BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION NOV. 1-3, 2019) — Let’s get this out of the way first. The needless and “snowflake” cancellation of Halloween by mayor Linda Tyer has led to a parental reaction that has been “vibrant and dynamic.” They howled to us, among themselves, and on social media on this bizarre move. “Nail in the coffin” time for Tyer is how one critic put it. We don’t know, but it won’t surprise us that as of 8:01 p.m. Tuesday night, Linda Tyer won’t be seen. She will be wearing her Halloween costume … as the Invisible Woman.

Next, THE PLANET has noticed in these late stages of the campaign how nervous and defensive Team Tyer has gotten. Simple example: When Roberta Mucolluch Dews sent the press announcement that the mayor would receive a a union endorsement later than night (Oct. 29), we asked from what union. Dews replied: “Sorry Dan, we plan to share this big news tonight.” Funny thing was, we already knew it was the Teamsters. We told Dews that we already knew, and that we were merely trying to officially confirm. Small thing, right? Yes, but a more open, less uptight campaign would have no problem sharing the info.

EXAMPLE 2: More Serious. THE PLANET was asked by producer Dave Bubriski to host a PCTV debate between Tyer and Mazzeo. Melissa immediately accepted, agreeing to our rules of engagement. Those of you who have seem one of our debates, you know the PLANET format — no notes permitted, no podiums or desks to hide behind, no clock; just the two candidates in chairs facing each other and the roving moderator (us) with a hand-held mic, giving the third degree. Linda hemmed, hawed, hiccuped, and harbored. When she finally got back to us, she refused, citing a too-busy calendar or some other hooey We suspect stage fright at he prospect of sitting in Valenti’s Hot Seat. “Pull-Out” Tyer didn’t want to face a relentless (but respectful) moderator demanding accountability. Mazzeo, on the other hand, knowing she would also get the business, welcomed the chance.

EXAMPLE 3: Most Damaging. Tyer may have blown the campaign with this one. As part of our campaign coverage, THE PLANET has been in regular touch with both Team Tyer and Team Mazzeo. This communication has included invitations to keep us in a two-way loop of communication.

On Sept 20 or thereabouts, Linda Tyer contacted us asking if we’d be interested in her penning a guest column. We said yes. it was a great idea. Tyer agreed and got to work, at one point (Sept. 24) asking about length, saying she was up to 1,500 words. Was it too long? No, we answered. We also invited Melissa Mazzeo to write a piece for THE PLANET. Several days went by. We didn’t hear a word from the mayor. Needing to plan our news budget, we asked Tyer when she would get the finished draft to us. She then got back to us with this:

———- ooo ———-

Good Morning Dan:

After a long and sometimes heated debate with my team and other respected core supporters this past week about how we’re going to roll out our campaign I have decided not to send a guest column at this time.  Thank you, as always, for offering space on the Planet.

Linda

———- ooo ———-

She didn’t explain the sudden reversal beyond the cop-out of blaming staff.  We offered our view that her campaign just made a huge mistake. Later, we repeated the invitation. Nothing. As we said, Mazzeo accepted our invitation to write a guest column. THE PLANET presents it here.

———- ooo ———-

By Melissa Mazzeo

Are you better off than you were 4 years ago?

The answer is no.

Mayor Tyer made a whole bunch of promises 4 years ago, a list of which I have provided The Planet. And, with all the promises made, so few were kept and in some cases situations, conditions have deteriorated. Now it is time for change. I am running for Mayor because I love Pittsfield and that includes those who serve us in the roles of police, fire, teachers, and city workers. And out of that love comes a need to support areas that are greatly faltering under the current administration’s leadership.

Public Safety: 

Let’s face facts. Our city doesn’t just feel more dangerous, it is more dangerous. For the mayor to recently state during a radio interview that crime has stabilized is absolutely absurd and untrue. And she is NOW touting partnering with other law enforcement in applying for federal resources to help the city….FOUR YEARS INTO HER TERM?  Where we are right now is not because of our phenomenal officers…this is a lack of work from our leadership. Leaders direct resources to where they are needed most. As your mayor I will direct resources to stop this alarming trend of rising crime. Areas with high crime will have more police activity in a style called Hot Spot Policing. Any investments in crime fighting technology will have outcome performance measures to ensure they are working.

