Re: Adam Hinds is a political hack!
Berkshire-based State Senator Adam Hinds’ first vote in political office was for the legislative pay raise bill right after the Legislature received a pay raise in their base pay. Indeed, all five Berkshire delegates to Beacon Hill voted for the pay raise bill in early 2017.
When it came time for leadership concerning the Massachusetts Attorney General’s legal case over the Berkshire Museum’s unethical selling of its most valuable and historic pieces of art, Adam Hinds was nowhere to be found!
In the 2016 “election”, Adam Hinds was pre-selected and favored to be State Senator over Andrea Harrington and Rinaldo Del Gallo III, in the Democratic Primary. Adam Hinds was always in bed with the corrupt Good Old Boys and the elitist one party political establishment.
About that early 2017 legislative pay raise bill Pittsfield State Senator Adam Hinds voted for:
Massachusetts State Senators can receive up to 3 leadership stipends on top of their base salary of $62,500, plus their other benefits. That means some State Senators will receive over $50,000 in pay raises. Moreover, some State Senators also have private sector jobs.
What is the cherry on top?
State Senator Adam Hinds’ base pay and potential 3 leadership stipends he voted to increase in early 2017 all are factored in his future taxpayer-funded state pension!
- Jonathan Melle
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Sen. John Keenan (left), Adam Hinds, Sen. James Welch (right) take the oath of office in the State Senate Wednesday, January 4, 2017. credit: Antonio Caban - State House News Service.
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Rinaldo Del Gallo, III
Andrea Harrington
Adam Hinds (Photo by Jim Levulis, WAMC)
Christine Canning (Facebook: Christine Canning-Wilson)
"More Contenders In Western Mass. Senate Race"
By Jim Levulis, WAMC, March 31, 2016
Two more potential contenders for a western Massachusetts senate seat have emerged.
Another Democrat and the first Republican candidate appear to be eyeing a bid for the senate seat held by Ben Downing. The Pittsfield Democrat announced in January that he was retiring after 10 years. Pittsfield attorney Rinaldo Del Gallo has taken out nominating papers, but is holding back on a full-out campaign citing the potential costs of running. Seeking the Democratic nomination, Del Gallo says he is for a $15 minimum wage, universal pre-K and single-payer healthcare along with tuition-free state and debt-free college.
“Berkshire County is a very, very progressive community by in large,” Del Gallo said. “They need a progressive leader. I am that Bernie Sanders progressive. That’s why, if I run, that’s why I’d be in the race.”
Del Gallo has been vocal on a number of environmental issues in the area, including leading the charge for a Styrofoam ban in Pittsfield. He says combating economic despair in the region is his number one issue.
“In terms of economic development, for a very long time now I’ve been talking about trying to make the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority something that works with tax incentives and to streamline regulations, not eliminate regulation, but at least streamline it so people aren’t trying to get permits forever,” he said. “If you look at Ft. Devens or Albany — the nano-technology area — it’s worked. It’s not a new idea at all. It’s a time-tested idea, but we haven’t tried it here.”
Christine Canning of Lanesborough is reportedly the first Republican to take out nominating papers for the seat. She could not be reached in time for broadcast.
Adam Hinds and Andrea Harrington announced their bids for the Democratic nod in February and March, respectively.
On the major regional issues — all three Democrats are opposed to the proposed Northeast Energy Direct natural gas pipeline that would cut through the region.
Meanwhile, some in the northern Berkshires have continued to call for the restoration of a full-service hospital two years after North Adams Regional Hospital closed. Harrington, an attorney from Richmond, says she does not know if a full-service hospital is viable in the region, but adds that if it is, it should be pursued. Still, Harrington says she understands the concerns, such as the lack of a maternity center.
“In my conversations with Representative [Gailanne] Cariddi, she was interested in exploring having a birthing center in North County which might make sense and it would give people more options as far as where to go to have a baby,” said Harrington.
Hinds, who heads the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, says the region has a rare opportunity to rebuild its healthcare system from the ground up. He says the main focus is the area’s acute health challenges.
“We’re seven or eight primary care physicians short of what a population of this size and need should have,” Hinds said. “Berkshire Health Systems and Community Health [Programs] have worked to fill that gap. Let’s look at what are the major reasons that people are visiting hospitals in the first place. That often relates to conditions related to smoking, pre-diabetes, hypertension and falls among our older population. We’ve been working with the health systems to put together a community health worker program that gets ahead of some of these big issues.”
Del Gallo says he is concerned there may not be enough healthcare options in the northern Berkshires.
With declining enrollments, Harrington says regionalizing administrative positions in K-12 schools is key to the future of the area’s educational system.
“But we do need to look at the number of schools that have,” Harrington said. “In Berkshire County, we need to take a Berkshire County-wide approach, to planning for how many schools that we really need given the number of students that we have. But, I don’t want to lose sight of the importance of kids receiving individualized attention.”
For his part, Hinds says in the short-term, state funding formulas and reimbursements for public schools need to be reworked. The former United Nations conflict mediator says he supports the ongoing work of the Berkshire County Education Task Force.
“It’s a quality of education question,” Hinds said. “Do we make sure that we protect some of the identity that we have around schools? If we’re going to increase our efficiencies, at what cost? In terms of how long a child would have to stay on a bus for example. That’s the starting point.”
Harrington, Hinds and Del Gallo would face off in a September primary.
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Adam Hinds: “Why I am running for state Senate”
By Adam Hinds, Op-Ed, The Berkshire Eagle, 4/3/2016
PITTSFIELD - This district is my home, and running for state Senate is a privilege.
I grew up in the district, in the small town of Buckland. My father, a Vietnam veteran, operated three small businesses before going back to school at 51. He became a teacher in my high school and retired two years ago. My mother was a nursery school teacher and then a part-time librarian in the high school.
I didn't know it then, but at times my parents quietly struggled to make ends meet. Their daily sacrifices and hopes for my sister and me were our stability. To me, my parents represent the values and commitments we hold dear here in Western Massachusetts. We sacrifice so the next generation can reach for their dreams. We stand up to protect opportunity so our hard work pays off.
Thanks to my parents' sacrifice and belief in me, an unlikely path led me from Buckland to Washington D.C. and then to the Middle East as a negotiator for the United Nations. But this district was always home, and I returned because I want to make a difference where I grew up. With the experience I gained in politics, conflict resolution and coalition building, I am eager to represent the people and region that means so much to me; the region to which I am committed.
I am running to ensure every child in this district has the same sense of possibility that I was lucky enough to feel. I am running to ensure every working family can rest in the knowledge they can find a quality job and create a future that is secure.
Our region's potential is extraordinary: we have world-class cultural institutions, vibrant cities, welcoming small towns, fertile farms and unequaled access to nature. Our proud manufacturing legacy continues to bring cutting-edge technology to the world.
But right now, too many working families struggle to make a living wage, or to meet basic expenses. The median household income in Berkshire County is nearly $20,000 below state levels. The poverty rate is above the state average.
Tolerating barriers created by poverty, low wages, or excessive college costs is not in line with our commitment to opportunity or the prosperity of our region. We need to do something about it.
To fulfill our district's potential it is urgent we come together to create quality jobs in our region, strengthen our education by addressing flawed state funding formulas, accelerate efforts to lower energy costs while investing in renewable energy, and fight the scourge of heroin.
Expanding the economy means supporting small- to medium-sized business so they can grow. It means improving critical infrastructure. It is unacceptable that finalizing last-mile broadband has taken so long, or that conversations about developing an effective transportation system persist.
PATHWAY TO WORK
Real growth also requires training the workforce businesses need to expand here in Western Mass. That is one reason I am leading a community effort in northern Berkshire County called "Employ North Berkshire". It creates a pathway to work that removes obstacles to sustained employment.
To attract or keep businesses and employees we need strong schools. But funding mechanisms do not recognize challenges specific to rural districts or those with declining populations. As a result, our schools struggle to cover fixed costs and the curriculum suffers as a result. I know the difficulties of our schools firsthand, not only because I was a student in the district, but because it was often the conversation around our family dinner table.
To support our families I am also focused on strengthening the system of rural health and creating a strategy to confront the heroin epidemic. I started and continue involvement in a program in Pittsfield that ensures high-risk youth experience hope through educational support, the discipline of a regular job, and help from a solid mentor. Together we can do more.
In my work in our communities I have been blessed by strong support and good relationships. I will similarly work with business and clean-energy leaders to accelerate the growth of the commonwealth's clean-energy sector. Through collaboration and creativity — two qualities I believe are essential for good leadership — we can secure lower energy costs while meeting our commitment to develop renewable energy sources.
I spent nearly 10 years working for the United Nations, most of it based in the Middle East. I have negotiated with local, regional and world leaders in Iraq, Jerusalem, and Syria. But my intention was always to come home.
My experience gave me the courage to fight for our common interests and the skills to bring people together to get things done, in the district and in Boston. It showed me we are stronger when we work together. That will always be my starting point, and that is how I intend to work as state senator.
I will ensure Massachusetts remains a leader on progressive issues while focusing on local challenges. I will remain shoulder to shoulder with residents in neighborhoods throughout the district working for economic and social justice.
In Western Massachusetts we know what it means to stand side by side to tackle common challenges, protect fairness and opportunity for everyone, and protect our environment. Those are our ideals, and that is why I am running.
The author is a candidate for state Senate in the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden district. To reach Adam Hinds email connect@adamhinds.org or visit adamhinds.org for more information or to volunteer.
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Andrea Harrington: “Why I am running for state Senate”
By Andrea Harrington, Op-Ed, The Berkshire Eagle, 4/3/2016
RICHMOND - I am running for state Senate because our district needs a state senator who is invested in this district; who has experienced the triumphs and the challenges of raising a family in this community; and who is committed to serving this district through more than just a few elections.
I am a small business owner, a parent, and an attorney. These experiences have inspired me to advocate for solutions to our district's most pressing problems.
I grew up in the Berkshires. My family has been in the Berkshires for generations — as employees at Sprague Electric and GE, and as farmers, carpenters, and housekeepers. In my family, you simply worked hard.
Thanks to my parents' hard work, I have had opportunities that they did not enjoy. I graduated from Pittsfield public schools and became the first person in my family to graduate from college. Then, I became the first person in my family to go to law school.
When my husband and I moved back to Berkshire County 10 years ago, we grappled with the challenge of supporting our family in a region that was experiencing population loss, so we purchased a small business — the Public Market on Main Street in West Stockbridge. While we have amazing customers and dedicated employees, running a small business is a tremendous challenge.
We struggle with finding employees. The BRTA doesn't serve our little downtown in West Stockbridge, so our employees need a car just to get to work. Talking with folks across the district, staffing and transportation are universal challenges for our local businesses. For example, General Dynamics is hiring 190 workers. As a senator, I would mobilize to ensure that those positions are filled — we cannot afford to lose anymore jobs.
We also struggle with energy. This is the Public Market's biggest monthly expense. I see the promise of investing in renewable energy and green jobs both as an opportunity for economic development and a long-term solution to global warming. We need to make this a priority for our local businesses to stay competitive and so that we can attract new business.
I joined Berkshares, Inc., an organization developing innovative ways to support local businesses, focusing on keeping more dollars here. We teach young people about entrepreneurship, and we are partnering with local banks to create a micro-lending program. Identifying products that businesses in our area can manufacture locally led to the creation of the "Community Supported Industry" program.
My husband and I returned to the Berkshires to raise our children here. Their education is of utmost importance to us. We are concerned by the stress that our teachers, administrators and students are under and we see the decline in population affecting our schools.
As parents we want all of our students to receive high quality, individualized instruction and we worry about the effects of high-stakes testing. I have advocated for a district-wide approach to providing all of our children with the very best education from preschool through college, including high quality after-school, mentoring and vocational programs for our students.
COURTS OFFER INSIGHT
I have spent the last 10 years representing indigent criminal defendants and families across the county and state. As an attorney, I am one of the many people on the front lines of our region's opioid epidemic. Attorneys, police officers, therapists, nurses, and doctors are doing their work without fanfare. There are no awards for convincing a client to take a plea that includes essential treatment instead of going to trial.
My work in the courts has given me insight into the cycle of poverty and addiction afflicting our communities. For example, I noticed a theme among my legal clients — many lived in their grandmother's homes. In many families, that was the last generation with the financial security to buy a home. Substance abuse and crime is a symptom of a larger problem — it is the effect of a long-term economic decline.
My experience has taught me that with a fighting spirit and by working together, we can solve our most difficult problems. It is that spirit — that there is a solution to the effects of long-term economic decline — which I bring to my work every day.
As a senator, I pledge to:
* Bring a drug court to Berkshire County with the goal of shifting funds from incarcerating people to treating them;
* Invest in our transportation infrastructure, high speed Internet, and education so that we all have access to opportunity;
* Support the Berkshire Innovation Center in Pittsfield, to grow the life sciences sector and high tech manufacturing;
* Organize and advocate for state-wide and local approaches to support our local farmers, specialty-foods producers, artists, and entrepreneurs;
* Protect our environment by opposing the pipeline and pushing the state-wide effort to expand alternative energy sources, create more green jobs, and to protect human health from toxic waste in our communities; and,
* Bring more resources to our district through the budgeting process and by equalizing the taxes paid by people earning over a million dollars per year.
I am running because I am the passionate, practical, progressive leader that the four counties need to serve them in the state Senate, and I ask for your vote in the Democratic primary on Sept. 8.
Please contact me to join my campaign and to join me in building a district where all of our children can return to be part of a vibrant, prosperous community.
The author is a candidate for state Senate in the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden district. To reach Andrea Harrington email andrea@andreaforsenate.com or visit www.andreaforsenate.com for more information or to volunteer.
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April 4, 2016
Re: My new blog page following the Berkshire State Senator race + Pittsfield political phonies
I took out nomination papers to run for Berkshire State Senator in 1998 and 2004, but I never actually ran (against my enemy #1 named Luciforo). I have a new blog page following the Berkshire State Senator race.
Some "Democrats" in Pittsfield politics only say they are "Democrats" because that is where the power is in Massachusetts politics.
If the power structure favored "Republicans", these same phonies would call themselves "Republicans" in Pittsfield politics.
My point is that they don't give "2 cents" about party politics, but rather, they only care about being in favor with the powerful.
My #1 example is one Peter J. Larkin, who is as Republican as Republican can be, but he has always called himself a Democrat. Lobbyist Larkin gets paid very well to do GE's bidding in Pittsfield politics, while thousands of local people continue to suffer from GE's cancer causing PCBs.
My #2 example is Andrea F. Nuciforo, Jr., who is not as Republican as Peter Larkin, but he is a Republican fiscal conservative in favor of Boston area big banks and especially wealthy insurance companies, which he continues to represent as a corporate Attorney in Boston.
As much as I like Rinaldo Del Gallo, III, and I wish him well in his campaign for Berkshire State Senator, his legal writings come across as Republican, especially on social issues dealing with probate and family law. Rinaldo Del Gallo has an unfavorable view of women in family conflict when he supports shared parenting. Like Nuciforo, Rinaldo has a long family history rooted in Pittsfield politics.
- Jonathan Melle
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“State Senate seat contest heating up: Downing’s 52-community district up for grabs includes eight Franklin County towns”
By Richie Davis, Recorder Staff, April 4, 2016
There’s nothing like a vacant seat to attract candidates for election.
And so the only regional campaign that is beginning to heat up is for the state Senate seat being vacated by Benjamin B. Downing of Pittsfield. The 52-community district includes Conway, Shelburne, Buckland, Charlemont, Hawley, Heath, Rowe and Monroe as well as cities and towns in Berkshire, Hampshire and Hampden counties.
There do not yet appear to be challenges for incumbent members of the Franklin County legislative delegation seeking re-election. The deadline for submitting nomination papers to local town clerks is May 3.
In addition to a three-way Democratic race for the Berkshire Senate seat, a Republican candidate is circulating nomination papers, pointing to the likelihood of a general election contest in November.
Pittsfield attorney Rinaldo Del Gallo III has joined Shelburne Falls native Adam Hinds of Pittsfield and Richmond attorney Andrea Harrington in gathering signatures for the Democratic nomination.
Christine Canning of Lanesborough, who owns two educational consulting businesses, Boston Manhattan Group Inc. and New England Global Network LLC, is circulating nomination papers as a Republican.
Hinds and Harrington have both announced their candidacies. Hinds heads the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition and was founding director of Pittsfield Community Connection, emphasizing youth and gang-violence prevention programs.
Harrington is a board member of Berkshares local business and entrepreneurship programs, and is also a Richmond Affordable Housing Committee member.
Del Gallo has not yet formally announced his candidacy. He has been in Berkshire Fatherhood Coalition as a spokesman for the fathers’ rights group and has worked on animal rights and environmental issues, including successfully getting adopted a plastic foam ban in Berkshire County and a Pittsfield farm-animal rights ordinance.
Canning, who has been an education specialist for the U.S. State Department and has worked for the Springfield, Holyoke and Pittsfield public schools, is a doctoral candidate in educational policy and research at the University of Massachusetts.
Democrat Jim White of Templeton, who had sought unsuccesfully to unseat former Rep. Denise Andrews in 2012, said he had seriously considered challenging first-term Rep. Susannah Whipps Lee, D-Athol, in the the Second Franklin House District, but has decided against a run.
The only other legislative district for which there is a contest is for the seat being vacated by Rep. Ellen Story, D-Amherst, with papers being circulated by former Massachusetts Broadband Institute Executive Director Eric T. Nakajima, Viraphanh Douangmany, Solomon Goldstein-Rose, Sarah la Cour, Bonnie MacCracken and Lawrence O’Brien, all of Amherst.
You can reach Richie Davis at rdavis@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 269.
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Christine Canning, of Lanesborough, promises to shake up the political establishment in Boston if elected to the seat now held by Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, D-Pittsfield, who is not seeking a sixth term. (Jim Therrien — The Berkshire Eagle)
"GOP candidate for Berkshire-area Senate seat promises shakeup in Boston"
By Jim Therrien, The Berkshire Eagle, April 5, 2016
LANESBOROUGH — A Lanesborough woman with a background in education and a history of advocating against wasteful school spending is seeking the Republican nomination for the Berkshire-region Senate district.
Christine Canning, of Noppet Road, also promises to shake up the political establishment in Boston if elected to the seat now held by Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, D-Pittsfield, who is not seeking a sixth term.
"I am running for a multitude of reasons," Canning said in an interview. "No. 1, I see a need for the counties I am representing to improve their educational systems. Right now, I see a lot of corrupt, incestuous and job-embedded practices, where our schools are at Level 3 [in state rankings], some possibly going to Level 4. I see what taxpayers are paying, and I don't feel they are getting value for their money."
Canning said she has been a whistleblower against fraud or regulatory violations concerning funding earmarked for students such as those in English Language Learner or special education programs. She took on the Pittsfield Public Schools while an English teacher at Taconic High School and later reported alleged problems in the Holyoke schools, where she also worked, and in North Adams schools concerning use of ELL funding.
Speaking of the situation in Holyoke, Canning said, "My goal is and always will be as an advocate for children, and when I saw that these people were taking money and promoting their own careers at the expense of these kids who could afford it the least, I couldn't take it. I just started reporting it; just started documenting and reporting. ... And now the state has corrected it."
In Pittsfield, Canning, was a former chairwoman of the Taconic High School English Department when she filed suit against the city and some school officials in 2006, claiming she was improperly fired for repeatedly bringing to the attention of administrators concerns about discrimination, drug use and violence among students.
In 2009, her suit against the city and school officials was settled on the second day of a civil trial in Superior Court.
Of the settlement, Canning said: "I can't discuss a lot of that," but she said her complaints focused on the legal protections for "the health, welfare and safety" of children. She added, "And a lot of people, if you notice, stepped down or were removed."
"In one sense, all of these cases brought me up to realizing how taxpayer money is wasted," she said. "It is not utilized. The levels and practices of corruption, using loopholes, and our inability to check the system. And also because of the nepotism and the good old boy circle that I have found. ... I really felt I am not afraid to take them on, I am not afraid of exposure, and I believe in transparency. And I also think you can do more with less.
"And because I have lived with these loopholes, I know exactly where to look," Canning said. "When you have experienced it yourself, you know exactly how people beat the system."
"I also am very pro-business," she said. "But in order to bring business back into Berkshire County, you need someone who is not just going to say they will listen, but someone who is going to do. And I have a proven track record of doing things."
Canning said that when she realized some state education-related contracts were going to vendors in other states, she decided, "This is crazy."
She said she went to Sen. Downing and suggested what later became the Massachusetts Uniform Procurement Act, which stipulates, "If a Massachusetts company can do the same work as an out of state company, then we have to give them preference."
"I showed him [Downing] what we lost in tax dollars because of this," she said.
Noting the level of poverty and drug use in the region, Canning said, "Because of that, I think if we don't save ourselves now, and go with someone like me who is proven to change things, proven to stand up to people that no one else wants to deal with, then I think Berkshire County really can't hope for more."
The reality today, she said, is that the region is ignored in Boston and "being taken advantage of" by corporate entities like Kinder Morgan, which plans a natural gas pipeline across the county.
"I have worked with people who think the state ends at Worcester," Canning said. "It does not."
She likened the state's allocation of resources to a Monopoly board game in which "you give 90 percent of the properties to from Worcester to Boston and leave us with the other 10 percent, and you see Worcester to Boston getting richer and richer and the rest of the state getting poorer and poorer."
She said of a Kinder Morgan compensation proposal in dealing with property owners along its proposed pipeline route, "They are treating us like the Beverly Hillbillies."
Canning comes by her interest in education naturally. Both her mother and father, John and Kathleen Canning, now retired, had long careers in the field in Berkshire County. Her mother taught languages at St. Joseph High School for many years, and her father is a former principal at Monument Mountain Regional High School in Great Barrington.
Today, she is CEO of New England Global Network, LLC, an education consulting firm, and develops curriculum and educational training manuals, books and other materials, often under state or federal contracts, including for the State Department involving foreign nations.
Canning is a widow. She married Douglas Wilson, a native of Scotland, who died of leukemia in 2003. She said they met while she was working as an English instructor in United Arab Emirates University in 1999, and they were married the following year.
The couple's two children now attend Mount Greylock Regional High School, Canning said.
Canning is completing a doctorate at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in Educational Policy and Research. She is licensed as a superintendent and holds four professional teaching licenses.
"So I can really work the gamut of where I want in this field," she said.
The 1987 St. Joseph High School graduate said she was Catholic Youth Organization volunteer of the year and won a Rotary Service Above Self Award and was otherwise active in the community.
She holds an English degree from UMass and a master's from West Virginia University in foreign language and linguistics. She also studied at the University of Cambridge, England, Oxford University, England, and Salzburg College in Austria.
Canning said she has been meeting with Berkshire GOP officials as she prepares her campaign and will have a formal announcement in the near future.
Others having announced for the Senate seat, which represents 52 communities in four western counties, are Adam Hinds and Rinaldo Del Gallo of Pittsfield and Andrea Harrington of Richmond. All are seeking the Democratic nomination for the office.
Contact Jim Therrien at 413-496-6347. jtherrien@berkshireeagle.com @BE_therrien on Twitter.
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State Senate candidate Christine M. Canning meets with supporters following her campaign kick-off event Wednesday at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 448 on Wendell Avenue in Pittsfield. (Gillian Jones — The Berkshire Eagle | photos.berkshireeagle.com)
“Lanesborough Republican Canning launches campaign for Massachusetts Senate”
By Phil Demers, The Berkshire Eagle, May 4, 2016
PITTSFIELD - Christine M. Canning called herself a "pit bull but with lipstick" and a "new tributary" who would freshen the waters of Berkshire politics.
Canning, a Lanesborough Republican, formally announced her campaign for the Berkshire-region Senate district at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 448 on Wednesday.
To an audience of dozens, the candidate touted her tirelessness in fighting for equality of opportunity and sensible policy, her extensive education and knowledge of foreign languages; experience living in the Middle East and her whistleblowing past.
"I have a vision; I want to bring jobs," Canning said. "I've worked around the world, in multiple countries. I've seen growth. For the last 24 years, we've been run by Democrats, and now, we are the 21st poorest county in the United States. That is not acceptable in my mind."
She added, "I will bend over backwards. I don't quit."
USA Today reported Berkshire County as the 21st poorest county in the United States in January 2015, based on median household income and the poverty and unemployment rates.
Canning, 46, also pitched herself as a crossover candidate who Democrats could comfortably vote for — a "doer," not a party follower, more concerned with getting things done than political grandstanding.
"I will guarantee you this: I have a lot of integrity, and if I say I'm going to go in and do it, I will do it," she said. "I'm never tired. People say to me, 'You're like the Energizer Bunny; you keep going and going.' The reason is, I believe in people, and I believe I'm here to serve people.
Canning added, "We have Democrats here tonight."
Naming legislative committees she would seek to work on, Canning identified her areas of expertise: Ways and Means, the Joint Committee on Education, the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, and the Committee on Ethics and Rules.
Brash and gregarious in style, Canning seemed to fit the part she seeks to play. She spoke out against a Democratic bill up for consideration by the Joint Committee on Transportation, seeking to grant illegal immigrants Massachusetts driver's licenses, potentially opening these individuals up to other state services.
Canning said it should not be passed when many veterans remain homeless and in need of services.
State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield, and state Sen. Patricia Jehlen, D-Somerville, filed the bill.
Peter C. Giftos, former executive director of Berkshire County Republican Association, who attended the announcement, called Canning "almost too good to be true."
"She has that rare gumption that I like to see in the political process," Giftos said. "What I like about her, is if she sees something wrong, she'll go after it like a tiger."
Canning, a former Taconic High School teacher, went after Pittsfield Public Schools on racial discrimination issues and later did the same in Holyoke schools.
"If you shut up [about issues], the problems continue," Canning said. "You cannot deny people opportunity."
Also in her career, Canning taught in colleges in the United Arab Emirates and Dubai for 14 years.
What she termed runaway corruption and nepotism in Massachusetts — from small towns to state government — would also be a focus, Canning said.
Canning is CEO of New England Global Network, LLC, an education consulting firm, and develops curriculum and educational training manuals, books and other materials, often under state or federal contracts, including for the State Department involving foreign nations.
Canning's late husband Douglas Wilson died of leukemia in 2003. Canning is raising the couple's two children.
Giftos also identified Canning as "one of those rare Republicans" who can win in liberal Massachusetts, because of her personality, emphasis on accomplishing things and focus on corruption.
"We've had one-party government in Massachusetts for so damn long, that's where the corruption comes from," Giftos said. "If you look at the history of the country, you find that every state that had one-party government has gone bananas, has gone bad."
Canning holds an English degree from UMass and a master's from West Virginia University in foreign language and linguistics. She also studied at the University of Cambridge, England, Oxford University, England, and Salzburg College in Austria.
Those announcing their candidacy for the Democratic nomination for the Senate seat — potentially to become Canning's opponent in November — include Adam Hinds and Rinaldo Del Gallo of Pittsfield and Andrea Harrington of Richmond.
The three could face of in a primary election in September.
Contact Phil Demers at 413-496-6214. pdemers@berkshireeagle.com @BE_PhilD on Twitter.
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21. Berkshire County, Massachusetts
* County median household income, 2009-2013: $48,450
* State median household income, 2009-2013: $66,866
* Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 12.8%
* Unemployment, 2013: 7.1%
Massachusetts residents are some of the nation's wealthiest. Between 2009 and 2013, the state's poorest county had a median annual household income of $48,450, not especially poor compared to other counties reviewed. As in the rest of the state, Berkshire County residents benefited from exceptionally high health insurance coverage. Just 3.3% of residents did not have health insurance over the five years through 2013, one of the best rates nationwide.
Source: "The poorest county in each state" By Thomas C. Frohlich, 24/7 Wall St. via USA Today (online) January 10, 2015.
Link: www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2015/01/10/247-wall-st-poorest-county-each-state/21388095/
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"Attorney Andrea Harrington of Richmond to announce candidacy for state Senate seat"
Daily Hampshire Gazette, March 8, 2016
RICHMOND — Attorney Andrea Harrington of Richmond is scheduled to announce her candidacy Tuesday for the state Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, D-Pittsfield.
Harrington, a Democrat, is scheduled to announce her candidacy at 10 a.m. at the Public Market in West Stockbridge. The Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden district is made up of 52 towns, including Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Huntington, Middlefield, Plainfield, Westhampton, Williamsburg and Worthington.
“I am running for State Senate because our district needs a leader who understands the challenges facing our communities and will build on the opportunities we have to create jobs and protect our children,” Harrington said in a statement Monday. “I am running to expand the bright spots in our regional economy — in court I have seen too many lives impacted by financial hardship.”
A board member of Berkshares, a local currency for Berkshire County, Harrington’s work with the organization focuses on supporting local business, growing entrepreneurship and the new community-supported industry program.
A mother of two, Harrington also volunteers with programs to provide expanded educational opportunities for young people in Berkshire County — the Railroad Street Youth Project, the Crocus Fund and the Berkshire Academies’ Mentors.
Shelburne Falls native Adam Hinds of Pittsfield also is a candidate for the seat being vacated by Downing after 10 years.
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Adam Hinds of Pittsfield and Andrea Harrington of Richmond are Democratic candidates for the state Senate seat being vacated by Benjamin Downing. (Campaign Photos)
2016 ELECTIONS
"Two Democrats vying for Benjamin Downing's Senate seat field questions at Goshen forum"
By Mary Serreze | Special to The (Springfield) Republican, May 12, 2016
GOSHEN —€” Two Democratic candidates for a seat on the Massachusetts Senate squared off Wednesday night at the Congregational Church in Goshen, fielding questions about education funding, rural broadband, marijuana, and more.
Andrea Harrington and Adam Hinds are vying for the Senate seat being vacated by Benjamin B. Downing of Pittsfield. The Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden district comprises 52 communities in the three western counties.
A declared Republican candidate, Christine Canning of Lanesborough, was not part of the event, hosted by Hilltown Democratic Coalition.
Harrington, 41, is an attorney who lives in Richmond with her husband and children. "I want my kids to be be able to return and live in an area that's prosperous," she said. "I'm a practical, passionate, and progressive leader." The Taconic High School graduate practiced law in Florida before she and her husband, who now owns the Public Market in West Stockbridge, returned to the Berkshires "to make an investment in the community." She emphasized her strong work ethic, and said representing a range of clients in her law practice has given her a valuable perspective.
Hinds, 39, of Pittsfield, grew up in Buckland and attended Mohawk Trail Regional High School, where his father was a teacher and his mother a librarian. He spoke of his decade in the Middle East working for the United Nations as a negotiator in Syria, Jerusalem, and Iraq. "We need a negotiator on Beacon Hill," said Hinds, a graduate of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Hinds, who founded a program to help at-risk youth in Pittsfield, is now executive director of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition in North Adams.
Both emphasized the importance of public education, and said state funding formulas put rural, regional school districts at a disadvantage. Hinds said the Hampshire Regional School District loses $200,000 a year because of inadequate transportation reimbursements from the state. "We desperately need Chapter 70 reform," he said, referring to the state school aid program. "I'm passionate about this, coming from an education family."
Harrington said small towns are at a crisis point, struggling to fund education with constrained budgets. "Town and school health care costs are a major factor," she said. "I would support a single-payer system." She said Chapter 70 aid should be "cost-based instead of seat-based" because sprawling rural school districts have high fixed costs per student, including regional transportation.
On the topic of rural broadband, Hinds said stalled deployment by the state is "unacceptable." The state "should focus on what the towns want, and the two sides should not criticize each other's business plan in the press." Hinds was referring to a public conflict that erupted late last year between the Massachusetts Broadband Institute and WiredWest, a cooperative that hopes to own and operate a taxpayer-funded regional fiber network in the hilltowns.
Harrington said broadband is essential in today's world, and that by failing to get behind WiredWest, Governor Charlie Baker "has shown that he does not support coops." She said while some towns have decided to reject WiredWest membership and "go their own way" in building town-owned networks with state support, "the cooperative model makes sense" and "that's what the towns approved."
Neither Harrington nor Hinds expressed support for legalizing marijuana, with each saying drug use at an early age can have long-term adverse affects. Harrington said minorities are over-represented in marijuana-related arrests, and noted that possession is now decriminalized in Massachusetts, but said that a proposed ballot question to tax and legalize marijuana "is a different issue." She said there is no clear way for police to determine if a driver is high on marijuana, and that parents smoking at home could send the wrong message to youth. "We need further study. At this point, I'm opposed," she said.
Hinds said that in his work as a mentor to at-risk youth, he has seen the adverse impact of marijuana. "I have no problem with adults smoking in the privacy of their homes," he said. "But we need to prevent substance use at a young age."
Both expressed an interest in energy issues, with Harrington saying high costs are an impediment to economic development. She said Onyx Specialty Papers in Lee spends $2 million per year on energy, and that "the costs are prohibitive" to new manufacturers looking at the region.
Both said they would support the growth of green jobs and the creative economy.
Downing announced in January that he would not seek a sixth term.
The event was originally slated to be held at Goshen Town Hall, but was moved across the road to the church because a lead paint removal project began May 9 at the municipal building.
Also participating were Patrick J. Cahillane and Kavern Lewis, candidates for Hampshire County Sheriff; and Mary E. Hurley and Jeffrey S. Morneau; Democratic candidates for 8th District Governor's Council.
"With no statewide races this year, these down-ballot contests for open seats will be critical for many voters of the Hilltowns and western Massachusetts," said Elizabeth Bell-Perkins, chair of the Goshen Democratic Town Committee.
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"Senate candidate left out of debate in race to replace Downing"
(Greenfield) Recorder Staff, May 17, 2016
PITTSFIELD — One of three Democratic hopefuls for a state Senate vacancy says he is angry at being left out of a candidate’s forum last week.
Rinaldo Del Gallo III of Pittsfield said he wasn’t even aware of the May 11 debate in Goshen, sponsored by the Hilltown Democratic Coalition, until being called by a newspaper reporter. The other two candidates — Adam Hinds of Pittsfield and Andrea Harrington of Richmond — took part in the forum without Del Gallo, who has not yet officially announced his candidacy.
The district, now represented by Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, who is not seeing re-election, includes Ashfield, Conway, Shelburne, Buckland, Charlemont, Hawley, Heath, Rowe and Monroe as well as communities in Berkshire, Hampshire and Hampden counties.
Hilltown Democratic Coalition Matthew Barron said only announced candidates were invited to the forum at Goshen Congregational Church.
“I think it is unconscionable to host a Democratic debate fully knowing that I would almost certainly be a candidate,” said Del Gallo in a written statement. “Anyone with even a modicum of knowledge of knows that the ‘formal announcement’ is a media event with much fanfare that no candidate would do without.”
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Letter: "Comprehensive response to Pittsfield shootings"
The Berkshire Eagle, 5/26/2016
To the editor:
The escalation in shootings in Pittsfield is deeply disturbing. There have been 30 shooting incidents in the first five months of 2016; the same number for all of last year. I worked to address youth violence in Pittsfield, and getting ahead of this will take comprehensive action from us all.
First, law enforcement must have the resources necessary to get ahead of this. Mayor Tyer's plan for more officers is critical, as is intelligence-sharing and collaboration among regional law enforcement actors.
At the same time, robust community work must be a parallel track. During my time starting the city's Pittsfield Community Connection (PCC) program, we focused on creating effective alternatives to violence. That means mentors, jobs and counseling. During previous shooting incidents, PCC outreach workers, sometimes former gang members themselves, stepped in to try to reduce chances of retaliation. Action on the ground by those with access remains vital.
One of my last actions with PCC was to work with the Pittsfield Police Department to secure the Safe and Successful Youth Initiative grant. It is a grant that will bring almost $5 million in state funds to Pittsfield over 10 years. The program is just starting and works with police and the sheriff's office to target young men aged 17-24 with a history of violence. Participants get mental and behavioral health counseling, a job subsidized by the grant, education assistance and regular contact by PCC outreach workers.
There appears to be a nasty mix of growing drug markets, gangs and available weapons. As state senator, I would work to ensure that communities in the district have the resources they need to keep our streets safe and to preserve the healthy development of all residents.
Adam Hinds, Pittsfield
The writer is a Democratic candidate for state Senate.
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Letter: “Hinds understands, will work for region”
The Berkshire Eagle, 5/27/2016
To the editor:
This September, voters in the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden districts can make an outstanding choice in supporting Adam Hinds for state Senate.
Recently, Hinds released his plan to create and support a strong regional economy, aimed at helping and encouraging small and medium-sized businesses in our area.
Hinds has a deep understanding of the challenges faced by employers in Western Massachusetts, and he plans to focus on issues essential to attracting and retaining good jobs and great companies, such as last mile broadband and supporting our area's creative sector.
Importantly, he also recognizes that valuable jobs and a healthy economy relate to raising up our schools while keeping down energy costs, and promoting affordable housing while protecting our natural assets. This appreciative and encompassing view of what makes our region great is part of what makes Hinds an incredible choice for the state Senate.
