ADD IT ALL UP, AND WATER-SEWER BORROWING WILL PUSH CITY DEBT SERVICE TO NEARLY $1 BILLION (WITH A ‘B’)
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION, FEB. 9-12, 2018) — Let’s keep it simple. Pittsfield’s two rival political machines, The Suits and The Swells, have alternated for more than a generation to drive the city to the brink of ruin. Linda Tyer‘s administration inherited a mess that her policies have not only failed to address but greatly worsened, so, yes, she owns it now. It’s gotten so bad in Benigno Numine that the last time the tide came in at Silver Lake, it didn’t return.
The debt situation has driven young people away, devoured the middle class, and buried the elderly six feet under, yet the mayor keeps driving and the council approving one expensive, wasteful project after another (Shot Spotter, parking kiosks, tax-dollar giveaways to private companies, toters, water-sewer “upgrade,” yadda-yadda, yuckety-yuck).
THE PLANET wants to make sure you are fully informed of this before it’s too late. We cannot sit quietly in the face of such villainous ledger domain, and we can at least walk away from the mess with a clear conscience. You see, unlike the local mainstream media, we do take seriously our fiduciary role as a member of the Fourth Estate. We sound from the rooftop our journalistic yawp.
The stark reality is that even before the $80 million Tyer wants to borrow for an unnecessary water-sewer project, Pittsfield faces more than $800 million in obligations (post employment benefits [$400 million], previous debt from school renovations and capital spending, plus $121 million for the new high school). If the city council approves the water plan, debt service by itself will guarantee sinking the city. Then add the 11% hike in the annual $25 million health insurance premiums taxpayers pay for thousands of city workers (85-15% split), a shrinking tax base, the growing number of tax-free, not-for-profit businesses, and out-of-control spending for the municipal operating budget (80% for the schools) — then step back. Do the math: How much does it cost for a city to service nearly a $1 billion debt at 4 or 5%?
With yet another administration as clueless and/or corrupt as the present one, it adds up to certain prime-time disaster. It’s not a matter of “if” but “when.”
That’s how much is riding on the $80 million water bonding.
Pittsfield citizens, you will be facing the greater percentage of a nearly $1 billion of debt service.
Let than sink in, then decide if you will sit idly. You only have two other choices:
(1) Fight back by holding public officials and the special interests accountable, or
(2) Leave the area for greener pastures.
THE PLANET, over and out.
Have great great weekend, everybody.
—————————————————-
“Captivity is consciousness, / So’s Liberty” — Emily Dickenson.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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Pittsfield is at or very near the levy ceiling under Prop. 2.5. Pittsfield politics raises its operations budget by over 5% each and every fiscal year. Pittsfield politics has hundreds of millions of dollars in fiscal liabilities.
What an ugly picture for the lovely Linda Tyer to look at for 4 years as Mayor!
She gave a private company 500 g recently, she inherited it and continues to plunge us deeper into debt.
Jonathan, the problem is compounded by the fact that the levy ceiling keeps getting raised as property values mysteriously increase significantly by dictum, not by market drivers. Its so convenient to just say, “oooo…if we raise the property values arbitrarily, the levy limit goes up too.” That is unconscionable.
Matt what is unconscionable is the way you have acted
I’m just curious, and I likely won’t respond again, but why does Dustin think everyone is Matt?
You are matt
I do NOT envy the position the lovely Linda Tyer is in concerning Pittsfield politics unsustainable financial situation! Everything Dan Valenti pointed out happened prior to Mayor Linda Tyer’s inauguration over 2-years-ago! I agree with those who believe that she hasn’t changed anything.
The Government is Officially Shut DOWn?
Is the city eligible for disaster relief funding? As in disastrous political leadership funding?
Unless you are on the inside and can get your property taxes minimized your ship is going to sink. Property taxes are soon to be the 2nd leading cause of bankruptcy in Pittsfield, Ma. right after excess medical expenses.
If you are on a fixed income, and you still own your own home you might be well advised to bail on this failing city because much like the lost Aztec cities, Pittsfield is going to be be grown over like a jungle and perhaps never rediscovered.
