CITY OF PITTSFIELD NEEDS TOP-TO-BOTTOM REVIEW OF ALL WHO CLAIM LUCRATIVE ‘NOT FOR PROFIT’ STATUS … BCC TEST CENTER DATA SHOWS PITTSFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS FAILING ON THE JOB … plus … HOW THE BORING BROADSHEET SOILED THE SHEETS ON SUNDAY

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CITY OF PITTSFIELD NEEDS TOP-TO-BOTTOM REVIEW OF ALL WHO CLAIM LUCRATIVE ‘NOT FOR PROFIT’ STATUS … BCC TEST CENTER DATA SHOWS PITTSFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS FAILING ON THE JOB … plus … HOW THE BORING BROADSHEET SOILED THE SHEETS ON SUNDAY

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, DEC. 13, 2011) — Pittsfield can learn from the experience of Boston when it comes to not-for-profit organizations. Non-profits reap huge tax benefits denied to the rest of us. What they don’t contribute to the “fair share” has to be made up by […]

December 13, 2011 18 Comments

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YES, THE PLANET IS (LARRY) FINE … BB CIRCULATION AIN’T WHAT IT USED TO BE … PITTSFIELD HAS BIG ROLE TO PLAY IN NOT-FOR-PROFIT TAX DODGE … plus … BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER IN THE HOUSIE

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY We are (Larry) Fine, Thank You. (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, DEC. 12, 2011) — As some of you noted, THE PLANET did not post this past Friday. In fact, from Thursday noon until Sunday night, we did not so much as light one photon on a computer […]

December 12, 2011 21 Comments

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THE PLANET HAS TWO MODEST PROPOSALS FOR INCOMING SCHOOL COMMITTEE, CITY COUNCILORS, AND MAYOR: INITIATE A TOP-TO-BOTTOM FORENSIC AUDIT OF THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT BUDGET & REQUIRE EVERY ‘NOT-FOR-PROFIT’ ORGANIZATION RECEIVING HUGE TAX BREAKS TO APPEAR IN HEARINGS AND JUSTIFY THEIR TAX STATUS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, DEC. 8, 2011) — The two topics that have taken up the majority of THE PLANET‘s interest recently, as well that of the values commentators to this site, have been the Pittsfield School Department and the complex financial and political position Berkshire Health […]

December 8, 2011 24 Comments

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A ‘SUBSTANTIAL’ DONATION IN LIEU OF TAXES? THE PLANET BEGINS TO DEFINE ‘SUBSTANTIAL’ … NON-PROFIT STATUS OF MEGA-COMPANIES LIKE BHS ARE OFTEN A TAX SCAM … plus … HOW TO ADDRESS THIS IN THE NAME OF FAIRNESS, FOR WE THE PEOLE

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7, 2011) — As the not-for-profit Berkshire Health Systems still has not responded to our series of questions,THE PLANET has done a little digging. We asked several key questions: (1) What is the value of the entire BHS holdings? (2) What, specifically, […]

December 7, 2011 19 Comments

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BHS TAX FILING CREATES ONE VERSION OF THE LOCAL ECONOMY, AND THE CITY PITTSFIELD, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CREATE ANOTHER PICTURE OF THE SAME THING. CAN YOU GUESS WHICH ONE IS MORE ACCURATE AND WHICH IS A FAIRY TALE? OUR EXCLUSIVE BHS COVERAGE CONTINUES

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, DEC. 6, 2011) — Happy 43rd anniversary, Linda, wherever you may be. Yes, we still remember. PERRY MASON SENDS IN QUESTIONS — A “connected” local attorney sent into some interesting comments on the BHS articles THE PLANET has featured. They came as a […]

December 6, 2011 22 Comments

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FATAL SHOOTING NOT GOOD PR FOR CRIME-ADDLED CITY … BHS OCTOPUS EXEMPLIFIES A CAUTIONARY TALE, or WHAT’s WRONG WITH GETTING SICK IN AMERICA

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ADD 1 MONDAY, DEC. 5, 2011 Fatal Shooting Brings Crime Situation in City of Pittsfield to the Front The city of Pittsfield’s latest shooting, this one fatal and looking now like a murder, brings us around again to the crime wave sweeping through town. A 23-year-old man […]

December 5, 2011 45 Comments

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ANATOMY OF A NON-PROFIT’S TAX FILING, or, WHY THE HECK DOES BERKSHIRE HEALTH SYSTEMS HAVE FINANCIAL HOLDINGS IN THE TAX HAVEN CAYMAN ISLANDS??