Adam lives right here in Pittsfield and calls the Berkshires his home. He feels passionately about this area and will work hard to make sure our city has a representative in Boston and a strong voice.
I encourage you to visit Adams' website at adamhinds.org to read through his story and proposals. In electing him, we'll not only be getting a qualified senator, but a compelling, experienced, and relatable advocate who is well-prepared to secure Beacon Hill support for our beloved area and its economy. He has my complete support.
Vote for Adam Hinds in the Democratic state primary on Sept. 8.
Laurie Tierney, Pittsfield
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"Four candidates for Sen. Ben Downing's Senate seat qualify for ballot"
By Mary Serreze | Special to The Republican | May 27, 2016
Three Democrats and one Republican candidate for state Senate in the sprawling Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden District have qualified for the ballot, the office of Secretary of State William Galvin confirmed on Friday.
The deadline to submit 300 certified signatures to the secretary of state's elections division is Tuesday, May 31. Candidates must also submit financial interest statements to the State Ethics Commission, and have been enrolled in their respective parties for at least 90 days.
The Senate seat has been held for 10 years by Sen. Benjamin Downing, D-Pittsfield, who announced in January he would not run for re-election.
The Democrats who have qualified for the ballot are attorney Andrea Harrington of Richmond, nonprofit director Adam Hinds of Pittsfield and lawyer Rinaldo Del Gallo III, also of Pittsfield. Christine Canning of Lanesborough, a Republican who runs an education consulting firm, has also qualified.
A fourth Democrat, Thomas Whickam of Lee, has pulled nomination papers but has not yet returned 300 certified signatures, according to Galvin's office.
Harrington and Hinds squared off at a Goshen debate earlier this month, and Del Gallo, a fathers' rights activist who describes himself as a "Bernie Sanders progressive," cried foul because he had not been invited. Debate organizers said Del Gallo was excluded because he had not yet declared his candidacy. Del Gallo later said he plans to formally announce his campaign in Pittsfield on May 31.
Downing was just 24 when entered his first Senate race in 2006, after Sen. Andrea F. Nuciforo Jr., D-Pittsfield, said he would not run again. Downing narrowly defeated former state Rep. Christopher Hodgkins of Lee in the primary, then went on to win the general election in a landslide. Since then, Downing has not faced a competitive election.
Downing chairs the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy and the Senate Committee on Redistricting; vice chairs committees on tourism and on audit and oversight; and is a member of the influential Ways and Means Committee.
The district, geographically the largest in the Massachusetts Senate, comprises 52 communities in the four western counties.
Mary Serreze can be reached at mserreze@gmail.com.
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"Rinaldo Del Gallo running for Senate as a 'Sanders progressive'"
Running as a 'Bernie Sanders progressive'
By Jim Therrien, The Berkshire Eagle, May 30, 2016
PITTSFIELD — Democratic primary candidate Rinaldo Del Gallo III wants to make it clear from the start what kind of campaign he will run for the state Senate seat representing Berkshire County.
"My general theme is, I am running as a Bernie Sanders progressive," he said during an interview. "It was one of the first decisions I made. I wanted people to be able to know in an instant what type of platform that I had."
Del Gallo added, "There has been a lot of discussion about what is going to happen with that [Sanders] revolution. It has to be a political revolution, so to speak, that happens throughout our government at the federal and state levels."
The movement of wealth toward the higher-income levels in recent decades is a trend that must be reversed, Del Gallo said, to stabilize the middle class and the poor and revive a sluggish U.S. economy.
"Wages have gone flat. Almost all wealth has gone to the top," he said, citing statistics on income and wealth disparities noted by Sanders in his presidential campaign.
"It is an absolute rigging of our system that is causing the decay of our country, that is causing the collapse of the middle class, which is causing the ranks of the poor to swell and the ranks of the middle class to just disappear," Del Gallo said, adding that crime, drug addiction, infrastructure neglect and other problems are related to a lack of economic opportunity for many.
Del Gallo, 53, of Lenox, is an attorney who grew up in Pittsfield where his uncle, Remo Del Gallo, served as mayor during the 1960s. He is seeking the Democratic nomination for the seat now held by Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, D-Pittsfield, who is stepping down at the close of his fifth term in January.
In the Democratic primary Sept. 8, Del Gallo will face Adam Hinds of Pittsfield and Andrea Harrington of Richmond. Christine Canning of Lanesborough is the lone Republican candidate in her party's primary.
At the state level, Del Gallo said, one focus for him would be promoting a taxing system tilted more toward the middle class. He also would advocate for a $15 minimum wage, solar and wind power generation and other environmental issues; support family leave and universal pre-kindergarten and would strive to be "the most pro-labor person" in the Legislature.
Right now, he said, 33 states have a graduated state income tax, which, like the federal government, has different rates depending on the level of income. "I would like Massachusetts to be the 34th state," he said.
The state now has only one tax rate, "basically a flat tax," he said. The candidate said he believes there are "different types of income that would be taxed differently with different types of approaches," saying that he would research tax issues more before making specific proposals.
Del Gallo contends that, at the federal level, the 1950s and 1960s saw high nominal rates and, "I would submit that those were some of the most economically prosperous times in our county."
Del Gallo said it seems "clear to me that we are going to have to amend our tax policies so that those who are super-affluent, those with the ability to pay, pay. We need a very fundamental change."
Without that level of taxation, he said, "We haven't been able to finance infrastructure, or public education ... But the good thing, at least in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is that this is a taxing opportunity; it is there for us."
He also argues that "government clearly can create wealth," which he said is a basic difference between Democrats and Republicans, who believe the private sector should create wealth and drive the economy. "Then they hop in their car and drive home on a [public] road and pretend that isn't wealth," he said.
Expanding tax revenue sources could help repair crumbling infrastructure, fund education and promote green industries, he said, adding, "But we have been talking about this for decades."
The Obama administration's economic stimulus package was a good idea but "far too small," he said.
"We need money," he said. "We need some return on this enormous amount of wealth and capital that exists in this country ... A lot of people would think this is pie in the sky stuff, but there is a lot of wealth out there that could be reasonably taxed, and in the past when we have done so we have had fantastic economies,"
Raising the minimum wage also would spur the economy, he said, as it would give people more money to spend. Opponents of hiking the wage, "try to pretend progressives are wrong on minimum wage impact, but Harry Truman doubled the minimum wage in 1950s, and we had a booming economy. They want to pretend that the progressives don't know what they are talking about; well, they are just wrong. These are eminently doable things."
Like Sanders, Del Gallo would push for tuition-free college for state residents, arguing that European nations have shown this too is realistic.
Such tax changes would be "saving them [the wealthy] from themselves," he said. "Basically, they are drying up all the wealth. We cannot continue to decimate the middle class ... It's like overfishing a [prime fishing hole]."
Del Gallo said he also is proud of his record on the environment, having sponsored a polystyrene foam container ban ordinance that passed in Pittsfield and proposed a plastic bag ban, which is pending.
He received a Hero of the Ocean award from the state Senate for his efforts on the polystyrene ban.
On economic development, he said the area should continue to push to create industrial employment, along with a creative economy, which he said is not large enough to carry the regional economy alone.
He also called for more optimism that something approaching the days of large-scale GE employment are not gone forever. "We have been far to negative, defeatist," he said, adding that other regions, such as around Albany, N.Y., offer a blueprint for success.
Contact Jim Therrien at 413-496-6247. jtherrien@berkshireeagle.com @BE_therrien on Twitter.
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Rinaldo Del Gallo announces his candidacy for state Senate on Tuesday at Shire City Sanctuary in Pittsfield. (Jim Therrien — The Berkshire Eagle)
"Senate candidate Del Gallo makes formal announcement"
By Jim Therrien, The Berkshire Eagle, 5/31/2016
PITTSFIELD - State Senate candidate Rinaldo Del Gallo held a formal campaign announcement Tuesday at Shire City Sanctuary, promising a progressive agenda in the Legislature and contending his name recognition could give him an edge in the Democratic primary.
Del Gallo faces Adam Hinds of Pittsfield and Andrea Harrington of Richmond for the Democratic nomination. A lone Republican, Christine Canning of Lanesborough, is seeking her party's nomination.
Several supporters attending the evening event praised Del Gallo, 53, a city native and attorney, for his work on behalf of progressive causes — often performing hours of pro bono legal work.
Brad Verter said, "I was inspired by Rinaldo Del Gallo," when Verter began pushing for bans on polystyrene foam containers and shopping bags in Williamstown, both of which were enacted.
Del Gallo's proposal for similar bans in Pittsfield spurred his own, Verter said, adding that he previously hadn't realized such changes could be enacted, before he saw a Del Gallo column on his citywide effort in The Berkshire Eagle.
"He held my hand through the entire process [in Williamstown]," Verter said.
Since then, he said, he has launched MassGreen.org, which assists communities around the state in similar environmental protection efforts.
Jim Martin, who said he has known Del Gallo for many years, said the attorney worked pro bono for numerous hours on a probate court issue for him.
"He has always been more concerned about helping people than making money," Martin said.
Speaking later, Del Gallo estimated he has done "a fantastic amount of pro bono work" over the years in numerous causes.
Martin also praised the candidate for "being the first against the [Kinder Morgan natural gas] pipeline in this county."
Grier Horner, a retired Berkshire Eagle editor and artist, said Del Gallo helped rescue his neighborhood when a developer planned a 375-unit timeshare development nearby. Not seeking any compensation, Del Gallo "knocked the [legal] footing out from under the developers," Horner said.
He also praised the candidate, who has promised to run "as a Bernie Sanders progressive," for his positions on taxation, the environment and many other issues. Through changes in the state and federal tax structures, Del Gallo wants to "ease the stranglehold" wealthy interests have obtained, Horner said.
"We need more candidates like Bernie Sanders and Rinaldo Del Gallo," he said.
Del Gallo stressed his progressive platform, which includes creating a tax structure favorable to the middle class and poor and asks more in taxes from the wealthy. Quoting Sanders during his presidential campaign, he cited statistics showing that the nation had a robust economy in past decades when the tax rates on high earners and wealth were much higher.
"Today, we don't have the money to fund government anymore," he said, later adding, "We can't keep putting it on the [government] credit card."
He also called for a $15 minimum wage and other changes to boost lower-income workers and the poor, contending that would enhance the entire economy as it did during the post-World War II decades.
He also supports tuition-free public higher education and affordable health care for all.
And the candidate said he has shown over the years a willingness to be among the first to take sometimes unpopular views and persevere until others adopt them as well.
He said that was true of his early stand in favor of decriminalizing marijuana and fighting for the rights of fathers with the Berkshire Fatherhood Coalition, and on transgender rights to use public restrooms.
"I think I have a chance in this race," Del Gallo said.
He said he has a long track record of activism and other work in the Berkshires that could give him a name-recognition advantage over his Democratic rivals in the Sept. 8 primary.
Del Gallo said he favors an approach to economic development similar to the stimulus efforts in New York in creating a Nanotechnology Institute in the Albany area.
Del Gallo also talked about growing up in Pittsfield where his uncle, Remo Del Gallo, served as mayor during the 1960s. The elder Del Gallo was among about 30 supporters in attendance Tuesday.
Contact Jim Therrien at 413-496-6247. jtherrien@berkshireeagle.com @BE_therrien on Twitter.
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Rinaldo Del Gallo made his announcement in front of 35 or so supporters at Shire City Sanctuary.
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"Del Gallo Launches Bid For State Senate Seat"
By Andy McKeever, iBerkshires Staff, June 1, 2016
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Jim Martin had his daughter taken away from him and he didn't have the money to fight for custody in the courts.
Rinaldo Del Gallo offered his legal services pro-bono and put more than 100 hours into the legal representation.
"He is more concerned about justice than he is money," Martin said on Tuesday when Del Gallo formally announced his campaign for the state Senate seat being vacated by Benjamin Downing.
Mark Delmyer has a similar story about Del Gallo helping to fight off developers looking to divvy up his family farm into subdivisions.
"The farm now is still in the midst of being determined but the good news is we have somebody to help," Delmyer said.
Grier Horner told a similar story of when Del Gallo defeated a timeshare project eyed for the Ponterill property. And Brad Verter credited Del Gallo with being his inspiration for the ban of polystyrene and plastic bags in Williamstown, after which Del Gallo lead the successful ban in Pittsfield.
"He held my hand through the entire process," Verter said, adding that he motivated him to ultimately start the statewide Mass Green Network.
There are dozens of stories of Del Gallo's work and his message in the campaign is "you know me."
The attorney has been active in a number of different political and social issues in the area since he returned here in 2000. He started the Berkshire Fatherhood Coalition. He ushered through the ban on polystyrene food containers in Pittsfield, and inspired and worked with other communities to do the same.
"I stuck with it, it took three years and in 2015, the city of Pittsfield banned Styrofoam," Del Gallo said.
He cited a number of small legislative items he got through the Pittsfield City Council and his ongoing petition to ban single-use plastic bags. He's previously filed a petition to support transgender rights.
"So far, I seem to be the only talking about this. I believe transgendered people should have equal rights," Del Gallo said. "If elected to the Senate, I will fight for the rights of transgendered people."
He represented First Amendment cases, including a 2012 suit against local blogger Dan Valenti. And he said he's always had the courage to speak out against such things as supporting the decriminalization of marijuana in 2008 when most officials were opposing it and the Bernard Baran case. Through countless columns and opinion pieces submitted to newspapers, Del Gallo says he has the name recognition and the platform to win the Senate seat.
Dubbing himself a "Bernie Sanders progressive," his primary focus is on income inequality.
"We want to keep the revolution going on the local level," he said.
Crediting Sanders' speeches, he said the top 1/10 of the top 1 percent of the wealthiest Americans have as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent and that the richest 20 people have more wealth than the bottom 150 million people.
That's where the money is to support a number of projects that were never completed, he said, such as high-speed rail to Boston and New York from the Berkshires or a more robust public transportation system or providing tuition-free college.
"I want to introduce a graduated income tax system," Del Gallo said, adding he'd go after making the amendment in the state Constitution to join the 33 other states with such a system.
He also supports raising the minimum wage, adding a millionaire tax, and a wealth tax. That will pave the way for universal preschool and single-payer health insurance.
"This isn't pie in the sky stuff, it's being done all over the world," Del Gallo said.
He also supports GMO labeling, bioremediation of the Housatonic River, opposing the Kinder Morgan pipeline in Otis and Sandisfield, and using the William Stanley Business Park as a place to grow nanotechnology industry as has been done in Albany, N.Y.
"This is just talk unless we can get some of this wealth," Del Gallo said.
He went on to oppose the war on drugs and incarceration — instead calling for more rehabilitation.
Del Gallo took a few shots at his opponents in the Democratic primary, saying Adam Hinds has only been in the Berkshires for a small period of time compared to him and that Andrea Harrington has been "quiet" while he's been active in the community. Del Gallo hopes to defeat those two in the September primary to win the Democratic nomination. From there he'd be up against Christine Canning, of Lanesborough, who is the Republican candidate.
Del Gallo is a Pittsfield native and his uncle Remo Del Gallo was Pittsfield's mayor in the 1960s. His father was a cost engineer at General Electric. Rinaldo Del Gallo got his law degree from George Washington University.
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Grier Horner voiced support for Del Gallo not just because of his local work but also because of the national and state issues in which the two share the same views.
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"Third Democrat [Rinaldo Del Gallo III] announces formally for Downing’s Senate seat"
By Richie Davis, Recorder Staff, June 2, 2016
A third Democratic hopeful seeking a Berkshire County-based state Senate seat has formally announced his candidacy.
Rinaldo Del Gallo III, who is an attorney, is seeking the Senate seat being vacated by Democrat Benjamin Downing of Pittsfield, and faces a three-way Democratic primary on Sept. 8 in the district that includes Ashfield, Conway, Shelburne, Buckland, Charlemont, Hawley, Heath, Rowe and Monroe, along with communities in Berkshire, Hampshire and Hampden counties.
Del Gallo, who describes himself as “a Bernie Sanders progressive,” is the last of the three Democrats to formally announce, and was critical of being left out of a May 11 debate the Hilltown Democratic Coalition held in Goshen, although organizers said it was only for announced candidates. Democrats Adam Hinds of Pittsfield and Andrea Harrington of Richmond took part.
A graduate of George Washington University Law School and Northeastern University, Del Gallo has been spokesman for the Berkshire Fatherhood Coalition since 2002 and has worked on animal rights and environmental issues, including successfully getting adopted a plastic foam ban in Berkshire County and a Pittsfield farm-animal rights ordinance. Del Gallo says we would support a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags and plastic foam products like Styrofoam.
He has filed a petition in Pittsfield to guarantee the rights of transgendered people and, as a lawyer, wrote a legal opinion that helped prevent time-share housing from being allowed in residential zones in the city.
Del Gallo supports “tuition-free and debt-free” state higher education as well as universal pre-kindergarten, to be sponsored by a millionaire’s tax now being considered as a state constitutional amendment. He also supports decriminalization of marijuana, a $15 minimum wage and labeling of genetically modified organisms.
He has a been an op-ed contributor to the Berkshire Eagle on a wide variety of subject and has written a My Turn column on Styrofoam for The Recorder.
You can reach Richie Davis at rdavis@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 269.
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Christine Canning: “Why I am running for state Senate”
By Christine Canning, Op-Ed, The Berkshire Eagle, 6/12/2016
LANESBOROUGH - I was born and raised in Berkshire County but have either lived or worked in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties over the years. I understand our area, its people, and our needs. I am highly educated, personable, demonstrate common sense, and address adversity without blinking an eye.
I am running because I can no longer watch us spiral deeper down with the nepotism, corruption, retribution and retaliation of "good old boys" networks that centralize the power at our people's expense. I am a strong person who is known for her follow through, commitment to causes, and determination to do what is correct, even at the expense of myself. If you wish to discuss my platform more in depth, contact me and I will discuss issues with your organization or group.
We live in a world where private companies play a pivotal role in economic growth and expansion. I want to encourage tax free zones because of the profits that result in other areas of the markets. During my years in the United Arab Emirates, I watched a desert turn green from open-minded innovation. I saw how businesses were invited into the region after the turnover of Hong Kong from British rule to China's. I saw Dubai grow, and the people become richer through "free zones" with the money made off of tax breaks.
I firmly believe that private companies grow the economy. As I have owned an LLC and a corporation in the commonwealth with SDO certification that have earned government contracts, I understand first hand the constraints. This is why I worked with Sen. Downing to pass an Amended Procurement Act after I realized we were losing our tax dollars to out-of-state companies.
If elected senator, I would use guerrilla marketing tactics to make our region a destination, and not just a place to visit. My work around the world has afforded me first-hand opportunities to see what can work on even the smallest of resources and budgets.
I like reading cutting edge research, trends, and being ahead of the game. The new wave will be artificial intelligence, and I'd like to make it lucrative for companies to make their base in our four-county district. I advocate resilience coupled with reinventions, so we are utilizing what is available to us by law, regulation and funding in this digital age.
Good enough is never good enough with me, because the world is constantly changing, and to keep up at a global level towns either decide to be flexible or face the consequences. You would not wear your 1970s clothes today, yet we are willing to live in a world that no longer exists.
If elected, I am going to work for a much-needed makeover by being candid, engaging in deep and rich discussions, and tweaking laws so that equity rules and not corruption. With my advanced degrees, I am able to deconstruct data to reshape areas that need improvement. Looking at successful models, I am able to make educated comparisons, and will work toward getting our people retrained in fields that offer better salaries and benefits.
In our modern world, each of us bares witness to new ideas, accelerated change, but it is difficult when our areas don't have the tools. This is why I will fight for broadband, and be bold enough to look at technologies that may surpass this service so that we stay ahead of the game as a future flagship to replicate. I want to reshape the area so we can have a business without borders, and emerge stronger by meeting the demands of supply opportunities.
As a professionally licensed teacher in four areas who is also a licensed superintendent of schools, I won't be pontificating from theories but from first-hand practice. Until our schools are up to par, property values will not rise. Many people buy at higher rates in areas with better schools. As I understand formulas, am finishing a doctorate in leadership and policy with a focus in compliance law to better equity, I will hold the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and its vendors accountable.
I will work to change our current standardized testing practice with new alternatives which meet federal mandates and cut back on the $125 million-plus payouts to testing vendors and third parties. Education has become a business, and the only one losing are the students. I have taken on different school districts to protect the health, welfare, and safety of children, and I won't stop, until I see improvements.
Lastly, my work has afforded me to live with the Taliban in Saniya, to go to the 38th parallel, train militaries and work with agents in international law enforcement through language-based opportunities. I have not been protected, or sheltered, but instead immersed myself in the cultures. I have also filed cases with our immigration system and other federal agencies, only to realize how broken the system is and where the loopholes lay. My first-hand knowledge alone in these areas make me a valuable servant for the public.
As a previous winner of the DAR, volunteer awards, service above self, and prestigious grants, I would be an excellent senator to serve on our state's committees for education, ways and means and Public Safety. I hope that Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties elect me as the incoming state senator this November.
Christine Canning is a Republican candidate for state senator.
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Rinaldo Del Gallo, III: “Open challenges to candidates for state Senate”
By Rinaldo Del Gallo, III, Op-Ed, The Berkshire Eagle, 6/22/2016
PITTSFIELD - In the first week of April, I sent my fellow candidates for state Senate an e-mail asking them to agree to voluntary spending limits. Many progressives I have spoken to feel it is an excellent idea. I herein resubmit an open proposal on the subjects of spending limits, debates and columns in local papers. This offer, previously submitted in early April, I offer for 10 days after publication of this column by The Eagle.
SPENDING LIMITS
I have been told that state Senator Ben Downing spent $100,000 to get elected when he first ran for office in 2006. I also confirmed that former state Senator Andrea Nuciforo spent a similar amount.
Please ponder that colossal dollar figure — $100,000. It is this daunting amount of money that caused me to hesitate about throwing my hat into the ring.
There are several problems with raising such an astronomical sum to run for office.
First, potentially good candidates are not entering the race. Second, when we raise such vast amounts of money, we owe people favors. Politics becomes less about people and more about campaign donors, especially large campaign donors. We all want to represent the poor and the diminishing middle class — not just people that can make campaign donations.
I am campaigning as a "Bernie Sanders progressive." Bernie has talked at great length about the evils of money and politics. It is my hope that getting money out of politics is something that all of us as Democrats can agree is not only a laudable goal but is essential to the body politic. If our government is going to be what Lincoln described as being "of the people, by the people, for the people," we need to get money out of politics. This is especially true of a state Senate race that should be all about personal conversations, debates, and expression of views in local media.
Third, I want to spend from now until Thursday, Sept. 8, looking voters in the eye and having real conversations, not raising campaign donations. It represents too much of a theft of time. Politics should be about time with people, not raising money.
I propose a limit of around $20,000 but would entertain and even prefer lower amounts. I would entertain higher ones if my fellow candidates would not agree to a $20,000 campaign spending limit. But I want to know if you will agree to any campaign spending limits of any kind or nature. It is the first policy decision you will have to make.
Here would be the parameters:
* Democratic state Senate candidates Adam Hinds and Andrea Harrington, would have to agree for this proposal to apply to the Democratic primary.
* There would be a limit on campaign contributions, but there would also be a limit on "independent" expenditures. Good faith efforts would have to be made to discourage such expenditures. The purpose would be to remove hard money and soft money.
* We could agree to raise funds for the general campaign should the Republican challenger, Christine Canning, not agree to this agreement. If the Republican does not agree to these terms, it would enhance the Democrats' chance at victory, since we would not expend money fighting each other in our primary.
* If I can get all other candidates on board that could appear in the general election, this agreement of spending limits would apply to the general election as well.
I believe that we as Democrats can make history and return democracy (with the little "d") to the people. Please join me in what could be a historic moment for democracy and its return to the people.
DEBATES
I would like to have debates or forums once per week until the election. There are numerous local organizations that would like to sponsor such debates and forums, and I am sure the media would cover them. I ask the other candidates to agree to this offer.
COLUMNS
We would agree to ask to have local newspapers carry columns by all of us.
While I believe that we have a good pair of Democratic candidates in Hinds and Harrington, this open letter is extended to the Republican challenger, Canning.
Please accept this challenge in the respectful and positive manner in which it is made. Let us change the face of democracy and give it back to the people.
Rinaldo Del Gallo, III is a candidate for state Senate for the Western district comprising 52 towns.
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Letter: “Improving education critical to region”
The Berkshire Eagle, 7/6/2016
To the editor:
I come from a family of educators. My father was a public school teacher and my mother a librarian in the public high school I attended. Public education prepared me for the world, and I am running for state Senate to protect that opportunity for every child in the Western Mass. district.
Towns now finalize budgets in challenging financial circumstances, forcing difficult choices related to school budgets. This past week I released my education priorities with a focus on bolstering schools by fixing funding.
First, update the Chapter 70 funding formula. In Western Mass, we face declining populations and aging infrastructure. So while "dollars follow the student" in the current funding formula, districts with declining populations still must care for aging school buildings, retiree health insurance, and other essential costs. The current formula is woefully outdated and underfunds retiree benefits and special education. I will go to Beacon Hill to fight for a fair solution for our region.
Second, even if we fix the school funding formula, we face the reality of declining populations and dwindling tax dollars. We can expand our high-quality education by allowing neighboring districts to partner and pool knowledge and resources. I will ensure necessary resources are available, and prioritize facilitating and working with all stakeholders to find sensible collaboration in the district.
Third, fully fund regional school transportation. Boston broke its promise to reimburse regional school transportation costs. Limited funds to educate our children now pay for buses.
Governor Baker's proposed FY17 budget only reimburses 68% of the cost. This unfairly impacts school districts in western Massachusetts. I will work tirelessly to get full reimbursement for regional school transportation.
Besides funding priorities, we must ensure our system of education serves everyone. I will work for universal pre-K to address the achievement gap.
Connecting schools to regional workforce needs is another priority. It includes the training needs of local businesses and pre-apprenticeship programs to bring non-traditional workers to the trades. Finally, schools increasingly need the tools to address student emotional and behavioral issues.
Education is at the center of who we are: it reflects our investment in the next generation. Successful pre-K-12 education is central to workforce development and retaining and attracting residents. As state senator, strengthening education will be central to my work.
Adam Hinds, Pittsfield
Adam Hinds is a candidate for state Senate in the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden district.
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“Impressed by Hinds' focus on education”
The Berkshire Eagle, Letter to the Editor, 7/10/2016
To the editor:
I find Adam Hinds' approach to educational reform enlightening, from his early approach for Pre-K students to his addressing the social and emotional needs of youth. As a School Committee member, I support Adam because of his forward thinking and strong interest in our students' future.
Adam is in tune with the education needs of the districts he is looking to serve. He has many proactive approaches to assist districts as Western Massachusetts faces a declining student population and aging infrastructure. The area needs Chapter 70 formula revisions so the districts receive reimbursements that are equitable and necessary to sustain programs. Regional school transportation formulas need revamping because the districts cannot sustain their costs on 68-70 percent reimbursement at best.
Collaboration will be a tool that educators in Western Massachusetts must look at to become more efficient and sustain services. Workforce programs and funding will be needed to prepare students who are not college bound. Our students today live complicated lives that include peer relationships, social media and pressure to exceed expectations and perform at a high academic level. Partnerships need to be formed and stakeholders need to work together with a leader like Hinds.
The schools cannot do this alone, they need someone who is proactive and believes in our students and providing quality education to our students. Please join me in support of Adam Hinds for state senator.
Regina A. Hill, Adams
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Letter: "Hinds' platform on education is impressive"
The Berkshire Eagle, 7/12/2016
To the editor:
I hold education very close to my heart. It's what we all have in common, and has the greatest potential to make the greatest impact on who our children grow up to become.
Adam Hinds' platform on education impresses me, and this is why I support him. He doesn't simply speak in generic phrases and buzzwords we've all heard; he tries to help all people understand, and that's what we need. He knows that part of the state isn't treated equally on Beacon Hill and the antiquated funding formulas don't look upon our school districts fairly, which is why he wants to update the formulas to fit our communities better in western Massachusetts.
Adam believes that the next state Senator should work to coordinate among districts to save money on some types of costly services and by doing so, our dollars spent on education can become even more effective. He believes every young child is entitled to pre-kindergarten, which research shows is particularly important to adolescent development.
What has impressed me the most is that Adam always stresses the need for our education programs to lead to well-paying jobs. Every student should have the chance to attend college if they wish, but not every student wants to take that path. That's okay. What every student deserves is an opportunity for gainful employment.
Our next state Senator will have to work with the Legislatures to find the funds we need to support our school districts, teachers and para-professionals. Adam has the experience and ideas necessary to follow through and make it happen!
I hope everyone will vote for Adams Hinds in the primary on Sept. 8.
Mary Shook
Pittsfield
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On the trail: Berkshire campaigns in brief
The Berkshire Eagle, 7/9/2016
“Harrington campaign kicks off 'House Party Tour'”
RICHMOND - Andrea Harrington, a Democratic candidate for state Senate, has is planning a "Four County House Party Tour," beginning Tuesday in Great Barrington.
Harrington is running for Senate in the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden District being vacated by Sen. Benjamin B. Downing.
The tour will consist of 30 individual campaign house parties and meet and greets across the four counties.
"I'm proud of the true district-wide campaign we are running. From Williamstown to Westhampton and Pittsfield to Peru, we are talking to voters and doing grassroots organizing in every corner of the district," Harrington said.
She added, "I am running for state Senate to be a bold, progressive voice for Western Massachusetts, and I look forward to working with residents across the district on the issues that matter to us. I will be a tireless advocate for our communities as we work to combat the opioid epidemic, invest in public education, and develop comprehensive strategies to promote environmental sustainability and create jobs for our region."
Harrington grew up in Richmond where she lives with her husband, Tim, and their two sons. Harrington is an attorney and owns a small business in West Stockbridge.
If interested in attending a house party near you, email casey@andreaforsenate.com.
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Letter: “Andrea Harrington will fight for Senate district”
The Berkshire Eagle, 8/4/2016
To the editor:
If you have not heard of Andrea Harrington, you soon will. She is running for state senator for the 52-community Berkshire-Franklin-Hampshire-Hampden district and she deserves your vote.
I had the opportunity to get to know Attorney Harrington as she represented a beloved family member of mine with a troubling legal matter. Despite her diminutive appearance, we soon learned that this mother of two from Richmond was a spirited fighter.
Andrea provided the strength of professional resolve along with an unwavering action plan, all the while tempered with bundles of warm-hearted optimism. Unselfishly working for little more than goodwill, Attorney Harrington delivered a successful outcome.
Andrea has and continues to serve her family and community tirelessly. She has said that she is running because our district needs a state senator who is invested in this district. Certainly, deep local roots and strong family values define her character.
Much like our brave military men and women, Andrea Harrington seeks to serve to help fulfill those goals. Indeed, as our senator, we can be assured of her unflappable loyalty and determination.
Creating positive change for the western district will take time and energy, but I strongly believe that Andrea is the right person to fulfill the Senate position. She has a proven record of success. She is committed, enthusiastic, professional and a person of integrity, honor, and grace.
On Sept. 8, I strongly encourage you to vote for Andrea Harrington in the Democratic primary. I believe she has earned the opportunity to serve and represent our interests.
Gene DiNicola, Dalton
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Rinaldo Del Gallo, III: “The race's true progressive”
By Rinaldo Del Gallo, III, Op-Ed, The Berkshire Eagle, 8/7/2016
PITTSFIELD - I am running for state senator as a Bernie Sanders progressive. Whenever you hear Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren or I speak at length, our speeches invariably start on the subject of wealth disparity. It is the first issue on Sanders' website. By contrast, I have never heard my two Democratic opponents use the term "wealth disparity," "wealth inequality," or otherwise significantly address the topic.
America is not a poor country. Nor is Massachusetts a poor state. When our friends and neighbors who are barely keeping their heads above water surround us, it creates the illusion of scarcity. It is just that, an illusion. The reality is that we actually live in one of the wealthiest countries in world history. The belief in this reality of grotesque wealth disparity is one of the most fundamental premises of the Sanders revolution — that the rich are becoming richer under a rigged system, and the middle class are joining the ranks of the poor in a period of unprecedented superabundance. Many places throughout the district, by way of example Pittsfield, North Adams and Adams, have seen staggering economic decline in the last 35 years.
As Sanders points out, in America, the top 1/10 of the top 1 percent of the population has as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent. The top 20 people in our country own more wealth than the bottom 150 million Americans, almost ½ of our population. Despite having the most productive workers in the world, our wages have gone flat while almost all new economic growth is siphoned off by the wealthiest.
My opponents would rather remain "on topic" and discuss things like the economy and funding education. They fail to see the incredible nexus. The most prosperous years in America history were the 1950s and early 1960s. Yet, during those years, the highest federal nominal income tax rate was 91 percent! (Go to DelGalloForStateSenate.com for a greater breakdown.) Today, the highest nominal tax rate is only 39.6 percent.
The data are clear: high taxes on the super rich not only do not correspond to economic collapse, but also actually correspond to economic prosperity. Why? Because in the halcyon '50s and early '60s, we were able to make major investments in infrastructure and fund education through taxes on the wealthy. Many do not know that higher education at state schools was once quite affordable because government had the revenue to pay most of the tab.
INVESTMENT NECESSARY
I am running on a platform of single-payer health care; universal pre-K; tuition free and debt-free state higher education; investment in green energy to replace fossil fuels and creating jobs in the Berkshires around that technology; investing in high speed rail from the Berkshires to New York and Boston and improved public transportation to get us out of cars; improving our infrastructure; investing in a technological center like the Albany Nanotech Institute that performed economic wonders, and getting that "last mile" of high speed internet in the hill towns.
Many politicians in the past have campaigned on many of these proposals, yet we never seem to have the money to fund them. This underscores the basic need to have systemic change in our tax system so that we can access this great concentrated wealth to make these programs possible.
My two opponents are not progressive enough. Both started their campaigns by being undecided (when asked by WAMC) about the proposed pipelines that would carry fracked gas through the Berkshires, and only became opposed after I entered the race.
To their credit, both say they support a $15 minimum wage and the "fair share amendment" (which would tack on another 4 percent income tax for incomes over a million dollars.) But one hopped in the race in early February, the other in early March, and yet to the best of my recollection neither said they supported a $15 minimum wage or the fair share amendment until we met in a forum on June 21 and they had to respond to a question. That's after campaigning for four to five months.
My opponents refused to agree to my call for voluntary campaign spending limits. They do not see how good people are becoming discouraged from running for office as fundraising becomes a preoccupation of races, and creates the opportunity for undue influence. They say they are for campaign finance reform, just not in their race.
As a Bernie Sanders progressive, I have been unequivocal in my opposition to the pipelines, I support voluntary spending limits and real campaign finance reform, and the central premise of my campaign is addressing wealth inequality to finance progressive change.
Rinaldo Del Gallo, III is a Democratic candidate for state Senate from the Western District.
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August 7, 2016
Open letter to Rinaldo
Dear Rinaldo,
I read your most recent op-ed about being a true economic/financial progressive in your campaign for Berkshire County State Senator. Your fiscal positions match those of the populist leaders U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
In my years of studying and trying to understand economics and finance, there are two significant points to building an equitable society for poor, working and middle class families. The first point is for someone like you who is running for political office is to get the public and private sectors to “Invest in people”. The second point is bring transformation or real change to “the vested interests” that shape the political agenda in local, state, and federal government.
Point 1: The people are the most important resource to a community, state, and nation. The only way to build this resource is for business and government entities to use part of their financial resources to invest in their citizens or customers.
It is not enough to change the tax code from a regressive to a progressive one. It is not enough to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour. It is not enough to have a single-payer healthcare insurance system, which our nation does not yet have. Those are all good ideas!
We need to do more than change a few public policies. We need to ensure that the poor, working and middle class people are given the resources to achieve an opportunity for financial success via a fair political system that funds programs that invest in their lives. We need middle class and affordable housing, quality public schools in all communities (rich or poor), healthcare insurance that everyone can access, safe streets free of violent crime, financial security through living wage jobs, safe retirement accounts, and the solid foundations of Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security.
Point 2: Changing the vested interests that set the political agenda is the tougher of the two points to bring an equitable society for the common person. Usually in business and politics, the vested interests always win, while the masses usually lose. The reason is that the vested interests control the government that is supposed to represent the people.
In Massachusetts, and New England, the financial institutions dominate the region’s economy. When U.S. Senator John Forbes Kerry ran against U.S. President George Walker Bush in 2004, I read that it was really big banks versus big oil, but either way “Skull and Bones” would be represented in the White House for the next 4 years.
The irony for Berkshire County and many other areas of Massachusetts is that Boston’s big banks and wealthy insurance companies are not part of these communities. Pittsfield already had a Berkshire State Senator working both for the state government and the financial institutions, but Nuciforo had to step down from the State Senate one decade ago for his corrupt and illegal conflicts of interest.
Changing the vested interests’ political agenda in Massachusetts politics could actually help places like Berkshire County. The vested interests could go from advocating for their business interests to funding programs that invest in people.
