PUTTING FACTS TO RUINOUS TEACHERS’ CONTRACT REVEALS LATEST SCAM ‘THE SUITs’ PULLED ON TAXPAYERS
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
First of 3 Parts
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, DEC. 7, 74th ANNIVERSARY OF PEARL HARBOR) — The two most salient facts about the new contract signed by the city of Pittsfield — “representing” taxpayers, and the United Educators of Pittsfield, Representing the Pittsfield’s largest special interest group (SIG), its public school teachers — involve cost and timing.
Cost — Taxpayers will be forced to bear the brunt of pay raises ranging from 15 to 18 percent over the next three fiscal years. This is an astonishingly generous allowance, given the enormous financial pressures being exerted upon citizens owing to a failed economy, a shrinking tax base, and profligate spending by politicians masquerading as leaders.
Timing — The city and the union signed the contract on Nov. 3, 2015, the day after the municipal elections. In that campaign, the six seats on the school committee were up for grabs. The race drew eight candidates: the six incumbents and two newcomers. Once again, low turnout combined with almost invisible attention paid this this campaign by mainstream media resulted in the six incumbents to be returned to office. In THE PLANET’s unexpurgated dictionary, “incumbent” means “incompetent.”
A Tilted Playing Field
If you ever wondered if The Suits deliberately stacked the deck in their favor and against ordinary citizens, the signing date of this ruinous contract tells all. Isn’t it interesting that not one school committee candidate, not one candidate of any kind in fact, mentioned the status of the contract. How do you think it would have played in the home of Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski if they knew the city intended to reward its teachers with 15 to 18% pay raises.
Let’s put this egregious and undeserved pay hike in perspective by introducing something that rarely enters the public conversation: Facts.
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) reports that for the 2013-14 school year (the most recent available), the average annual salary for a teacher in the Pittsfield public school system was $64,762, not including benefits. Counting the generous bennies package, which includes taxpayer-provided 85% of skyrocketing health insurance costs, the figure is $80,352.
Thus, these factual statements:
- The average yearly compensation for a Pittsfield public school teacher is at least $80,352.
- They have a contractually defined work year of 183 days.
- By key metrics and other performance measurements, academic rigor and accomplishment have steadily declined.
- In the past generation, the number of employees in the public school system has doubled while the number of students has declined by half. There is a 5-to-1 ratio of school staff to students.
Here is a hot link to the actual contract.
THE PLANET, alone among local media, has fished out this information because we believe you deserve to know.
More facts. In rating state schools, the ESE prefaces the information with this note:
“Massachusetts uses the Progress and Performance Index (PPI) to assess the improvement of each district and school toward its own targets. The PPI combines information about narrowing proficiency gaps, growth, and graduation and dropout rates into a single number. All districts, schools, and student subgroups with sufficient data are assigned an annual PPI based on two years of data and a cumulative PPI between 0 and 100 based on three annual PPIs. For a district or school to be considered to be making progress toward narrowing proficiency gaps, the cumulative PPI for both the ‘all students’ group and high needs students must be 75 or higher.” (Source: EOS).
In 2014, the state rates the PPS as a Level 3 district (scale of 1 [best] to 5 [worst]). If you were a teacher putting a grade on Level 3, pupil PPS would receive a grade of 60.
60 — Just above failing, and yet, the sad performance rates pay raises of 15 to 18 percent on average compensation topping $80,000 a year.
Beautiful.
CPI Shows Pittsfield Schools Failing
According to state data, students in the PPS have a Cumulative Progress and Performance Index (CPI) of 44. “High Needs” students rate 45. In other words, the “typical” Pittsfield student is barely performing above the definition of “High Needs.”
Remember, as you just read, the state tells us, For a district or school to be considered to be making progress toward narrowing proficiency gaps, the cumulative PPI for both the ‘all students’ group and high needs students must be 75 or higher.”
Does this performance warrant enormous pay raises, let alone an annual compensation of $200,000 for the superintendent who presides over this failure?
Tomorrow, Part 2: The Chase
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“Nothing can stop me now, ’cause I’m the Duke of Earl.” — Gene Chandler, “Duke of Earl,” (1962).
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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The Sheriff, Tom Bowler, makes over $150,000 plus benefits per year.
The DA, David Capeless, makes over $170,000 plus benefits per year.