Our officers work so hard but in my discussions with officers they are frustrated and it is directed, in part, at the lack of support from the District Attorney. And I understand their frustrations. To work hard only to have your worked erased time and time again is unacceptable. While I don’t have any control over the courts- nor should I- I refuse to stand by while the tireless work of our officers gets pushed away.

Education: 

We have unparalleled educators in the Pittsfield Public Schools. However, our schools are in need of help. Is this the teachers fault?  No. Throughout my run for mayor, I have met with so many teachers and learned of their real and growing challenges. Why are we burdening our educators when the most important job is teaching our children? In fact, teachers feel so taxed in Pittsfield that they are leaving in record numbers: over 100 teachers left the district last year. Of those who left, one-quarter were retirees meaning over 75 went to teach for other districts. For the 2019/20 school year the School Department hired 65 teachers on provisional licenses (meaning not fully licensed as the candidate lacks professional teacher training) as Pittsfield could not attract enough licensed teachers.

As Mayor I will create a Cabinet of Teachers. We will meet regularly with central school administration in order to identify what is working and what needs to be improved or changed. I will also encourage the school committee members to become active participants in the school. Far too often we only see city dignitaries at schools for ceremonies. As your Mayor, which in turn will make me a member of the School Committee, I will be regularly involved in the schools to ensure we are doing everything possible for Pittsfield’s youth. I will also advocate on behalf of teachers to end the culture of leniency that has been created in our schools.  Educators are taxed due to repeatedly dealing with chronic increased violent behaviors and have little support from the justice system.

MELISSA MAZZEO

Economic Development: 

We know that we need to expand the number of livable wage jobs in Pittsfield and create opportunities for long-term careers.  As Mayor I will assemble a Small Business Roundtable to regularly meet in order to ensure City Hall is doing everything it can to meet their needs. 90% of businesses in Berkshire County are classified as Small Businesses (19 or fewer employees). Part of this includes ensuring that Taconic High School and Berkshire Community College graduates pursuing vocational careers are positioned well to fit into Pittsfield workforce BEFORE they leave school and my plan is to use GE Economic Development monies to do the very thing it was meant to do….create jobs.

As Mayor I will also address unfriendly business practices within the city. Although there is a Red Carpet Team within the current city administration with the focus of recruiting new businesses into Pittsfield, the innumerable existing businesses in the city regularly deal with permitting, zoning, outdated regulations, and bureaucratic red tape. Under a Mazzeo administration the City will address these practices head on.

City Services

We are in desperate need of road and sidewalk repair and that is why I worked so hard in having a part of the marijuana fees go toward these efforts.  However, there is another way we could better maintain our roads and sidewalks and that is by better managing the budget.  This past winter, a mild one, saw the salt and sand budget going over by $2.1 million. Unacceptable. As mayor I will have regular monthly, if not weekly in the winter, budget audit meetings with the DPU to ensure our money is being managed. Lastly, I want to discuss my unquestioned desire to reopen the wastewater treatment plant upgrade.  In recently hearing from our seniors who worry about giving up their homes because they won’t be able to pay the dramatic increases to their water/sewer bills is intolerable and unacceptable to me.

In conclusion, we are at a turning point. Pittsfield is an amazing place. It’s a place where my husband and I actively chose to keep our business. A place where I raised my family. A place where I have chosen to serve as a City Councilor. However, Pittsfield is also a place that needs immediate help and I don’t believe that makes me negative. Telling the truth is not negative…isn’t ignoring the challenges facing this city negative?  Under a Mazzeo administration we will tackle these issues head on. I will work hard day in and day out from my first day until my last.