Good luck! I am rooting for you, as I did in 2003 when I lived in Pittsfield and listened to you run for local political office 13 years ago. Back then, I believed that your platform of bringing living wage jobs to Pittsfield instead of the WHEN movement that failed Pittsfield’s tanked local economy would have helped matters.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Melle
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"Three Democratic candidates for Downing's seat try to separate themselves ahead of primary"
By Derek Gentile, The Berkshire Eagle, 8/7/2016
LENOX — The three candidates for an open state Senator's seat spent Sunday morning in front of about 40 voters trying to create separation between each other at a "debate" at the Lenox Town Hall.
The event was sponsored by the Lenox Chamber of Commerce and the Lenox Democratic Committee.
The three Democrats are Rinaldo Del Gallo and Adam Hinds both of Pittsfield, and Andrea Harrington of West Stockbridge.
State Representative William "Smitty" Pignatelli moderated.
Pignatelli pointed out that, with the decision by incumbent state Sen. Benjamin Downing not to run for re-election, "this is the first time in 10 years that this seat is open."
Pignatelli added that while there is considerable emphasis on the national election in November, "you have a decision to make in six weeks. The Democratic primary is Sept. 8, a Thursday. And that's an important date."
The district which Downing represents is the largest in Massachusetts, said Pignatelli, encompassing 52 cities and towns.
The event was less a debate than a discussion. The candidates were all asked the same questions and asked to respond. They were also each allowed a preliminary statement and a post-discussion statement.
In overall philosophy, the three candidates were similar. There was some nuance to each response, certainly. Del Gallo emphasized several times that he was a Progressive and follower of former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.
Harrington said she would work to move the state in a more Progressive direction, while Hinds seemed more moderate.
All emphasized, for example, that they favored a thorough cleanup of the Housatonic River by General Electric.
All three also agreed that broadband access was crucial to the Berkshires, and Hinds and Harrington both noted that the delay in funding a broadband initiative was "shameful."
Del Gallo did not disagree, but pointed out that outlying towns would probably do better to fund at least a portion of the cost of initiating broadband infrastructure themselves than waiting for the state to do so.
The three candidates were all opposed to introducing more charter schools in the area.
"No one," said Harrington, "is clamoring for charter schools."
"We have school districts struggling for funding," said Hinds. He added that the state's "one size fits all" funding formula did not serve school districts in Western Massachusetts.
Del Gallo was not opposed to lifting a cap on the number of area charter schools, but emphasized he would also request that if a cap were lifted, that local school districts should decide whether to add charter schools.
The candidates supported Attorney General Maura Healey's recent decision to ban "copycat" assault weapons.
"I feel obligated to protect our children and ourselves," said Harrington. "It's not about taking away guns from sportsmen."
"These are weapons of war," said Hinds.
Del Gallo said he believed Healy did a "wise thing" in banning the weapons.
Regarding the opioid epidemic, Hinds opined that more resources were needed to deal with intervention, treatment and harm reduction. Harrington agreed, emphasizing that the district has not been granted the funds to deal with the epidemic.
Del Gallo believed that "the state has a lousy attitude toward relapse" believing that more money should be allocated to that effort.
Contact Derek Gentile at 413-496-6251. dgentile@berkshireeagle.com @DerekGentile on Twitter.
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"Democratic House and Senate hopefuls face off in Berkshire Brigades debates"
By Jim Therrien, The Berkshire Eagle, 8/12/2016
PITTSFIELD — The five Democratic candidates seeking legislative nominations in the Sept. 8 primary participated in wide-ranging candidate debates Thursday evening at Berkshire Community College.
The Senate debate, moderated by former Judge Fredric Rutberg, president of The Berkshire Eagle, included numerous questions, follow-up questions and candidate-to-candidate questions.
Del Gallo claimed the "Bernie Sanders progressive" mantle, saying he is running a Sanders-style campaign and stressing strong measures to close the income gap with tax reform to shift the burden more toward the wealthy.
He also several times asserted that he was the first of the three candidates out front on such issues as opposition to the proposed Kinder Morgan natural gas pipeline project that was dropped amid strong opposition, and to support a $15 minimum wage.
Harrington and Hinds disputed that claim, saying they also early on took the progressive stand on those issues.
Del Gallo also asserted that he has been "a visible member of the community for 15 years," advocating for causes like a ban on polystyrene in Pittsfield and writing numerous newspaper columns on a range of progressive subjects. He added that Hinds only recently returned to the area to accept a position in Pittsfield and Harrington has not been "visible" on the political scene.
Hinds, a Buckland native, said he has been directly working in the community and tackling tough issues like gang violence and drugs as the founder of the grant-funded Pittsfield Community Connection program for at-risk youth and later as the executive director of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition in North Adams.
He also cited his work with the U.N. in the Middle East where he said he learned to work with communities toward collaboration while also encountering negotiators "with some tough actors."
Harrington described herself as someone who has "always been for the underdog" and said she'd be a tireless advocate for working families, which she said are increasingly unable to afford to live in the Berkshires and get ahead.
She promised to pursue "a progressive agenda" in the Senate and added, "I am not a politically connected person, but what I am is a fighter. Don't let my size or my gender fool you," said Harrington, who is slight of build.
The candidate said her work as an attorney and her experiences growing up in a working class family in Pittsfield have given her the ability to forge collaborations but also the insight to know when to stand up strongly in opposition.
Hinds said the Senate position "needs someone to be effective in pushing an agenda," saying his experiences growing up in a family that stressed education, his local work with youth the low-income residents, with the U.N. and working for former U.S. Rep. John Olver, D-Amherst, has prepared him for the job.
Del Gallo said in his closing remarks that "I am the anti-establishment candidate, no doubt about it." But he asserted that more than his opponents he has been out in the community and active for more than a decade and he would fight hard against income disparity, which he said is at the root of many other problems.
"You need someone with fire in his gut," he said.
In November, the winner will face Christine Canning of Lanesborough, who is running unopposed as the Republican candidate.
The debates were held in the Koussevitzky Arts Center at BCC and were recorded by Pittsfield Community Television. Rutberg noted prior the Senate debate that despite a Red Sox-Yankees game and the Olympics on TV, the room was packed, indicating that democracy was alive and well.
Contact Jim Therrien at 413-496-6247.
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Letter: “Hinds shows strength on energy issues”
The Berkshire Eagle, 8/12/2016
To the editor:
The Eagle provides the best coverage in the state on energy and environment issues generally, the policy debates specific to Massachusetts and legislation on Beacon Hill. Beyond the excellence of reporting, one reason may be our region has a gerrymandered division of electric utility territories and high service costs. Another is our intimate knowledge of the costs to the environment from PCBs used in electricity distribution equipment.
Certainly one long ongoing story is that the Berkshires with neighboring hill towns of Franklin and Hampshire counties have long been the state's nursery for clean energy policy and environmental advocacy. The current slate of legislators and those who have represented the region over the last three decades have supported and often created progressive programs and regulation.
As a clean energy employer located in Adams, Berkshire Photovoltaic Services has seen close-up how policy details affect job creation and security. We will miss the steadfast vision of state Sen. Downing on clean energy programs such as those that support internships from BCC and MCLA, and his granular attention to obscure regulations such as those that now ensure fair net metering for early adopters of solar PV systems and owners of small PV systems.
All the state Senate candidates on the Democratic side have expressed support for clean energy and they all should be commended for their interest in public service.
We are urging our customers and your readers to support Adam Hinds on Sept. 8. He is ready to put in the long hours being the First District's state senator require, and he has shown in reaching out to our business and others a command of the complex details on our energy mix. He understands the true costs of a heavy reliance on fossil fuels, the benefits of encouraging renewables and demonstrates the wisdom to achieve the balanced results Sen. Downing has worked hard to preserve and improve.
Christopher Derby Kilfoyle, Adams
The writer is president, Berkshire Photovoltaic Services.
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Adam Hinds: “A vision for Western Massachusetts”
By Adam Hinds, Op-Ed, The Berkshire Eagle, 7/31/2016
PITTSFIELD - Six months ago I began a campaign to be your next state senator because I believe in the extraordinary potential of this region. I remain inspired by our amazing story here in the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden district. We come from a strong manufacturing legacy that has brought, and continues to bring, critical infrastructure and cutting edge technology to the rest of the world. We have world-class cultural institutions, vibrant cities, welcoming small towns, and unequaled access to nature.
People throughout the district share the character and concerns of the people who surrounded me as I grew up in the small town of Buckland. We believe in basic fairness and are eager to work hard to ensure a bright future for our families.
That is what this campaign is about. It is about ensuring every working family feels secure about the future because they have a quality job in a strong economy, and their child has a first rate education. It is about overcoming decades of wage stagnation and population decline by working toward a vision for the region that inspires others to join.
As your next state senator, my top priority will be to ensure economic growth by supporting existing businesses while advocating for an environment where entrepreneurship thrives. To do this, we must improve our transportation systems and ensure access to high speed internet in every corner of the district. It is unacceptable that finalizing last mile broadband has taken this long.
We must also support our educational institutions and workforce training programs so they can meet the changing needs of our business community. With over 2,000 unfilled jobs in this region, this link puts people to work.
As the son of two public school educators, I grew up understanding the importance of a quality education. I was lucky to receive that just over the hill in the Mohawk Trail Regional School district, where both my parents worked. In Boston, I will fight for an education system that is responsibly funded across the commonwealth, not just in Boston.
I will prioritize closing the opportunity gap by supporting universal Pre-K and full-day kindergarten to help students read proficiently by third grade — a significant measure of future success. I will be a tireless advocate for changing broken funding mechanisms that fail to recognize the challenges of our rural region. It will also be my guiding mission to ensure a college education is available to all who desire one. We cannot allow the cost of higher education to deter anyone from continuing to learn and grow.
SERIOUS ON ENERGY
I will work in the trenches with business and energy leaders, and then with Senate colleagues, to find real solutions to meet clean energy and greenhouse gas reduction mandates while also reducing the burden of rising costs. We have to get serious about deploying new energy solutions. Utility bills should not hinder business growth. We should set an example by pushing forward the clean energy solutions that will make us a leader in protecting the environment and in the green energy industry.
The heroin epidemic requires a comprehensive strategy that includes prevention, intervention and treatment. I will be a fierce proponent for ensuring our prescription drug monitoring practices are strengthened, our first responders are equipped to treat overdose victims, our criminal justice system embraces mental and behavioral health services, and treatment and recovery is accessible.
Our economy, education system, energy and environmental challenges have a common link. They can contribute to a declining population that results in a smaller tax base for municipalities and a difficult environment for maintaining quality schools. Yet challenges can be viewed as opportunities to secure an even deeper connection to this place for the next generation and for more individuals today. To honor the place we love, we must create a path forward that inspires.
I have spent my career working as a convener and a problem solver from Buckland to Baghdad to the Berkshires. In each of these places I always found a way to get people to the table with a willingness to work toward solutions. No matter how difficult the issue or the individual, I stood strong for the greater good. I will bring that determination with me to Beacon Hill.
If I am fortunate enough to have your vote on Thursday, Sept. 8, I promise to tackle head on the challenges that impact our daily lives in the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden district.
Adam Hinds is a Democratic candidate for state Senate.
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Chris Canning: “Show us the money, says GOP candidate”
By Chris Canning, Op-Ed, The Berkshire Eagle, 7/31/2016
PITTSFIELD - I am the Republican candidate for state senator for Western Mass. in November and I have a strong bipartisan following because I represent hope for real change. Due to my extensive background in business and education, coupled with my experience in life, I understand what it means to lose a job, find a job, be a victim of a system, to overcome adversity, and to empathize with my constituents. I know how to reinvent, use creativity, expose corruption, and mend broken systems.
My primary goal is to create a clear economic vision and strategy which encourages sustainable economic growth. My economic goal is to build a stronger and more vibrant area. My priority is to bring professional, mid-level, skilled and unskilled jobs back to our counties by encouraging vocational education, academic training, and incentives to entice the business community to think of our area in terms of commerce.
I want our small businesses to become Supplier Diversity Office (SDO) certified so that they can be eligible for state contracts awarded with grants under executive order 390. After finding a loophole that cost our county a $14 million contract, I worked with Sen. Downing to change the law. A uniform procurement amendment was put into legislation requiring state agencies to give purchasing preference to Massachusetts-based corporations.
From owning companies, I speak from firsthand knowledge of the vicissitudes associated with seeking contracts. If elected, I want to repurpose agriculture, reinvent our infrastructure and renew our economic growth.
I will aggressively entice federal agencies to contract with our counties. Using my experiences from Dubai to Hong Kong, I will work to match the modern economy and global practices, such as promoting tax-free zones.
As your next senator, I want our communities to be part of an innovation train that goes beyond just sustainability. My goal is to rethink, repurpose, reinvent, and stabilize our sketchy economy. We need to encourage R & D, think tanks, and other institutions with deep financial pockets to look at our area as a game changer for investment.
If I am elected your next senator, my goal is to project more transparency, to gain financial trust, to find incentives that are reward-based, to use technology for better accountability, conduct independent analysis of payoffs on investment, and to recognize the work ethic potential of our people. Education and training are key to investment. To be vibrant we must attract potential businesses that can stimulate growth and attract like-minded businesses.
I want to promote regulatory reform. I want to coordinate better local and state rules that overlap. In the current budget system, trust line items and federal line items have the potential to be reallocated, but state line items do not have that flexibility.
As senator, I will set criteria for local investment to match our strategies and anticipated needs by supporting existing business sectors while planning for emerging sectors. I will identify priority areas for economic regeneration, infrastructure provision and environmental enhancement. Look beyond the party labels, and realize I am the best candidate to serve our areas, as my past has shown, my integrity, work ethic, ability to face adversity, and willingness to think outside the box for viable solutions.
With my experience, expertise, and education, I hope you recognize that I am a sound investment as your next public servant. Let me be what Republican U.S. Rep. Silvio Conte once was to our people. I will work to curb taxes and look at best practices so that we can have equitable growth.
I am the only candidate guaranteed to be on the November ballot as the other party has a primary runoff. Start early and prepare. Know before going into the voting booth that you want to go beyond labels. You want the best candidate available, and that is why you your vote should be for Chris Canning as the next state senator of Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden counties.
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Andrea Harrington: “Public service goals rooted in Berkshires”
By Andrea Harrington, Op-Ed, The Berkshire Eagle, 8/9/2016
GREAT BARRINGTON - For the past decade, we have had tremendous leadership in the Massachusetts state Senate. Ben Downing has been an outstanding advocate for our region, leading on issues impacting Western Massachusetts. When Ben announced that he would not seek re-election this fall, I decided to run for Senate to continue this tireless advocacy for the 52 towns and cities in the district.
This election will have major ramifications on our communities, so I want to take this opportunity to tell you a little about who I am, where I come from, and how my background and life experiences have shaped my approach to public service and advocacy.
UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE
I am running for state Senate because Western Massachusetts needs a bold, progressive leader who has lived and understands the triumphs and challenges of our region. As a small business owner, a parent, and someone who grew up here, I have the unique experience and perspective to make a meaningful impact in office.
My approach to public service is deeply rooted in where I'm from and how I was raised. I grew up in the Berkshires. My dad was a carpenter and my mom cleaned houses for a living, while my grandparents and great grandparents worked at General Electric and Sprague. Hard work was a virtue in our home, and I started working alongside my mom when I was old enough to lend a hand.
Thanks to the hard work and strong values of my parents and grandparents, I have had opportunities that they did not enjoy. I graduated from Pittsfield public schools (Taconic High School) and became the first person in my family to graduate from college, and then law school.
After law school, I worked as an attorney focused on overturning death penalty cases. Since then, I have continued to practice law in Pittsfield and my husband and I own a small business — The Public Market in West Stockbridge.
We are raising our two boys in the small town where I grew up. There is no better place than the Berkshires to raise a family, but we constantly see the impacts of population decline and lack of jobs and opportunity.
As state senator, I will make growing good jobs and economic opportunity my top priorities. As a small business owner, I have seen real, tangible investments that can grow jobs in the Berkshires. My Economic Investment Plan includes proven strategies to create not just jobs, but careers, for Western Massachusetts. This ranges from investment in job training programs, modernizing vocational education for a 21st century economy, expanding broadband internet, creating regional partnerships and fostering greater collaboration throughout all sectors of business and our colleges and universities, and working to make the Berkshires a national leader in both the green and cultural economy.
I also support key investments in our public schools. I am a proud public school parent and have been active in the school site council for my boys. The student funding formula is not working for Western Massachusetts, and I will be a strong advocate to ensure that our PUBLIC schools, students, and teachers are receiving the resources they need to continue the great education that they provide for our kids.
NO DUMPS, FRACKING
Last week, I released a detailed environmental agenda, because I believe that protecting the natural beauty of the Berkshires and making Massachusetts more sustainable are important priorities. That is why I have been an outspoken opponent of the proposed PCB dumps in the Berkshires and the proposed fracked gas pipeline.
Finally, we have seen the opioid epidemic claim the lives of our friends and family members. I applaud the work of all those fighting this public health crisis every day, and it was important to see government come together in a bipartisan way to pass meaningful legislation this spring. We must continue to increase access to recovery beds and prioritize treatment over incarceration for non-violent drug offenders and expand the use of drug courts.
It has been incredible meeting thousands of our neighbors in the Berkshires since we launched our campaign this spring. I will continue to work hard to earn your vote, and I encourage you to read more about my plans and priorities at www.andreaforsenate.com.
Andrea Harrington is a candidate for state Senate from the Western District.
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"Senate hopeful Harrington aims to expand opportunity, fight income disparity"
By Richie Davis, Recorder Staff, August 17, 2016
PITTSFIELD — When state Senate candidate Andrea Harrington returned to southern Berkshire County in 2009 after attending school in Seattle and Washington D.C. and working in criminal law in Florida, she found that the economic landscape had changed.
Harrington, one of three Democrats running for the state Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Benjamin Downing, had gone to Pittsfield public schools, and her family has lived in the Berkshires for generations, many of them working in factory jobs that have now vanished at Sprague Electric and General Electric.
“We had a lot more of those good manufacturing jobs, (but) over time, we’ve seen an increase in service jobs, and there really is dependency on the tourist economy and servicing second-home owners, particularly in south county,” said the Richmond attorney, who watched her family shift from well-paying manufacturing work to servicing the second-home economy: her father moved to carpentering, her mother started a house-cleaning business. Harrington attended the University of Washington and American University’s Washington College of Law.
“In my work, I see a lot of young people who are really struggling, a lot of families in family and probate court who struggle to make ends meet,” said the 41-year-old mother of two, whose husband owns the Public Market in West Stockbridge. “There are two major groups of people: the people who make a living somewhere else and the people who have to earn a living from the people who live here.”
Doing criminal defense as well as divorce and family law, she said, “I see a lot of those people, all the time: They need my help, and can’t afford to hire me.”
She said she’s running for the seat in the 52-community district “because our district needs a leader who understands the challenges facing our communities and will build on the opportunities we have to create jobs and protect our children. … I am running to expand the bright spots in our regional economy. In court I have seen too many lives impacted by financial hardship. … I believe we need to expand economic opportunity in this region.
A board member of Berkshares, a local currency for Berkshire County, Harrington’s work with the organization focuses on supporting local business, growing entrepreneurship, and the new community-supported industry program. She also volunteers with programs to provide expanded educational opportunities for young people in Berkshire County: the Railroad Street Youth Project, the Crocus Fund and the Berkshire Academies’ Mentors.
And she serves on the Affordable Housing Committee in her southern Berkshire County town.
Harrington has been endorsed by the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus and a host of labor organizations, including the National Association of Social Workers, Western Massachusetts Carpenters Union Local 108, SEIU Local 888, and the Massachusetts Organization of State Engineers and Scientists.
Harrington says she loves her work, but confesses, “I feel if I’m going to work this hard, I want my work to have a bigger impact. … I really know what people here in our district are going through. And I have the skills to go and be our voice in Boston and to work for state policies that are going to work better for people here. I’ve been working for the past 13 years as an advocate for my clients every day.”
Among her priorities are to advocate for more education funding and job training money from the state in order to attract and keep better jobs in the region.
“I work with a lot of young people who just don’t have the job skills that they need to support their families,” she says. “Supporting our local businesses is something I’m very passionate about.”
Harrington wants to lower energy costs to make the state more attractive to potential employers. She opposes construction of new gas pipelines in the state and the proposed surcharges to pay for them, while supporting lifting the solar net-metering cap to create green jobs and expand renewable energy sources.
Harrington said she’s intrigued by the Pioneer Valley’s Co-Op Power model of community-owned and controlled energy as “hugely empowering,” especially for people who don’t own their own homes or who can’t afford to invest in rooftop solar.
She favors closing corporate tax loopholes and supports a proposed “millionaire’s tax” amendment to help pay for increased workforce development and improving the quality of education.
She points to problems with funding formulas for rural schools and with an overemphasis on testing rather than on learning holistically.
“In Massachusetts, we have one of the most aggressive innovation economies in the country, second only to Silicon Valley,” she said. “I want to pull those opportunities west and make more connections with businesses here in the western part of the state. … I don’t think this is a situation in which Boston’s going to save us; it’s something we’re going to have to do for ourselves, working together. But certainly we need a strong advocate who’s going to fight for us to build those connections between western Mass. businesses and eastern Mass. businesses, and to get the funding, and also a leader to help the district to work together in a coordinated way on expanding economic opportunity.”
Businesses that are already here need help filling jobs by improving the skills of their workers and improving transportation.
“Absolutely having a living wage is key, particularly in this area, where a lot of jobs are service jobs,” Harrington said. “I am a strong proponent of unions. And I see having strong policies for working families, including a $15 wage as being essential to people’s ability to support themselves — and as a way to prevent further income inequality.”
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Three Democrats will compete in the primary election Thursday, Nov. 8 for the Berkshire Hampshire Franklin Hampden Senate seat being vacated after 10 years by Sen. Benjamin Downing, D-Pittsfield. The elected Democrat will run against Republican candidate Christine Canning of Lanesborough, who has no primary opponent. This is the second of three candidate profiles.)
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August 22, 2016
Re: Dan Valenti is unfairly negative against Andrea Harrington for Berkshire State Senator
Like Andrea Harrington, I graduated in 1993, but I went to Pittsfield High School instead of Taconic High School. She has accomplished a lot in her life. She has a law degree, professional experience, runs a small family business, is married with children, and she is invested in the community. She has a positive vision for Berkshire County when the local economy is at its lowest point in decades. She stands for progressive causes, including public education and economic development. She is not the hand-picked candidate that Adam Hinds is by the Pittsfield political machine. She does not have the name recognition that Rinaldo Del Gallo III has in Pittsfield politics. Rinaldo's uncle Remo Del Gallo is a former Pittsfield Mayor who has been involved in Massachusetts state and local politics for many decades. I am friends with Rinaldo and I respect the long standing leadership of his uncle Remo Del Gallo. Andrea Harrington is a long shot in this year's race for Berkshire State Senator. She will probably finish in third place. I don't believe it is fair for Dan Valenti to predict she is running a pseudo-campaign to be a spoiler to split Rinaldo's vote tally in favor of Adam Hinds so she can be set up for a political plum sinecure. Isn't that what Chris Speranzo did? He is the lifelong Pittsfield Clerk of Courts making a 6-figure yearly salary + lucrative state government benefits that will give him a big state government pension in his old age. What about Peter Larkin? He also makes a 6-figure salary as a GE lobbyist who ensures that Pittsfield remain polluted with cancer-causing PCBs! What about William "Smitty" Pignatelli running unopposed for his 8th term as Lenox State Representative? How many terms will this political hack, career politician serve? I predict at least 2 more decades so he can collect a big state government pension in his old age. It is more than fair to point one's finger at Pols like Speranzo, Larkin, and Pignatelli than it is to pass judgment of one's prediction on a qualified candidate with ideals named Andrea Harrington who is running a long-shot campaign for Berkshire State Senator in 2016.
- Jonathan Melle
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"State Senate Candidates Focus On Economics In 5th Debate"
By Andy McKeever, iBerkshires Staff, August 24, 2016
PITTSFIELD, Massachusetts — As director of the Pittsfield Community Connection Adam Hinds reeled in a $5 million grant to fight crime an violence in the city.
Over the next 10 years, the grant will supplement salaries to put at-risk youth in jobs, provide job training, get them counseling, and employed outreach workers who had been in gangs or jail and can show the youth that that lifestyle doesn't work.
The crime numbers overlapped with the three most impoverished census blocks and the program targeted those areas.
"It was with the city and it was saying what are we going to do about the 14- to 24-year-olds who are pulling the trigger?" Hinds said. "It is a very strategic, very deliberate process."
That use of state funds is exactly what Hinds said he will bring to the table if elected to the state Senate during a forum at First United Methodist Church of Pittsfield. The forum was put on by the Independent Voters Committee, a project of the Berkshire County Workers Benefit Council.
The question Hinds was answering was one posed by a member of the audience of more than 50 people.
Rinaldo Del Gallo used his time to disagree with Mayor Linda Tyer's approach by adding more police officers. Del Gallo says what is driving crime isn't a lack of police but rather a poor economy. He says most of his policies he'd take to the Senate focus on economic development. He even cited Portugal which legalized drugs and put money into treatment instead and the numbers decreased.
For Del Gallo, fighting crime isn't about spending more money on police and judges but rather providing economic opportunity.
"If we don't improve our local economy, if we don't have more hope, we are going to have more crime," Del Gallo said.
Andrea Harrington spoke of her time as a defense attorney where she stood in courtrooms with those involved in the system. What she sees is a "school to prison" pipeline and a lack of education, job training, and untreated mental health issues. There is a growing drug problem, she said, but the way to tackle that isn't by just simply arresting drug dealers because another one will takes it place but instead "we need to do something about demand."
The three are all vying for the state Senate seat being vacated by Benjamin Downing, who opted not to run for re-election. But first, one of the three will need to win the Democratic primary on Sept. 8. The winner will then proceed to the general election against Republican Christine Canning-Wilson. Tuesday's debate was the fifth time the three candidates shared the stage to debate the issues but had a more focused issue "workers and poverty."
Harrington says 70 percent of people receiving state SNAP benefits are working and 30 percent of those are working two jobs. To support workers and the economy, there needs to be jobs will living wages, universal preschool, working force development, and training for high-tech jobs.
"It boggles the mind that we don't have it because all of the studies have shown that it is essential for kids to start out with a good life," she said of universal preschool.
As it relates to issues of crime in impoverished areas, often policies are built in to punish people and not support, as one of the questions asserts, and Harrington received a loud applause when she called for criminal justice reform that stops the cycle of judges "shaking down" those in the court system for court costs and fees and instead shift money from putting poor people in jail but to help them from falling into that cycle.
"It is insane and it needs to change," Harrington said.
Del Gallo says he is against "mass incarceration" and instead wants to focus his attention on a $15 minimum wage across the board to raise people out of poverty and to create tuition- and debt-free college. By not focusing on those the poor will get poorer and the middle class will dwindle.
"If we don't invest in our roads, our bridges, our educational institution, and have single-payer, I think the poor will continue to be poor," Del Gallo said.
Del Gallo, who calls himself as a "Bernie Sanders progressive," wants the state to emulate the Nordic socioeconomic model employed in counties like Finland Denmark. In those countries, the policies are a mix between capitalism and socialism.
"You can't get really, really rich, but time after time they do studies, they are the happiest people in the world," Del Gallo said, adding that they are happier because all of the stress and nervousness that comes will being poor is eradicated and in its place more opportunity and hope.
Adam Hinds worked for the United Nations for 10 years. The U.N. has adopted a resolution for 2030 with an array of goals including ending hunger, poverty, improving health, and education. When asked about that resolution, Hinds said the plan is that every county who signed onto it which monitor and report on its individual progress toward those goals.
"We can do better than that here in Massachusetts. We can take each of those elements and go further," Hinds said.
Hinds again cited his work there, with the Pittsfield Community Connection and then with the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition for showing the ability to bring large groups of people together to tackle many goals.
Back to the question of working families, Hinds voiced his support for universal preschool, citing the "30 million word gap." The gap he refers to is that someone from an impoverished area will hear 30 million fewer works by the time the student reaches elementary school.
As for crime, he is opposed increased incarceration and instead calls for investing in reducing recidivism.
When it comes to achieving the 2030 goals outlined by the U.N., Harrington said on the local level it all comes back to income inequality. She said there needs to be a focused effort on bringing better paying jobs to the region.
"We need to work together to build a vision of what we want our economy to be, that supports local people, and keeps money in our economy," Harrington said.
Harrington would like to see more green jobs and a more localized economy where agriculture and food companies can service the county instead of having goods shipped in from other areas. She sat on the board for BerkShares, which was one program to help keep the dollars in the county.
From a panel asking the questions, the Rev. Keith Evans cited the lose of SABIC, North Adams Regional Hospital, Best Buy, Macy's, Old Country Buffet, and Price Chopper and asked the candidates what will they do to bring high-quality jobs to the district.
"I always talk about the $15 minimum wage at tremendous length. This is a very big deal," Del Gallo said.
Del Gallo said he not only supports a $15 minimum wage across the board but also support for family medical leave as ways to improve the value of the jobs in Berkshire County. He took shots at Hinds' stance on the minimum wage, claiming Hinds has been inconsistent with his approach.
Hinds responded by saying he supports the minimum wage but believes it should be done on an incremental approach to protect small businesses.
"I actually do support the $15 minimum wage," Hinds said. "The minimum wage right now is a poverty wage. It is $10 an hour and if you work 40 hours you are still below the federal poverty line."
His approach to attracting more jobs comes on a couple levels. One, support the Berkshire Innovation Center to allow the current manufacturing companies to grow, invest in and work with Berkshire Community College, McCann Technical School, and Taconic High School on workforce development to provide the skilled workers companies need and struggle to find around here, and tackle the "digital divide" where areas of the county do not have access to high speed internet.
Harrington calls for a "systematic" and "regionwide" approach to economic development and promised to fight for resources to support local businesses here now and bringing specialty manufacturing to the county. Harrington also said she wants more focused on agriculture and food products.
Harrington said she knows the struggles of small businesses first hand and when asked about electricity costs, she said she can relate. She said the store her husband owns in West Stockbridge carries a $2,000 a month electricity bill, which jumped during a spike in 2014 and 2015 to $5,000.
"I do get the power of the electric companies for sure and the urgency to create power that is locally controlled," Harrington said. "I don't think the answer is more pipelines or more pollution with oil and gas. I think the answer is looking at ways to bring power within the control of the local community."
She said solar is a "class issue" because "I can't afford to put panels on my house and many other people can't either." She'd be an advocate for more tax credits for solar to make it more affordable. She also calls for a cooperative model, such has been created in Greenfield, where customers own the power generation system.
Hinds said the spike in 2014 and 2015 was somewhat caused by a poorly executed electricity choice program. The utility companies added a recalculation fee to the bills because of changes to the power producers, which had been somewhat rebated since then. But, that was only a temporary fix.
He said the state's energy bill does not go far in enough in expanding the state's portfolio and is calling for a more diverse mix of energy sources.
"I would advocate for investing in energy storage," Hinds said.
Del Gallo is calling for programs to place solar panels on public housing units. He says there needs to be a massive investment in energy infrastructure, which will create jobs, lower heating costs, and lower greenhouse emissions.
When it comes to the power of utility companies, Del Gallo is calling for regulation that will disallow electric companies from being able to deny turning on service if an old debt has not been paid. Del Gallo says the utility companies should have to go after debts through the court system like other debts, than refusing to provide such a vital service.
What Del Gallo doesn't believe in for the economy is focusing so much on arts. Del Gallo said he someone who attends arts events and "loves the arts" but shouldn't be the centerpiece of the economic future.
"We can't have a society of symphonies. We need real work," Del Gallo said. "We need to have industry and high-tech to come back. We need educational institution."
Hinds said the arts is only one part of the economic picture, but "it is a huge piece." He said the arts have shown the ability to revitalize downtowns and in North Adams and Williamstown the creation of a cultural corridor is leading to a Mass MoCA expansion, new museums, and new hotels.
"The more we add to this, the more likely someone will come to Berkshire County and spend the night," Hinds said.
The more people coming from out of town and spending money helps support the local businesses, he said.
Harrington said for every $1 invested in the arts, $7 comes back through tourism. Local businesses depend on those visitors, she said.
But, the issue with those industries are that it doesn't always pay enough to support families.
"Our economy depends on that sector. But, yes we need to add better paying jobs," she said.
North Adams lost hundreds of high-paying jobs with the closure of North Adams Regional Hospital. But the city also lost access to a number of health services needed in that region.
Harrington said the hospital didn't close because it wasn't financially viable and she would work with Berkshire Health Systems to try to restore a full-service hospital.
"Going to Berkshire Medical Center for critical care is really problematic for people in North Adams," Harrington said. "There are people choosing to leave the hospital against medical advice because it was so far from their families."
Hinds said the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition has been focused on dealing with the factors surrounding the lose of the hospital. He said even before the hospital was closed there was a shortage of primary care physicians and he'd work to address that. He'd also like to see more community health workers to address causes of health problems such as smoking for hypertension.
"We need to elevate the health of the community in the first place," Hinds said.
Del Gallo simply said he'd build a new hospital.
"My solution to this is to actually build a hospital, use an existing facility and build a public hospital," he said, doubling down on his support for a single-payer health care system.
The forum was moderated by Rev. Quinton Chin.
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Letter: "Harrington is dedicated, qualified for state Senate"
The Berkshire Eagle, 8/25/2016
To the editor:
Andrea Harrington is the best Democratic candidate for state Senate and is, by far, the best person to replace our out-going Sen. Ben Downing for a host of reasons.
Her qualifications are superb and her dedication to her clients is supreme. Andrea will represent each and everyone one of us with the same zeal that she represents her clients because that is the nature of her experience and talents.
First and foremost, Andrea is a Berkshire county native. She hails from a working class family from Pittsfield, whose fortunes ebbed and flowed just like the rest of the folks in the country. She will work tirelessly to bring new green, technological jobs that will launch a new round of prosperity in the district.
Andrea came back to the Berkshires so her two sons could attend Berkshire public schools just like she did. She is personally invested in making the district's schools the very best possible.
Andrea's day job — if running a small business and raising children isn't enough — is as an attorney. Andrea represents real people, families, and children who need help in dealing with legal issues. She is devoted to zealously representing all of her clients, male or female, young or old, black or white, LBGT, often without regard to the ability to pay.
The importance of Andrea's career representing real persons is that she will represent each and every person in the district with the same zeal and personal commitment that she has demonstrated with client after client.
Andrea is committed to preserving our beautiful scenic environment. Andrea intends to keep it that way. She will insure that environmentally unsound practices that threaten this beauty will not invade the Berkshires.
In addition to the long list of reasons why Andrea is the best candidate for state Senate, (you can read many more at www.andreaforsenate.com) there is one more reason why Andrea's election is so important. Not only is she the best qualified, but she will also shatter the glass ceiling that has prevented extraordinarily competent women from obtaining high public office.
Andrea Harrington is a very competent, capable, talented woman ready to lead all of us in to a new world of equality and prosperity. I urge you to vote for Andrea Harrington on Sept. 8.
Al Harper, Lenox
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Letter: “Harrington is prepared to be state senator”
The Berkshire Eagle, 8/23/2016
To the editor:
I am writing to encourage you to vote for Andrea Harrington in the Democratic primary for state Senate on Thursday, Sept. 8.
I have known Andrea for about 10 years, since I was asked to serve as her mentor on her first criminal appellate cases. I worked closely with her on those cases, and I saw, first hand, how devoted she was to her clients. All of these clients are indigent, in trouble with the law, and many have no experience with or understanding of criminal procedure or criminal law. Andrea's commitment to people with few resources and with tremendous needs was so admirable. She fought tirelessly for their constitutional rights in every single case.
Representing people — regardless of social status, income, or advantage — is exactly what a state senator does. Like a public defender who speaks for those without a voice, a senator advocates for the needs of those in her district. Like an attorney for those who require social services or mental health placements or foster care, a senator must know where resources are available and how to implement programs if resources are lacking. Andrea Harrington has spent every day of her career doing exactly that.
During the years when I was Andrea's mentor, I observed her keen intellect, her understanding of the law, and her deep appreciation for the constitutional principles upon which our codes of law are founded. Andrea's legal training and experience have taught her to parse a statute to understand its meaning and to look to its legislative history for an appreciation of the statute's significance. That is exactly what legislators do.
Andrea has the perfect background, training, and intelligence to excel at the job of legislating. There is no other Democratic candidate for state Senate with Andrea Harrington's upbringing, credentials, compassion, and commitment.
Janet Hetherwick Pumphrey, Lenox
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Letter: Hinds' moral character make him ideal choice
The Berkshire Eagle
POSTED: 08/23/2016 12:54:32 PM EDT
Hinds' moral character make him ideal choice
To the editor:
Adam Hinds' dedication to problem-solving through complex negotiations amongst opposing parties and his lifetime spent striving to make his fellow Berkshire residents lives better, especially those most at risk, make him the perfect and only choice for state senator.