If you can get out do so as soon as possible as your assets are going to be sucked out of you at an alarmingly increasing percentage. If you have children encourage them to start early looking for more hopeful places to live.
THIS IS NOT A DRILL
PHS building is 250k square feet of rubble,Crosby building 125k square feet of rubble,Allendale school building is 50k squre feet of former GE chemical dump….sell the airport,sell PHS,Test Allendale weekly and publish results in the Eagle…..start a study of illness by former students and staff even if its anonymous reports on this blog…..Stop School Department from lying…..Mccandless layed off 40 paraprofessional just 9 months ago or did he lie and use that money for new Titles…..for 1 year please cut taxes by 1 dollar per taxpayer
This is accumulation piling up on your doorstep from decades of irresponsibility.
The country is going bankrupt,huge tax breaks,huge military spending but none on veterans. Huge losses in Trump Wall Street
U S court of appeals said that Cranston Rhode Island does not have to honor the state pension system.This shows that if you dont fight for Social Security or state pensions you will lose them even if you LOVE Trump.Social Security is next…..SS should be raised by at leastv50%
Ssi and welfare are good for two years, by that time all of corps overseas money should reduce deficit according to Trump. Trump plan is basically trillions In tge blanceHedge fund. Can we cancel Foreign debt? This has Cufflinks written all over it.
Meanwhile the roads in the city continue to disintegrate rapidly on a daily basis. Roads in many areas are literally coming apart. I was going very slow yesterday, but my vehicle struggled to safely navigate many roads where the concrete is literally coming apart. The roads are what really need to be fixed in this city. So many are in such bad shape that they should be closed for public safety.
Where is numnutz over at the health department, is he on leave? Sidewalks and roads are the same thing,ticket, Turocy..
but ya gots yer shot spotter…and your fancy kiosks…and a gym in the hall….and yer new school…and pay raises for all…and many new vehicles
these roads are not any worse than they were in 1920 and nobody complained then
obviously somebody in charge feels that these things are more important than roads and who are we to question their expertise in the matter?
Don’t forget the infamous pothole machine that Ruberto blew taxpayer dollars on. Has anyone even see this thing in use? I haven’t.
And new bee con seers and Covanta boiler
The road thing is a winter prblem in every city,a problem ive seen for many years and this is caused by freezing, a thaw followed by a freeze.There are only 5 people in the city that do not know this
Then why are the roads in other towns much better? Proper preparation and repair in the warmer months leads to less potholes in the Winter. Perhaps you are one of 5 people who don’t know that?
but if the roads have been neglected for years winter wreaks exponential damage to them in winter….kind of like in Pittsfield Ma.
Roads that have been taken care of do not have as many cracks and holes for water to seep into and freeze and .expand and come apart. This happens less in cities and towns who spend their road money on roads instead of feel good visual affects like corner parks and fancy curbing and lighting and kiosks and shot spotters and gyms etc etc etc
Wow! you people on this site are pathetic. Why don’t you all move to Stockbridge with Valenti ? The average age of the residents is over 70. You people think Valenti cares about Pittsfield? Go drive by his estate in Stockbridge and see how the other people live.
I know who you are. matt. liar and thief
Trump and Regressives have now trapped the American people into cutting Ss,medicare and Medicaid…..Atrillion for tax cuts a trillion every year for military…Bush doubled the debt and Obama had to bail that out by adding 6 trillion to the bush regressive failure of 8 years of that …..keep voting republican because you like the word snowflake….real men love debt and failure
Trump says the deficit will be cut by the monies the corps have tied up overseas,everything but daca and aliens getting kicked out. I’d
SSI funded for the next two years, so sorry to Trump red necks who think ssi and welfare entitlements are dead, by that time We will have a new Congress and will restore everything trump has tried to take away.
Obama doubled the national debt–from about $10 trillion to $20 trillion or so. Stimulus was a total porker to pay back his supporters, such as unions . . .
Now, what people have not heard elsewhere is this:
Trump is not really a Republican, he’s a Trumpian. In fact, he was a registered DEMOCRAT for much of his life.