Local Judges make over $160,000 plus benefits per year.
The Registrar of Deeds, Patsi Harris, makes over $90,000 plus benefits per year.
The new Mayor, the lovely Linda Tyer, will make above $95,000 plus benefits per year.
The Superintendent makes over $140,000 plus benefits per year.
It pays to be a political hack! The politically connected bureaucrats and politicians are well taken care of in Pittsfield.
The rest of us get to pound sand!
Julia Bowen dissents against the Pittsfield School Committee’s “misinformed” endorsement of a moratorium on Charter Schools.
http://www.iberkshires.com/story/50665/Letter-BArT-Example-of-Charter-School-Success.html
“UMass HQ over the top”
Boston Herald, Letters, December 7, 2015
I am confused by the University of Massachusetts headquarters move to One Beacon Street in Boston (Nov. 27). The UMass system has buildings and campuses all over the state. There has to be some empty space at one of those locations. Why is it that companies (and our military) can squeeze in and make do with existing properties, but Marty Meehan & His Court need to be in imperial quarters?
Why not use the $3.15 million annual cost of rent to build a permanent UMass headquarters?
Beyond that, who makes these outrageous deals that give state school presidents all those perks and goodies?
— Malcolm C. King, Stoughton
—–
“UMass to pay incoming president $769,500 in salary, perks”
By Laura Krantz, Boston Globe Staff, May 21, 2015
Incoming UMass president Martin T. Meehan will make $769,500 during his first year on the job, including salary and benefits, according to terms of his five-year contract released Thursday.
Meehan’s overall compensation package will rise to $869,000 in 2019. Those figures include annual performance bonuses, retirement and life insurance contributions, and housing and car allowances.
The increases amount to about a 3.5 percent raise each year for Meehan in base salary, which starts at $525,000 when he begins in July and will rise to $602,000 five years from now.
Meehan will get annual performance bonuses of 11 percent his base salary and retirement contributions of 18 percent his salary.
One of the ironies of these teachers being given these gilded contracts is that many if not most of them send their own children out of the system they themselves teach in. They do not want their own children educated in the system they teach in because they know first hand how bad it is. And how many of them do not even live in Pittsfield?
Bottom line: If you are a senior in Pittsfield and own your own home and do not have a super healthy nest egg you are going to lose your home. You are going to be forced to sell and odds are you won’t get enough for it to relocate forcing you into an apartment. And if that is in Pittsfield good luck getting one not shared with undesirables.
This is the bottom line and facts you won’t be reminded of by reading The Berkshire Eagle.
Oh yes, I forgot. Teachers can retire on 80% of their pay.
Charter School teachers are superior to PPPS and paid a lot less, fact.
I love pointing out that fact in arguments. As a teacher myself it’s clear that many of the PPS faculty is here for the cushy ride. Charter Schools and Private Schools (both where I have also worked) get paid A LOT less; yet have higher returns and generally care more because they are doing it for the love of the job.
Yes. We need to ask why is that so? How do private school and charter school teachers and administratros get consistently better results than city public schools at a fraction of the cost…mccandless, the superintendent was hired to preside over this den of corruption and sin…to not rock the boat…to keep all the cushy deals in place. The school committee should be burned at the stake…well done.
You aim your lone gun but you hide behind your silly name.
To Thomas More, Bang Bang… you’re dead. (literally, you died in 1535 Mr social philosopher) We all know that ousting ourselves or our loved ones will catch the ire of Harry Hayes, Fatty Jake and his cronies. We may be truthful, but we don’t trust the administration enough not to work their “magic.” It’s a well known fact that people have been ousted for voicing dissent; no matter how true it may be.
To answer underhill my thoughts regard mandated testing: teachers in public, unionized schools are forced for the most part on how/what to teach. At a private charter the confines are less and the teachers have the ability to tailor the curriculum as they see fit. Which is fabulous with such diverse populations. Plus… and here is the kicker… do a bad job and you won’t have a job. (Public unionized schools tenure teachers automatically after 3 years. Unless they molest a student I doubt you could fire one)
Thanks for your answers Lonegunman. I totally sympathize and understand your use of an alias. The school system will punish anyone who “gets outta line.” I know this first hand. Pittsfield, its politics and its institutions are run on fear and intimidation.
Thank God for The Planet.