When someone of his moral character enters public service, it's an opportunity we can't pass up. Finally, a "politician" we can truly be proud of!
Jeff Snoonian, Adams
The writer is chairman of the Adams Board of Selectmen. He is writing for himself, not the select board.
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Alan Chartock | I, Publius: “State Senate primary candidates should be judged on merits”
By Alan Chartock, Op-Ed, The Berkshire Eagle, 8/26/2016
GREAT BARRINGTON - Here comes the Sept. 8 state senatorial primary.
And since the victorious Democrat likely will win the election — a Republican candidate winning in the Berkshires seems far-fetched — the three way race is big news.
I love this one because it shows that there are times when democracy really works. Three candidates, Andrea Harrington, Adam Hinds and Rinaldo Del Gallo, are running.
The winner will face Republican candidate Christine Canning in November.
Hinds is an attractive candidate. When you meet him you can't help but like him. Despite a very impressive educational background he just makes you feel that he is a regular guy.
His resume is extraordinarily impressive. His list of endorsements is incredible, ranging from former U.S. Rep. John Olver to a series of impressive unions.
The man has worked like a dog to win. He went to Wesleyan and studied at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts. His father was a Vietnam vet, his mother a school teacher. He is the real thing. He seeks to replace Sen. Benjamin B. Downing and what's remarkable is how alike the two men look. Hinds speaks extremely well and is clearly the leading candidate in this election.
Andrea Harrington is a wonderful, smart (even brilliant) woman who goes out of her way to help people. She and her husband own one of my favorite Berkshire establishments, the Public Market in West Stockbridge. Harrington has a number of things going for her including the fact that she is a young woman and we certainly need a lot more women in politics.
She is skilled attorney, a partner in a good Berkshire law firm and has earned her liberal credentials by playing a big part in the Florida effort to overturn the death penalty. She's local, too.
In case you haven't looked, criminal justice reform is at the top of almost every center left liberal's bucket list. Like Hinds, Harrington has worked extraordinarily hard. Her signs are all over the place.
Also like Hinds, she spends a lot of time going door to door and this young mother would bring a perspective of youth and motherhood to a Senate that needs a lot more like her. If you talk to her for 5 minutes you realize that she's tough enough for the job.
Rinaldo Del Gallo considers himself a liberal Democrat, a spokesman for fathers in custody battles and a sometimes journalist who writes columns for this and other papers.
A member of the Massachusetts bar since 1996, he went to Pittsfield High School and Northeastern University in Boston. His name is surely familiar as an early supporter of Bernie Sanders campaign for the presidency. He is in favor of the $15 minimum wage.
Del Gallo has been active in civic matters in Pittsfield and Berkshire County, and he was instrumental in helping Pittsfield draft its prohibition on polystyrene food containers. He currently is working with the city's Green Committee to expand that prohibition to single-use plastic shopping bags.
He has a law practice and often represents clients in family law matters, and he is the spokesperson for the Berkshire Fatherhood Coalition.
But against the other two candidates, a lifetime in this business tells me that he's a long shot.
This is one of those elections in which you just wish there could be more than one winner.
Ben Downing should be the model for his successor. Let me just say that this is one tough job. Because of the number of bodies who are registered to vote, the covered area is huge.
If you come home to the district nightly, you have a two-hour commute. Everyone wants something from you and you have to listen to each supplicant. Plus you have to keep looking for money, a process that never stops.
Harrington, who has small children, understands the balance that is needed. Some people do not.
This is the worst kind of sexist trap. I have a wife who worked all her life and we got through it. Much of one salary went for child care and Roselle was able to get a doctorate at UMass, a herculean commute, and that after all her work at Monument Mountain.
My own mother did the same thing, working full time in our schools, teaching at Hunter at night, and while her twins undoubtedly have the same difficulties everyone else does, we both did OK.
My point is that both Hinds and Harrington are great candidates and should be judged by what they have accomplished. I just want to make sure that credentials and the ability to do the job come first and that extraneous, sexist issues are not allowed to distract.
This is a good election and it gives us the opportunity to vote for someone good, as opposed to the lesser of two evils.
Alan Chartock, a Great Barrington resident, is president and CEO of WAMC Northeast Public Radio and a professor emeritus of communications at SUNY-Albany. The opinions expressed by columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of The Berkshire Eagle.
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Letter: "Harrington dedicated to welfare of others"
The Berkshire Eagle, 8/26/2016
To the editor:
On Thursday, Sept. 8, voters will go to the polls for the primary election. In the state Senate race, I will proudly cast my vote for Andrea Harrington, who I believe has the skills and values to be the most effective legislator for our district.
Ms. Harrington is a stalwart advocate for working families. She understands that when employees are respectfully treated and properly compensated, we all win. Employees making fair wages have the ability to support the local community, thus benefiting small businesses and the local tax base. Harrington clearly understands the connection between labor and the business, between our government and its citizens.
Ms. Harrington has devoted much of her legal career to working with those individuals that many would rather forget. Her experience working to overturn death penalty convictions in Florida testifies to her commitment to social justice. Her work as a bar advocate is a local example of her willingness to stand with people in need. Those with law degrees have many options available to them; only a few like Ms. Harrington choose to use their training to benefit the most vulnerable among us. Clearly, Ms. Harrington will be a strong advocate for all of us the district no matter who we are.
Andrea Harrington will also stand for our children. As the candidate who has been against charter schools since before entering the race, she understands the financial drain these institutions place on our community school budgets. She is a public school parent who cares about the education of all of our children.
She also supports a strong public college and university system, allowing all of our citizens a chance to earn a degree or certificate. Ms. Harrington also believes in the value of a strong vocational education path, knowing that the future economy will need people with skills in many, many occupational areas to flourish.
On primary day, I will give my vote to Andrea Harrington. Her positive attitude, devotion to all citizens, proven ability to work for the vulnerable and with people across the district informed my decision. I hope you will join me in supporting the best person to be part of the local legislative team — Andrea Harrington.
Liz Recko-Morrison, Pittsfield
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Letter: "Harrington will lead on progressive issues"
The Berkshire Eagle, 8/26/2016
To the editor:
Andrea Harrington is smart, tough and committed to representing the working families of the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden state Senate District.
I first met Ms. Harrington when she came to the Lanesborough Democratic Town Committee Caucus in March. She introduced herself and I handed her a short questionnaire which she filled out in five minutes. I was impressed that she wrote what she thought without being "political."
It didn't hurt that she mostly agreed with me. I was delighted that she supported public education by opposing the expansion of the number of charter schools which are taking $400 million from the commonwealth's public schools, including $2 million from Pittsfield. She knows we need more funds for public education, not less, which is why she supported the "millionaire's tax."
The next time I met Andrea is when she came to the Old Forge in Lanesborough to join us when we celebrated the fact that the proposed Northeast Energy Direct pipeline of fracked gas would not be built through our water system and through the middle of our town. I was delighted to see that she would be with us.
Andrea is a progressive who will represent us in Boston, now and In the future. She has my vote.
Russell Freedman, Lanesborough
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Letter: "Hinds will be advocate for wide spectrum of voters"
The Berkshire Eagle, 8/26/2016
To the editor:
Adam Hinds will be a fine state senator representing the 52 towns of western Massachusetts, and here are some reasons I will be voting for him in the primary.
As a retired teacher and active parent, I know Adam comes from a public education background, and places high value on offering quality opportunity to all children. We have discussed the need for examining the school funding formulas to maximize resources available to students and teachers.
He is also aware of the tremendous job skilled educators continue to do with our kids from infancy on up, and promotes recognition and pay equity for professionals and non-professionals working with children. He has worked with at-risk youth in communities in Pittsfield and North Adams. This is why Adam has earned the endorsement of thousands of workers, including the Massachusetts Teachers Association, and the SEIU, which represents those in health care.
As a Select Board member in Monterey, I know Adam recognizes the importance of small towns in our region. He has met with citizens of our town and heard their concerns. He comes from a small town in Western Massachusetts, and Adam understands that we play more than a supporting role in economic development throughout the region. We deserve real, effective assistance in making our voices heard in the Statehouse when it comes to critical issues including internet access, transportation, environment, and the arts and culture, and Adam will stand with us.
As a senior, I know Adam respects and pays attention to the needs and concerns of our growing senior community in the Berkshires. He has joined us at Age-Friendly Berkshires meetings to listen, learn and begin to address those needs so more seniors can comfortably and safely age in place in our homes and home towns.
Adam Hinds is an energetic, involved listener, experienced leader and thoughtful problem solver who will devote himself to serving the spectrum of people throughout our Senate district. Please join me in voting for Adam Hinds in the Sept. 8 primary, and in the November election.
Carol Lewis Edelman, Egremont
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Letter: "Harrington will bring principled toughness"
The Berkshire Eagle, 8/29/2016
To the editor:
On Thursday, Sept. 8, I'll proudly cast my vote for Andrea Harrington to represent us in the state Senate.
Her energetic campaign has demonstrated that she'll bring a powerful, progressive and independent voice to issues that matter: Creating opportunity for working families by building a locally based, sustainable, fair economy; making necessary investments in public education and health care; reform of our criminal-justice system, and protecting public health and our environment by standing up to corporate polluters and the fossil-fuel industry.
It's a rare opportunity. Too often, elections offer more of the same: Safe, tired, nonspecific rhetoric from candidates more interested in ingratiating themselves with the powers-that-be than boldly standing up and speaking out for their constituents. But this year we can elect a state senator with experience, ideas, courage and vision that will make a real difference.
I'm certain that Andrea Harrington's principled toughness will earn respect and cooperation from her colleagues in Boston while also putting vested interests on notice: Her knowledge, passion, and compassion will be deployed forcefully every day on behalf of her constituents, and she won't allow the money and politics-as-usual power of status-quo interests to get in her — or our — way.
Bill Shein, Alford
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Letter: "Andrea Harrington is true progressive in race"
The Berkshire Eagle, 8/29/2016
To the editor:
I enthusiastically support Andrea Harrington as our next state senator. Harrington is the true progressive in this race who will fight for working families. Harrington understands our needs in North Berkshire.
Many of us are still reeling from the trauma of losing North Adams Regional Hospital. Not only did we lose over 500 jobs in just a matter of days, we lost the heart of our community. Her opponent, Adams Hinds, does not advocate restoring a full hospital. Great Barrington, a community of the same size, but with much more wealth (which means they get heard), still has its hospital.
We need our elected officials working for us again. Hinds does not support a $15 minimum wage across the board, but Harrington does. He has gone back and forth on raising the cap on charter schools, while the state Democratic Party recently voted to support keeping the cap and voting no on Question 2.
During the Senate debate at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, Hinds was called out for taking fund-raising money from Kinder Morgan backers and from Berkshire Health Systems. And, it's important to note that Harrington has not dodged questions like Hinds has in previous debates and she has been consistent with her progressive stances. To break it down, Hinds is a clearly a politician, while Harrington is representing us.
During the primary, I logged many hours making phone calls and knocking on doors to help nominate Bernie Sanders as the nominee for the Democratic Party. Bernie took the mask off of the party to reveal how corporate interests run this country and why so little gets done in Congress for working families. We need to get big money out of politics and Harrington has made this a crucial part of her fight. She understands that until this happens, politics will not work for us.
Please join me in voting for Andrea Harrington on Sept. 8. She will represent all of the counties, even the ones without a strong voice (or a big wallet).
Dawn Klein, Adams, The writer is a parent and public school teacher.
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Letter: "Hinds will confront challenges, embrace opportunities"
The Berkshire Eagle, 8/29/2016
To the editor:
Rarely in this region do we find ourselves at such an important change in our regional leaders as we look to elect our next state senator. Locally, we are faced with challenges impacting many places: decreasing population, needed infrastructure improvements, challenges with opioid addiction and abuse, and gaps in our economy that magnify socioeconomic difficulties and unemployment rates.
To tackle these issues, we need someone with a strong voice and significant, intimate knowledge. We need someone who can frame solutions and activate them through regional and state collaborations. On top of that, we need someone who will actually hear the public to better understand how they perceive and are impacted by these challenges from the individual, household, and community levels. We need someone who values the stakeholders, and will represent them with strength and diligence. That someone is Adam Hinds.
On the other end of the spectrum, we are an area on the verge. We're a place that the world is starting to see for what many of us have always known; there is greatness here. This comes in the form of regional cultural development, grass-roots initiatives, economic investment, a heritage of hard work, and a place of community pride. It comes from all types, from the concerned lifelong citizen working to preserve our history, to the newcomer looking to create the next "big thing," to the cities and towns working to do their best for the greater good.
This palpable energy is something that our next leadership can't just observe from a distance, but is something they need to embrace and enhance by rallying support to amplify the impact. We need someone who will take this great opportunity and potential and help push it past the verge and into reality. That someone is Adam Hinds.
As a North Adams city councilor, I firmly believe we need Adam Hinds for both the good days and the bad, the challenges and the opportunities. He is someone with the skills, experiences, passion, and drive to be our next step toward a bright future as a region, and he is the person I believe should be our next state senator.
Benjamin Lamb, North Adams
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Letter: "For many reasons, Harrington is best choice for state Senate"
The Berkshire Eagle, 8/30/2016
To the editor:
I am writing to endorse Andrea Harrington in the Democratic primary for state Senator on Thursday, Sept. 8.
There are many, many reasons why Andrea is the most qualified candidate. She grew up in the Berkshires, went to school in Pittsfield, is from a working class family, was the first person in her family to attend college, is a successful lawyer whose practice is representing "the little guy," runs a small business with her husband, has two children in Berkshire schools, and understands all of the issues affecting the district.
Andrea is very qualified because she is a woman whose entire life has involved meeting and overcoming challenges. Her endorsement by the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus speaks volumes. On its web site, the caucus cites a study that demonstrated that women legislators spend more of their efforts and time advocating for issues that are important to women and families: health, education, affordable and accessible day care, and issues pertaining to the well-being of children. In addition, women legislators bring more resources back to their home districts, are more likely to work across the aisle, and sponsor and co-sponsor more pieces of legislation than their male counterparts do.
In the words of Hillary Clinton, "If fighting for women's health care and paid family leave and equal pay is playing the woman card, then deal me in."
Andrea Harrington is the BEST choice for state senator on Sept. 8.
P. Keyburn Hollister, Pittsfield
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Letter: "Hinds is impressive on veterans' issues"
The Berkshire Eagle, 8/30/2016
To the editor:
I have never seen myself as a political person nor someone who has been civically active in my community. I don't vote often because I have never really felt like it mattered because they never cared about people like me.
However, I have had the distinct honor and privilege to serve in the U.S. Air Force Reserve for 13 years and been deployed twice to Afghanistan. I found myself interested in this state Senate race when I had the opportunity to speak with Adam Hinds about his experiences in the Middle East.
I did not feel like I was talking to a politician. He told me how grateful he was to the men and women of the armed forces for protecting him, and he will never forget it.
He then asked me how he could help, which meant the world to me. He did not tell me what he was going to do for me but wanted to understand the needs of veterans. I was amazed to see my thoughts used to help create his statement on veterans and PTSD. He actually heard what I said!
Adam is the only candidate running for state Senate who has shown any interest in helping the veteran community. That is why I will be voting for Adam Hinds on Thursday, Sept. 8. Berkshire County and Massachusetts need more politicians like Adam who want to bring us together and help average people like me.
Carmen Provenzano Ostrander, Great Barrington
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Letter: "Harrington is truly a candidate for our times"
The Berkshire Eagle, 8/30/2016
To the editor:
As a resident of the Berkshires since 1948 who has been involved in local, national and international politics for many years — I knew and collaborated with Silvio Conte back when! — I have been thrilled to watch another Berkshire citizen, a young woman with deep roots in the community, pledge herself to public service and a run for the state Senate.
Andrea Harrington is truly a candidate for our times: from the community, yet with a perspective embracing the interdependence of our region with the state, the nation and the world. Not a "player" in Boston, but a vital presence here with a deep understanding of the economic challenges facing Western New England.
Harrington also has an appreciation of the promise of this community — from young women and men seeking jobs and an education, to cultural institutions devoted not just to summer tourists but to the welfare of our communities year-round.
I know Andrea Harrington makes no special argument for her role as a candidate who is a woman, but permit me to make that argument: I have watched how women like Elizabeth Warren and Kirsten Gillibrand, and Hillary Clinton too, have brought a leadership inflected by empathy and compassion to our politics, and have challenged the paradigm of (excuse the expression) testosterone-charged patriarchal politics of the kind represented by presidential candidate Donald Trump. Andrea combines the articulate smarts of an attorney with the capacity to listen of a mature woman who is raising a family, lending support to a husband running a small business, and thinking about the needs of her fellow citizens.
That is the person we need to represent us in the state Senate and help renew our ever more challenged democracy.
Benjamin R. Barber, Richmond
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From left, Rinaldo DelGallo and Andrea Harrington listen to Adam Hinds speaks during a State Senate debate at Berkshire Community College on Monday, August 29, 2016. Gillian Jones — The Berkshire Eagle | photos.berkshireeagle.com
“Beacon Hill hopefuls trade barbs at Berkshire Community College debate ahead of Democratic primary”
By Dick Lindsay, The Berkshire Eagle, 8/29/2016
PITTSFIELD — Later in the evening, the three people vying for the Democratic nod in the 1st Berkshire District Senate seat: Rinaldo Del Gallo and Adam Hinds of Pittsfield and Andrea Harrington from West Stockbridge took part in another 60-minute question and answer session. The victor goes head-to-head against Lanesborough Republican Christine Canning in November, the winner succeeding Benjamin Downing who opted against another re-election bid.
Senatorial debate
Charter schools, recreational marijuana and a proposed mileage tax highlighted some of the issues the three Democratic senatorial candidates debated.
Hinds and Harrington oppose Question 2 to lift the cap on charter schools, claiming they are a financial drain on public education
"Charter schools take too much money from public school and they lack accountability," Harrington said.
Del Gallo criticize his opponents for failing to say they would support the wishes of voters if they approve Question 2.
As for the ballot question legalizing recreational marijuana use, Del Gallo supports the measure saying using police resources to arrest pot users is a waste of money.
Hinds is more concerned about the medical impacts of recreational use by young people.
"We've seen the brain doesn't stop developing until at 24 or 25 years of age," he said. "[The law] would need to have protections in place."
Approval of recreational pot use would follow the voters mandate of four years ago backing medical marijuana use, something the state has been slow to implement, according to Harrington.
All three did agree taxing the number of miles people drive as an alternative to a gasoline tax would hurt Western Massachusetts drivers. The so-called Mileage Tax is considered a better way to raise more money to repair bridges and roads.
Del Gallo disagreed, saying "I hate flat taxes on everyone because they affect the poor."
Contact Dick Lindsay at 413-496-6233. rlindsay@berkshireeagle.com @BE_DLindsay on Twitter.
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Letter: "Talented Harrington will help bring balance to Legislature"
The Berkshire Eagle, 8/31/2016
To the editor:
As a 74-year seasoned citizen, I strongly support our next state senator, Attorney Andrea Harrington, and cannot wait to vote for her on Thursday, Sept. 8.
She will have my vote because she is exceptional and has already proven herself to be a great public servant. And make no doubt about it, women must continue to be exceptional to even entertain running for elective office.
Attorney Harrington cares about, will support, represent, and fight for all the constituents in our Senate district. Her legal background, knowledge and experience dealing with the very real and crucial problems facing our neighborhoods and country have fully prepared her. She completely understands the needs of the most vulnerable, all of which demonstrate that she truly believes in the rule of law and justice for all.
Women are underrepresented in all of our legislative bodies, unconscionable at this time in our history, and that disparity in inequality must be addressed and remedied.
Having run for office twice in Bridgeport, Conn., in 1984 and again in 2000, I know how hard it is for anyone to run for office, especially a woman. Because of threats in 1984, I had to have a bodyguard on either side of me throughout the day of the primary.
As a law school administrator in Bridgeport, I know the trials of women trying to break the glass ceiling. Nearly every position I held in my paid working life was either a hostile work environment or I was sexually or verbally harassed at a time when the men I was working with were making four, five or more times my wages or salary!
It is truly a joy to support a talented, knowledgeable, creative, seriously thoughtful and solutions-focused individual who listens to each person's very real concerns and plans to address each and every one of those concerns when elected to office.
Please join me on Thursday, Sept. 8, to vote for Andrea Harrington for state senator in the Democratic primary.
Rachel I. Branch, North Adams
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Letter: "Harrington will be a warrior for Western Massachusetts"
The Berkshire Eagle, 9/1/2016
To the editor:
Tough. Talented. Tenacious. Timely. That's Andrea Harrington and these are just a few of the reasons I'm supporting her bid in the Democratic primary to fill the seat vacated by our beloved Sen. Ben Downing.
I live in Middlefield, one of the 52 towns in District 1. Andrea visited us here and talked about herself and her campaign, but more than that she asked good questions about our issues and both encouraged and listened to our answers.
One of the things she spoke of is the power of the voice of the people. At a recent debate, when asked what could be done to solve our problems, she mentioned the long history of grass-roots activists in the Berkshires and pointed to a recent example of success — opposition to the Kinder-Morgan pipeline. As history and Bernie Sanders have reminded us, real change doesn't happen from the top down, but from the bottom up.
Hundreds of area folks recently turned out to see Elizabeth Warren at BCC. As I listened to our great warrior of a U.S. senator I thought about how much Andrea, too, believes in people and place and in government that is accountable to both.
While we have two very good Democratic candidates running for this office, I believe Andrea is the right choice for these times. She is a new face in politics — a warrior like Ben Downing and Elizabeth Warren in working for funding our schools, creating good jobs, developing small businesses, providing housing families can afford, ensuring a healthy environment and building a promising future. She is also a fierce advocate for working together, from the bottom up, with all voices welcome, which is the very essence of the Berkshires and of good government.
I strongly support Andrea Harrington to represent Western Mass. I welcome having her fresh, young and female voice in the state Senate.
Cathy Roth, Middlefield
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Letter: "Harrington provides an excellent example"
The Berkshire Eagle, 9/1/2016
To the editor:
I am writing to encourage you to vote for Andrea Harrington for state senator on Sept. 8.
While Andrea has legal training, intellect and experience as a lawyer, there is more. She is a positive example, of which our community and children can be proud! She is well-spoken, respectful and determined, thus able to communicate, influence and persuade.
Contrast the current presidential election, a carnival sideshow! That alone is sad, but the trickle-down effect is worse on our communities and children. The barbaric, mudslinging nature of our presidential race doesn't resemble civilization. Help put the civil back in civilization!
Anchored through generations of family, Andrea cares. Andrea and her husband, Tim, are business people. Her extended family is absolutely incredible, hard-working, self-made, working class and humble. When your reasons are driven by heart, love and positive example, you are a winner because you have access to greater power. As a mother of two incredible children, Andrea understands that the resolution of problems comes from the drive behind love and peace.
The presidential election is driven by ego, blame, denial and lies — bad examples for our communities and children to absorb. Poor communication builds barriers that distract from accomplishment. Respect and understanding open doors. When you speak with clarity, you will communicate more effectively.
Andrea communicates with respect and grace, listening and understanding the whole situation. Andrea is a positive role model with a history of actions of which she can be proud! We have the power on Sept. 8. Choose Andrea Harrington for state Senate.
Bernie Fallon, West Stockbridge
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Letter: "Hinds understands roots of opioid epidemic"
The Berkshire Eagle, 9/1/2016
To the editor:
As communities continue to battle the scourge of the heroin epidemic, I look to those who truly understand the crisis. As the executive director of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, Adam Hinds has been working closely with North Adams Mayor Richard Alcombright and other elected and community officials to help those overcome addiction to this terrible drug.
Adam understands that, at its core, this is a public health crisis, and treating it that way is the only path to overcoming it. I agree that what we need more then ever is better access for addicts to treatment facilities.
While we need to continue strong drug enforcement, we need to better understand who may need to be incarcerated and those who need treatment. Too often we simply throw addicts into jail. This does nothing but exacerbate the problem. Adam has a thoughtful plan to attack this epidemic and hopefully see it to its end.
As we move closer to the state primary on Thursday, Sept. 8, I urge you to get out and vote. My vote for state senator will be with Adam Hinds.
Brian Miksic, North Adams
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Letter: "Harrington will be an advocate for Berkshires"
The Berkshire Eagle, 9/2/2016
To the editor:
State Senate candidate Andrea Harrington will advocate for workers' rights and collective bargaining rights. She will fight against tax breaks for the rich and corporations that ship our jobs overseas.
Andrea will be advocate for a full service hospital in North Adams and one standard of care for the entire county. She will advocate for a renewable locally controlled energy policy, and for community supported agriculture and industry. Andrea will advocate for universal Pre-K for our children.
Andrea Harrington will be a strong advocate for us in Boston on these issues and others. She is the best of three good candidates. Vote for Harrington on Thursday, Sept. 8.
Richard Dassatti, North Adams
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Letter: "Del Gallo has helped many, will help more in Boston"
The Berkshire Eagle, 9/2/2016
To the editor:
I am writing to endorse Rinaldo Del Gallo III for the Massachusetts state Senate.
Readers of The Eagle will be familiar with Rinaldo from his many interesting and informative op-eds, as well as coverage of his career as a lawyer, representation of the Berkshire Fatherhood Coalition and now as a Bernie Sanders progressive Democrat running for state Senate. Some of his other activities include gaining a ban on Styrofoam cups in Pittsfield as well as bringing the designs of pipeline advocates to the attention of the public in this campaign.
I am a witness to his humanity and concern for justice which has led him to represent many county residents in court pro bono. In my own case, Rinaldo has represented me in a contested post-divorce decree case, as well as representing my daughter when she became an assault victim. He also represented me when DCF assumed custody of my daughter when I brought her to a hospital in Springfield for tests not available in this county for concussion victims under the age of 18. It was three weeks before, due to his able representation I was able to learn what her diagnosis and treatment was.
During the same three weeks, DCF and/or the hospital allowed my daughter to believe I had abandoned her at the hospital. Needless to say, both my daughter and I appreciated his efforts on our behalf, which he spent a lot of time on, without any pay, due to his concern to see that justice was done.
I am not the first or last person to benefit from his able representation. I believe if we support Rinaldo to be our senator he will be able to help even more people. We couldn't have a better representative in the Senate, where his intelligence, judgment and concern for the working class will provide us with an able voice. I encourage others to attend the debates and forums with the other Democratic candidates for this important position and am convinced that the majority of those who do will also support and vote for him in the Sept. 8 primary.
James A. Martin, Pittsfield
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Letter: "Harrington prepared to be state senator"
The Berkshire Eagle, 9/2/2016
To the editor:
Andrea Harrington embodies confidence, knowledge, expertise and integrity! She is compassionate and has insight to the root causes of the social ills that are plaguing our communities. Andrea's life journey has prepared her for this moment at this: H time. She truly understands the diverse needs of Western Massachusetts.
Andrea not only has read books on poverty, substance abuse, domestic violence, education, access to health care, business and the criminal justice system, she has experienced many of them personally and professionally.
My candidate for state Senate was born and educated in Berkshire public schools, and is a first generation college graduate, an attorney who has served some of the most marginalized communities in our country. Representing those on death row gave her a deep grasp of the impact of poverty on individuals, families and society.
She is ready to join other legislators in addressing the opioid epidemic, ensure families' economic, educational and health needs are met in Pittsfield and Western Massachusetts.
We are fortunate to have such a candidate in our midst who has the ability to lead us into the future. We need someone with the skills to embrace the demographic and economic shifts that are occurring in the Berkshires. These times need such a leader as Andrea Harrington, Democrat for state Senate. Please join me in voting for her on Thursday, Sept. 8.
Shirley Edgerton. Pittsfield
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Letter: "Hinds will help forge a brighter future"
The Berkshire Eagle, 9/2/2016
To the editor:
I have lived in the Berkshires for 20 years. I was born and raised here, and while I attend Brandeis University during the school months, my Berkshire pride never falters.
This Sept. 8, I am driving from school to cast a vote for Adam Hinds for state Senate because I know who he is and I believe that he is uniquely qualified to represent our entire community in Boston, alongside the rest of our tireless Berkshire delegation.
As a young person with a love for the place where I grew up, I think often on the question of what our region needs to cement a bright future. The Berkshires have incredible beauty, and even better people. But for what we have in character, we lack in many critical services. That is why this election is so important.
Since meeting Adam at a community gathering three years ago, I have gotten to know him not only as a selfless individual with a passion for our community, but as a friend. When I heard that he was running for state Senate, I knew I wanted to help his campaign. Since then, I have worked many hours to support his candidacy, and have learned some things.
When confronted with an issue, Adam does not simply say what sounds best; he does his homework. Adam consults experts locally, conducts research, and considers the unique features of our district. A good example of this is that he will not simply declare: "We need broadband" and leave it at that. He describes, in detail, the ways by which high-speed internet can be most effectively brought to each town, and what he can do as senator to make that happen more easily. Adam does not sweat the small stuff; he embraces it. That is a quality we both need and deserve from our elected officials.
No matter who it is for, I ask you to vote on Sept. 8. But if I am to make a recommendation, I ask for you to vote for the detail-oriented, kind, and extraordinarily-qualified community member who will set out a bright path for our future: Adam Hinds.
Jacob Edelman, Monterey
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“Campaigns spar over finance reports”
Money related to charter schools, climate change spark criticism
By Jim Therrien, The Berkshire Eagle, 9/2/2016
PITTSFIELD - Both legislative races in Berkshire County are producing campaign finance-related disputes as the House and Senate contests move closer to the Sept. 8 primary election.
Senate candidate Andrea Harrington sent a release critical of opponent Adam Hinds, calling on him to "return campaign contributions from Boston and out of state lobbyists representing large energy companies and big oil."
In her release, Harrington said of some of the contributions Hinds has received "came from lobbyists and top officials representing companies including ExxonMobil, the New England Power Generators Association, and Berkshire Gas."
She later cited two $100 contributions from employees of O'Neill & Associates, of Boston, which represents companies in the energy industry.
Hinds' campaign manager, Jason Ostrander, responded Friday that the campaign was not initially aware of the firm's link to the industry.
Harrington added, "I am deeply troubled that Adam Hinds has been raising money from Boston and out of state lobbyists representing big fossil fuel conglomerates. Our next state Senator needs to be prepared to stand up to these special interests and protect our environment and the natural beauty of our region."
In addition, Harrington stated, Hinds has "explicitly stated that he signed a pledge not to accept money from big energy ... It is concerning that he hasn't stuck to his word, and I hope that he will return these contributions immediately."
Hinds responded in an email: "A friend of mine works for Exxon-Mobil in Australia. This person is not a top official in the company. He was a grad school classmate of mine and we were in Baghdad together as well when I worked for the UN. He contributed to my campaign in March 2016 (not in his professional capacity, but because he is my friend and wanted to help from afar). This past Monday, August 29th, I proudly took a pledge with 350-Massachusetts to not accept money from big fossil fuel companies. I reviewed our donor list at that time and saw the potential conflict and returned my personal friend's money that day. The reporting period ended August 21st and therefore this action is not reflected in this report."
Hinds added, "Regarding a donation from an employee of Berkshire Gas, this is an individual who paid $50 to come to an event. It was unsolicited and he came in his personal capacity. I have been clear with him regarding my opposition to the [Kinder Morgan] pipeline as I have been with all voters consistently on this campaign.
What's important is I am serious about tackling climate change and accelerating the transition to renewable energy. That's why I signed the 350-Mass pledge and why I have made energy and the environment a central part of my campaign."
The two Democratic Senate candidates also are opposed by Rinaldo Del Gallo in the Sept. 8 primary.
Contact Jim Therrien at 413-496-6247. jtherrien@berkshireeagle.com @BE_therrien on Twitter.
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"State Senate races highlight otherwise low-key primary"
Thursday primary a departure from traditional voting day
By Bob Salsberg, The Associated Press via The Berkshire Eagle, 9/3/2016
BOSTON - Contests to fill the seats of three departing Democratic state senators are among the highlights of an unusual Thursday primary election in Massachusetts that has generated scant attention, largely because there are no statewide or other high-profile races.
None of the nine members of the state's all-Democratic U.S. House delegation face challenges within their own party, and Republicans are fielding candidates in only four districts. U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey are not up for re-election this year and Republican Gov. Charlie Baker along with the state's other constitutional officers have more than two years remaining in their current terms.
Turnout for the Thursday primary could be further dampened by confusion over the election being held on Thursday, as Massachusetts voters are accustomed to going to the polls on a Tuesday. Secretary of State William Galvin did not want to schedule the election on Sept. 6, the day after Labor Day when many schools are reopening, and said moving the primary later into September would complicate absentee deadlines.
All 200 seats in the Legislature are up for grabs but many incumbents seeking re-election face little or no competition. Democrats should easily maintain their veto-proof majorities in both chambers for the next legislative session.
The most spirited races include those to succeed the departing Senate Democrats.
Sen. Brian Joyce leaves under a cloud after reports that he was being investigated for improperly using his legislative position to boost his private law practice. The Milton Democrat, who has denied wrongdoing, had his law office raided by federal agents in February.
State Rep. Walter Timilty and Nora Harrington, the chief operating officer of a behavioral health practice, are vying for the Democratic nomination to succeed Joyce. Both are from Milton. There are no Republican contenders, but the Democratic primary winner will face independent Jon Lott of Stoughton in November.
Three Democrats are vying for their party's nomination to fill the Berkshires Senate seat now held by Benjamin Downing: Rinaldo Del Gallo, a Pittsfield attorney; Andrea Harrington, an attorney from Richmond; and Adam Hinds, a community organizer and one-time aide to former U.S. Rep. John Olver.
The sole Republican candidate, Christine Canning, of Lanesborough, will face the Democratic winner in November.
Considered a rising star within the Democratic party, Downing surprised Beacon Hill with his decision to leave the Senate and pursue other interests.
Democratic and Republican contests will also be held Thursday in the Senate district that includes Cape Cod and the Islands. Sen. Dan Wolf, the co-founder of Cape Air, is leaving after three terms but hasn't ruled out a run for governor in 2018.
The Democratic contenders are: state Rep. Brian Mannal, of Barnstable; Julian Cyr, a former state public health official from Truro; and Sheila Lyons, a Barnstable County Commissioner from Wellfleet. Jim Crocker, a businessman from Barnstable and Anthony Schiavi, a retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general from Harwich, vie for the GOP nod.
A handful of House incumbents are also calling it quits, including long-time Democratic Rep. Benjamin Swan, of Springfield. His son, Benjamin Swan Jr., is one of four Springfield Democrats running for the seat. The others are City Councilor Bud Williams, former civic center commissioner Ken Barnett and Larry Lawson, who has run unsuccessfully for the seat in the past.
The state's lone congressional primary on Thursday is in the Ninth District, where Republicans Mark Alliegro, a scientist from Falmouth and Thomas O'Malley, a former U.S. Navy commander from Marshfield, are competing for their party's nomination and the opportunity to challenge incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. William Keating in November.
The most crowded primary field is in the race for sheriff of Essex County, where five Democrats and six Republicans are vying for the fall ballot and a chance to succeed Republican Sheriff Frank Cousins, who is retiring.
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Rinaldo Del Gallo, III
Andrea Harrington
Adam Hinds
“State senate candidates come at progressive agenda via different routes”
By Jim Therrien, The Berkshire Eagle, 9/4/2016
PITTSFIELD - For the first time in a decade, Benjamin Downing's name will not be on the ballot for state Senate in the district that includes Berkshire County.
The Pittsfield Democrat did not seek re-election after five terms, but other Democrats and a Republican are vying to replace him. The Democrats — Rinaldo Del Gallo, of Lenox; Andrea Harrington, of Richmond; and Adam Hinds, of Pittsfield — are battling for their party's nomination in Thursday's primary.
Christine Canning, of Lanesborough, is unopposed for her party's nomination and will meet the Democratic winner in the Nov. 8 general election.
In the Democratic primary race, the three candidates have all stressed progressive views on the issues facing the district and the state — at times trying to claim the mantle of "the most progressive" in the race.
The candidates, who are profiled below, are seeking to represent a massive 52-community district that includes all of Berkshire County and towns in Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties.
RINALDO DEL GALLO III
Rinaldo Del Gallo III says it right out: "I am the anti-establishment candidate, no doubt about it," as he stated during a debate for the three Democratic candidates seeking to replace Downing.
The Lenox attorney, 53, also has stressed throughout his campaign, "My general theme is, I am running as a Bernie Sanders progressive ... It was one of the first decisions I made."
Although both his Democratic Primary opponents — Andrea Harrington and Adam Hinds — share similar progressive views of most major issues, Del Gallo asserts he has been out front first on those issues, and has never been shy about taking on the establishment view.
Often, he said, as with the push for a $15 minimum hourly wage, the fight against a Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. plan for a cross-state natural gas line, and efforts to ban polystyrene foam containers and plastic shopping bags, decriminalize marijuana, push fatherhood rights and shared parenting, and transgender rights to use public restrooms, his views have become mainstream over time.