In evidence, count the number of Republicans who are anti-Trump/Never Trumpers.
Trump is that third-party candidate many have always said they wanted but could never elect.
Trump is basically Ross Perot who did it right–get a major party nomination.
So, as with this latest budget deal, if the Left would just stop their hissy fits over Trump, they might find that they’ll actually get a lot (if not most) of what they want–Shumer Shutdown seems to be pretty happy.
Finally a regressive that almost acknowledges the republican world financial collapse of 200g that was handed to Obama,Snowflakes will have to bailout the pete Marchetti parade president…..hes desperate to divert your attention not my attention yours.IComment about Obama lets the non stupids gauge how fully Dump has succeeded.
Everyone knows that the subprime crisis caused the 2008 crash, and Democrats caused the subprime crisis by forcing banks to give mortgage loans to people who couldn’t pay them back.
Started with Carter, then Clinton, Frank and Dodd, etc.
Curious timing on the September 2008 crash.
McCain was actually leading in the polls on Labor Day 2008.
Demorats tanked the thing to win an election.
Not everyone gets that Ed. TSC is still exited about buying naked Trump photos from Russia.
If Hannity says it it is true….I swear.
You don’t even watch it listen to him.
Congress passed a budget, the president merely signs it. Cannot pin a budgeting system on one person.
Shakes is always wrong
TSC, I know where you can get naked Trump pictures with him and a duck.
It would appear that there is a concerted effort to bankrupt Pittsfield. Put the trash proposal on the back burner, demand the schools cut 10%, and STOP SPENDING! No more giveaways to private businesses.
Correct
Where is Fanto on this?
Crosby School employee does not go to work,why do we need him.
WinDow dressing.
He’s Jake and Benhke’s doughnut delivery boy.
Eric is that you?
Cannot imagine Tyer going up against Gaetani. Should Gaetani be unleashed at the Public Works Meeting Monday Night? get some popcorn pull up a chair and watch people talk about something of which they have no idea. The Consultans brought fear to the meeting, and Percept and Moon better know the Public will be watching going forward, so sharpen the pencils. At this point the water increase could put us into the Billion Dollar deficit, that’s kinda cool, Do we have two hundred Rockwells lying around. I don’t know what we’s do without the Planet. A true renaissance Man!
Aside: Chuck Garivaltis was one of very few who predicted the Eagles would win,I love Chuck!
?
Love you back, May, and enjoy your perceptive writings.
So, this will be the City Coumcil that will be known for a Billion Dollar Deficit? That includes you,Councilor Rivers.
Crazy as it may seem the Water Baron over on Channel Sixteen had the best proposals for Mayor, He wanted to cut Seven-Eight percent a year from departments budgets which would have been twenty eight by now, decimating the sigs.The budget would have reduced to levels when we had sixty thousand people, but we all know why that wouldn’t work because the people voted the current administration not the taxpayer, believe Chuck Vincelette said that a couple years ago on here. If we’re ever going to be rid of the special interests, the tens of thousands that didn’t vote need to wake up. We’re a Billion in debt?
Nobody wanted the patriots to win,If Belicheck wont speak to the Butler issue we get to makee up our own mind and so he messed up big time….Mostly coaches get in the way of good teams.If your the best coach and you dont have talent nobody knows your the best coach
The whole defense was awful. Can’t say if Butler would have made any difference.
Plowing-roads already way over budget and 600 g of the 900 already spent at ppd.
No way, how would a Mayor like Gaetani be able to cut 7 percent? If what isn’t being spent isn’t enough mpnow.
The first step would be to evaluate every position in every governmental agency in Pittsfield and get rid of the dead wood.
So the suggestion of seven percent of each department would do that?
It would be a first step. If it were me I wouldn’t lock myself into any particular nomber.