Did any of the members of the school committee consider the financial impact that this contract will have on the general tax paying community members?
Did any of the members of the school committee even care about the tax burden that this contract will have on the general population in this city?
Did any of the school committee members stop to review the performance of the school department?
Did any of the school committee members vote against this contract?
How many of the current school committee members are teachers or ex teachers or have close ties with those that are employed by the school system?
Where are the salary scales published in the contract? Isn’t this public information?
Why weren’t the details of this contract released before the the general election? Would you think this might have had some influence on the outcome?
What about the financial impact going forward on the rest of the services provided by the city?
Can anyone tell me of any private industry in this city that can come even close to having these kind of benefits?
Did anyone even bother to research the financial impact the loss of Sabic will have on this community and take it into consideration before signing a contract of this magitude?
Shame on those the eligible to vote in the last election and didn’t if this is what we can expect from our elected officials in the future.
They don’t care about the impact on taxpayers. Most have cushy jobs at BMC or other well paying companies so they don’t worry about higher taxes and they could care less about the average person in the city.
The teachers earn nearly as much as the mayor. It’s insane and very obvious how corrupt the system has become.
I guarantee if the two outsiders who ran caught wind of these stats (Moiseff/Frieri) it would have been brought up. Smoke and mirrors prevailed
This information was on lockdown until after the election. Had people known and bothered to show up to vote, the outcome may have been different.
The good old boys know how to play you like a fiddle.
So now you have two options:
1. Pay your taxes or lose your house.
2. Sell your house and move out. (Good luck finding a buyer).
“Raise taxes? We HAVE to”
– Melissa Mazzeo
The School Committee is the Union.
The school committee is the strongest and most relied upon arm of the Good Old Boy group. They hold the keys to the purse. If you can get a solid majority of school committee members to toe the line(and your not getting on the school committee if you don’t toe the line) you have tens of million of dollars at your finger tips.
Do not expect ANY help or even concern from these puppets. They are told what to do and could not make a decision on their own if they wanted to. They deserve a large portion of the blame when the city soon folds.
Is it true L T’s first hirees is an out of towner, say it isn’t so Mayor Elect?
It appears the newly Tyer appointed executive assistant ( sometimes erroneously called “deputy mayor”) is indeed not from Pittsfield and does not reside in Pittsfield…But wait; her pillow talk may be able to influence at the executive level of the local newspaper aka BB. Brilliant move Ms.. Mayor-elect. Adroit politics.
What does her husband do at the Eagle?
Just found it. He is ” Vice President of Audience Development and Marketing”……What does that mean?
Dew dews dews. It kept bothering me until I realized her husband is an exec at the BB. Looks like the eagle will be all good news about the lovely linda.
“everythings fine here folks. Nothing to see, you can go home now. move along.”
dews, another of the sigs, heil!
Mr. Valenti,
When are you having Mayor Elect on your show? Maybe, have her on the show before she is sworn in!
I emplore everyone to get the abatement forms at city hall and see if your homes are worth the assessed value.
Local, if you had been watching the Gaetani show. he has been mentioning this for months. On last weeks show he produced the scenario that is going to happen once the Sabic homes come on the market and cant get any where near what they paid for them. once one of these 500,000 dollar homes sells for 250,000 the game starts. Any one living next to these houses can apply for re-assessments for 100’s of thousands of dollars less, reducing their property taxes very significantly. Mr Gaetani has been informing citizens what they should do on every show he does. It is clearly the best show on pctv. It is evident many here don’t watch it but should if you want to stay informed. I certainly hope mr. Gaetani stays engaged as if he decides to say good bye it will be lights out for the taxpayers. He plans to have former Mayor Charles Smith on this fridays show. Get informed people.
If the taxpayer gets thier way, by reducing the tax rate next year, cuts will have to be made, NOT essential service cuts, but mainly the school side. The raises given,will basically be taken out of the equation when reducing fat from the School Budget on down. I would seriously rethink about building a new School, the numbers are still in question in my opinion.
Hadn’t thought about that Loco, eliminate some big salaries and the increase that goes with it, clever thinking! Who was the out of town hirer?
A great hire for the Pittsfield School System. Tommy Rizzo is the new baseball coach and this insures PHS baseball remains in good hands.