The Pittsfield native also has asserted that he's been a public figure in the Berkshires for 15 years, while he said Hinds was primarily working out of the Berkshires, and sometimes out of the country, and Harrington, also an attorney, hasn't been "visible" in the political limelight and has been largely absent from battles over major issues.
Del Gallo also touts his many newspaper columns, published in The Berkshire Eagle and other papers in the state as evidence that he is not afraid to take a public stand or push for change.
The candidate, who supported Sanders, the Vermont senator, in his run for the Democratic presidential nomination, said he believes the political revolution that movement began will now continue at the local and state levels and in Congress.
Like Sanders, Del Gallo said income disparity and the shift in recent decades of a disproportionate percentage of wealth toward the upper income levels, are at the base of other issues facing Massachusetts — including opioid addiction, poverty, a decline in spending on public education, and wage levels that do not support a chance at a middle class lifestyle.
He said he favors a graduated income tax — which 33 other states have — and the so-called "millionaire's tax" amendment proposal, or a higher rate for those with high incomes; a $15 an hour minimum wage and support for unions as they seek higher wages and benefits from employers.
Higher wages would give workers the disposable income to make purchases that would lead to more robust economic development, he said, noting that the 1950s through 1970s featured a more egalitarian economy in terms of the distribution of wealth and also strong growth, despite much higher tax rates on the wealthy and on corporations.
"I would submit that those were some of the most economically prosperous times in our county," Del Gallo said during an interview.
In addition, he supports a single-payer health care system; universal pre-K; tuition-free and debt-free state higher education; investment in green energy to replace fossil fuels and creating jobs in the Berkshires around that technology; investing in high-speed rail from the Berkshires to New York and Boston and improved public transportation; improving infrastructure, and the rapid expansion of high-speed internet in the smaller towns of the 52-community Berkshire-Franklin-Hampshire-Hampden Senate district.
On the environment, Del Gallo lists as accomplishments his proposals for a foam polystyrene food container ban in Pittsfield, which was passed as an ordinance, and for a ban on single-use plastic bags, which city officials are now reviewing. He received a Hero of the Ocean award from the state Senate for his efforts on the city's polystyrene ban.
For information, visit statesenate.rinaldodelgallo.com.
ANDREA HARRINGTON
Senate candidate Andrea Harrington, of Richmond, concedes she hasn't been as politically active as some others running for statewide office, but she tells voters: "There is really no one in this race who brings the kind of experience that I bring to this position."
That, she said, "is based on my experience of growing up here, seeing what our economy has gone through, coming from a working class family, having kids in the public schools, running a small business, and really advocating on behalf of my clients in the courts here every day I know I have the skills to be effective for the district in Boston."
Harrington is an attorney whose husband, Timothy Walsh, owns the Public Market in West Stockbridge; and she is a mother of two who says residents can count on her to fight to improve the lives of working people and families in Berkshire County.
Harrington advised potential constituents during one debate "not to let my size fool you," saying, "I am a fighter."
Until recently, voters were not as focused on Thursday's Democratic primary. Her campaign initially had been "a process of educating people," she said, "but I think people are starting to tune in now, and I am really, really happy with the response that I am getting."
In a 52-community Senate district, encompassing all or part of four counties, Harrington said it "definitely is a challenge. You can't knock on doors in every community." She said she's taking advantage of community or political events, especially in all the rural communities, not to mention meeting potential voters at transfer stations, "which is a good place to meet people."
Asked what she would like her legacy to be if elected, Harrington responded, "In 10 years or 20 years, when I look back and judge my performance as a state senator, I will judge it based on what did I do to stop the population decline and to turn that around, and what did I do to expand economic opportunity here in this district. Those are the biggest challenges, the most pressing issues and those feed into everything else."
She added that she doesn't believe "we have taken a districtwide or a countywide approach to economic development. But I see people starting to work toward that. I would like to take a systematic approach to economic development assess our strengths and weaknesses."
She said, "I would like to come up with a vision for economic development — what do we want the economy to look like in 10 years? And then take the steps to get there."
Her work with the board of BerkShares in South County "really influenced my thinking on the economy," she said of the organization, which tries to maximize the circulation of goods, services and capital within the region to bolster the local economy.
Like Downing, Harrington said she has a strong interest in promotion of sustainable energy. Education also is one of her top priorities, she said, "and my No. 1 legislative priority is universal preschool. It solves a host of problems."
Harrington said she represents many families in court and she see the effects of an inadequate education and many people who had negative experiences while in school.
Other key issues, she said, include moving to a $15 minimum wage and funding more treatment and support options in fighting opioid addiction. Harrington said she would push for a full-service hospital in North Adams and to preserve medical facilities in South County.
The Senate district is "the most progressive district in the state," she said. "I see the seat as an opportunity to really push the state in a progressive agenda."
Harrington grew up in Richmond and graduated from Taconic High School in Pittsfield in 1993. She is a 2003 graduate of American University's Washington College of Law, who returned to the area in 2007 after practicing in Florida.
For information, visit www.andreaforsenate.com.
ADAM HINDS
Adam Hinds believes his experience, growing up in Franklin County, working in Berkshire County's two cities and in the Middle East with the United Nations makes him the best qualified candidate to succeed Downing.
Hinds, 39, said during an interview that as a native of the Buckland-Shelburne area who has served in recent years as organizer and director of the Pittsfield Community Connection program to combat youth violence and gang influences, and as executive director of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, he has developed "a real understanding of the issues and the challenges" facing the district.
The candidate also cited as valuable experiences his work on the campaigns for former U.S. Rep. John Olver, and on U.S. Sen. John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign, as well as his work with the U.N. for eight years prior to his return to Western Massachusetts to lead the Shannon grant-funded Pittsfield youth program in 2013-14.
Experience helping to negotiate power-sharing, cease-fire, boundary and other agreements between various groups or factions in the Middle East after the Iraq War will help him in working with political factions and issue stakeholders toward positive solutions, Hinds said.
He said he was told by supporters who urged him to run for the Senate seat, "We like that you have been very proactive in ensuring that all the various aspects of the population have been involved" in trying to address youth violence, addiction, poverty and other issues.
"That has been my model," he said, "ensuring that people understand the narrative and helping to define the narrative and proactively working with folks across the spectrum and to demonstrate action. That's what we have done and what I've done since I came back, and pretty much what I've done in my career."
On legislative and social issues facing Massachusetts, Hinds said "the top issue is jobs, jobs, jobs," to which he would add "energy and the environment, education, and basic infrastructure and transportation."
Closing "the digital divide" separating rural towns in the region from other areas of the state in terms of broadband access has to be a priority, he said, along with ensuring a fair share of funding for transportation infrastructure projects in the region.
Those issues, along with education funding — including vocational education and workforce training — directly impact the local economy, Hinds said, and the ability to attract new businesses and other development.
He said he would push for changes in the state aid formulas for Chapter 70 aid to school districts. Hinds said he opposes the November ballot question seeking to expand the charter school system.
Workforce training funding is key to filling many of the more than 1,000 jobs in the region that are open at a given time, he said.
On energy, Hinds said he favors greater efforts to diversify the region's energy sources, specifically lowering its reliance on natural gas in favor of renewable energy.
Hinds said his work with youth and low-income residents also has given him an understanding of the opioid addiction crisis that is devastating communities across the state.
"It's true there is no shortage of challenges," he said, "but I also think there is an endless stream of opportunity."
Hinds is a 1998 graduate of Wesleyan University and of the Tufts University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
For information, visit www.adamhinds.org.
Contact Jim Therrien at 413-496-6247. jtherrien@berkshireeagle.com @BE_therrien on Twitter.
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Republican State Senate candidate Chris Canning introduces herself. The event was hosted by the Rainbow Seniors organization at the Berkshire Athenaeum in Pittsfield. September 4, 2016.
Candidates for the state Senate and state Representative offices gather to introduce themselves and meet members of the LGBTQ and senior communities. September 4, 2016.
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Our Opinion: “Hinds is choice in key Senate race”
The Berkshire Eagle, Editorial, 9/4/2016
Much of Western Massachusetts, including the Berkshires, will suffer a blow when effective and influential state Senator Ben Downing steps down. The important process of replacing him begins September 8.
Adam Hinds, Andrea Harrington and Rinaldo Del Gallo, III will vie for the Democratic nomination that day. The winner will face Republican Christine Canning in November.
A native of Buckland, Mr. Hinds came to the attention of Berkshire residents when he formed the Pittsfield Community Connection, a program to get to at-risk youth before gangs do. His work as director of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition put him on the front lines of issues related to jobs and the county's opioid addiction problem.
A Berkshire attorney and Richmond native, Ms. Harrington has deep family roots in the Berkshires. Her experience representing indigent criminal defendants in the county and state should make her a progressive voice on Beacon Hill for low- and middle-income individuals and families. Ms. Harrington and her husband own the Public Market in West Stockbridge, which gives her additional insight into economic issues affecting small businesses.
Mr. Del Gallo, a Pittsfield-based attorney, has been active in the county on progressive issues, such as bans on polystyrene foam containers. He is running as a "Bernie Sanders progressive," and as such is advocating middle class issues like raising the minimum wage. Like Senator Sanders, however, he has advocated simplistic, unrealistic wealth distribution arguments that apply only indirectly to the district.
Mr. Hinds came to the Berkshires following 10 years with the United Nations working for progress toward peace in Middle Eastern hot spots. That kind of problem-solving experience should translate to success in the Legislature, where the ability to work through an often Byzantine process is critical. His activism on educational and young adult issues in the Berkshires speaks to his concern for the region and his knowledge of important issues.
All the candidates would advocate traditional Democratic issues, but the variety of Mr. Hinds' experiences are unique. He would seem to have the best chance of evolving into a state senator along the lines of Senator Downing, who has shown versatility in taking the lead in Boston on a variety of issues important to the region. The Eagle endorses Adam Hinds for the Democratic nomination for state Senate from Western Massachusetts.
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Christine Canning: “It is your voice and your vote”
By Christine Canning, Op-Ed, The Berkshire Eagle, 9/2/2016
LANESBOROUGH - As your next state senator, I am about business, education, jobs, health care, and growing this economy. Hands down, any opponent from the party who wins Sept. 8 cannot touch my credentials, expertise, education or work experience.
As I am a straight shooter, we need to have a rich and deep discussion about our economy. We need stimulus to attract work and jobs, and this is my goal. Together we will be proactive in repurposing and remarketing our infrastructure.
In conjunction with an economist, I derived a 15-point action plan to stimulate tax dollars back into our area with long-term, sustainable goals that will attract professional, mid-level, skilled and unskilled employment. Our plan has depth. We are Tax-achusetts, but we don't have to be. Our tax system is actually crippling our economy.
Local Democrat legislators have been so good at creating "benefits" that people from other states come over the borders to take advantage of our wonderful packages. Our elderly, veterans, and others have trouble getting affordable health care, but an illegal immigrant in Massachusetts has an avenue of protection. That is absurd, and I have a laundry list of changes to benefit taxpayers ready to put into action.
Those who pay into our tax system are taxed to the fullest. Those who pay in the bare minimum are rewarded with $5,000 back from the commonwealth. We've lost common sense. We are led by people who don't have real plans for our area. Every day, under the current leadership, it feels like a Band-aid being plastered on a gushing wound.
Change needs to start with me and you. Easily and effortlessly, you can vote me into office. I will fix this mess. I understand that those benefits are supposed to help people during a difficult period. They were never meant to supplant working. Our "Tax-achusetts" system should be offering a hand up and not a hand out.
Taxes are too numerous and are too high. Taxes penalize and decentivize the critical economic activity that can make Massachusetts viable and competitive again. To keep critical services funded and ease tax burdens on the citizens of Massachusetts the primary goal must be to eliminate unnecessary taxes that penalize select individuals and groups. I firmly believe that the key to reviving the state economy is to introduce the concept of tax competition within the state.
Similar to competition in the marketplace for goods and services, tax competition incentivizes the individual municipalities to keep the tax burdens low lest they lose businesses and residents. Local options to tax certain things must be preserved, but many statewide taxes must be eliminated.
This means revising the "personal income" and "fiduciary income tax," specifically net capital gains, dividends and interest. The federal government already taxes corporate incomes, and then it taxes the dividends and the capital gains on the shares of stock.
By engaging in triple taxation (the federal government taxation of dividends and capital gains being held as the second layer) of these assets, the state is crippling itself in a race against states that do not impose such measures. The punitive measures on the needed capital to get the economy moving again must end.
Another scenario that falls clearly under those constraints is our current resident and non-resident estate tax. To attract and maintain long-term residents, we must not penalize the life's work of productive citizens. A third party, in this case Massachusetts, should not be heir to the fortunes of those who work for their family's well-being and future. As the tax stands, it is one more reason to move out of the state during your golden years.
For our working poor who have nothing left to give "Tax-achusetts," we need to revisit taxes on alcohol and cigarettes. If the disaster of the National Prohibition Act taught us anything, it is that people are going to drink regardless of what the law says. The idea of using excise taxes to dissuade consumption of alcohol is the modern descendent of the XVIII Amendment. All this adds to the lives of citizens is higher prices and more complications for the producers and sellers.
The key to dissuasion to drink is to educate people on the dangers of intoxication and enforcing personal responsibility by punishing those who are intoxicated, not higher prices and red tape. Taxes on cigarettes tend to incentivize crime. Butt-legging is a practice where a person will go to a state with lower taxes on cigarettes (like New Hampshire) and buy cartons there, transport them back to Massachusetts and either sell them illegally on their own.
Your vote is your voice. Elect me, the proven voice of change. With your vote I will become the next state senator from Western Massachusetts.
Christine Canning is a Republican candidate for state senator.
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Andrea Harrington: “An independent senator for Berkshires”
By Andrea Harrington, Op-Ed, The Berkshire Eagle, 9/4/2016
RICHMOND - In a few days, residents of 52 cities and towns in Western Massachusetts have an important decision to make as they elect their Democratic nominee for the state Senate. This election will have major implications on our region and there are clear differences between the three candidates running.
I am asking for your vote because I have the experience and background to be a bold, independent voice for working families and seniors in the Berkshires. As your state senator, you will always be able count on me to put our residents and our communities first.
Since announcing my candidacy in March, I have knocked on thousands of doors and run a true grassroots campaign across four counties in the largest state Senate district in Massachusetts. Here, I've met countless people who share the same struggles and triumphs that my family and I have encountered.
I grew up in a working family — my mom was a housekeeper from Pittsfield and my dad a carpenter from a small town in the Berkshires. My parents raised me to work and study hard and gave me opportunities that they never had. I graduated from Taconic High School and went on to become the first person in my family to go to college and then law school.
After working to overturn death penalty cases, I returned to the town where I grew up to raise a family with my husband, Tim. I started my own local law practice and Tim and I started a small business in West Stockbridge.
For more than a decade, I've been working on behalf of families as an attorney in the Berkshires. As good jobs have been leaving our region, I have seen firsthand the challenges caused by population decline, a shrinking middle class, seniors struggling to stay in their homes, and a devastating opiate crisis impacting thousands of our friends, family, and neighbors.
INVESTED IN BERKSHIRES
My experience is right here in the Berkshires working on issues that matter to Western Massachusetts. In addition to running a small business, I've served on the school council for my local school district, the affordable housing commission in my town, as delegate to the Democratic state convention, and as a board member of local non-profit organizations. I am not running for office as a stepping-stone for higher office. I'm running because I am deeply invested in the Berkshires, and I feel an obligation to do more for our region.
I have outlined a detailed platform and list of my priorities for how I think we can strengthen our communities and our region to provide greater opportunities for residents. I hope you'll take a moment to read this on my website at www.andreaforsenate.com or on the flyer I mailed out to Berkshire voters this week.
In addition to having the right priorities and the experience, I believe that I am the candidate with the independence to always put our people first. Sadly, outside money has been pouring into politics from SuperPACs, lobbyists, and Beacon Hill insiders. These special interests have made it clear that I am not their candidate.
The same goes for supporters of the Kinder-Morgan pipeline and executives at Berkshire Health Systems — they are raising money for another candidate in this campaign. That's fine by me!
In the current political culture, too many people feel disconnected because they can't make big political contributions or don't know the right people to call. I'm running for State Senate, because I want to be a voice for our residents who do the real work to enhance and support our communities every day. I want to be an advocate for working families, single parents raising their children here, and seniors who have invested decades building and giving back to our communities.
I want to stand up for those who coach youth sports, volunteer at senior centers, and serve on local boards and commissions. I want to work to create jobs and opportunity for those who can't find work in our region. I want to increase access to treatment beds for those struggling with addiction. And, I want to stand up to protect the natural beauty of Western Massachusetts from gas pipelines and toxic waste dumps.
On Thursday, I hope to earn your vote. I can assure you that there is no one who will harder for you in the Massachusetts state Senate.
Andrea Harrington is a Democratic candidate for state senator from Western Massachusetts.
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Rinaldo Del Gallo, III: “A true progressive for state Senate”
By Rinaldo Del Gallo, III, Op-Ed, The Berkshire Eagle, 9/5/2016
PITTSFIELD - I differ from my opponents for state Senate as follows:
I am running as a "Bernie Sanders progressive." They declined to say whether they voted for Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton when asked by a debate moderator. They figure you are not entitled to know how they fall on the political spectrum.
They were initially undecided about whether to oppose the pipelines. This shows that they had reservations about upsetting the pipelines' advocates. They only opposed the pipelines after I jumped in the race and opposed the pipelines from the start.
PRO-WIND POWER
To fight against global warming, which could literally cause the cataclysmic end of mankind, I am for having wind energy here in the Berkshires (and the rest of the district) by having windmills on our mountain ranges. They are opposed to such Berkshire windmills. In 2008 I wrote a column supporting the Wind Sitting Reform Act in this newspaper, streamlining the permitting process for windmills. The Eagle agreed in an editorial.
My opponents are progressive, but not as progressive as I am. They do not claim to want to follow the Nordic Model, which is the economic and social policies of the Nordic countries where homelessness and poverty is almost unknown. I am for tuition-free and debt-free state universities and colleges: they have never voiced support for such programs.
I favor legalizing marijuana to which they have repeatedly said they oppose. While to their credit both have said they want to expand opioid treatment, neither have gone to the extent that I have and declared the war on drugs a failure and call for a 100 percent focus on treatment instead of enforcement.
Andrea Harrington and I both favor an immediate and across the board $15 minimum wage. Adam Hinds initially supported this when at a forum in Becket, but at a forum at MCLA said he was for a $15 minimum wage "eventually" and there would be "lots of exceptions." Andrea and I both maintain he flip-flopped.
We have vastly different views on direct democracy. Whether it is legalizing marijuana or lifting the cap on charter schools or any other ballot initiative, I have said I would honor the will of the people no matter how the vote turns out. Despite countless opportunities to say they will support the will of the people however any initiative vote turns out, and despite my open challenge in a debate that they pledge to support the will of the people no matter the vote, they refused.
On the issue of crime, both my opponents immediately called for more spending on police after a rash of shooting in Pittsfield. I did not — I would rather the money be spent on creating hope and opportunity for our youth to keep them from going criminal in the first place.
While Hinds and Harrington spoke against money in politics, both refused to agree to my challenge to voluntary spending limits. Lately, both the media and Harrington have been questioning many of Hinds' campaign donors which the public should look into.
Opposed to Walmart plan
We all want high speed internet in the hill towns, but I am the only one calling on the government to do what the private sector will not: I liken the problem to that of rural electricity. On the issue of Walmart at PEDA, my opponents have observed that Walmart is not a great employer and wreaks economic devastation on municipalities, yet fail to criticize the city of Pittsfield for welcoming Walmart to PEDA. I am opposed to Walmart at PEDA.
On the question of shared parenting legislation, which is a legal presumption that there would be joint legal and physical custody of children in child custody cases, which may be rebutted by showing that one of the parents is unfit or it unworkable through no fault of the parents, Hinds declined to answer the question at a debate. Harrington said she is in favor of a "maternal preference," whereby fathers and mothers would not be treated equally before the eyes of the court, but instead favor mothers over fathers. The public should know that virtually nobody in the legal profession supports this position (even opponents to shared parenting legislation), and that most states have ruled that such a maternal preference violates Equal Protection and that father and mother must be treated equally.
While after 4-5 months my opponents finally supported the Fair Share Amendment, none have supported amending the state Constitution to call for taxes on the super rich with regard to capital gains, wealth accumulation, and estates. Currently, the top 1/10 of 1 percent has as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent. I call on changing this to finance education, infrastructure, green energy and health care.
Rinaldo Del Gallo, III is a candidate for state Senate from Western Massachusetts.
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Letter: “Attacks on Hinds are dirty politics”
The Berkshire Eagle, 9/5/2016
To the editor:
I recently received a robocall from state Senate candidate Andrea Harrington, a Democrat running in the Sept. 8 primary. Harrington claims Adam Hinds is accepting big corporate energy money from Boston lobbyists, out-of-state lobbyists and top officials representing companies such as Exxon Mobil.
Let's take a closer look. Mr. Hinds did receive a personal, not corporate, donation from a friend who now happens to work for Exxon Mobil in Australia. Years ago they worked together for the U.N. in Baghdad. The two are graduate school classmates and longtime friends. That donation has been returned to avoid any appearance of impropriety.
Hinds did have $50 come into his campaign fund from an employee of Berkshire Gas. This was the cost of a specific Hinds campaign event. It was unsolicited and came from the personal, not corporate, account of that employee of Berkshire Gas. Adam has always been clear with this person regarding his opposition to the pipeline.
I believe the robocall from Harrington is dirty politics late in the campaign. I have followed this campaign very closely. To witness Harrington going negative this late in the race is a disservice to everyone including herself. She had months to make such charges but she waited until it is so late in the game that there is no time to fairly respond to such accusations.
Hinds has clearly shown himself to be head and shoulders above his two opponents. He has earned and will receive my vote in the primary for state Senate on Thursday.
Jim Edelman, Monterey
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Letter: “Hinds is a product of Pittsfield machine”
The Berkshire Eagle, 9/5/2016
To the editor:
I support Andrea Harrington for state senator. There are many reasons why, but here are some of them.
Adam Hinds is part of the political machine of Pittsfield. He worked for Rep. Olver and Sen. Kerry, which means he is also part of the political machine of Washington, D.C.
So it is not surprising that he accepted money from Exxon Mobil, Berkshire Gas, Kinder-Morgan, the New England Power Generator Assoc. and out-of-state lobbyists representing fossil fuel conglomerates.
Hinds has only been here for a few years and has only worked for Berkshire political machine organizations. He has no stake in the welfare of Berkshire residents. He will do what the lobbyists tell him to do.
Harrington has lived here for decades. She has children in school here. She is an accomplished lawyer. She has served on committees and other groups that have benefitted Berkshire residents for many years.
On Thursday, let us break the political machine of Pittsfield. Oil and coal power generating companies may control Washington, D.C., but they do not control us!
Thomas Marini, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Harrington is committed for the long haul”
The Berkshire Eagle, 9/5/2016
To the editor:
On Thursday, Democrats face an important choice in the state Senatorial primary race. Of the three candidates on the primary ballot — and I have seen, heard, and spoken with all three several times — Andrea Harrington is the one with whom I am most impressed, feeling confident that she would represent our district boldly and most effectively — and would do so long enough to make a difference.
Of the other two Democratic candidates, I am most concerned about Mr. Hinds, whose recent jobs in Central and North County have been of very brief tenure. Yes, he grew up in the district (Buckland), but his earliest work, according to his publicity, has been pretty far afield. If he spent most of his first 10 working years with the United Nations in the Middle East, I wonder how long he'd remain in the state Senate once the office of U.S. representative opens up.
As for Mr. Del Gallo, I have seen him, until recently, as a fathers' rights spokesperson — a rather narrow focus.
Yes, we are fortunate to have these choices to replace Sen. Downing, who has served this district so well I don't need to stress how important this post is to this western-most region in the state.
As a former public official and political activist, I will cast my vote for Andrea Harrington, who speaks clearly on the issues facing this district, whose values and priorities match my own, and who would likely serve long enough to make a real difference for this district in the state Senate.
Since we are conditioned to vote on Tuesday, I hope folks will join me on Thursday, to vote for Andrea Harrington for state Senate.
Diane M. Gallese-Parsons, North Adams
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Letter: “Hinds has necessary skills, experience”
The Berkshire Eagle, 9/6/2016
To the editor:
Ben Downing has been a great state Senator. Among other things, he knew what to focus on and what it took to get things done.
For a Democrat, it is important to be a strong advocate for progressive issues like workers' rights, job development, a higher minimum wage, progressive taxation, better public school funding, environmental protection, pro-choice, expanded broadband, small business relief, and so much more.
Only one candidate has the experience and organizing skills necessary to get things done for the Berkshires: Adam Hinds.
A graduate of Wesleyan University and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, Adam studied the critical work skills he would need to get things done. He then practiced those skills in the toughest region of the world to do so: in the Middle East with the UN. Then he returned to the Berkshires to start the Pittsfield Community Connection, a program designed to engage at-risk youth before their exposure to and engagement in violence and crime and worked with Pittsfield City officials to win a grant that "will bring up to $5 million to Pittsfield to move young men engaged in illegal activities towards education, jobs, and counseling."
When Adam moved on to take the position of executive director of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, he immediately started building a coalition of business leaders, community advocates, job development agencies and our local colleges. The goal: to bring men and women who are struggling to get a job into the workforce. "Employ North Berkshire" will be a template for use throughout the county.
I have worked with Adam. Only Adam can be another Ben Downing. Only Adam has the skills, abilities and experience to bring meaningful change and progress to our Berkshires.
Showing a lack of experience, one of his opponents recently accused Adam of taking money from big corporate lobbyists. As it turns out, she was terribly misleading.
One donor of $250 was a college classmate who donated as a friend (not a lobbyist) and because he works for Exxon Mobil, Adam had returned the contribution before his opponent's complaint. Another contribution came from someone who attended a community meet and greet and works for Berkshire Gas — the amount: $50. To suggest that Adam is therefore in the pockets of the energy industry is absurd and desperate.
Vote for Adam Hinds: a community builder, a change agent, a workhorse for us all.
Sherwood Guernsey, Williamstown
The writer is a former state legislator.
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Letter: “Harrington will speak for those who need help”
The Berkshire Eagle, 9/6/2016
To the editor:
The state Senate race reminds me of the lyrics to an old spiritual song I love: "I'm just a nobody; trying to tell everybody; about somebody; who's about helping everybody!" Which is why I will be casting my vote Thursday for Andrea Harrington.
I believe Andrea is the right person to represent Western Mass. and the Berkshires specifically. Andrea will be that voice that speaks for all because she knows what it is like to struggle; to grow up with limited resources, much like so many of us in this community.
As a small business owner, Andrea understands that it is the small business owner that keeps the economy of our communities strong and people working. As a mom she has been active in her local school council, and she understands how important a quality education is for all youth. She knows that it is cheaper to educate, than it is to incarcerate.
I attended Andrea's state Senate campaign launch event. It was there that I learned of the work that she had done here and in Florida as an attorney. Andrea has a clear track record of commitment to social justice. She is no "Johnny-Come-Lately" motivated by access to power and looking to make a name for herself. Andrea is a woman who knows how to practice what she preaches.
I also respect the fact that she is an independent candidate, unfettered by political alliances and special interests, which have been such a destructive force for our community. She will be a free independent voice for all citizens. We need this now more than ever.
Dennis L. Powell, Pittsfield
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Letter: “Hinds addresses issues in collaborative fashion”
The Berkshire Eagle, 9/6/2016
To the editor:
Not long after Adam Hinds became the director of the Pittsfield Community Connection working with Pittsfield's at risk youth, we ran into each other at a Berkshire Democratic Party BBQ. We reminisced about campaigns we had both worked on including re-elections for Rep. Olver and Sen. Kerry's presidential run. After this we started running into each other often and all over Berkshire County. We had discussions on workforce development and challenges, arts, culture, the opioid epidemic and numerous other topics. Every one of these discussions showed me Adam's grasp of how each is impacting our area.
During Adam's time with the Pittsfield Community Connection I was impressed with how he connected with people in our community and how they rallied around the work that he was facilitating and his leadership style. He was able to recruit a team and launch a program that is still helping Pittsfield today.
When Adam was chosen to be the executive director of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition I was able to see him build relationships and have a positive effect, same as he did in Pittsfield. With both organizations I witnessed him facilitate meetings on difficult topics and have people leave feeling hopeful that they could affect change by working together. This is what I want to see in our next state senator, someone who has proven to be able to bring people together to solve problems.
As an at Large Pittsfield city councilor, a proud union member and lifelong Berkshire County resident, I want Adam Hinds on the team representing us in Boston. He understands the issues facing our district because he has been working with us for years. Please join me in voting for Adam Hinds on Thursday in the Democratic primary.
Pete White, Pittsfield
The writer is an at large city councilor.
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Letter: “Harrington an example of a hard-working mom”
The Berkshire Eagle, 9/6/2016
To the editor:
Andrea Harrington is a colleague and a friend, and I encourage everyone reading this to vote for her, especially working moms like Andrea.
I have peripherally watched campaign covered in the local media and thought it all pretty standard until I read that an opponent said she's been "invisible." I know Andrea as a fierce and brilliant litigator, community volunteer, but most importantly, as a mother of two boys. I have seen her in action at work and with her family.
I am not a huge feminist, but I do run a law practice and I have been an elected official in the Berkshires and quickly noted the subtle sexism in calling a female candidate "invisible." Women of Berkshire County, please take note that your work as a mother and employee makes you "invisible" to Andrea's opponent. You are not invisible. How many of us working moms get up early to get our children ready for school or day care and prepare their lunches while attempting to get ready for work ourselves? We work all day and come home to prepare dinner, do homework, give baths, play games, and do a bedtime routine. If Andrea were a male candidate, she would have been lauded for her successful law practice while being a "family man."
Andrea does not attend gratuitous political events, and maybe that is why she was deemed "invisible." Working mothers do not have time for nonsense, hand-shaking, back-slapping or pointless exercises in local politics. Working mothers work. Andrea works at everything she does and she's a success. She's a phenomenal attorney, a smart businesswoman, and a great mother and wife.
If you want a poised, brilliant, family-oriented, and driven leader in Boston, vote for Andrea Harrington.
Jennifer M. Breen, North Adams
The writer is an attorney and former North Adams city councilor.
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After learning of his Democratic State Senate primary win, Adam Hinds celebrates with his supporters at Hotel on North in Pittsfield on Thursday. (Stephanie Zollshan — The Berkshire Eagle | photos.berkshireeagle.com)
“Hinds wins Democratic spot on ticket”
State Senate: Will face Republican Canning in general election as he fights to wins former Sen. Downing's seat
By Jim Therrien, The Berkshire Eagle, 9/8/2016
PITTSFIELD - In the state Senate race, Adam Hinds built a solid early lead in the three-way Democratic Primary and handily defeated his two challengers.
Hinds, of Pittsfield, defeated attorney Andrea Harrington of Richmond, who finished second, and attorney Rinaldo Del Gallo of Lenox, who was a distant third.
In Berkshire County, Hinds received 6,695 votes to 5,024 for Harrington and 901 for Del Gallo.
Hinds now will face Republican Christine Canning in the Nov. 8 general election. Canning, of Lanesborough, was unopposed in that party's primary.
Incumbent Sen. Ben Downing, D-Pittsfield, did not seek re-election after five terms.
"It feels great," said Hinds, during his post-election party Thursday night at Hotel on North. "A lot of hard work got us across the finish line."
Hinds said Harrington had called him to congratulate him on his victory in the primary.
"I am thrilled that we have the opportunity to continue sending a strong message in Western Mass. for working families, energy and [other issues]," Hinds said. "We also want to do politics differently and stick to our message. I want to be defined by bringing people together to get things done, in contrast to the divisiveness on the national level."
At his boisterous election party, Hinds said there were "a lot of people here who worked a lot of hours and they deserve to have some fun."
Hinds has been on leave from his job as executive director of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition in North Adams. He said he now is considering his first weekend off after seven months of campaigning.
The Democratic nominee built an early and eventually insurmountable lead over Harrington as the vote was slowly counted in the massive 52-community Senate district. After a boost from his hometown of Pittsfield, Hinds maintained about 55 percent of the total vote as the results trickled in throughout the night.
Harrington hovered at about 38 to 39 percent, with Del Gallo trailing with about 7 to 8 percent.
In Pittsfield, Hinds received 2,878 votes to 1,924 for Harrington and 434 for Del Gallo.
The Senate district includes all of Berkshire County's 32 communities and towns in Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties.
Hinds won Pittsfield, the district's largest community, with a solid but not overwhelming margin, winning in every precinct with about 55 percent of the city vote. He also won in North Adams, while Harrington was strongest in several towns in South County, such as Great Barrington, Lee, Richmond and West Stockbridge.
Hinds, 40, said during the race that as a native of the Buckland-Shelburne area who has served in recent years as organizer of the Pittsfield Community Connection program to combat youth violence and gang influences, and as executive director of the NBCC, he has developed "a real understanding of the issues and the challenges" facing the district.
He had grown up in Franklin County, worked recently in Berkshire County's two cities and had earlier worked in the Middle East with the United Nations. That combination of experiences made him the best qualified to succeed Downing, Hinds contended.
The candidate also cited his experience in helping to negotiate power-sharing, cease-fire and other agreements between factions in the Middle East after the Iraq War, saying that would help him in working with political factions toward positive solutions.
"That has been my model," the candidate said during an interview, "ensuring that people understand the narrative and helping to define the narrative and proactively working with folks across the spectrum and to demonstrate action. That's what we have done and what I've done since I came back, and pretty much what I've done in my career."
Harrington is an attorney whose husband, Timothy Walsh, owns the Public Market in West Stockbridge. Harrington said she wanted to fight to improve the lives of working people and families in Berkshire County.
She grew up in Richmond and graduated from Taconic High School in Pittsfield in 1993. Harrington is a 2003 graduate of American University's Washington College of Law, who returned to the area in 2007 after practicing in Florida.
In the primary race, which included more than a half-dozen debates, all three candidates stressed progressive views on the issues facing the district and the state. Del Gallo in many instances drove the debate topics, saying he wanted to run as a Bernie Sanders progressive and asserting that he has been out front first on those issues.
Contact Jim Therrien at 413-496-6247. jtherrien@berkshireeagle.com @BE_therrien on Twitter.
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“Challengers present choices: ....; Republican Canning running against Hinds”
By Jim Therrien, The Berkshire Eagle, 9/10/2016
PITTSFIELD - With the dust settling from the Democratic primary races for state House and Senate, independent 3rd District House candidate Christopher Connell and Republican Senate candidate Christine Canning are gearing up for the final push to the Nov. 8 election.
Canning, of Lanesborough, is facing Democratic primary winner Adam Hinds of Pittsfield for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Ben Downing.
CHRISTINE CANNING
Canning has expressed frustration at feeling somewhat left out during the primary campaign season, when she was unopposed for the GOP nomination and Democratic races hogged the spotlight. But she kept busy meeting with small groups, public officials and individuals around the 52-community Senate district to explain her self-described "moderate views" and lack of a hardline philosophical bent on issues.
The Republican nominee acknowledged she faces a "David and Goliath" situation in running against the Democrat Hinds, who she said already is outspending her by more than 10 to 1. Her expenditures to date are around $3,400, she said.
"Personally, I think it's a machine," she said of the Democrats supporting Hinds. "I don't believe in machines."
Canning said she will instead count on the support she's found among voters from across the political spectrum, which she attributed to her practical approach to solving problems by searching for the best and most efficient solutions.
"My team has some socialists," she said. "Some are on the right; lots of them are Democrats and many are libertarians."
Ultimately, she said, "I'm very moderate; I'm not philosophical on party; I'm all about human beings."
Noting some of her positions on issues, Canning said she supports gay rights, is "pro children and education," would fight age discrimination and calls for more effort to combat domestic abuse." She also is pro-life on abortion and supports gun owner rights against the efforts by Attorney General Maura Healey to strictly enforce the state's ban on assault-style firearms.
She also favors some form of legalization of marijuana for adults, in part because that could boost the production of hemp, which Canning believes could be an important agricultural product in Western Massachusetts. And she favors more flexibility on inheritance requirements for the transfer to the next generation of farm properties that are under a conservation restriction barring development.
Canning said she also is someone who has pointed out mismanagement or regulatory lapses while working in public education positions in the region and is good at analyzing funding systems and other government programs with an eye toward improving them.
"I go after fraud," she said, "and I don't back down."
Among areas where Canning said the state is wasting or misspending tax revenue are in the MassHealth, or state Medicaid program, where she said it is not difficult enough for out-of-state residents who sign up for benefits in Massachusetts, and where unnecessary trips to the emergency room, rather than a less expensive care facility, remain a costly problem.