Look at some salary’s statewide also, radio operator 50g plus to J Lo over at dcf 19g overtime,State Police salary212g,superintendent at jail 170 g
PHS.is 1/2 empty
Schools need to consolidate for business reasons.Number 1 is McCandless needs to make sure all people who need to work during time off for students do so.The community coordinator at Crosby school works 2 jobs in the summer time during the day…..Administration needs to have him call when he arrives to work and call when he leaves during school dtudent vacation.Is it to much to ask that he show up for 1500 cash per week…..No raises for teachers this year and have them go work to rule.Give McCandless 90 days to plan a massive consolidation.Get Yon Elias and Taylor to leave never never land and not return.Put Cameron in charge of everything so he can apply common sense and logic.Stop fighting change.Dont let Curtis buy software
Typical example of Pittsfield. My wife works downtown and pays to park when she can’t park in the business driveway. She just received a ticket even though she still had 20 minutes left for the amount she paid. It seems when she entered her plate # she left out a 1. First question would be if there was still time left on the spot, who cares what vehicle is parked there. Maybe my wife had an emergency and had to leave work early and she let the employee coming in for her know that her parking spot was paid until whenever the shift was done- is this against parking regulations? This was not the case, but when the parking nazi wrote the ticket it he/she must have compared the plate on the car to what was entered in the kiosk, otherwise why write the ticket? If there was still time on the spot. Are you telling me we are hiring people with so little common sense and intelligence that they can’t see that the plate is right except for a missing 1? The kiosks have no protection from the weather in a Berkshire winter, maybe a number doesn’t work or someone didn’t realize they missed it! I think if you want to try to get away with a dollar or two of free parking and you take a chance of hoping there is time left on a spot and you pick a spot with an identical license plate sans one number and you are that lucky you should get free parking for life.
There were 2 other people in line questioning their tickets for the same problem when my wife went to dispute the ticket. Hope they were also employees and not customers.
The time is not on the kiosk. It is in a computer or something. When money is paid into the kiosk you’re buying time , not a particular space. If a plate number is punched in at Carr Hardware the car can be parked at Beacon Theatre or anywhere else on North St. Its a stretch blaming the enforcement officers for doing their job when someone punches in a number that’s not on the plate.
That being said, it seems that the kiosk idea was designed to make something that was always very simple, very complicated.
There is no excuse. You’re silly wife just as well got the whole damn thing wrong, tell her never let it happen ever again…The Parking Nazi.
If that is true then my apologies to the parking nazi
I read the Berkshire Eagle’s news story about the agreement between the state and Berkshire Museum on the sale of 40 pieces of art to fund the museum’s endowment so it won’t have to shut down within the next 8 years. The state is agreeing with the museum’s deaccessioning but with legal conditions. The museum gets to raise $55 million to replenish its diminishing endowment.
The agreement needs to be approved by a single SJC Judge. It is a done deal.
My Opinion: Pittsfield politics wins once again! The state and local powerbrokers control the political system in Pittsfield. Pittsfield politics is a one political party system like China and other authoritarian countries. If you are not a political hack, insider, Good Old Boy (multi-generational, interrelated local families), political machine Democrat, you have NO real voice in Pittsfield! If you speak out against this travesty of a so-called state and local “democracy”, you become an official outsider, you lose your job, and you are the target of vicious rumors. If anyone wonders why the Berkshire Museum won its state legal battle over deaccessioning priceless local and regional art pieces, look no further than the terrible state of Pittsfield politics! They won! The people lost, once again!
– Jonathan Melle
Pittsfield will be entering bankruptcy protection before long. The only question is, will it be before the USA goes bankrupt?
How does one design a high school with not enough capacity in the cafeteria? Keep spending mayor. Where will you be moving to?
Jon
I totally agree with you Jon.
The caf at Taconic was a huge mistake,the student population is 900 maxed out….Masimiano, Bouvier,were in charge of this ill designed building along with Amuso and Eberwien ….same people spending tens of millions making the same mistakes….There will be a grand opening and I think McCandless had a hand in the design and 200 hundred people with start to thank each other as we pay for this the players you know will have a Thank you party like no other…..Eberwien will show And Amus o will tell other thank you people how through his leadership and Frank Cote the Superintendant who gave his secretary a free house building on and on snd on an dc on….I think we should have a pool of over and under on the thank you s….the line needs to be 1000 thank you s
Amuso spent whatever Eberwien wanted to spend,Yon is the new Amuso and spend s whatever the Poem Superintendant wants…..every school needs to be audited ….These PTOs raise tens of thousands and who audits those accounts,how do we handle missing money,are parents told is the police department informed….yon needs to ask publicly about missing PTO money,who handles cash ….lots of stuff happening in the schools….lets get this done.