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, DEC. 2, 2011) — On the tax filing of Berkshire Health Systems dated Aug. 15, 2011 — Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax with BHS’ employment ID # 04-2442944 — question 4 asks for a description of the organization’s achievement. […]

December 2, 2011 173 Comments

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METH PETITION — WHAT’S THE REAL STORY? HAS THE PLANET FOUND THE SMOKING GUN? DOCUMENTS ESTABLISH MOTIVE FOR BHS TO FIGHT FOR ITS $$TRANGLEHOLD ON LOCAL HEALTHCARE … plus … PT. 2 OF THE PLANET’s EXCLUSIVE EXAM OF ANNUAL SCHOOL REPORT

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, DEC. 1, 2011) — Welcome to December, final month of the year and the last month in office for the city of Pittsfield’s current lame-duck government. The new government will have to decide on the issue of regulating future meth and suboxone clinics […]

December 1, 2011 47 Comments

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TWO PLANET EXCLUSIVES!! WE BEGIN A LINE-EDIT OF THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT’s ANNUAL REPORT … plus … MORE QUESTIONS SWIRL IN A HAZE OF METH: PETITION ON CLINIC RAISES SERIOUS QUESTIONS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 30, 2011) — At the invitation of Pittsfield superintendent of schools, Howard “Jake” Eberwein, THE PLANET went online to review the latest posted annual report. It’s a 76-page document, full of interesting facts, suppositions, and assertions. As a way of continuing to […]

November 30, 2011 56 Comments

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CHRISTMAS TREE AND HOLIDAY CAROLS (NO WISE MEN, NO VIRGINS, BUT PLENTY OF ASSES) … THE CONS AND PROS OF METH CLINIC … plus … DR. JAKE SHOWS UP AND ADMITS PLANET WAS RIGHT ON BUDGET ANALYSIS…

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary —————————————————- Tree Lighting Ceremony on Friday (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, NOV. 29, 2011) — In keeping with the hurry-up nature of the season, which has been rushing you along into Bing Crosby Christmas since the day after Halloween, THE PLANET tells you that the annual lighting of […]

November 29, 2011 35 Comments

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SUPT. EBERWEIN ANSWERS THE PLANET, TOUTING CITY’s ‘OUTSTANDING’ SCHOOL DEPT. … WHY STIMULUS MONEY SPENT ON SCHOOLS HURTS THE ECONOMY … and GIVE ME LIBERTY OF GIVE ME METH: KROL PETITION AIMS TO CUT METHADONE CLINICS OFF AT THE PASS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, NOV. 28, 2011) — In case you missed it, Pittsfield School Supt. Jake Eberwein sent THE PLANET a lengthy commentary in reaction to our recent series on city schools. Several posters commented on his message, and Eberwein has, to his credit, engaged them […]

November 27, 2011 50 Comments

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PLANET GIVES YOU THE TRUTH ON UNFUNDED LIABILITIES, HOW THE PROBLEM IS WORSE THAT REPORTED, AND THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT’s CONNECTION TO THE IMPENDING DISASTER

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, “BLACK FRIDAY” NOV. 25, 2011) — No. We shall not buy a single item today. We choose to keep our souls intact, to stay out of the consumeristic tidal pull, and enjoy a day for itself (and not for what we can buy). We […]

November 25, 2011 63 Comments

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A HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL, FROM THE PLANET … plus … OUR CONTINUING EXPOSE OF ‘THE GAME’ BEING PLAYED IN THE NAME OF PUBLIC EDUCATION (CLUE: ‘It’s not about ‘The children’ … It’s about ‘the money’).

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING, NOV. 23, 2011) — First item of business is to wish everyone reading this website a happy, healthy Thanksgiving Day. On the air this morning at “Good Morning, Pittsfield” with my Rt. Hon. Good Friend John Krol (unanimous winner in […]

November 23, 2011 65 Comments

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SCHOOL DEPARTMENT’s $82 MILLION CHUNK OF PITTSFIELD’s BUDGET YIELDS PRECIOUS LITTLE IN RETURN … PLANET PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON THE CHICANERY … plus … WILL IT GO ‘ROUND and ‘ROUND? MANY HOPE SO FOR THE BERKSHIRE CAROUSEL PROJECT

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, NOV. 22, 2011) — How top heavy is the current school department in the city of Pittsfield? Consider this: Today, there are a little more than 6,000 (6,016) students in Pittsfield public schools. A generation ago, there were more than 12,000. Nonetheless, despite […]

November 22, 2011 39 Comments

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!!BULLETIN RECOUNT CONFIRMS LOTHROP WIN IN WARD 5!! … PLANET FORCED BORING BROADSHEET’s HAND ON ARMITAGE … COPS AS THUGS NOT ACCEPTABLE … WARD 5 RECOUNT TODAY … plus … THE TRUE COST OF RUNNING PITTSFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ADD 1 NOV. 21, 2011 Lothrop Win Holds Up in Recount This just in from city clerk Linda Tyer: Jonathan Lothrop‘s six-vote win over Joe Breault in the Ward 5 race has stood, as THE PLANET predicted, and J-Lo is now officially re-elected. In the recount, Lothrop […]

November 21, 2011 44 Comments

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CUSTOMER IS KING AT CARR’S … MORE ON MONDAY’S WARD 5 RECOUNT … plus … JOSH CUTLER COMMENTS ON THE ELECTION TALLY: A LOOK BACK, A LOOK AHEAD

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, NOV. 18, 2011) — With BJ’s Wholesale Club being the lastest Big Box to further erode the market base for the dwindling number of Mom and Pops in the area, let us salute one store that exemplifies the battle. Carr Hardware has been […]

November 18, 2011 47 Comments

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