The candidate also opposes the current public student testing system, which she said could be replaced with a portfolio-based system at less cost, and allow more funding for teacher salaries; and she calls for budgeting changes at the state government level to allow bonuses for department heads who find ways to hold down spending in specific line items, while not necessarily reducing their budgets for the next fiscal year.
Communities, especially cities like North Adams and Pittsfield within the Senate district are "near bankruptcy," Canning said, and in dire need of economic development and a state aid formula that provides more assistance and also operates more efficiently.
Canning said she is finishing a 15-point economic development plan that will be posted on her website, canning4senate.com, which is expected to launch over the coming week.
She added that she has spoken with Hinds and both agreed to keep the campaign's tone at a high level and not slip into a "he said, she said" debate.
Canning is CEO of New England Global Network LLC, an education consulting firm, and develops curriculum and educational training manuals, books and other materials, often under state or federal contracts, including for the State Department involving foreign nations.
Contact Jim Therrien at 413-496-6247. jtherrien@berkshireeagle.com @BE_therrien on Twitter.
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Letter: “Troubled by Canning's opinions on issues”
The Berkshire Eagle, Letter to the Editor, 9/12/2016
To the editor:
I read Christine Canning's Sept. 2 op-ed column as to why we in Western Massachusetts should elect her to serve as our state senator. I was troubled by several issues that she discusses, which I believe to be either inaccurate or exaggerated.
For example, referring to Massachusetts as Taxachusetts. I did some research and found there are seven states with higher per capita taxes than Massachusetts. They are in order of highest: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, California, Wisconsin, Rhode Island and Minnesota, followed by Massachusetts, Maine and Pennsylvania.
Most of the states with the lowest tax burden such as Alaska, Wyoming, North Dakota and others, receive much of their revenue from what is considered out-of-state revenue. For example taxes on energy companies.
In addition I would ask Ms. Canning if she has checked the quality of the education systems in states with a low tax burden? Many of those states have some of the poorest rated school districts in the country, whereas Massachusetts has some of the highest rated school districts and as a state is at or near the top.
I do not like to say this, but some of her statements have some similarity to Donald Trump. Ms. Canning states what she believes is wrong in our commonwealth (and I do not disagree with her on some issues), however she does not lay out a specific plan to address the issues. She states she will fix it! Sound familiar? And for better or worse she will be working with a Democratic majority of senators who may or may not chose to listen to her ideas, although would I hope there can be a "reaching across the aisle."
I disagree with her position against taxing liquor and cigarettes. The use of these items is a choice made by individuals. If individuals choose to use either or both it is a choice. No one is forcing one to smoke or drink alcoholic beverages. Cigarettes are a known cause of cancer and heart attacks. This is known and people still continue to smoke, and over use of alcohol has its own set of health issues. I do not smoke, but I am more than willing to pay taxes for my glass of wine!
Susan Wismer, Pittsfield
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Letter: "Hinds is an inspiring choice for state Senate"
The Berkshire Eagle, 9/30/2016
To the editor:
Western Massachusetts is at a critical moment. The path to the middle class that older generations could rely upon — a solid factory job with good benefits and a plan for retirement — is harder to come by now.
At the same time, we have incredible potential to bring the Berkshires into the future, but we must work together to be successful. Now is the time for a leader with vision and the background for bringing people together. That's why I'm supporting Adam Hinds for state Senate.
Adam worked on negotiations in the Middle East for 10 years; and decided to bring these skills back home to work with at-risk kids and to craft strategies to fight the heroin epidemic.
Adam's background isn't typical for state senators, and that is his strength. It is refreshing, given the disturbing national political scene, that we can choose a form of politics here that is positive and based on getting things done.
Join me in voting for Adam Hinds for state Senate on Nov. 8 if you believe politics can be inspiring.
Jason Ostrander, Great Barrington
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Letter: "Hinds is ideal choice for state senator"
The Berkshire Eagle, 10/10/2016
To the editor:
I have known Adam Hinds for less than one year, and in that short time I have found him to be intelligent, kind and sincere based on his work with at risk youth, programs to combat crime, strategies to improve rural health care, and much more.
Adam treats everyone with the same kindness and respect. He makes people feel good about themselves and always has a smile for everyone! I helped a bit on his primary campaign and got to know him. I know and love state Sen. Ben Downing and there's only one person who can come close to filling his shoes. That is Adam Hinds.
Shirley A. Davis, North Adams
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Former U.S. Rep. John Olver is one of the many elected officials to endorse Hinds.
State Senator Benjamin Downing endorsed Hinds on Friday to follow in his footsteps.
"Downing, Rosenberg, Olver, Rally Support For Hinds Senate Campaign"
By Andy McKeever, iBerkshires Staff, October 8, 2016
PITTSFIELD, Massachusetts — The common theme Friday night, when Adam Hinds relaunched his campaign for state Senate, was unity.
Hinds won the Democratic nomination for the state Senate seat being vacated by Benjamin Downing. Hinds now takes on Republican Christine Canning-Wilson in the Nov. 8 general election.
On Friday, Hinds held a kickoff for the general election campaign featuring Downing, former U.S. Rep. John Olver, and Senate President Stanley Rosenberg. To a crowd full of elected officials and local leaders, the three rallied support for Hinds around the concept of unity.
"Leaders in any part of our community, in one form or another, they are all bridge builders. It is incredibly easy to try and tear something down. It is incredibly easy to be the person who just points out what is wrong. It is easy to offer a seductively simple solution to a problem and then say somebody else ought to do it," Downing said. "What is far more difficult is to be the person who rolls up their sleeves and says 'how do we actually make this real? How do we begin to solve this problem.'"
For Downing, Hinds has shown that ability. Hinds first got into politics by working for Olver's election campaign and he returned to manage a second Olver campaign. He later worked for the United Nations in the Middle East and returned to Pittsfield to head the Pittsfield Community Connection. Most recently, he headed the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, taking leave to run for Downing's seat.
"I've seen it in Adams Hinds as well. I've seen it in the work he's done here in Pittsfield, to roll up his sleeves and tackle problems, to try to work with anyone and listen to everyone, who is willing to be part of the solution, who wanted to make this community a safer place," Downing said.
All of the speakers praised Hinds ability to build coalitions to solve problems and Hinds himself echoed his commitment to do that.
"When the next developer wants to come into town or we have a ballot initiative or we are talking about gun control versus gun rights, the intuition of a lot of folks is to retreat into my corner, the group I feel comfortable with, and lob an attack over my shoulder and hope for the best. My experience has shown me that is the exact wrong approach. We're going to be better off when we figure out how to work together," Hinds said.
"If we are talking about how we are going to spur our economy in this district, it means making sure you have not only the employers who are looking for the workforce but have the workers themselves, the ones looking for a job. You better have them all in the room if you are going to fulfill that goal of workforce development. Similarly, addressing energy costs and accelerating to renewable energy, you better have everybody in the room and you are going to get there. We are all going to get there much quicker if we are going to work together."
Hinds said his grandfather moved from England to America at the age of 17. He worked sweeping floors for the Boy's Club of America and 55 years later retired as national president. But, that hope is fading now, he said, and many people don't feel they have those same opportunities.
"I often think this district is at a bit of a crossroads as well. It is hard to follow that path my grandfather did, knowing that if you work hard you can rest in the security that you are going to have a job for the rest of your life, good retirement, and your kids are going to be safe too. That's not as easy these days," Hinds said.
He said there needs to be focus on the economics, infrastructure such as broadband, and an emphasis on tackling the population lose situation. Hinds said his focus isn't on the national scale of these issues but instead "income inequality right here, concentrations of poverty right here." He believes the way to do that is to be inspiring and bring together all players.
"We know we have so much potential here if we can come together and realize it," Hinds said. "That's part of who I am. That is my belief."
In the State House, that ability means even more, said Rosenberg. The Senate president said the Western Massachusetts delegates need to come together to support each other in order to accomplish anything because the eastern part of the state vastly outnumbers the rest.
"We here in Western Massachusetts have to build coalitions and work together across these four western counties and even extending into Worcester County to really have our voices heard in Boston. There are more legislators that represent the city of Boston than the entire western counties of Massachusetts. If we don't work together and learn each other's strengths and capacities, form teams, and push hard together then we don't get what we need out here," Rosenberg said.
He said his job to find the skills each senator possess and put them to the best use on Beacon Hill.
"You will bring some very unique talents and experience to the Senate, in particular I am really looking forward to figuring out how to use the skills and talents of a guy who worked in the United Nations trying to get nations to work together as we try to get people in this legislature and this government working together," Rosenberg said.
Downing said that is the only way to "start" on solving problems. He said the issues facing Western Massachusetts are complicated and the first step is gaining trust and finding common ground among all of the players and start making progress — in being willing to be part of solutions. He said there are a lot of people frustrated with the way things are going in the district but that there is hope if people can rally together to tackle the problems.
"You could offer people simple solutions that doesn't solve the problem at all but might make them feel good in the short term, or you can deal with people honestly and with a straightforward manner. You can listen to them and you can respect them, invite them to be part of the process, engage them and ask them to be citizens in their communities and be part of the solution," Downing said.
"The thing that excites me the most about Adam Hinds being our next state senator, the reason I am excited to support him, is that in every role he has been in from his time serving our country in the UN to his time serving Pittsfield to serving his role at the head of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, in every one of those roles, it has been about bringing people together. It has been about building bridges."
Olver was one of Hinds' first major endorsements during the primary campaign. Now retired, Olver doesn't come out to Pittsfield as often but made the trip Friday to support the campaign.
"He has served this country well. He was also a staff member in my campaign for two different campaigns. I know the kind of work he can do. I know that he has served us all in the United Nations in difficult times in Iraq and then in less difficult times in New York City. That will serve him exceedingly well," Olver said.
"I am convinced he will serve you very, very well."
When it comes to serving the district Hinds said he will serve whichever role he needs to solve the problems - whether that means being a facilitator, convening groups together, bringing resources, or simply getting out of the way.
"Join me if you think politics can be inspiring. Join me if it is characterized by working together to take on the big issues that we face right here. Join me if it is about doing what is right and putting together an agenda for the region that we can really put our shoulders into," Hinds said.
The audience featured multiple elected officials including state Reps. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Paul Mark, Gailanne Cariddi, Stephen Kulik, Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer, North Adams Mayor Richard Alcombright, Register of Deeds Patsy Harris, Sheriff Thomas Bowler, former state Rep. Sherwood Guernsey, Pittsfield City Councilors Donna Todd Rivers, Nicholas Caccamo, Peter White, Anthony Simonelli, North Adams City Councilor Lisa Blackmer, and Lenox Selectman Channing Gibson. Andrea Harrington, who lost the primary to Hinds, and Michael Bloomberg, who lost a primary for state representative Farley-Bouvier, were also both in the audience.
Stan Rosenberg, Downing, and Hinds all worked for Olver at some point.
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Adam Hinds
Christine Canning
"State Senate candidates differ on ballot questions, aging, guns"
By Richie Davis, The Recorder, 10/14/2016
ASHFIELD - When state Senate candidates met Thursday night in their first debate they differed on some key issues facing voters.
Republican Christine M. Canning and Democrat Adam G. Hinds took different views on ballot questions on whether to legalize recreational use of marijuana and lift the cap on charter schools, on state spending to support an aging population and on Attorney General Maura Healey's ruling on copycat assault weapons.
The candidates squared off in Ashfield Town Hall for an audience of about 40 people.
Canning, 47, is an educational consultant from Lanesborough, and Adam Hinds, 40, of Pittsfield, is executive director of Northern Berkshire Community Coalition in North Adams. They are vying for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Benjamin Downing, D-Pittsfield, who is stepping in December after 10 years. Both have backgrounds working abroad, particularly in the Middle East.
Hinds said he opposes the marijuana measure — Question 4, citing concerns about impaired driving, edible products and the effect on developing brains.
Canning spoke in favor of legalization, in part as an economic development tool. She pointed to the benefit to agriculture if marijuana and hemp could be grown legally for the pharmaceutical cosmetic industry.
Hinds said he opposes ballot Question 2 because he feels it would hurt public schools in the largely rural district. Canning said she was "divided" on the question, in part because more charter schools are needed in Eastern Massachusetts where some public school systems are failing.
They differed also in emphasis over how to deal with an aging population in the district, a much-discussed topic in the Berkshires.
Hinds highlighted the need to ensure affordable housing, better transportation and helping lower prescription drug costs. Canning pointed to what she said is waste in the state budget, which could be redirected to providing for seniors.
They also differed on the copycat assault weapons ruling. Canning, a member of the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners Action League, accusing Healey of "overstepping her reach."
Hinds, who said he supports the public's right to have weapons, said, "It should be a deliberate conversation." However, he said he believes the attorney general should have "taken a more deliberate public process and worked with the Legislature. ... You can make sure she's working through the context in which cops are not shot in Massachusetts."
Asked how they would turn their personal passions into legislative priorities, Canning, who has been a whistleblower in the Pittsfield and Holyoke schools, said she would work on anti-discrimination, added domestic violence protection and a reform measure to hold teachers or school committee members responsible if they cover up wrongs that hurt a child's health or safety.
Hinds said he would favor educational reform and educational funding reform measures as well as fighting poverty through criminal justice reform and other measures.
Both candidates agreed on supporting the Fair Share Amendment, or "millionaire's tax," which encourages renewable energy development and opposes natural gas pipelines. They favored a $15 minimum wage as something to "work toward," and agreed on encouraging agriculture and the importance of getting broadband to towns in the district.
They agreed on a need to change the public school funding formula and to get full regional school transportation reimbursements.
And both said they were in support of a single-payer health care, would encourage communities to work together on regional solutions and favor taking steps to see that doctors and insurance companies help the state deal with the opioid crisis through more careful monitoring of prescriptions and reducing delays and shortened stays for treatment, respectively.
The 52-community district includes all of Berkshire County, and parts of Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties.
Canning, who is completing an educational policy doctorate from the University of Massachusetts, owns two educational consulting businesses — Boston Manhattan Group and New England Global Network — and has taught in the Pittsfield, Springfield and Holyoke public schools as well as in the United Arab Emirates.
Hinds, who grew up in Buckland and graduated from Mohawk Trail Regional High School as well as from Wesleyan University and Tufts University's Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, has worked for the United Nations as a negotiator in the Mideast. He has also administered a Pittsfield gang-prevention program targeting at-risk youth before being hired to head the North Adams-based coalition providing family and child support services.
Thursday's two-hour forum, moderated by Ashfield Town Moderator Buz Eisenberg, an ACLU lawyer who has represented prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay and professor at Greenfield Community College, included questions fielded by four panelists as well as questions from the audience.
Falls Cable TV, which recorded Thursday's debate, plans to make it available for viewing on many formats, including at www.recorder.com.
It was sponsored by the Ashfield Council on Aging, the Northampton Area League of Women Voters, Falls Cable TV, WHMP, The Recorder and Daily Hampshire Gazette.
Future debates are scheduled in Pittsfield, Great Barrington and Adams.
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Letter: "Independent Canning will bring new ideas"
The Berkshire Eagle, 10/20/2016
To the editor:
For those of you looking for a candidate who does not take big money, in fact has run for state senator with less than $3,000, does not have a paid staff or paid consultants and is not beholden to anyone but the citizens of her district and not big business, the one percenters, or even has to play party politics. Christine Canning is running a true grass roots campaign.
She has a fantastic resume, strong on education, owns her own business, and as a widow raises her two children. She has new ideas on helping the economy and education and believes the Berkshires have been ignored too long. She is a true outsider with new ideas.
The Berkshire delegation we have now has watched the population decrease, businesses, factories and paper mills leave the county [and] school costs go up, and yet when we don't get enough money from Boston to fix our roads it pushes for a local gas tax and mileage tax while still keeping our tax dollars.
The delegation has forgotten what made the Berkshires great and don't seem to care that our young people have to leave to make a living and a decent life. What we have now is not working for the working class, middle class, elderly or the young.
So what do we have to lose by voting for Christine Canning? She brings us hope, new ideas and hasn't been bought off with big money.
When you drive by the closed stores, businesses, factories and for sale signs in front of houses, think about what we have and who represents us right now. If you want to see Berkshire County move forward positively again think about Christine Canning, a true grass roots candidate for state Senate and a positive change for our future.
Patrick Fennell, Great Barrington
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Letter: "Hinds is prepared for state Senate"
The Berkshire Eagle, 10/20/2016
To the editor:
I hope you join me in voting for Adam Hinds for state Senate.
I am voting for Adam because I believe in most of the same things he does. I share his values, his visions and admire his collaborative approach to problem-solving.
As important as that, I believe Adam will hit the ground in Boston on the run. Unlike most new legislators who need months to learn the skills necessary to be effective in the state Senate, Adam already has those skills. During his years working for U.S. Rep. John Olver, he learned the district with its distinctive and diverse issues and how to navigate the complexities of state government.
His work with the United Nations and his very successful work since returning to Massachusetts, prove his ability to make things happen.
A vote for Adam Hinds is a positive vote for a better Massachusetts.
Susan Gordon, Pittsfield
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"Supports Adam Hinds for state Senate"
The Daily Hampshire Gazette, Letter to the Editor, October, 20, 2016
I am writing to wholeheartedly endorse the candidacy of Adam Hinds for state Senate in the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden District.
I’ve known Adam since 1998 when I managed then-Congressman John Olver’s re-election campaign and I hired him as our field director. As a son of Buckland, Adam knows the challenges facing our small towns and will be a forceful and effective advocate for us on Beacon Hill.
Adam will work tirelessly to secure “last-mile” broadband for our unserved rural towns and to protect and enhance the working landscapes that make the Hilltowns special. He is fully committed to fighting for full funding of critical state budget line items such as regional school transportation reimbursements and payments in-lieu of taxes on state-owned lands. As a member of the Democratic majority, he will assume a committee chairmanship and will use that gavel to help enact strong public policy.
Adam enjoys bringing people together and solving problems and he will use his skills at mediation and coalition-building to provide excellent constituent services to resolve issues that district residents have with state government. I have full confidence that he will continue the accessibility and visibility of Sen. Benjamin Downing across all 52 communities.
Please join me in electing a new champion for rural Massachusetts on Nov. 8 by voting for Adam Hinds.
Matt L. Barron, Chesterfield
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Adam Hinds speaks during a State Senate debate with Christine Canning in the Koussevitsky Arts Center at Berkshire Community College on Monday. (photos by Gillian Jones — The Berkshire Eagle)
Members of the audience listen to a State Senate debate with Adam Hinds and Christine Canning in the Koussevitsky Arts Center at Berkshire Community College on Monday.
"Canning vs. Hinds: BCC hosts debate for state Senate hopefuls"
Debate: Hinds vs. Canning for Sen. Downing's seat
By Dick Lindsay, The Berkshire Eagle, October 24, 2016
PITTSFIELD - Two weeks left in their campaigns, candidates for Berkshire state senator ramped up their political platforms Monday night during a debate at Berkshire Community College.
The economy, state wide ballot questions and their philosophy of how to represent the constituency highlighted each 50- minute, televised event.
Voters in the 52-community 1st Berkshire State Senate district must decide between Democrat Adam Hinds and Republican Christine Canning to succeed outgoing state Sen. Benjamin B. Downing. The two square off again tonight, 7:30 p.m. at Monument Mountain Regional High School in Great Barrington.
The evening began with Hinds and Canning pontificating on the two most talked about state-wide referendums: Increasing the number of charter schools and legalizing recreational marijuana use.
Question 2 calls for lifting the cap on the number of publicly funded schools intended to give students an alternative to traditional public education. Both agree the drain on state funding from the host school district to the charter school is hurting public education.
"When the child goes to a charter school, the money goes with [him/her] — in full," Canning said.
"We need to get the financing part right, before we expand charter schools," Hinds noted.
As for Question 3, both senatorial candidates had no problem with someone of legal age using pot at home.
"I have no problem with adult use of marijuana ... the war on drugs has been a failure," Hinds said.
Canning figured it's better to buy state-regulated weed than on the streets.
"We take this and tax it so people buy the clean stuff," she said.
When the question of job creation was posed to each senate hopeful, they took different paths to bolstering the economy.
Canning blames the state's system of taxation she says hurts business growth and feels the commonwealth should be more like Texas and cut state business taxes.
"We need to lower our taxes to support small business — small business attracts jobs," she said.
Hinds offered a comprehensive plan of expanded broadband internet service, workforce development, better transportation and improved public schools as a way to match up the unemployed with employers.
"There's 2,000 jobs available every day in Berkshire County and we still have people looking for work," he said.
Hinds vowed to collaborate to get things done on Beacon Hill, taking the high road to being an effective legislator.
"I don't want to do politics as usual," he said. "I don't want to be negative."
Although a Republican, Canning says she has Democrats and independents as well as Republicans backing her, believing touting the party way is a thing of the past.
"Party lines have sailed," she said. "I am not Donald Trump. I have little in common with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
rlindsay@berkshireeagle.com @BE_DLindsay on Twitter.
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Christine Canning Wilson: "A proven advocate for change"
By Chris Canning Wilson, Op-Ed, The Berkshire Eagle, 10/26/2016
RICHMOND - For 25 years, the same "political machine" has made the same promises to you — and failed. If the Democrats could have made our area better, Berkshire, Hampshire, Hamden, and Franklin would have seen real results by now. In fact, some of our towns and cities are near bankruptcy.
My campaign is bustling with new people on a daily basis who realize that party loyalty has sailed. I think our community members are fed up with the nonsense. They know they need the best candidate and they have been joining my campaign as voters for change.
People realize that my education, expertise, and work/life experience trumps that of my opponent. Unlike him, I am not going to name drop and bamboozle you into thinking that Ben Downing and I are the same person. Instead, I am me. I am one of us.
My proven track record of being a voice for the voiceless has built my reputation. A reputation that has gained me contracts with a Middle Eastern presidential court, American embassies, ministries of education and finance, the Department of State and publishing giants, such as McGraw Hill. Organizations have hired me to train government agencies, KGB, DCA agents, MVD, foreign police under INL, military departments, and write targeted materials against human trafficking because my work is of top quality.
Moreover, despite earning numerous degrees (including my upcoming completion of a doctorate in educational policy), I am kind, approachable, and open to all people. I have fought for the limited English proficient, children of color, women in developing countries, and other voiceless people, and won. Let me win for you. Let's work together to make real change that helps our children, elderly, and individuals facing work-based discrimination based on issues such as national origin, age, gender, or preference.
So what if I am Republican? It's I who will stand up for your rights and work for true social justice. My track record shows how much pro bono work that I have done outside of the parameters of my positions.
TAKE ON 'MACHINE'
I will utilize my business skills to make sure you are financially protected with solid economic policies, consumer protection laws, and freer market practices. I plan to increase public safety, tweak laws that are ineffective, and hold those accountable who use illegal methods to obtain gain. My platforms cross parties because they are steeped in equity. Together, under my leadership, we will repair the challenges left for us by a "political machine" that promoted their "good thing" at your expense.
The little (R) after my name will benefit you. As our area is saturated with the letter (D), electing my name, with its (R) affiliation, is like picking the winning "Powerball" ticket. Why? Statistically, I can represent you almost three times more on committees, as I am in the minority party.
Finally, you will have a real voice making your needs heard in Boston. I will use solid evidence that is based in research to make cases, negotiate transparent deals, and work in bipartisan fashion with my colleagues to achieve results. This fighter won't stop until our people's needs are met, laws are fixed, and problems are rectified with acceptable solutions. These aren't false promises, but a reality of my winning track record.
By giving change a chance you will see what a difference my education, expertise and work/life experience, and numerous licenses, certifications, publications and presentations, can do for you. I Our veterans, elderly, children, and people shall no longer be subject to discriminatory practices based on gender, preference, disabilities, creed, national origin and age. I will promote business without borders, e-commerce, and fight for livable wages based in a permanent job structure.
You need me in the Senate, because my skill set matches what you need in the areas of the Public Safety, Ethics, Ways and Means and Opioid Addiction committees. I will make sure that loopholes are closed, gaps are bridged, and you are protected. If you want real change for K-12 and higher education, then you need someone like me who is licensed, certified, and taught in these environments over the past three decades.
I ask for your vote. Please, help me, help you. Thank you for your support and vote on Nov. 8.
Christine Canning Wilson is the Republican candidate for state Senate from the Western district.
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Adam Hinds: "Solving region's problems together"
By Adam Hinds, Op-Ed, The Berkshire Eagle, 10/26/2016
PITTSFIELD - My grandfather came to America from England at 17. He swept the floors at his local Boys Club when he arrived. When he retired 53 years later, he was the national president of the Boys Club of America. It's a great story of the promise of this land.
His son, my uncle, went on to create an organization aimed at fighting for social justice. In the early 1970s civil rights legislation had just passed and he made sure local institutions implemented it. Our country was at a crossroad and he stood for what was right.
This district remains at a crossroad as well. It's hard to take the path my grandfather did, knowing that if you work hard you will have a good job and your children's future is secure. Our rich manufacturing legacy has shifted, and economic uncertainty persists. We struggle to halt population decline, expand basic infrastructure like high speed Internet, and strengthen workforce development.
At the same time, we know we have incredible potential if we can only come together to realize it. We all want to move to a place where we can grow and be proud of who we are. United in our collective prosperity.
I am running for office now because we cannot solve the challenges of our time, in this district, unless we solve them together. This belief comes from who I am.
I worked for the United Nations on negotiations in Iraq, Jerusalem and Syria. I have worked with kids in Pittsfield overcoming obstacles to development, and worked to develop strategies to expand access to health and to fight the heroin epidemic in Northern Berkshire.
United by our hopes
Mine isn't the most conventional path to running for state Senate, but it has convinced me we are better off working together. We may have different regions, different stories and sometimes different priorities. But we have similar hopes, and we truly need each other if we are to succeed. It may not be perfect, but it's like a family to be from Western Mass.
To overcome a declining industrial base, fix our infrastructure by finalizing high speed internet and create an inclusive economy we have to stand together. If we are to solve school funding challenges we need to encourage ongoing conversations across school districts. To address energy costs, protect the environment, and confront the threat of climate change we must resist the urge to retreat into silos. If we are to confront the heroin epidemic then we cannot belittle those whose experiences differ from our own.
This is the process that we can and must achieve here. In the context of a chaotic national political scene we can do better in western Massachusetts. By drawing on my negotiation background we can genuinely work together for our highest ideals, because we have to.
When I started this campaign nine months ago it was with the determination to take on the big issues to ensure everyone in the district gets a fair shot. It was based on standing for what is right, taking a stand against things like income inequality, and collectively creating a vision for the future.
We have worked very hard to keep this campaign positive and focused on the issues. I have proactively outlined policy priorities related to economic development, education, energy and the environment, addiction, and supporting our small towns. To learn more go to adamhinds.org.
I have deep roots in Western Mass. and I have already been involved in confronting many of the challenges we face. My background in the Middle East meant standing up to some tough individuals and taking on big challenges. I will not be intimidated by anyone on Beacon Hill as a result.
We need a strong voice for Western Mass. Join me Nov. 8 if you believe politics can be inspiring, based on working together to bring real change, and moving toward a vision that inspires others to join.
Adam Hinds is the Democratic candidate for state Senate from the Western district.
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Our Opinion: “Farley-Bouvier, Hinds, for state Legislature”
The Berkshire Eagle, Editorial, 10/27/2016
Contested races for the state Legislature are relatively rare in the Berkshires, and voters have benefited from the issue-oriented dialogue triggered by campaigns for state representative and state senator.
Like Ms. Farley-Bouvier, Adam Hinds came through a beneficial testing process in the Democratic primary campaign for state Senate. With his formation of the Pittsfield Community Connection, which helps at-risk youth, and his work as director of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition dealing with poverty and addiction issues, Mr. Hinds showed a passion for progressive causes, leadership, and the ability to team with others, all of which prepared him for the Legislature.
Christine Canning has run as a traditional Massachusetts Republican, focused on economic development, lower taxes, in particular on businesses, and constituent services. She wisely disassociated herself with rogue Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
While we don't doubt Ms. Canning's willingness to work across party lines, if elected she would be one of only a handful of Republicans in the state Senate, putting her from the power center. The Western Mass. district is losing Democratic senator Ben Downing, a seasoned and influential legislator from Pittsfield who gave the district a voice out of proportion to its population (if not its geographic size.) Realistically, as a Democrat, Mr. Hinds will have more impact with leadership as a first-timer than would a minority Republican. The Eagle endorses Adam Hinds for state Senate.
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Republican Christine Canning and Democrat Adam Hinds are seeking to succeed state Sen. Benjamin Downing.
THE BERKSHIRE, HAMPSHIRE, FRANKLIN, AND HAMPDEN STATE SENATE DISTRICT
“Canning, Hinds square off to succeed Downing”
By Dick Lindsay, rlindsay@berkshireeagle.com – The Berkshire Eagle, November 5, 2016
PITTSFIELD - An area the size of Rhode Island, the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden State Senate District will test the mettle of Benjamin B. Downing's successor.
Republican Christine Canning and Democrat Adam Hinds are vying for Downing's seat as the Pittsfield Democrat surprised many political observers earlier this year announcing he wouldn't seek a sixth, two-year term.
The winner on Tuesday will represent all of Berkshire County and parts of Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties - in all 52 cities and towns.
Political party affiliation aside, the two candidates differ significantly on the tone of their campaign and their approach to the issues. The similarities: both are seeking elected state office for the first time and the winner can expect to rack up frequent driving miles within the district and to and from Beacon Hill.
CHRISTINE CANNING
Canning has been proud to tout she's a Republican - just don't call her a Donald Trump Republican.
She cites her education, expertise and life experience as key reasons voters should mark her name on the ballot on Tuesday.
A licensed school administrator and certified teacher seeking her doctorate in education policy, the Lanesborough woman is opposed to MCAS testing claiming it costs the state's taxpayers $150 million each year.
She is primarily concerned about too much government regulation when it comes to gun owners rights and economic growth. Canning also believes excessive taxation is hurting the average working person as well as the business community.
Endorsed by the Gun Owner's Action league and National Rifle Association, Canning, if elected, wants to stand up to the Democratic-controlled state Legislature and attorney general she says are making gun-control decisions that flies in the face of the Second Amendment.
She also views the state has being too controlling when it comes to business expansion and job growth.
"Government should be smaller, smarter and more efficient," she said.
With neighboring states offering better tax incentives, Massachusetts needs to gain the competitive edge.
"Through deregulating industries we can seek greater competition, so that issues in transportation, technology (broadband), banking and energy offer use more viable options," she noted.
Canning also is calling for eliminating certain corporate taxes to entice businesses to relocate to the Berkshires and across the state. And she wants to lower the estate tax, putting more inheritance in the pockets of heirs.
"You worked hard to earn it and it should go to your beneficiaries and not serve the random welfare programs of the commonwealth," she said.
Canning vows to fight for a better energy plan for the state, living wages that will allow senior citizens to "retire with dignity" and boost the local agricultural industry and make local working farms more profitable.
In the area of transportation, Canning wants a "better connection" between Exits 2 &3 on the Massachusetts Turnpike and faster shipping and transportation routes that encourage business competition.
As for law and order, Canning said she will push to fund body camera for police, increase penalties for drug dealers and other tougher law enforcement measures to improve the quality of life.
"This in turn will ... increase tourism and encourage a healthier nightlife," she said.
ADAM HINDS
A native of Buckland, Hinds has reveled in letting his supporters and the rest of the electorate know his family was big on education and giving back to the community.
His father was a high school teacher and mother was a nursery school teacher and a high school librarian.
"Thanks to my parents' constant sacrifice, strong core values and unwavering belief in their kids, I've been able to follow my passion for public service and have been blessed with amazing opportunities," he said.
Hinds has worked for former U.S. Rep. John Olver and Secretary of State John Kerry when he was a U.S. senator from Massachusetts.
Locally, Hinds is on leave from his position as executive director for the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition and was once part of the Pittsfield Community Connection, both organizations dedicated to improving the quality of life in their service areas.
Hinds says he's about the working family, and he will work to find people better quality jobs in order to secure a better future.
Right now, he finds many in the district unable to make a living wage.
"Our region's potential is extraordinary: we have welcoming small towns, fertile farms, vibrant cities, world-class cultural and educational institutions, and unequaled access to nature," he said. "Our proud legacy of manufacturing continues to bring cutting-edge technology to the world."
In order to create a better paying workforce, the area needs better transportation, expanded high speed Internet to rural areas and above all, job training to meet the needs of existing employers and those wishing to move to the Berkshires.
"There are nearly 2,000 jobs available right now in Berkshire County that can't be filled because we don't always have local workers with the proper training to fill them," he said. "In my work with the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, I've led a startup effort called Employ North Berkshire to give job seekers access to coaches and other tools to guide them on the path to new opportunities."
That begins with the local public schools and colleges, according to Hinds. he vows to seek changes in the education funding formal he claims is unfair and short-changing local school districts.
"I'll [also] push for programs like universal pre-kindergarten so that low-income students and English language learners will all have a better chance for success," he added.
If elected, Hinds will seek more clean-energy options for home and businesses owners to counter the high cost of electricity and other fossil fuels the region depends on heavily.
Going greener can be a catalyst for job growth as well, he said.
"Massachusetts is leading the way in energy technologies, which can be leveraged to create new jobs, make a healthier environment for our families, and secure lower energy costs for homes and businesses," he said.
As for the epidemic of drug overdoses of both illegal and prescription narcotics, Hinds says he'll make it a personal challenge to bolster prevention and seek more treatment for those fighting drug addictions.
"I know people who have died from this stuff - there were 35 opioid-related overdose deaths in Berkshire County last year," he said.
Christine Canning, candidate for State Senate.
Adam Hinds, candidate for State Senate.
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Adam Hinds celebrates his election into office for state senator at J. Allen's Clubhouse Grill in Pittsfield. Tuesday, November 8, 2016. Stephanie Zollshan - The Berkshire Eagle.
"Hinds headed to state Senate to replace Downing"
By Dick Lindsay, The Berkshire Eagle, November 8, 2016
PITTSFIELD - Adam Hinds has gone from state senate candidate to senator-elect.
With a substantial and likely insurmountable 70-30 percent lead in voter margin late Tuesday night, the Pittsfield Democrat was expected to easily defeat Republican challenger Christine Canning from Lanesborough to succeed outgoing state Sen. Benjamin B. Downing. Earlier in the year, Downing announced he would not seek another two-year term representing all of Berkshire County and parts of Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties - in all 52 cities and towns.
While Canning hadn't formally conceded three hours after the polls closed, she told The Eagle she didn't expect the voter margin to change much once all the ballots were counted.
Around 9:30 p.m., a confident Hinds strolled into J Allen's Clubhouse Grille on North Street, greeted by applause, hugs and handshakes from family, friends and campaign supporters.
"We have the numbers, we're feeling pretty good," he told local media at the victory party.. "After nine months, I want to put the campaign behind me and do the real work."
Hinds post-election plan includes working with Downing to get prepared for his first legislative session in January.
"I want to double-down on the economy, work on broadband, school funding and creating jobs," he said.
Hinds also vowed to cover every square mile of the commonwealth's most western senatorial district that's the size of Rhode Island.
"I'm going to have one day a week in different parts of the district," he said.
Despite the loss, Canning was upbeat about her showing and vowed to make another run at the state senate senate in 2018.
"Now that I know all the tricks of the trade, you'll see me in two years," she told an Eagle reporter at her North Street campaign headquarters.
Since Republicans are political minorities in Massachusetts, Canning realizes she has to campaign harder and longer than her Democratic opponent.
"I need to do fundraising earlier, the problem is I don't like taking money from people," she said.
Hinds also had a huge head start in campaign publicity, fending off two opponents in a three-way Democratic primary, while Canning lacked a GOP primary in order to grab the electorate's and media's attention.
As the newest member of the Berkshire legislative delegation, Hinds gets to work with four veteran state representatives, including the newly re-elected Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield. On Tuesday, Farley-Bouvier fought of a challenge from Pittsfield Ward 4 Councilor Christopher Connell, to keep her 3rd Berkshire District seat.
"We have a great team in the delegation, I really look forward to working with her," he said.
Contact Dick Lindsay at 413-496-6233. Dick Lindsay, rlindasy@berkshireeagle.com
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“Have questions for your state senator? Hinds hosting meetings for constituents”
By Dick Lindsay, The Berkshire Eagle, December 7, 2016
PITTSFIELD — As Adam Hinds prepares for his rookie year on Beacon Hill, the state senator-elect wants his constituents' input on what most concerns them entering the new year.
The Pittsfield Democrat has scheduled a community dialogue series next week titled "Speak-Up Western Mass." Hinds expects the three meetings in Great Barrington, Pittsfield and North Adams will be vital in forming an agenda for the 2017 legislative session that begins in January focused on areas of concern for local residents, along with district and regional priorities.
"We need to shrink the distance between working families and Boston," he said in an Eagle phone interview on Wednesday. "These meetings demonstrate from the state I will be inclusive."