Principles lock money away,who writes the PTO checks….how much cash payments do they do….Every principle should give a report to the school about how they handled money or shortages,I believe theres problems in Cash and PTO cash….someone told me there is over 1/2 million through the schools….need transparency right awaybon this …
Just came back from a ride around the city. Holy cow with the roads already. Hubbard avenue is disintegrating. Many others not far behind.
Thanks mayor for taking care of the important things first.
Pecks road is not fixable. Stop wasting
Tar.
Way to go Chris Mazdzer of Pittsfield has shot for an Olympic Medal……Luge
Gaetani gets a Gold Medal for his relentless pursuit to protect the Taxpayer and save what is left of our once great City. Tony Roads Simonelli gets a Gold also for his road repair through many Winters (Pecks Rd) sometimes the hole was filled with water and tar poured over it, now that deserves a Gold.
Ruberto gets a gold for neglecting the roads for ten years. Tyer is still trying to figure out why we even need roads in the first place.
At least they tried. It’s better than doing nothing.
Grinding off the top layer and just paving over what’s left is Michael Mouse. The roads that have been done this way are already falling apart.
I can’t stop thinking how “vibrant” the city is as my vehicle rattles and shakes and does lots of fancy maneuvering to avoid all the pot holes and roads coming apart here in Pittsfield.
Then I realize that there is no place to shop nearby for clothing except Walmart. I love Walmart and do buy clothing there, but for office type clothing I am forced to consider the Lee Outlets (overpriced), North Street (overpriced) and Target which is good, but is in danger of leaving if they are the only department store in the mall. I HOPE Target stays in the mall. I HOPE that Walmart isn’t driven out of the city by Progressives.
The quality of life in this area needs to stop going downhill. Pittsfield needs to bring in affordable stores to replace the enormous loss of so many Berkshire Mall stores closing. Also, PERMANENTLY FIX the roads that are literally falling apart. That should be the FIRST PRIORITY. We need people in charge with a vision for what QUALITY OF LIFE is and who can create that for Pittsfield. Progressives have failed miserably to save this city. People need to STOP voting for Progressives.
You can buy traps for progressives on eBay Pat. They are the glue kind where if a progressive steps on it he or she is stuck. You can place them on the sidewalk in front of your house or even outside a Walmart (where many progressives shop Pat). Once you catch one it is up to you what to do with them but even if you just leave them in the trap they cannot hurt anybody. For s hits and giggles please post a video on YouTube of the first one you catch. That may help drive the rest of them underground. Bastards!
Much easier Dusty….just stop voting them in.
These streets in this City need to be the very top priority of the Mayor and DPW. This is beyond anywhere near okay. I am irate.
The roads are really a disgrace. No mention in any local media of what people are enduring everyday on these horrible roads. Local media has to maintain the image that we are living in a vibrant thriving city when in fact just the opposite is true. The city is falling apart and quality of life has gone seriously downhill.
Damn the Progressives. They’re nasty people.
They were the ones who brought you eugenics, income tax, the Fed, prohibition and in general government intrusion into every phase of American life. The’ve been screwing up the U.S. since TR and Wilson.
All true. They have no vision except to divide people regarding race and gender. We all know what they don’t want in this country, but they have no vision for what they do want except for some socialist utopia that they believe will create equality for all. Trouble is that their system is creating lots of poor and lots of rich with nobody in the middle. The gap between the rich and the poor has never been greater.
true but it was the conservatives who proposed the income tax bill. other than that it was those nasty progressives who started social security and forced us to save for our old age. then they tacked on medicare and medicaid, putting more taxes on all of us. those of us who post here are healthy and have no need for either of these wasteful programs that serve only those who never exercised and ate right like we all did. but yet, our progressive government says we must pay for them. Progressives are the bane of our existence. If they never existed our roads would be smooth, our rivers would be clean and there would be factories with great paying jobs stretching from silver lake to new York avenue.