Dan, thank you for remembering Pearl Harbor Day. I remember protesters at Park Sq on the dropping of the bombs in Japan, they are nowhere to be found on Pearl Harbor day. Once agine thank you Dan and if my dad and father-in-law were still with us they would thank you as well. We owe that generation our freedoms.
I think VanBramer lives in Pittsfield, how about the other one? If she doesn’t live in Pittsfield will she be moving to Pittsfield or will she be spending her money in some other town? If someone doesn’t live here how can we know whatever decision they make is in the best interest of the bill payers of Pittsfield?
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Tyer Announces Appointments to Administration
Pittsfield, Mass. – Linda Tyer, the City of Pittsfield’s Mayor-elect, has announced the first two appointments to her administration — Catherine VanBramer, who will serve as Executive Assistant to the Mayor and Roberta McCulloch-Dews, who will serve as Director of Administrative Services.
“I am excited to have both of these accomplished professionals joining me in the Mayor’s Office, said Tyer. “As I promised residents during the campaign, it is my intent to restore their faith in government which includes assembling a team of the very best and brightest. Catherine and Roberta are knowledgeable, energetic, accountable and committed to improving Pittsfield, and I am thrilled to have them as part of my team.”
VanBramer most recently served as the Senior Clerk in the City Clerk’s Office. She has also held the role of Clerk for several local boards and commissions including the Charter Review Study Committee, Ordinance Review Committee, and Human Rights Commission. In 2013, VanBramer participated in the Leadership Institute for Political and Public Impact (LIPPI), through the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts. She is a 2014 graduate of the Berkshire Leadership Program and currently serves as a member of the program’s Steering Committee. Additionally, VanBramer is a volunteer second-grade religious education teacher at St. Joseph’s Church. She received a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, with a minor in Economics from Westfield State College.
McCulloch-Dews is the founder and CEO of RMDews Media, a company that specializes in communications, public relations, and social media services. A former newspaper journalist, with more than 15 years of experience, McCulloch-Dews worked for newspapers across the Northeast. Prior to establishing her business, she held positions at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, including Assistant to the President and Assistant Director of Communications. She currently serves as a Commissioner for the Berkshire County Commission on the Status of Women and is a member of the Berkshire Compact. Additionally, McCulloch-Dews is a member of the Norman Rockwell Museum’s Board of Trustees, as well as a member of the Elizabeth Freeman Center’s Board of Directors. In September 2015, she was selected as a Finalist for the Berkshire Trendsetter Award – Changemaker under 40. McCulloch-Dews also is a graduate of the 2013 LIPPI program. She received a bachelor’s degree in Print Journalism from New York University.
Tyer will officially take office on Monday January 4, 2016.
This Tyer press release failed to identify where these ladies reside. This omission must be deliberate. Not a good start to the LT administration.
Does it really matter where they live? It is not like they will be making any decisions without the full scrutiny of the mayor. These are puppet positions.
I think it does. If they don’t care to live here do we really need them to be working for us. At least JIV lives and pays taxes here.
Out of town residency is required for any City job,wanna list of? She’s going to be thrilled, that’s what counts.
I would love to see a list of city employees and see how many of them care to live in Pittsfield.
Planet People, Everything said by Mr. Valenti and most posters today, has been addressed over and over again, by Mr. Gaetani. He is the voice of the taxpayer at all city council meetings ,writes commentaries and letters to the editors, has appeared on radio shows and addresses the problems facing the taxpayer’s, every week on his tv show. Over the weekend, I saw him and he told me he will be a one man show, always having the concern of the tax payer front and center. He would prefer to have help, but it should be evident to all, that he knows what he is doing. He intends to be at the city council meeting tuesday and will push for the scrapping of the THS proposal. He also plans to to ask the new city council and new mayor, to follow his 7/28%, four year plan, he talked about during the campaign. It is very evident, that just about everyone who post on this site, are venting your anger but, have no clue, how to go about changing things. Mr. Gaetani says that his four year goal is to have most of the 21000 registered voters (the little guys, fully informed, and ready to vote in all future elections). He says the only hope for the city is to educate and empower the 21000 little guys that…. as a group, they are unbeatable. He is extremely successful in helping the little guy..look what he did with the water plants, saving rate payers well over 100 million dollars. Mr Gaetani predicts that there will be no one on this site, at his side at tuesday’s city council meeting, where he plans to lobby the council and new mayor, to scrap the THS project. In 18 months on the scene, he has seen only one other citizen come to the council meeting… to oppose the new THS and, that someone, was someone he knows, who is not a planet blogger. That means, that there is not a soul on this site, who has done anything other than posting on this site. We can not accomplish anything with just talk, we all must act. If you all want to see how appathetic you have become, count the number of people who will be at Mr. Gaetani’s side on tuesday’s ccm meeting. Are you one of the 21000 little people Mr. Gaetani is talking about? He can and does need every one to join him. If the little guy doesn’t band together, there is no chance of the city being returned to the rightful owners.. the taxpayer. Do you remember who was stating that during the election? Considering only less than 200 little people showed up, in the mayoral election, you can see, we have a ways to go. One thing you can bet on is that Mr. Gaetani is no quitter and he likes all people and would welcome any support that may come his way . If no one comes to help, you can be certain, that he will move forward on his own, as he has done many times before with great success. It is time for all we little guys to band together and form an invincible Army. together we can do anything we want to do.
