she is dumber than a stump if she doesn’t understand the law…..every public employee in MA. is required to take a online course every year…..her actions are plainly and expressly illegal.
Looks like Missy is going to be taking out to the wood shed Tommorow night for the ticket take it. 7 p m be there.
The point I was trying to make is that the electorate is so apathetic that it’s no wonder that the elected do whatever those that vote want them to do. This site has been useful by allowing all posters- even the unstable ones – have their say. I had some idea that at least one of the mayoral candidate’s was slightly off,but by allowing him this platform, he sunk his own ship.