Progressives are NOT the Democrats from years ago. They are a RADICAL breed. They hijacked the Democratic party and turned it into a party that is not recognizable to those who knew the previous Democratic party. They try to retain some of the previous beliefs of the old Democratic party to fool people, but Progressives are NOT the same party.
I don’t where you got conservatives pushing income tax????
Social Security backfired on the progressives. The age of retirement,65, was chosen because most people didn’t live to 65 at the time. So what was really a money grab turned into an unanticipated benefit that has become unsustainable.
Reply to Thomas More:
I don’t like even the word “Progressives”, because they make other people “not good–not progressive” by default.
Moreover, if you are a Conservative, like my-self, they say you
are against any progress, which is a lie.
Come Monday night Gaetani will bring nis expertise to a back breaking project that could kill the City once and for all,give him a chance,unless Tyer is the go to person on the water project. Then, go that route. But ask yourself? do you go with the Consultant – City Coumcil- Mayor, or the person who built the Plant? If there is a way to drastically save the taxpayer’s from leaving because of out of control tax hikes, then do something other than fill out blank checks and excess fear mungering. Taxpayer funding for this project,an expert should be involved, that’s if we haven’t driven him out of here.
Bravo!
I’ve been called a G ? I don t love him, I respect him, he is very intelligent,just like a genius who knows his profession. We are talking catastrophic figures from a CityCouncil and Administration-who dropped the ball?Melissa said the other night how did we get here?. Had we been listening to the Planet for several years and the Plants Builder- C G this question could have been answered three or four years ago? l
Melissa Mazzeo is a big part of the problem. Don’t be fooled. She is one of the Progressives who wanted NOTHING to do with a Super Walmart and helped to stop the plan from going forward. Melissa Mazzeo was a Hillary supporter and thinks Hillary would have been a great President. That tells you all you need to know.
Pat ,for God sakes we have a walmart
It’s fake.
Gaetani will appear Thursday Night at Public Works not Monday which has been cancelled. Did Marchetti and Persip even know what they were voting for at Finance? Gaetani was alone basically and outnumbered 10-1 made the most sense, the lawyers weren’t there, wonder why, probably because we have an advocate for the taxpayer that we can count on just on knowledge, knowledge against now will be fear mongering, which won’t work against this guy. I wouldn’t give the Consultants one more dime until the Builder of the Plant weighs in. Mazzeo asked how did we get to this point? The Planet, and Gaetani on his show every week for a year has warned us of the ineptitude and costs and money (millions) that he saved the City and can still do it again.So are we going to listen to Tyer and her paid gunslingers or our only advocate. Let’s see what he’s got!
Make crosby Community coordinator show up to work by contract,its in his fn contract….he could be fired.Check all cash handles at Crosby…PTO accounts,School Staff store…..Mayor ,get on this
Great Show last night of Mick Valenti at Beatles Concert in Dalton
Agree. Mick’s new band is great. Best musician and rocker ever to cue outta Berk Cty.
I have met Mr. Gaetani once, he was coming out of a voting booth and I went up to him to thank him for what he was doing. He comes across as bombastic on his show, but I found him to be very personable and sweet when I met him. I to will be rooting for him going forward, we’re talking about a serious financial problem going forward, way to many give aways and costs in this City,primarily hit and run Amuso Yon, Tyred,Bianchi,Lothrop,Krol, Bouvier,led new school, and now the Water Plant vs against the G Man…the lone wolf.
Turocy couldn’t come up with a rate figure, not even scenerio’s. That’s pretty sad,wonder what Councilor Melissa’s going to do when she has to explain the high water rates, remember the last hike we had, she actually said it wasn’t that bad, to some, but these new increases will decimate many. Better let the Water Plant Builder on Board.