You really should’ve said NO to that Kool Aid!!!
One thing that Mr Gaetani does have is an honest concern for the citizen and taxpayer. Name one person on the school committee who can say the same.
What is that you say? Can’t do it?
Depressed is right. Many of us who post on the Planet complain, but he seems to be the only one who speaks out on our behalf at city council meetings.
you got that the other way around.
Valenti says it then the water wizard apes what valenti says.
valenti is the original, the water wizard is the wanna be and a sorry one at that.
Thanks, HAPPY!
Depreessed, for god sakes learn the value of a paragraph. Nobody in there right mind will read your rant.
Paul—I am sure many intelligent people are reading my rant. Do you notice I said intelligent people. that means not you
Two cents and Paul. Gaetani and Valenti represent the taxpayers. Who do you represent? I have seen your posts and am not impressed at all. Will you two clowns be at the city council meeting tuesday, when Gaetani is representing you? He will be looking for you. Wear your dunce caps so he can recognize you.
I read it. Please do not speak for others.
Depressed, the last person in the world I would want representing me is Gaetani. If anyone in Pittsfield wanted his representation they would have voted for him.
I did and have no regrets. Would do so again today.
the water wizard is just another blowhard.
How do you feel about the current school committee representing you?
Fortunately, they don’t represent me. Actually, they don’t represent citizens at all. This is a 100% bought and paid for collection of political prostitutes, led by the chief hooker Kathy Yon.
Depreesed, PS
Name calling does not make a point. A person who does not know enough to start a sentance with a capitol letter and end it with a period should not call someone a dunce. Furthermore, you should learn to play nice with others.
Face it, Gaetani equals greatness, something only few of us can dream about, the powers that be fear the man, and I respect him. I know his goal and believe in him.
Speaking of greatness, the greatest fight scene of all time is coming up between 7:30 and 8:00 channel 29.
“Catherine and Roberta are knowledgeable, energetic, accountable and committed to improving Pittsfield”
I was told that Dews and her husband Warren live and pay taxes in Stockbridge. If they are so dedicated to Pittsfield maybe they’ll buy a house here.
And they can be a part of the community that they love and want to improve. On the other hand made Roberta can carpool with the Sheffield Shuffler.
if Dews does live here they’ll be able to get a ice house cheap.
That should be nice, sorry.
The hires seem to be pretty sharp.
L T is saying The same thing every Electric official says and then doesn’t do it
Kim Kardashian had a baby, guess what she named it? You wouldn’t guess it in a million years.
Kim Who?
Kim Fatass.
Riverview? Is it Riverview?
Somebody should tell the school board in Pittsfield that inflation is running about 1-2% per year. This would mean a most a 6.1% increase over three years; 18% is ridiculous. Why the hell do you put up with it? We don’t..
CHUCK Great question. “Why the hell do you put up with it?” Short-hand answers: apathy, a sense of defeat, the realization that local government has been taken over totally by incompetent (and in some case, worse, corrupt) political hacks. If one wants to see what happens when an honest, incorruptible, fearless, and intelligent person runs for and wins office, talk to Terry Kinnas. He won a seat on the school board and The Suits panicked. The supreme irony in this is the solution: The power is there for We The People to grab, but there is a lot of weariness for causes out there. Still, one hopes for a spark that ignites a mass revolt.