HERE’S THE LIST TO WHICH MAZZEO REFERS

What Tyer Promised

• More Crime Prevention

  • Hiring more police officers -Net gain of 6, although NEPR ran a story and they identified a net gain of 3

  •  Community policing- Promised to build a center in the west side..instead opened the West Side Resource Center in an existing bldg, with no police officer assigned to the center

  • Creating an Anti-Gang Unit- We have had this for years

  • Cure Violence Method- Detect & Interrupt potential issues

Identify & treat the highest risk

Mobilize community to change norms- Never did this

• Job Attraction & Retention

  • Make site selection top priority through improving Pitts. Image-Where?

  • Give resources to homegrown businesses-Used funds set up by previous Admin.

  • Create a formal recruitment strategy for young professionals-Never happened

  • Expand access to all business parks and commercial centers-How?

  • Promote Pitts. as a welcoming destination for new businesses

    • Business mentoring program

  • Implementing better management and personnel practices in City Hall

    • More communication w/ City Council Members- Definitely not

• Blight & Code Enforcement

  • “Transform Blight to Bright”

    • Buildings must have working windows & doors-Blight is still a very big problem, very little emphasis on this

  • Raise property values- Inflated property values and pretended to lower taxes

  • Promote housing investment plan- Rolled out an incomplete plan in her 4th year and has not continued to try to implement a program

  • Problem Properties Task-force “aggressively demanding” property owners respect public health & safety regulations.-No-many troubled properties still exist with no end in sight. Residents very frustrated

    • Create a registry of problem properties who can either work w/ police

  • Establish a community center in the West Side- Made a small space in an existing building, no police officer on site

  • Establish a Riverwalk-this started with Mayor Ruberto

• Public Works

  • Better Garbage pickup at Burbank Park & Park Square-Many parks have trash issues

  • Revamping of The Common, Durant, Springside House

  • Creation of a dog park- Still in a design phase after years of studies

  • Remove snow & ice properly-cost $2.1M over budget this year alone)

  • Repair potholes right the first time-NO

  • Establish & follow a street improvement plan- Saw changes to streets that look good for election season

  • Only use existing money being wasted to fund new programs ( has raided the GE Dev Fund and forgave over $2.5M that should have been paid back)

• Early Childhood Education

  • Work w/ School Department, Superintendent and local providers to give access to more 3-4 yrs old-NO

• Budgets are strained & tax revenue is limited

• Removal of Mayor from PEDA

What Tyer Takes Credit For

• Laying the groundwork for and building the New Taconic High School- Brought to a vote and received funding under Mayor Bianchi

•  Securing the funding and Building the Berkshire Innovation Center-Spoke against the BIC when she was running for Mayor, and refused to help close a funding gap when she first took office

• Shannon Grants for preventing crime w/ at-risk youth-Community Connection Program -Mayor Bianchi secured this

• Says that she saved St Mary’s church from the wrecking ball- Mayor Bianchi helped to save this site from a DD

• Says she brought WayFair to Pittsfield- Wayfair CEO raised in Pittsfield and came here to a Gateway community to receive tax breaks from Boston oversaw by Charlie Baker. In fact in his own acceptance speech Baker said, “It didn’t take a lot to get them (Wayfair) here.”

———- ooo ———-

We thank Mazzeo for taking our offer seriously and presenting herself, in her own words, as she saw fit, in this space. The mayor had the same opportunity. It’s not about us. It’s about the electorate, We the People, Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski. Those are the people Tyer stiffed in copping out of the debate and the guest column. She let her “supporters” let their emotions get in the way of logic. THE PLANET does not respect the mayor’s refusal to debate in the only forum that would have been honest and legit, with actual news and content and a chance to see both candidates think at the spur of the moment. Neither do we respect her acceptance to write for us and then have her team talk her out of it.  This was one time where Tyer should have shown leadership and said, “Nope, I’m calling the shots,” but she didn’t. She decided on an embarrassing flip-flop.

Appearing in THE PLANET denotes the confidence of the writer and connotes fearlessness in engaging with the area’s most widely-read and closely followed electronic medium. Pulling out denotes uncertainty and connotes fear.

Well, guess what? The cost Tyer the election. She’s running scared, away from victory, and her handlers — rather, her bumblers — are behind her, pushing.

Have a great weekend, everybody.

—————————————————————————————————————————————-

“I attack only a winner” — Friedrich Nietzsche.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

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