Hinds defeated Republican Christine Canning of Lanesborough in the Nov. 8 election, filling the seat being vacated by Sen. Benjamin B. Downing who chose against running for another two-year term. Hinds inherits the state's largest senatorial district representing all of Berkshire County and parts of Hampshire, Hampden and Franklin counties — in all 52 cities and towns.
Since Election Day, Hinds has found from people he's heard from that keeping and creating jobs and the protection of individual rights remain high priorities they want carried over from the campaign to the Legislature.
The euphoria of Hinds victory last month was tempered this week when Gov. Charlie Baker announced potential budget cuts due to state revenues lagging behind projections. This despite the lowest Massachusetts unemployment rate in 15 years and consumer and business confidence high, The Boston Globe reported on Tuesday.
Baker has announced a mid-fiscal year reduction of $98 million to cover a shortfall in the commonwealth's nearly $40 billion spending plan.
"I think this is a premature step the governor has taken," Hinds said.
Contact Dick Lindsay at 413-496-6233.
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“Speak up, Western Mass., and define our agenda”
By Adam Hinds, Op-Ed, The Berkshire Eagle, December 5, 2016
PITTSFIELD - As the presidential campaign moved from summer to fall, it was clear the outcome would be negative regardless of who won. Across the political spectrum too many people felt alienated. Our national political process was broken, and everyone knew it. It is time to change our public discourse and approach to political action, and I am asking for your participation.
What we choose to do at this critical moment matters. Now more than ever we need local communication and community engagement. It means resisting the urge to retreat to respective corners. Instead we must stand together to protect civil rights and address the indignity of economic stagnation, while confronting underlying division so it does not grow.
Can't go backward
National political rhetoric has elevated hateful speech. Locally we have seen personal insults and increased incidents of intolerance in schools.
It is unacceptable that anyone feels unsafe because of the color of their skin, their gender, their religion, or who they love. In this environment we must be clear: we have come too far in the fight against discrimination and we will not go backward.
We also see that many have felt another pressure. Job insecurity is real, and dignity is threatened by an inability to provide for one's family. Too often, policies cater to the nation's elite while it is harder than ever for the rest to just get by. It is unacceptable that wages have stagnated and workers and small towns are not prioritized. In this environment it is easy to trigger scapegoating or calls for an unprecedented shift in leadership.
Regardless of who you voted for, we should all be concerned when neighbors feel unsafe, forgotten or disregarded. We cannot forget that what makes us special in this region and this great country is the bonds that keep us together.
Protecting our collective values is what deserves our attention in this moment. That all men and women are created equal, that everyone can live and work with respect and dignity, and proud support of tolerance and freedom. It includes the right of my immigrant grandfather to come here to seek a life full of promise, which led to my father growing up to fight for this country in the Navy.
We also have shared responsibilities to one another. That means standing up for fundamental civil rights here in the commonwealth.
It means looking out for each other and safeguarding things like good paying jobs or quality affordable education from Pre-K to college. It means fighting together for our post-industrial cities, for workers, and for our suffering small towns so we can thrive and be proud of who we are.
Inclusive agenda
Now is the time to work toward an agenda that tackles our biggest concerns and creates shared opportunity.
Direct community involvement in the governing process is one way to do that, and I invite you to be a part of the new two-year legislative session in Massachusetts that begins in January 2017.
I am hosting a series of community dialogues called "Speak-Up Western Mass". All are welcome and the goal is to advance an inclusive agenda that works for you and the region.
I will continue the dialogue through regular virtual town halls on social media, local office hours and by building a proactive, responsive and engaged Senate team.
This process aims to ensure working families have a voice while we collectively develop a form of politics we can believe in and a vision for the region that accelerates growth. Throughout this campaign I argued that if we are to address the biggest challenges of our time, in this district, then we cannot afford to be divided.
The first gatherings are: Pittsfield; Dec. 14, 6 p.m., Berkshire Athenaeum, 1 Wendell Avenue; North Adams; Dec. 15, 6 p.m., American Legion, 91 American Legion Drive: Great Barrington; Dec. 12, 6 p.m., Berkshire South Community Center, 15 Crissey Road. More will follow.
We have an amazing region with tremendous individual, built and natural assets. We will fight the pessimism of regional decline and focus on the many paths to rejuvenation. It is time to work arm-in-arm to create the region and political process that we can believe in and I hope you will be a part of it.
Adam Hinds is the state senator-elect for the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden District.
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Karen McNulty talks with State Senator-elect Adam Hinds at the Berkshire Athenaeum in Pittsfield before the start of one in Hinds' series of open forums called "Speak-Up Western Mass." Hinds is hosting the series throughout the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden counties to learn what issues his constituents care about. Wednesday, December 14, 2016.
Stephanie Zollshan — The Berkshire Eagle.
State Senator-elect Adam Hinds learns about the issues his constituents care about at the Berkshire Athenaeum in Pittsfield in a series of open forums called "Speak-Up Western Mass" that he is hosting throughout the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden Counties. Wednesday, December 14, 2016. Stephanie Zollshan — The Berkshire Eagle.
“Senator-elect Hinds hears constituents' concerns in stop along 'Speak Up' tour”
By Eoin Higgins, ehiggins@berkshireeagle.com – The Berkshire Eagle, December 15, 2016
PITTSFIELD — Adam Hinds told a crowd of around 50 at the Berkshire Athanaeum on Wednesday [December 14, 2016] that he wants their input as he prepares to begin his first term working for the region as state Senator.
"Doing this is sending the message to the public that governing has to be an inclusive process," he said.
Hinds, of Pittsfield, was at the Pittsfield library to listen to members of the community as part of his "Speak Up Western Mass" listening tour. Hinds visited Great Barrington on Monday and will head to the American Legion in North Adams at 6 p.m. Thursday. Hinds conceived of the program as a way to hear constituents' concerns before he is sworn in on Jan. 4.
Hinds won election to the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden District Senate seat in November. State Sen. Benjamin Downing didn't run for re-election and is heading into the private sector after 10 years in office.
The challenges facing the district won't wait for Jan. 4, said Hinds.
"I'm concerned about the `tale of two states,'" he said. "Boston is improving economically, but here we're seeing a declining population and a median household income about $20,000 below the state average."
After a short introduction, Hinds passed the microphone off to the crowd. They provided Hinds with a list of their concerns for the region.
High-speed internet and attracting young people to the region were recurring themes, as were infrastructure repairs and increased funding for public transportation. As the evening went on, the list grew to include tax policy, regulations, the opioid epidemic and unemployment benefits.
Green energy was also a popular topic.
"We need to be innovators in the field of renewable energy," said John Seakwood of Hancock. "We can't backtrack on this."
Seakwood also mentioned Texas energy company Kinder-Morgan's pipeline in Sandisfield. The pipeline will route through an old growth forest in the Otis State Forest. The route is due to a Berkshire Superior Court finding that federal regulations supersede the state's Article 97 of the Massachusetts Constitution, which guarantees the right to a clean environment for the public.
"That's pretty appalling," agreed Hinds.
The crowd also mentioned concerns about racial and social justice.
Helen Moon of Pittsfield noted that she was the only person of color in the room and said she believed it was endemic of a greater problem in the area.
"We need to commit more to our community's diversity," said Moon.
And Drew Herzig, also of Pittsfield, issued a challenge to the incoming senator.
"I'm an elderly gay man," he said. "I feel in the cross-hairs after the election; my civil rights, my Social Security, they could be taken from me. How ready are you to fight for us?"
Hinds took the microphone back and looked around the room.
"I'm extremely ready," he said.
Reach staff writer Eoin Higgins at 413-496-6236 or @BE_EoinHiggins.
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STEPHANIE ZOLLSHAN - THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE. Newly sworn-in state Sen. Adam Hinds talks about some of the issues he will focus on as he begins his term at his temporary office in Pittsfield.
“'A tale of 2 states': Sen. Hinds discusses plans to make Beacon Hill work for Western Mass.”
By Patricia LeBoeuf, pleboeuf@berkshireeagle.com – The Berkshire Eagle, January 15, 2017
Only 138 miles separate Boston from Pittsfield, but to Adam Hinds, Western Massachusetts is a world apart from the eastern part of the state.
And as a state senator, Hinds wants to bring those worlds together.
"If there's one concern I have right now, it's this: there's a tale of two states emerging," Hinds said.
Hinds, a Democrat, was sworn in last week to succeed state Sen. Benjamin B. Downing. He represents an area about the size of Rhode Island — all of Berkshire County and parts of Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden counties.
Alleviating inequality — the "tale of two states" — between Eastern and Western Massachusetts is top on Hinds' agenda. Much of Eastern Massachusetts is prospering, but Western Massachusetts is largely struggling, burdened by population decline and a lack of basic infrastructure necessary to attract — or retain — small- and medium-sized businesses necessary for growth.
Berkshire County had the highest percentage of population decline in the state between 2014 and 2015, according to annual estimates of resident population from the U.S. Census Bureau. Franklin County had the second-highest. Suffolk County — encompassing the city of Boston — was the fastest-growing county in that same time period, with an estimated population increase of 1.1 percent.
Legislators need to take strong action to ensure Western Massachusetts continues to provide opportunities for residents, he said.
Part of that action includes investing in basic infrastructure like broadband and transportation, he said. Investments in these areas will motivate businesses to remain in the area, create a path to employment opportunities and reverse the slide in population and economic growth.
"A lot of work is around making sure those basics are in place," he said. "I feel like we're at an exciting moment. When we get some of these fundamentals in place — whether it's high-speed internet, transportation, bolstering schools — we're going to start turning around those indicators we've viewed as challenges."
Hinds refined his agenda by talking with community members, including those who attended his recent "Speak Up Western MA" listening tour.
Residents have identified school funding and supporting families as major concerns.
"If there's one thing that came out of this election, it's that working families need to be at the center of any agenda," he said. "The distance between workers and Boston has gotten too big. This is where the rubber meets the road."
Poverty and income inequality are also important issues in Western Massachusetts, he said. Income inequality takes away opportunity from society as a whole, he said.
Hinds pointed to the recent statewide minimum wage increase to $11 an hour as a step in the right direction. But it isn't enough.
"We're doing well, but even our minimum wage is not a living wage," he said. "There are a lot of serious implications for families when that is the case, and so there's a lot of work to be done. It's absolutely critical that we don't take our foot off the gas on [poverty]," he said.
Hinds plans to continue many of Downing's former priorities, particularly his leadership on broadband efforts, clean energy and poverty issues.
Despite the turnout for his listening tour, Hinds said there's still a lack of participation in the political process. He said his role is to make sure government is relevant by taking on big issues that matter to residents' daily lives.
Hinds said he's also concerned with an element of the national election that's filtered down to local communities — the rhetoric of President-elect Donald Trump.
"There is a real disconnect at times between political rhetoric and the needs of everyday citizens," he said. "I have been concerned about [Trump's] rhetoric as well and what it means for strong, inclusive communities."
The new presidential administration could also impact one of the biggest legislative priorities: the state budget. The Trump administration has signaled potential changes in large programs like Medicaid, which could have implications in the billions of dollars for Massachusetts, he said.
Hinds hasn't worked directly in politics since 2004, when he worked for U.S. Sen. John Kerry, now the outgoing secretary of state. He was most recently the executive director of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition. He also worked for the United Nations on negotiations in Jerusalem, Iraq and Syria.
Hinds, 40, was raised in Buckland in Franklin County.
He said he's committed to meeting with his new senate colleagues one-on-one to prepare for his first term as a legislator. He's also met with Downing previously.
He chose to retain some of Downing's staff, including Bethann Steiner, Downing's former chief of staff, who has extensive political experience and a network of contacts on Beacon Hill.
Keeping some of the same staff ensures stability for municipal leaders, who tend to interact with staff members for most of their questions and concerns, said North Adams Mayor Richard Alcombright.
"They know their constituent base. I think they'll be very helpful to [Hinds]," said Alcombright, who supported Hinds in his campaign. "I just hope that [Hinds] can continue to carry the ball in a real strong and effective way."
Representing Western Massachusetts comes with challenges some districts don't face, said Downing, who represented the district for 10 years. It's difficult to strike a necessary balance between time spent far away at the statehouse in Boston and time meeting with constituents locally, he said.
Freshman legislators also have to learn how to manage their time to achieve various goals. Legislators address issues on their agendas in different ways that require strategy and planning, he said.
"As much as you've talked about issues in a campaign, not all of those are addressed in the same way," he said. "That's the biggest challenge you face — managing your time."
Hinds said he plans to spend Mondays, Fridays and weekends in his district, and Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in Boston.
Legislators accomplish their work primarily as part of a team, and Hinds is joining a great team of area politicians, Downing said.
"It's all about teamwork, especially in a small region like ours," he said. "I'm excited for him. It's a learning process, it's a challenge, but it's just an incredible honor."
Hinds said he looks forward to sharing the story of his district with the larger community.
"The bottom line is, this is an amazing part of the state and the country, and I'm excited to be a part of the process of ensuring it takes off," Hinds said. "We have a special place here."
Reach staff writer Patricia LeBoeuf at 413-496-6247 or @BE_pleboeuf.
*
State Sen. Adam G. Hinds, D-Pittsfield, has assembled a staff that will help serve residents, businesses, local officials and communities within his Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden District in three office locations.
His team will be led by Bethann Steiner, who will serve as chief of staff - the same role she held with Hinds' predecessor, Benjamin B. Downing, beginning in 2007. Steiner has more than 16 years of public service in the Legislature, the executive branch and, most recently, at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (Mass Tech), a quasi-public state economic development agency.
Other members include Christopher Dunne, legislative and budget director; Vasundhra Sangar, legislative aide; Alfred "A.J." Enchill Jr., district aide; and Jon Gould, hilltown community liaison.
"This is a team that is proactive, responsive and engaged," Hinds said in a prepared release. "I made sure the team is accessible, we have three office locations and plans for regular office hours in all regions of the district."
Hinds' primary district office is located at 100 North St., Suite 410, in Pittsfield. It is open Monday through Friday during normal business hours. Appointments are encouraged but walk-ins are welcome. The phone number 413-344-4561.
A second district staff office will be located at 16 Main St. in Williamsburg, at Commons Co-working. Hinds' part-time Hilltown Community Liaison will work from this space on Wednesdays and Fridays.
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Letter: “Skeptical of latest Democrat-for-life”
The Berkshire Eagle, January 19, 2017
To the editor:
The interview with newly elected state Sen. Adam Hinds on Jan. 16 was a must-read for every voter in Berkshire County. It discussed the tale of two states caused by the inequality between eastern and western Massachusetts, the burden of Western Massachusetts due to population decline and the lack of basic infrastructure necessary to attract or retain small- and medium-sized businesses necessary for growth.
The percentage of population decline information was very interesting, not only in the statistics that cannot be refuted, but in the way it was presented. Berkshire County had the highest decline (no percentage), Franklin County had the second highest (no percentage), and Suffolk County, it was noted, had 1.1 percent growth, was included (which sounds low to minimize the real numbers). It seemed as if the percentages were omitted because Berkshire County was so much worse than the second highest.
Without offering specifics, Sen. Hinds said the right things to be a career politician in Berkshire County: "High-speed internet, transportation, bolstering schools," and used the right catch phrases to be a career politician in Berkshire County: "This is where the rubber meets the road," "There's a lot of work to be done," and so on. He has a big D come election time, and maybe it is time to realize that the reason Boston thinks that the western part of Massachusetts ends at Springfield is that this area will vote Democrat by at least 75-25 every election regardless of who the candidates are. We get our cultural grant scraps and we think all is grand.
The photos of Sen. Hinds in The Eagle smiling ear to ear looks like a guy who just hit the Berkshire County Democrat-for-life scratch ticket, not someone who thinks about the dire situation he portrays for our area. I will give Sen. Hinds a chance to prove he will be different than what I am used to in this area and judge him on his actions, I hope he gives the same respect to our new President-elect Donald J. Trump!
Dave Bertolozzi,
Pittsfield
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“All but 1 area legislator support measure to hike pay for top lawmakers”
By Jack Suntrup @JackSuntrup – The Daily Hampshire Gazette, January 26, 2017
NORTHAMPTON — There is never a good time for lawmakers to vote in pay raises for themselves, says Massachusetts Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, but that doesn’t mean it never happens.
On Thursday, the Senate sent Gov. Charlie Baker a package of proposed raises that would boost the pay of legislative leadership, judges, the governor and other elected officials like the attorney general and state treasurer.
Republicans pounced, saying the timing and rushed nature of the legislation showed the Legislature’s priorities are out-of-whack with the public’s. This was the first major piece of legislation to make it to the governor’s desk this year.
The package breezed through the House Wednesday 115-44 and through the Senate Thursday 31-9. Republicans voted in lockstep against the changes; a handful of Democrats broke ranks to oppose them.
All but one area legislator, Sen. Donald Humason, R-Westfield, voted for the pay increases.
“There is just no public support at any time under any circumstances for adjusting compensation for legislators,” Rosenberg, an Amherst Democrat, said Thursday. He and House Speaker Robert DeLeo would see a $45,000 increase this year, to $142,000 in total compensation.
In a statement, Baker said he and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito had no plans to accept any salary increases. He said he would veto the proposal.
If current tallies hold, the Legislature would have the two-thirds majority necessary to override Baker’s veto.
The bill doesn’t change the $62,547 annual base pay for lawmakers, but does increase additional stipends paid to Democratic and Republican leaders and to the chairs of key legislative committees.
The heads of the House and Senate Ways and Means Committees would get a $35,000 raise.
The bill also would increase Baker’s annual salary from $151,800 to $185,000, and for the first time provide the governor a $65,000 housing allowance.
Other constitutional officers, including the attorney general and state treasurer, would also see substantial raises, and annual salaries for judges would increase by $25,000.
Humason, R-Westfield, opposed the raises because of the timing of the proposal and the process by which it was passed.
“We felt like it sends the wrong signal that the first thing the Legislature takes up in the new year” are pay raises for members, he said. “So timing is a horrible thing.”
“Process in a lot of our opinions was very poor,” Humason added. “There wasn’t a lot of time for the public to weigh in on this issue, for the public to consider what their legislators were voting on.”
Not so fast, Rosenberg said. On the surface, the raises may not look good. But though the legislation was first presented this week, stipend raises for top officeholders have been put off for years — even after an independent commission in 2014 recommended the raises.
Rosenberg and other proponents’ arguments go like this:
Leadership has not received a stipend increase since 1982. Based on inflation since that year, the 2014 commission recommended an $86,000 increase. DeLeo and Rosenberg cut the raise about in half.
To attract talent, and to make running for the Legislature feasible for lower-income citizens, increased pay is necessary.
As far as the fast-paced movement of the bill, it was necessary to do so before committee chairs are named, so members don’t know beforehand if they stand to see a significant pay boost.
Pay for lawmakers comes out of existing personnel budgets, so money isn’t coming out of other revenue streams. That’s not the case for other officials such as judges.
Local legislator support
Rep. Peter Kocot, D-Northampton, said the raises are not a “spur of the moment” thing, referring back to the 2014 commission, and that lawmakers should be compensated for their efforts to be “on their toes and to be well-informed.”
Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield, said “it was not an easy vote,” and Hinds didn’t want to give the impression that he, a first-term senator, deserved a raise. But he said he voted in favor because of the lack of a stipend increase since 1982 and the fact that the Legislature should attract the best talent for the job.
Rep. Solomon Goldstein-Rose, D-Amherst, said another aspect of the legislation, doing away with the old per diem expense payments and instead boosting office expense accounts, is the only part of the new law that would affect him.
The freshman lawmaker said he would see an increase of between $2,000 and $5,000 this year, and wrote in a Facebook post: “I’m going to use the extra money this year to help start a fund to support other young candidates in running for office.”
Rep. John Scibak, D-South Hadley, supported the raises. He had this prediction: “I suspect that the Republicans as well as the Democrats who voted against this will take the money.”
Jack Suntrup can be reached at jsuntrup@gazettenet.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Letter: “Lawmakers duck public in approving pay hikes”
The Berkshire Eagle, February 1, 2017
To the editor:
Congratulations, Adam Hinds. A few months on the job as state senator and you have already voted for a pay raise. Maybe you and your colleagues in the House and Senate deserve a pay raise but preventing the voters from having a say in the matter was completely underhanded.
Leadership and members were worried about a potential 2018 citizen repeal effort of the pay increase. To prevent this from happening, they included in their package raises for judges. The state Constitution bars any ballot referendum on judicial salaries. Potential problem solved. The annual cost of the package is $18 million, rushed through without allowing voters to weigh in and foreclosing any possible voter action in the future.
A special shout-out to Rep. Tricia Farley Bouvier who proposed an amendment to increase office expenses for legislators living 100 miles from Boston from the proposed $20,000 to $25,000.
Wayne Lemanski,
Lenox
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State Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, D-Amherst, is among the leaders who will receive a pay raise after the Legislature on Thursday overrode the governor’s veto. Gazette File Photo.
Editorial: “Pay raise windfall for Legislature”
The Daily Hampshire Gazette, February 2, 2017
The Massachusetts Legislature couldn’t have written a worse script for good governance than the way it rammed through pay raises for its leaders, statewide elected officials and judges.
Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, of Amherst, and House Speaker Robert DeLeo, of Winthrop, led the charge on the first major legislation of the 2017 session. Rosenberg and DeLeo are among the chief beneficiaries of the pay hikes, with their annual salaries increasing by $45,000, to $142,547 — a 46 percent boost.
The House and Senate on Thursday overrode the governor’s veto of the $18 million pay package, little more than two weeks after Rosenberg and DeLeo put the bill on the fast track to approval. That’s in contrast to the plodding pace of most other legislation, which involves months of public hearings and debate in committees before votes are scheduled.
We don’t doubt that the Legislature’s leaders deserve some increase in their stipends, which are bonuses for the extra work that goes with their positions. Those leadership bonuses have not been increased since 1982.
But lawmakers created a public relations fiasco with the heavy-handed way in which they hustled the hefty raises through the Legislature without a full public airing of the details or justification of increases that are far larger than what most of the state’s workers see in their paychecks from year to year.
Adding insult to injury, the Legislature added $25,000 pay increases for judges to the bill which has the effect of ensuring that lawmakers’ raises can’t be repealed by voters in a 2018 referendum. The state Constitution prohibits a ballot referendum adjusting judicial pay.
The pay hikes for legislative leaders, including the many committee chairs and vice chairs, take effect immediately. At the very least, increases in bonuses should be delayed to the next two-year session so legislators must stand for re-election before collecting the fatter paychecks they wrote themselves.
To his credit, Republican Gov. Charlie Baker vetoed the pay package, even though it contains more money for him as well — boosting his salary from $151,800 to $185,000 a year, and adding a new $65,000 housing allowance. Baker, who lives in Swampscott in a house valued at more than $1 million, has said he will turn down the raise and the housing stipend.
That housing allowance is among the questionable expenses in the package. It was recommended in 2014 by a special commission which studied compensation of state officials, even though the lack of state-provided housing has not been an issue for recent governors. In the last half-century, every governor except one, Jane Swift of North Adams, has lived within a reasonable commute to Boston.
In announcing the veto, Baker said the pay package is “fiscally irresponsible” and resulted from “a hasty process that included little substantive debate or time for public comment.” He also cited the impact on the state’s pension liabilities resulting from such massive raises. State pensions are based on the three highest-salaried years.
The package also includes raises for the state’s other constitutional officers — the lieutenant governor, attorney general, treasurer, auditor and secretary of state — as well as court clerks. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Attorney General Maura Healey and Treasurer Deb Goldberg plan to decline the raises.
The timing is particularly bad because the same Democratic legislative leaders now getting big bonuses decided last summer to skip the traditional sales tax “holiday” because the state could not afford to forgo the estimated $26 million in revenue that would have been lost. It was only the second year since 2004 that consumers did not benefit from the tax holiday.
The package given final approval Thursday does not affect the base pay of legislators, which have been tied to the state’s median household income since a constitutional amendment was adopted in 1998. For the first time in eight years, the legislators’ base salary was increased from $60,032 to $62,547 beginning in January.
The bonus pay for leadership positions is added to that. Stipends for most committee chairs are doubling from $15,000 to $30,000. Even the largely honorary positions of Senate president pro tempore and House speaker pro tempore are getting a hefty raise with their bonuses increasing from $15,000 to $50,000.
We have no argument with granting reasonable raises to legislators who work long hours for the public’s good. But there was nothing public-spirited or good about this self-delivered windfall. Lawmakers should be ashamed.
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“Legislative pay increases require raising revenue”
The Daily Hampshire Gazette, Letter to the Editor, February 3, 2017
I have no doubt that Senator Rosenberg and most other legislators deserve proper compensation for the work they do.
Still, so far I have not seen any indication of just where this money might come from. That is the question Stan Rosenberg sensibly asks when constituents request particular expenditures or actions to be taken.
I support increasing taxes so that (1) budgets are sufficient to protect against the erosion of state agency positions, and (2) revenue can be earmarked to increase legislators’ salaries.
However, I oppose allowing agency budgets and personnel decreases, additional budget cuts, and simultaneously increasing legislators’ salaries.
I know state agency personnel in environmental agencies who are doing the work two or three people once did. This is because vacancies are not being filled to save money. These folks work hard to protect the public health and safety by enforcing, inspecting and upholding the good laws we have, but they are often underpaid and overworked.
If the Legislature declines to attempt to increase taxes, what is the proposed revenue source? What will have to be cut from an already tight budget? Why isn’t raising taxes under consideration?
Rosenberg asks (“Pay boost mulled for top officials,” Jan. 24) that the public “keep an open mind” and then, “Who works for the same amount 33 years later?”
Well, some of us do. Some of us have volunteered as unpaid government officials to keep our towns’ conservation commissions, planning boards, select boards, zoning boards, etc., working under ever-increasing workloads provided us by the Legislature in the form of mandates for record-keeping, meeting notices, and requirements for procedure, compensation, forms to file – behavior of all sorts that take time and money.
I am very proud to have Stan Rosenberg represent me and respect the good work he does, but I think that increasing leaders’ salaries is only justified if revenue is simultaneously increased so that agencies are adequately staffed to carry out their obligations under our existing laws.
Judith Eiseman
Pelham
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February 10, 2017
The following news article is a must read! Massachusetts State Senators can receive up to 3 leadership stipends on top of their base salary of $62,500, plus their other benefits. That means some State Senators will receive over $50,000 in pay raises this year of 2017. Moreover, some State Senators also have private sector jobs.
- Jonathan Melle
News Article:
“Lawmakers may collect multiple bonuses”
By Frank Phillips, Boston Globe Staff, February 9, 2017
Not only are House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Stan Rosenberg getting 45 percent pay raises, but a slew of legislators are also set for a potential financial bonanza, thanks to little-noticed language in the legislative pay bill — and Senate rules.
The new rules increase the number of leadership stipends lawmakers can receive for extra-paying positions. Legislators can potentially take two — and even three — stipends in addition to their $62,500 base salary.
The complicated, 18-page compensation bill says legislators can take extra compensation for two positions “whether as a member of the leadership or chair, vice chair or ranking members of a committee.”
But the Senate seems to think it can push to three positions. A new addition to its rules state: “... no member of the Senate shall be compensated for service in more than 3 positions, whether as a member of leadership or as chair, vice chair, or ranking member of a committee.”
If that is true, some senators stand to make a killing if, as expected in many cases, they keep their same leadership and committee positions in this new legislative session. Those assignments are expected to be announced shortly.
Here are some examples:
Marc Pacheco, the Taunton Democrat, could get a $55,000 raise from additional stipends. As the Senate’s president pro tempore, Pacheco’s stipend will go from $15,000 to $50,000. That $15,000 was his only extra pay in recent years. But with the new rule, he can also now get a $15,000 bonus as chair of the Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change. And with the new law adding a stipend for the vice chair of the Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, he would get another $5,200.
If he holds onto the same leadership positions he had last session, Mark Montigny, the veteran New Bedford Democrat, could see his stipend for being an assistant majority leader go from $15,000 to $35,000. And his stipends for chairing the Senate Rules Committee and Senate Joint Rules Committee would each go from $7,500 to $15,000. That would add $50,000 to his pay check.
Jennifer Flanagan, a Democrat from Leominster, has chaired two committees: Mental Health and Substance Abuse; and Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities — positions that now each pay $7,500. The pay bill doubles her total committee chair stipends from $15,000 to $30,000. Before the Senate rule, she could collect only one stipend. She could also pick up another $5,200, the new stipend added to the position as Senate vice-chair of the joint public health committee.
Frank Phillips can be reached at frank.phillips@globe.com.
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Adam Hinds: “Undermining American values, principles”
The Berkshire Eagle, By Adam Hinds, Op-Ed, January 31, 2017
BOSTON — In the fight against groups like ISIS, we must pursue specific targets, bolster allies, and weaken extremists. President Trump's executive order last week on refugees and immigration undermines all three. I spent seven years working on Syria and Iraq for the United Nations. I saw firsthand the devastation that people are fleeing, and how U.S. policy can undercut stated objectives.
The executive order targets the wrong people, complicates an already extreme vetting process that works, and damages our relationship with allies all while giving a new recruiting tool to extremists.
Like generations before them, today's refugees are escaping destroyed communities and livelihoods. They come to the United States for a better future for themselves and their children.
Take one Iraqi colleague of mine. He came to work one day in Baghdad grasping a bloodstained piece of paper pierced by a clean bullet hole. Through his tears he explained it was in the chest pocket of his son when he was shot. He was killed simply because he lived in a besieged neighborhood and belonged to the wrong religious sect. That is the violence that creates refugees.
In Iraq, 3 million people have been displaced since ISIS took Mosul in 2014. Fighting in Syria has created 4.9 million refugees and displaced 6.3 million Syrians internally. They aren't the bad guys and we can include a small number in our communities as we all work to stay safe and confront radicalism, together.
America has the ability and the experience to help in crisis. Since 1980 the US has taken in over 1.8 million refugees. We have safely welcomed many to our land in the past, and we can do so today.
Security should always be a top priority and many rightly have concerns about a thorough vetting process. That is why refugees are the most intensely vetted group of individuals entering our country. They go through a process that often takes two years, and includes tools like biometric data, interviews, and background checks conducted by the National Counterterrorism Center, FBI, and State Department. The Trump order complicates and seemingly seeks to end the process, rather than strengthen it.
Moreover, such broad actions against an entire religion make it difficult for leaders in Muslim majority countries to work with the United States. As public opinion of the U.S. declines after an order like this allies must choose between weakening their own political standing and foregoing resources needed in the fight against extremists. Either way cooperation declines. Our troops and personnel in the region become less safe at the same time. Iraq demonstrated this when the parliament called on the prime minister to exclude entry by Americans in response to the executive order.
Extremists use orders like this as propaganda to attract recruits, including those living in the West. We know the argument to prospective fighters is "your countries are not standing up for Muslims, join the fight." President Trump's religious test for entry into the country is dangerously close to the argument used by ISIS: that Muslims cannot peacefully coexist in the West. It is precisely the wrong message to send.
This is personal to me for many reasons. While I was in Iraq my Iraqi translator and I traveled throughout the country together. We were in a vehicle together when a roadside explosion hit it. We lived through life-changing and harrowing experiences side by side and his dedication to the mission never wavered. Yet my country now tells him he is not worthy of entry.
Rarely in the course of an individual life do we have the opportunity to act on the central principles of our country. But it means being brave enough to accept refugees and immigrants in their time of need after they have cleared extensive vetting. It is time for us to show that we can still be a generation of proud Americans who act on principle rather than fear. These are the values that make us great.
Adam Hinds is state senator representing the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden district. He worked for the United Nations for nearly 10 years in Iraq, Syria and Jerusalem.
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"Hinds' early work unveils platform of social, economic issues"
By Patricia LeBoeuf, pleboeuf@berkshireeagle.com - The Berkshire Eagle, February 18, 2017
PITTSFIELD — The four tightly-packed pages of priorities span 10 categories ranging from the economy to veterans services.
State Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield, has distilled months of feedback from constituents into a guide to organizing his priorities as a freshman senator.
"As we're deciding where to put our time and energy and how to prioritize ... it was important to me that we had a framework for action," said Hinds, senator for the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden senate district.
Hinds took office in January after winning the seat held for 10 years by former state Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, who declined to seek re-election in November.
The agenda makes it easier to identify actions to take and bills to file or support, he said.
And prioritizing is key. Hinds has received more than 800 calls, letters and emails from constituents identifying bills that they support or oppose, according to a press release from Hinds' office.
Western Massachusetts has specific challenges to handle during this 2017-18 legislative session, including population decline, a lack of infrastructure in the areas of transportation and broadband, and a need for economic growth, Hinds said.
"I view it as my job, making sure that [everyone] is abundantly clear that we are confronting a unique set of challenges in the western part of the commonwealth," he said. "It is in everybody's interest to rectify those."
Since taking office, Hinds has filed eight bills. Of the eight, Hinds drafted four, and four were sponsored by Downing in previous legislative sessions. The deadline for legislators to submit "timely" bills for consideration was Jan. 20.
Hinds also co-sponsored 77 proposals filed by legislators in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, according to the release. These largely relate to two of his major priorities: supporting working families and addressing income inequality, he said.
The state Legislature is poised to tackle school funding, the state opioid epidemic and potentially criminal justice reform this session, he said.
One of the bills Hinds drafted relates to criminal justice in particular. The bill would mandate that offenses that have been pardoned be expunged from Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) reports, which consist of an individual's records relating to criminal charges, arrests, judicial proceedings and other such elements of the legal system.
The other bills concern school bus safety, income-eligible child care and LGBTQ representation in the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.
Hinds filed "An Act relative to income eligible child care," to help eliminate the "benefits cliff" for working families, he said. Current state Early Education and Care regulations allow households to receive a child care subsidy if they make at or below 50 percent of the state median income, and maintain that voucher until they make over 85 percent of the state median income at reassessment. The bill would increase the upper limit to 90 percent of state median income to help upwardly mobile working families who depend on financial assistance for safe and quality child care.
Hinds' bill regarding school bus safety was filed in response to an incident in Hampshire County last year in which a child was killed after getting caught in a school bus door and dragged.
Hinds' bill would require school buses to be equipped with a device to ensure riders have fully cleared the passenger side door before it shuts.
He also refiled Downing's prior bill regarding volunteer ambulance service. The law requires two EMTs to respond to calls, which can delay response times in small towns with volunteer ambulance services, Hinds said. The bill would adjust this requirement to allow volunteer ambulance service providers performing basic life support to staff an ambulance with one EMT and one EMS first responder.
Hinds also refiled bills that direct the state to study the availability of vocational education, allow licensed farmer-distillers to sell their products at farmers markets in the state, and require insurance adjusters working for any insurer in the state to be licensed.
In addition to all the correspondence his office has handled from constituents thus far, Hinds will continue his "Speak Up Western Mass" public forums across the district. He plans to host at least 10 public forums in rotating locations each year.
The next forum will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Lanesborough Public Library.
Inclusive political conversations like these public forums are important in light of the current nationwide political climate, Hinds said.
"The political process is increasingly contentious and divisive," he said. "A genuine public discourse is one that happens face-to-face with people who may not agree with you all the time."
Reach staff writer Patricia LeBoeuf at 413-496-6247 or @BE_pleboeuf.
More information ...
State Sen. Adam Hinds' Agenda for Western Mass is available at facebook.com/SenatorAdamHinds
View text of bills Hinds has sponsored or co-sponsored and track the bills' progress through the Legislature at https://malegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/AGH0
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Contact information ...
State House
24 Beacon St.
Room 413-F, East Wing (temporary assignment)
Boston, MA
617-722-1625
Primary District Office
100 North St.
Suite 410
Pittsfield, MA
413-344-4561
Appointments encouraged, but walk-ins welcome. The office is open Monday through Friday during normal business hours.
Second District Office:
16 Main St. (at Commons Co-working)
Williamsburg, MA
Hilltown Community Liaison Jon Gould works from this space Wednesdays and Fridays. He can be reached at 413-768-2373. Appointments are necessary.
-
On the web ...
Email: Adam.Hinds@masenate.gov
Twitter: @adamghinds
Facebook: facebook.com/SenatorAdamHinds
Instagram: hinds.adam
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“Hinds takes leadership positions on committees for arts and tourism, economic development and technology”
By Patricia LeBoeuf, pleboeuf@berkshireeagle.com - The Berkshire Eagle, February 18, 2017
PITTSFIELD — State Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield, will act as senate chair for a joint committee on tourism, arts and culture and senate vice-chair for a committee on economic development and technology, according to a Thursday press release from Hinds' office.
"These committees are critical for building our economy and creating jobs," Hinds said in the release. "Attracting more people to the region means doubling down on tourism, culture and economic development. In this role I will be focused on strengthening existing businesses, attracting others and increasing incomes for working families."
The Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development has jurisdiction over all legislation concerning tourism, arts and cultural development in the state. Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Truro, will serve as the committee's vice chairman.
Tourism is a significant part of the economy in Hinds' district. The 2015 economic impact of travel in Berkshire County was estimated at $412.6 million, according to a 2016 study prepared for the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. Travelers to Massachusetts generated $20.2 billion in direct spending in 2015, mainly on transportation, lodging, food services, retail sales and entertainment and recreation, according to the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism.
The Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, now chaired by Sen. Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow, oversees such topics as science and technology, research and development, the internet, workforce training and environmental technologies, according to the release.
In addition to these assignments, Hinds will serve on these other policy committees: the Joint Committee on Higher Education, the Joint Committee on Housing, the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Recovery, the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government and the Senate Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs, according to the release. He is also senate co-chairman of the Rural Caucus.
Democrats in the Massachusetts senate are nominated for committee assignments and chairmanships by Senate President Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst. Those decisions are then ratified by the members.
Reach staff writer Patricia LeBoeuf at 413-496-6247 or @BE_pleboeuf.
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Virginia O'Leary listens during Senator Adams Hinds' Speak Up Western Mass forum at the Lanesborough Public Library on Monday, February 27, 2017. Gillian Jones - The Berkshire Eagle.
“Citizens press Hinds on local jobs, internet commerce competition, rail service”
By Dick Lindsay, rlindsay@berkshireeagle.com – The Berkshire Eagle, February 27, 2017
LANESBOROUGH — The 20 Central Berkshire residents gathered at Lanesborough Town Hall were on the same page as Adam Hinds on Monday — even before the state lawmaker arrived for a constituent forum.
Hinds was about 45 minutes late for the latest installment of his Speak Up Western Mass. series as he was touring the tornado damage in Conway. The Franklin County town is one of 52 municipalities the rookie state senator represents in the Berkshire Senate District — nearly the size of Rhode Island.
Hinds apologized for being late, but with his legislative aide initially leading the group discussion, the concerned citizens had already started a spirited debate about a top shared priority: jobs, jobs, jobs.
"For 45 years I have watched the job base disappear and housing get poorer and poorer," said Gary Lopenzina, of Pittsfield. "The senator and the mayors need to get off their duffs ... and do their homework to get companies here."
After the apology, Hinds briefly touched on his first-year agenda headlined by job creation and economic development that would include boosting tourism.
"The stats show us that the cultural economy continues to grow and impact our downtowns," he said.
Hinds' priorities also include education and helping working families. The Democrat said he based his legislative agenda one what he heard on the campaign trail last fall and his first round of Speak Up sessions held throughout the district following his victory over Republican Christine Canning in November to succeed former state Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, who didn't seek re-election.
The group of mainly retirees, business people and public officials realize small businesses will be the backbone of boosting employment in the Berkshires. Leslie Reed, of Windsor, a vendor for area independent retail stores, said her biggest concern is online competition.
"The biggest challenge my stores have is competing with the internet," she said. "It's getting so big, people are now having groceries delivered to their homes."
For many consumers, its cheaper buying with a click of the mouse, according to Ellie Goerlach, of Lanesborough.
"Locally, things are a little more expensive than online," she noted.
An economic development resurgence should not only include high-speed internet service for the rural Berkshire communities, but more access to passenger rail service, according to Williams Kolis, a frequent train traveler.
"There are 13 trains out of Grand Central [Terminal] to Albany," the Adams resident said. "There's only one train from Albany to Boston."
Hinds says he's on board with linking the Berkshires — even if indirectly — to more passenger rail service.
"We may need to be creative on how we look at rail that may involve buses and vans," he said.
Briefly discussed, but just as important were topics such as the continued push for public school projects amid flat or declining enrollment in local school districts; shared services and public administrators; the need for state laws to help homeowners get off call lists of phone solicitors.
Since Berkshire County government was eliminated nearly 20 years ago, Kolis believes the Berkshires aren't getting the state's attention to help the county with its economic, educational and other issues.
"It's going to be up to us to develop a political voice," he said. "We have to start speaking for ourselves and be identified. If we don't say something, it's going to be a fait accompli."
Reach staff writer Dick Lindsay at 413-496-6233.
Contact Information ...
There are a number of ways to reach out to state Sen. Adam Hinds:
State House
24 Beacon St.
Room 413-F, East Wing (temporary assignment)
Boston, MA
617-722-1625
Primary District Office:
100 North St.
Suite 410
Pittsfield, MA
413-344-4561
Appointments encouraged, but walk-ins welcome. The office is open Monday through Friday during normal business hours.
Second District Office:
16 Main St. (at Commons Co-working)
Williamsburg, MA
Hilltown Community Liaison Jon Gould works from this space Wednesdays and Fridays. He can be reached at 413-768-2373. Appointments are necessary.
On the web ...
Email: Adam.Hinds@masenate.gov
Twitter: @adamghinds
Facebook: facebook.com/SenatorAdamHinds
Instagram: hinds.adam
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Letter: “Legislators must focus on school funding”
The Berkshire Eagle, March 5, 2017
To the editor:
After attending the recent Adams-Cheshire school closing forum, it's clear that state funding being cut has greatly contributed to this perilous situation. I find it odd that we haven't seen or heard from our elected state officials. It's concerning to me that the politicians can find taxpayer money to fix private landowner's toxic properties or green energy subsidies for companies that they end up working for but we can't find money for our schools.
It now appears our new state senator is more concerned about refugees than he is his own constituents. He says there is plenty of money to go around. Maybe if he bothered to show up at the spirited forum, he would see that's not the case.
We need to start holding our elected officials feet to the fire. If they won't fight for us in Boston, then we need to vote them out. Even if that means voting — gasp! — Republican.
Kurt Daignault,
Cheshire
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State Senator Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield, visits The Berkshire Eagle for an editorial board meeting on Tuesday. Credit: Ben Garver – The Berkshire Eagle.
“Hinds opposes Eversource rate hike request”
By Tony Dobrowolski, tdobrowolski@berkshireeagle.com – The Berkshire Eagle, March 7, 2017
PITTSFIELD — State Sen. Adams Hinds has publicly joined the voices opposing Eversource Energy's recent rate hike request on Tuesday, referring to the proposal as "unacceptable" and "an absolute potential killer."
In a meeting with The Eagle's editorial board, the Pittsfield Democrat said the requested rate hike, which could raise electric bills for Eversource's Western Massachusetts customers by 10 percent next year, exposes the "deep concern of inequality" between the eastern and western parts of the state.
"You're going to hear a lot more from me on this," said Hinds, referring to state energy costs in general.
Referring specifically to Eversource's most recent request, which the utility announced in January, Hinds said, "We've seen this movie before 10 years ago — rate increases in the range of 55 percent for big commercial and industrial companies. We saw three paper mills (in the Berkshires) go out of business resulting in 400 jobs lost."
The $96 million increase, which would affect Eversource's residential, commercial and industrial customers, will be considered by the state Department of Public Utilities. If approved, it would not go into effect until Jan. 1, 2018.
Hinds isn't the only elected official who has spoken out against the increase. Attorney General Maura Healey also has vowed to challenge the measure. It would add $11.64 to the average monthly bill for Western Massachusetts customers and $8.45 for customers in Eastern Massachusetts.
That discrepancy in how the increase would affect customers in different regions of the state provides "a glimpse" into the differences between the eastern and western parts of Massachusetts, Hinds said.
"It's saying that we'll raise $60 million from the eastern part of our districts and $35 million from our western customers," Hinds said. "The problem is they're raising $60 million from 1.2 million customers and $35 million from 215,000."
"This is absolutely unacceptable," Hinds said. "We're going to be mobilizing around this, especially working with the Attorney General's Office, which is advocating for ratepayers. It speaks to this deep concern of inequality within the state."
Another example of this regional discrepancy exists in the final rollout of access to high-speed broadband service, which continues to lag behind the rest of the state in Western Massachusetts — including parts of Berkshire County.
"It doesn't take long to look at the internet process and how we've now gone far too long in saying, 'OK. it's all right if part of our state doesn't have the ability to keep up with the economy, let alone in the region,' "Hinds said.
Several funding options are currently being presented to Berkshire County municipalities that don't have access to high-speed broadband, but Hinds said the issue shouldn't come down to which towns can afford to pay for the service and which towns can't.
"This is critical stuff," he said.
Hinds said he was pleased with the Massachusetts Broadband Institute's decision to provide enhanced chances to those who still want internet service by providing millions of dollars that were slated for "professional services" in the form of direct grants to towns who want to build and own their own systems. But he said the MBI's gesture won't completely resolve the issue.
"We still have a problem, even in that scenario, with several towns that wouldn't be able to afford that," Hinds said. "So I think more money is needed, and I think we need to accelerate the process so we don't miss out on the construction season."
Reach Business Editor Tony Dobrowolski at (413) 496-6224.
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Our Opinion: “Eversource rates and the east-west divide”
The Berkshire Eagle, Editorial, March 8, 2017
Eversource Energy's rate hike request would be punishing for the Berkshires if approved. Beyond this specific issue, however, the request provides an example of the imbalance between Eastern and Western Massachusetts interests that penalizes the economically challenged western region.
These related issues were discussed by state Senator Adam Hinds, a Pittsfield Democrat, during an editorial board meeting at The Eagle on Tuesday (Eagle, March 8). In describing the proposed hike as "an absolute potential killer," the senator pointed out how Eversource's proposed 10 percent increase is actually weighted against Western Massachusetts.
Eversource says its will raise $60 million in rate revenue from the eastern end of the state and $35 million from the west, which on the surface appears to strike a fair balance. But as Mr. Hinds observed Tuesday, Eversource would be raising that $60 million from 1.2 million customers in the heavily populated section of the state and $35 million from just 215,000 customers in the west, which is, as the senator said, "uacceptable." Attorney General Maura Healey, who has urged the state Public Utility Commission to reject the requested hike, which if approved would begin next January, says the hike would add $11.64 to the bill of an average customer in Western Massachusetts and $8.45 to the bill of an average customer in Eastern Massachusetts.
The rollout of high-speed broadband service in the state is another example of this divide. U.S. News & World Report, in its recent ranking of states, gave Massachusetts the highest ranking for Internet service in the country, and we have no doubt that broadband connections are state-of-the-art inside the Route 128 belt. Boston and vicinity, with wealthy towns and many influential businesses and universities, have advantages the rural hill towns of Western Massachusetts that comprise much of Mr. Hinds' sprawling district do not. The senator observed that reliable broadband service is critical to the ability of these communities to build their economics and keep and attract young residents.
In urging rejection of Eversource's rate hike request, the state senator added that continued expansion of green energy is necessary in Massachusetts to lower prices by expanding the energy grid. Senator Hinds praised the Massachusetts Broadband Institute for pushing the stalled broadband expansion forward in recent months by providing more flexibility to towns in setting up their broadband systems, but he also pointed out the obvious — the state must increase funding through the MBI to small towns that can't build Internet connections without it.
Taking on the east-wide imbalance is an ongoing task for the Berkshires' legislative delegation that is at the foundation of many of the individual issues the delegation confronts (state funding for tourism is another example beyond energy costs and broadband). It's a battle for not only the region's fair share but to assure the region is not burdened with an unfair share.
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Boston: “Hinds updates contact information”
The Berkshire Eagle, March 21, 2017
BOSTON — State Sen. Adam G. Hinds, D-Pittsfield, and his team have moved into their permanent office space in the Massachusetts State House for the 2017-2018 legislative session.
His updated contact information in Boston and in the district follows:
- Boston: State House, Room 309, Boston, MA 02133; phone 617-722-1625; fax 617-722-1523.
The State House office is open Monday through Friday during normal business hours. Walk-ins are welcome to see staff; appointments are encouraged to see the senator. This office handles budget and policy matters, media inquiries and scheduling.
- Pittsfield: 100 North St., Suite 410, Pittsfield, MA 01201; phone 413-344-4561.
The Pittsfield office is open Monday through Friday during normal business hours. Walk-ins are welcome to see staff; appointments are encouraged to see the senator. This office handles casework and community matters for Berkshire County.
- Hilltowns: Commons Coworking, 16 Main St., Williamsburg, MA 01096; phone 413-768-2373.
This office is open Wednesday and Friday and staffed by the senator's Hilltown Community Liaison. Appointments are necessary. This is the primary point of contact for casework and community matters for Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden Counties.
Hinds is also available via email at Adam.Hinds@masenate.gov;
Facebook.com/SenatorAdamHinds; Twitter: @adamghinds; and Instagram: hinds.adam.
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“In Sen. Hinds forum, Cheshire poses tough questions, with few bright answers”
By Adam Shanks, ashanks@berkshireeagle.com – The Berkshire Eagle, April 24, 2017
Editor's note: This article was updated on Tuesday, April 25, 2017, to reflect that Edmund St. John IV is a candidate for the Cheshire Select Board.
CHESHIRE — Less than four months into his first term as a State Senator, Adam Hinds faced a small room of Cheshire residents dismayed with the impending closure of the town's elementary school.
He had no easy answers.
Hinds, D-Pittsfield, did not sugarcoat his response when asked about the possibility of a state bailout of the Adams-Cheshire Regional School District, which voted to close Cheshire Elementary School next year to avoid further cuts.
"I wouldn't hold your breath," Hinds said. "This is a local decision...we're not trying to second-guess what the school committee has been doing. They've had a really challenging set of circumstances."
The senator fielded questions from constituents in an informal public forum at the Cheshire Community Center on Monday as part of his "Speak Up Western Mass" tour. He's previously held events in Lanesborough, Huntington, and Williamsburg.
Though Monday's discussion mostly centered on the impending school closure — and ways to possibly avoid it — residents also asked about the long-term future of the community and how the state is working to stave off decline.
Hinds said that state leaders had looked into, if asked by the school committee and towns, what pots of money would be available to assist the district.
"The budget cycle and the budget problems that the state is in means it's even harder now for us to go there," Hinds said. "The bottom line is this crisis is underscoring the need to problem solve as a community."
Hinds said one of his priorities is the funding of Chapter 70 school aid, which Gov. Charlie Baker set at $20 per student in his proposal but the House of Representatives has increased to $30.
Ed St. John IV, an outgoing school committee member and Select Board candidate, said at first he asked why the state couldn't chip in more Chapter 70 funding. Then, he learned that "we're one of the communities that receive the highest percentage of their budget from Chapter 70 monies."
"It falls on local communities to pick up the difference," St. John said.
The senator also acknowledged that the state has failed to live up to its promise to fully reimburse regional school districts on education costs, a consistent gripe of the Adams-Cheshire School Committee as they face annual budget constraints.
"That has an implication in some districts of a few hundred thousand dollars," Hinds said.
But fixing these issues won't be simple; as the budget is taken up at the state level, it "doesn't look good."
"The decision by the school committee to close Cheshire is literally just the latest in a line that is unfortunately growing," Hinds said, noting other schools in his district that have closed or could close imminently.
Multiple residents wondered what closing the town's school means for its long-term outlook and ability to attract new residents.
"What they're saying is, `We're going to consolidate because the economy's not going to change," said Misty Sarkis. "So we're giving up."
Reach staff writer Adam Shanks at 413-496-6376 or @EagleAdamShanks
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“Senate president coming to town”
By Carrie Saldo, The Berkshire Eagle, May 19, 2017
Tag team with the Senate president
Have your voice heard by one of the three major leaders in state government.
State Sen. Adam Hinds, D- Pittsfield, is hosting Senate President Stan Rosenberg, D- Amherst. Together they will hold a series of meetings and events in downtown Pittsfield on June 2.
"We face unique challenges, alongside tremendous assets, here in the Berkshires," Hinds said in a written statement. "Bringing the Senate president here means he can see our priorities firsthand, which is part of our effort to ensure the rest of the state understands our needs."
A community forum, open to the public, is at the Berkshire Athenaeum from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
Questions, concerns, ideas and priorities will be welcomed.
"I look forward to learning more from residents about the creative economy, municipal issues, and how the Massachusetts Senate can implement policies that will help the region," Rosenberg said.
Earlier in the day, current barriers to the innovation economy will be discussed during a roundtable conversation at 1Berkshire boardroom.
Patrick Larkin, a Pittsfield resident and director of the Innovation Institute at MassTech, will lead the session.
Speaking to business leaders as well as economic development, labor and workforce development officials, he will discuss recent efforts to draw new companies to the Berkshires and to strengthen existing workforce development opportunities.
Carrie Saldo's reporting includes Pittsfield government, education and politics. Reach her at 413-496-6221 or @carriesaldo
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State Sen. Adam Hinds met with BRPC on Thursday to discuss his work and hear the commission's concerns.
“Hinds Gives BRPC Updates From the State House”
By Andy McKeever, iBerkshires Staff, May 20, 2017
LENOX, Mass. — Local organizations have great long-term plans for the future of Berkshire County. But, state Sen. Adam Hinds said the state needs to get the "fundamentals right" before that can take hold.
Hinds spoke with the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission on Thursday and reviewed the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. He said 1Berkshire also has a similar blueprint with how to revitalize the Berkshire economy. But, both plans are still two or more years away, he said.
"In the interim, we need to double down on getting high-speed internet right and double down on education," Hinds said.
The Pittsfield Democrat said population loss is straining municipal and school budgets and the county's median household income is trending well below state average. The lack of high-speed internet is making business development difficult.
"Unfortunately it is easier and easier to make the case that there is more need for investment in the western part of the state," Hinds said.
When it comes to broadband, Hinds said the Massachusetts Broadband Institute's push to bring broadband to all corners of the commonwealth only gets the county "to the starting line, not the finish line." He said the Senate has asked for a full accounting of the program and has requested town-by-town updates on a regular basis.
Once that is done, "then we can start talking about what are going to be our regional strategies."
When it comes to broadband, BRPC's Mount Washington representative Jim Lovejoy is concerned with the quality of the service. Last year, the state loosened up the requirements for a private company to provide internet. The state is now incentivizing companies like Charter to expand services.
But Lovejoy said those offered services may not be as good of quality for businesses.
"It seems we are setting our sights too low," Lovejoy said. "If we are talking about economic development we need the infrastructure."
BRPC Executive Director Nathaniel Karns said there are federal regulations in place because of the Charter's merger with Time Warner Cable to upgrade 80 percent of the "legacy systems" across the nation. But, Karns is concerned that Berkshire County could end up being part of that 20 percent that is not upgraded.
Sheffield BRPC representative Rene Wood said Charter recently pulled the Springfield news station WWLP, cutting a tie to Boston and state coverage. She said if Massachusetts is going to provide the money for a rollout, then the company should have to provide Massachusetts programming and not lump the Berkshires in with the Albany, N.Y.
Hinds said he's not happy with the decision to pull the channel either but, changing the region the county is in for television service is a federal thing. He's hoping U.S. Rep. Richard Neal will help with that.
"I'm hugely disappointed that a major tool of communicating with constituents is being torn away," Hinds said.
Another concern of Hinds is Eversource's proposed rate hike. Hinds said the last time such an increase was approved, three Berkshire mills were shut down. He believes if the rate hike is approved, it could be devastating to Western Massachusetts.
Hinds also discussed the ongoing budget. Next week the Senate will start deliberations on the Senate Ways and Means budget.
"I've pretty happy with the senate version of the budget. When it comes to education, it takes steps toward early education and the foundation budget," Hinds said.
But, the state is facing a $462 million revenue shortfall so, "this is not the budget year or the revenue year to take on major investments."
Nonetheless, increases to the foundation budget for education funding is "putting a flag in the ground and saying this is something we need to get serious about as a state."
Hinds said Massachusetts looks really good on paper in a number of ways but there is a disconnect, a disconnect he said leading to the state failure to balance a budget.
"It shouldn't come as a surprise that we can't balance the budget because our economy is out of balance," Hinds said.
He used the workforce figures as an example. On paper, the state is ahead in job growth. The same number of jobs were created from 1995 to 2000 as were from 2010 to 2015. However, the income increases for the more recent five-year period is half that of the previous period.
"Employment has shifted from higher-paying sectors to lower-paying sectors," Hinds said.
He is also calling for changes to the tax code, particularly with what's known as the Fair Share Amendment, to help generate revenue. He estimates the current tax code is missing out on $3.5 billion in revenue.
Wood raised additional concerns because a number of programs BRPC provides to rural towns had been cut in the Senate's budget — particularly the District Local Technical Aid program. Small towns rely on BRPC's technical assistance with municipal projects because many cannot afford to pay full-time staff.
"We depend on Berkshire Regional Planning Commission to have that money to help us," Wood said.
The funds for BRPC's help on such planning projects had been "zeroed out," Karns said. Meanwhile, Pittsfield City Planner CJ Hoss said the state is considering major overhauls to zoning regulations, which will require a heavy amount of work with no state funds to help pay for it.
Hinds said those funds are in negotiation currently. As for unfunded mandates like Hoss mentioned, Hinds said there is a bill under consideration that will require any such new laws be coupled with a financial study to make it clear to lawmakers the impact it will have on towns. He hopes that will help contain some of those issues.
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“Hinds' amendment to create a 'workforce alignment czar' added to state budget”
By Patricia LeBoeuf, The Berkshire Eagle, May 24, 2017
Call it a good first start.
In his maiden speech on the Senate floor on Wednesday, state Senator Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield, made a pitch for funding in the state budget to create a new position to help link businesses to workers in Western Massachusetts.
The amendment, which was adopted by voice vote, earmarks $75,000 for the Berkshire County Regional Employment Board to fund a workforce alignment czar.
The position is designed to help connect the large number of people looking for work in a region with the large numbers of available jobs.
“I hear it on both sides – the frustration of folks who say they’re not sure what jobs they could take, and the employers who come to me every day and say they’re having difficulty [filling] open positions,” Hinds told The Eagle shortly after the vote. “I’m constantly confronted with the reality that we have 1,500 to 2,000 available jobs [in Berkshire County] every single day.”
An in ability to fill jobs can also cause businesses to not pursue opportunities for expansion, he said.
“We’re talking about missed opportunities,” he said.
The czar would be an employee of the employment board, tasked with pulling together resources, working closely with the business community to understand their needs and open positions and getting that information out to the general public.
The czar also would work with the employment board to gather insight about what specific job opportunities are going unfulfilled for longer periods of time, said Heather Boulger, executive director of the Berkshire County Regional Employment Board.
Whoever fills the position would also be in touch with with community organizations to help connect job-seekers to applicable training programs and employment opportunities, Boulger said.
"This is the one person that's going to pull all the pieces together," she said.
Hinds, who was elected in November and took office in January, met with Boulger about a month ago to discuss the board's recent work.
She told him that the board had trouble connecting people in the area with jobs.
"There's just a false perception that there are no opportunities in the Berkshires," she said. "And we want to change that."
On Wednesday, over 1,800 jobs in Berkshire County were listed on one particular database — Jobquest, she said.
When people believe in a lack of opportunity in the Berkshires, they tend to leave the region “never to return” or drop out of the labor market altogether, she said.
The employment board tries to help change this mentality, but can only do so much as a small office, she said.
"Having another person will certainly help to reverse this trend," she said.
The czar will also augment the employment board's work by developing long-term relationships with employers and marketing various jobs and training programs.
"None of us have enough resources to really go out into the community to do that," she said.
The amendment is subject to potential change or removal by a six-member conference committee that negotiates the final budget.
If the amendment survives the budget process, the funding for the position would be for fiscal 2018, which begins July 1, 2017, Boulger said. The employment board plans to aggressively pursue funding opportunities to extend the position into future years.
"Once we can show success, the funding should be easier to come by," she said. "[Hinds] is providing us an opportunity to help plant [a] seed."
Reach staff writer Patricia LeBoeuf at 413-496-6247 or @BE_pleboeuf.
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“Hinds Hosts Senate President Rosenberg In Pittsfield”
By JD Allen, WAMC, June 2, 2017
Massachusetts State Senator Adam Hinds is hosting Senate President Stan Rosenberg of Amherst Friday in Pittsfield for a day of events.
The Democrats are scheduled to meet with representatives of the local creative economy, business leaders, municipal officials and residents.
A roundtable conversation at 1Berkshire Friday afternoon focuses on barriers to the Massachusetts Innovation Economy program.
They will host a community forum, open to the public, at 3:30 at the Berkshire Athenaeum. It’s part of Hinds’ Speak Up Western Mass tour.
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Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, D-Amherst, visits 1Berkshire for a roundtable conversation on the challenges to the innovation economy. State Sen. Adam Hinds, right, toured city business organizations with Rosenberg Friday. Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle.
State Senate President Stan Rosenberg visits the Berkshire Athenaeum with State Senator Adam Hinds for a public forum on Friday. Clean energy was a prime topic of concern. Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle.
“Bridging gaps in Berkshire biz strategy: Senate President Rosenberg hears about needs, challenges from area entrepreneurs”
By Tony Dobrowolski, tdobrowolski@berkshireeagle.com – The Berkshire Eagle, June 2, 2017
PITTSFIELD — Chris Kapiloff opened his briefcase, retrieved a small piece of safety glass that was pockmarked with bullet holes, and placed it in front of him on a conference table.
It was an example of the latest high-tech glass product created by the LTI Group of Pittsfield, a worldwide leader in security, architectural glass and laminates that are used in schools, embassies, prisons and by law enforcement agencies.
LTI recently sold 7,000 of these new glass panels to a police department that Kapiloff declined to name, and he wants to make more, but the company needs to expand its plant on Federico Drive in order to do so.
The high costs of doing business in the Berkshires are hampering this effort, he said. He's received several low cost offers from other states.
"This is my home here and I don't want to move," Kapiloff said. "But if I don't get help, the next 7,000 of these are going to be made someplace else. I can't do it if I have to pay three times as much for electricity."
Kapiloff's concerns were heard by state Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, who met with Berkshire business leaders at 1Berkshire on Friday to discuss challenges to the local innovation economy. It was one of several events featuring the Amherst Democrat on Friday that were hosted by state Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield.
"The innovation economy is taking off in the east," said Hinds, referring to eastern Massachusetts, where the biotech and pharmaceutical industries are booming. "We have to look at out own strategies."
Pittsfield native Patrick Larkin, the director of the Innovation Institute at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, said regions like the Berkshires need to concentrate on their "indigenous strengths" if they want to compete with the rest of the state.
"We believe every region of the country and the state has nodes of innovation," Larkin said. "The question is how do we strengthen those nodes?"
Larkin said the Berkshires must create a network with regional and national entities to better market the region's strategic assets.
"There's a lot going on in this state but because of our proximity or our lack of awareness we don't exploit it." he said.
Jeffrey Thomas, the executive director of Lever of North Adams, which leverages local assets to help create and grow Berkshire enterprises, said the most urgent needs in this region are operating capital, deal flow and investment capital.
"We're finding lots of raw talent here," Thomas said, referring to startup entrepreneurs. "There's private capital available for those interested in investing in the region, but we have to identify the opportunities."
Steven Ray, the president of the Berkshire County Board of Realtors, said a similar organization in New Bedford recently received an $80,000 grant from the National Association of Realtors to help bring an increased rail presence to that area of the state.
"We're working to see if we can partner up with that organization to see if we can get a grant like New Bedford's," Ray said.
Berkshire Community College President Ellen Kennedy said BCC has created "pipeline" partnerships with Taconic High School and the McCann Technical School in North Adams.
1Berkshire Chairman Don Dubendorf said business leaders are currently updating the 10-year-old Berkshire Blueprint, a guide to regional economic activity, that he referred to as "Blueprint 2.0."
"We will revisit the blueprint," he said. "This is not a redo."
One of the biggest problems that Berkshire businesses experience is isolation.
"We taken comfort in our silos," Dubendorf said. He said it's critical that "the right people are talking to each other at the right times.
"Whining is not politics," he said. "We do some of that out here. Because of our geography, we don't network the way we should."
Rosenberg said investments in education and transportation are needed to make the state's rural areas more competitive with the rest of the state.
"If we don't deal with transportation and education, we're not going to continue to grow," he said.
The current revenue system needs overhauling, he added.
"We have a 20th century tax system to support a 21st century economy," he added.
Rosenberg thanked those in attendance for their input.
"Thank you for giving me a sense that you have a vision for moving to the next level," Rosenberg said.
Contact Business Editor Tony Dobrowolski at 413 496-6224.
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Adam Hinds and Dan Hodge: “Reassess growth across the state”
By Adam Hinds and Dan Hodge, Op-Ed, The Berkshire Eagle, June 3, 2017
PITTSFIELD — The Massachusetts budget process demonstrates economic progress does not always create revenue for the commonwealth. Total employment is eclipsing previous highs, unemployment rates are below four percent, and per capita state GDP is strong. Yet the state's budget is difficult to balance and news stories about revenue shortfalls feel like waking up in Groundhog Day.
Balancing the budget in an imbalanced economy with limited income growth, regional disparities and outdated tax codes will always be difficult. Health care costs and other non-discretionary budget items pose central expenditure challenges that we must address. But underperforming revenue statewide and regionally also requires serious attention.
To start, job growth has not resulted in income growth. Comparing job growth between 1995 to 2000, when there was an economic boom (driven by "dot-coms"), to the five years between 2010 and 2015, is telling. Statewide job growth from 1995 to 2000 was 11.5 percent, only slightly above our job growth of 10.3 percent from 2010 to 2015.
Yet according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, from 1995 to 2000 personal income expanded by 43 percent. In stark contrast, personal income increased by just 22 percent from 2010 to 2015, about half the rate of income growth of the earlier five-year period. Put another way, the economy of today is not generating the revenue of yesterday. Too many people are not earning enough income.
Moreover, expanded personal income growth may not lead to more state revenue. Three major changes to the state tax code during the last 20 years cost the state $3.8 billion per year. That includes the ballot initiative in 2000 to lower the income tax rate from 5.85 percent to the tax rate today of 5.1 percent. While sensible for many reasons, these rate reductions dampen our revenue collections.
From a regional economic perspective, a dangerous divide has emerged. Income, education attainment, and population growth differ substantially within the state. For example, median household income in Franklin ($55,221) and Berkshire ($49,956) counties is much lower than Greater Boston counties like Middlesex ($85,118) and Norfolk ($88,262). Towns in these Western counties have far fewer adults with bachelor's degrees and face declining populations, impacting their ability to pay for schools and basic services. Disparate opportunity is unacceptable, and underperforming economic regions means lower state tax revenue.
Three actions could start to address these challenges.
First, workforce development policies and investments must remain laser-focused on creating higher-wage jobs. The strong correlation between education attainment and wages means placing more emphasis on training lower- to middle-skilled workers for the jobs of tomorrow. Economic development initiatives must generate and retain the full spectrum of jobs in every region of the state, not just recognized hotbeds of innovation like Boston's waterfront and Kendall Square.
Promising N.Y. model
Second, action-oriented strategies must address the unique "economic dampeners" that limit growth in each region. Incentives for strong regional partnerships could turn municipal competition into links that encourage mutual growth. Imagine businesses in regions with housing shortages linking with regions with affordable housing and abundant workers.
One model to incentivize regional partnerships is the Upstate Revitalization Initiative in New York that recently awarded strategic investment grants to three regions in a competitive process based on the strength of regional economic strategies and partnerships. Economic progress created by a focus on incentives for Gateway Cities should now expand and include smaller cities and rural communities. It is time to create a statewide small town agenda so that all 351 communities in Massachusetts receive the tools they need to thrive.
It also means investing in infrastructure. In Western Massachusetts, nearly 40 communities are still not served by high-speed Internet. Recent progress is positive, but the lack of high-speed Internet limits small business growth, opportunities to work from home, and new home purchases in economically depressed areas.
Transportation systems still keep portions of our state from major regional economic centers. Linking Pittsfield, Springfield, Worcester, and Boston by expanding east-west rail should be a priority. Connecting regional economic centers would also take pressure off of areas with tight housing markets as people spread across the commonwealth.
Third, a regional ballot initiative bill (S. 1551) is being considered by the Legislature. It allows regional votes to create revenue streams for local transportation projects. Throughout the country, transportation improvements (highways, bridges, transit) are partly funded by local option taxes, such as a small increase in the sales tax. It is time to create 21st century transportation infrastructure and local preference and resources can be a big part of the process.
The area we call home — Western Massachusetts — has world-class higher education institutions and arts and culture, as well as unequaled access to nature and competitive business sectors. A strategic regional approach to economic vitality will ensure equal opportunity for residents wherever they live, and help solve our structural deficit in revenue generation.
Adam Hinds is the Massachusetts state senator for the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden District. Dan Hodge is principal of Hodge Economic Consulting in Northampton and the former director of economic and public policy research at the University of Massachusetts' Donahue Institute.
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Letter: “Legislature must stop ignoring hydropower”
The Berkshire Eagle, June 23, 2017
To the editor:
Isn't it ironic that state Sens. Hinds and Pacheco toured the Blue Q business to see the commendable effort Blue Q has taken to power itself with solar PV, yet within walking distance is the company-owned former hydroelectric dam that a state agency plans to tear down at a cost of $1 million or more?
When I spoke with one of the owners some time ago he said that Blue Q investigated restoring the hydro because the dam is not structurally deficient, but the onerous and incredible financial cost for just the regulatory compliance stopped this effort. It was said that the solar installation powers the whole building. Well, hydro can do the same thing, as that is what this dam was built to do.
Later, during the Clean Energy Future Tour hearing, it was reported that Sen. Pacheco said "Your senator and I do not need to be convinced that we need to do everything we need to do to move forward on climate change as quickly as possible." Is destroying a powerful renewable asset like the Mill Street dam and other local dams "doing everything...to move forward on climate change"?
The Legislature needs to stop its energy bigotry and promote the development of all our local renewables.
Ken Egnaczak,
Cheshire
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Democrat Andrea Harrington formally launched her campaign for State Senate at the Public Market in West Stockbridge, Tuesday, March 8, 2016. Ben Garver – The Berkshire Eagle – photos.berkshireeagle.com
“Berkshire County Women's Political Caucus hopes to close political gender gap”
By Carrie Saldo, csaldo@berkshireeagle.com – The Berkshire Eagle, June 25, 2017
PITTSFIELD — Andrea Harrington felt shut out.
Despite longstanding ties to the Berkshires, Harrington said she found it difficult to gain traction in the political sphere last year when she was running for a state Senate seat.
And founders of the newly established Berkshire County Women's Political Caucus want to make sure that does not happen again.
Harrington, Barbara S. Goldberg and Amy Diamond co-founded the caucus, an affiliated chapter of the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus, which recruits and provides a range of support to candidates.
"I think a number of us were not aware, before the [2016 presidential] election, how few women were in politics and how under-represented we were as a gender," Diamond said. "We have to make sure that we have men and women who are getting mentored by the existing politicians. And putting in their pipelines just as many women as men."
While campaigning for the Democratic state Senate primary, Harrington said she quickly learned that political seats were primarily held by men.
Harrington was endorsed by the state caucus when she ran against then-candidate Adam Hinds last fall.
"I found it to be very empowering to be connected with women who really wanted to support me. But they were in Boston," she said. "I was trying to build that network here and it was just more work than I could accomplish by myself and in that amount of time."
She lost the primary and Hinds went on to win the seat representing the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden district in the state Senate.
The nonpartisan caucus works to get women elected to public office and appointed to public policy positions. It will also endorse candidates in Western Massachusetts on behalf of the statewide chapter, Harrington said.
Thus far, the caucus has met with five would-be city councilors, four in Pittsfield and one in Springfield. The endorsements will be announced later this summer.
They said the caucus also will appeal to young women to get involved in the political process and offer them support.
"If you want to intern on a campaign, we will help you," Diamond said. "If you want to work for a public policy group, we will help you. You need a pathway."
The caucus held monthly meetings during the winter but is taking a break from events for the summer. It is seeking new members, candidate or not, in the interim, Goldberg said.
The group has a fundraiser planned for Aug. 22 at The Mount.
The women, both Berkshire County transplants, said they researched a number of organizations before settling on the caucus because of its nonpartisan approach.
"The idea of gender parity in politics it is a radical idea that transcends party," Harrington said.
Diamond, a longtime Republican, now is registered as Independent; she said she avoided politics until the 2016 election.
Goldberg, also an Independent, began working with the New Jersey Women's Political Caucus when she lived there in the '90s. She was also national caucus vice president.
The women said they were frustrated by Donald Trump's win over Hillary Clinton in November, which motivated them to take action.
"They were both flawed candidates," Diamond said. "But she was so much more qualified on so many levels."
Harrington said government isn't working. She pointed to families who can no longer live comfortably on a minimum wage salary.
"That effect comes from government that is not representative of the people," she said. "It is full of this old boys club and we are getting really bad results."
She said grassroots efforts, like the caucus, can help bring parity to the system.
A retired investment banker, Diamond is a numbers person. She pointed out women hold just 19 percent of elected offices at the federal level.
"At this rate it will be 500 years before there are equal men and women," she said. "There is no reason we have to be the only developed country with so few women" in office.
Until the recent death of state Rep. Gailanne Cariddi, women held two of the five Berkshire County seats in the state Legislature. And even fewer women hold elected posts locally.
"Recruit. Train. Elect." That's the stated goal of the statewide caucus. But Diamond said she has a different idea for the Berkshire County chapter.
"Empowerment, action and results is what I would really like to see," she said. "I would like to see us get to 50 percent at every level."
Reach staff writer Carrie Saldo at 413-496-6221 or @carriesaldo
On the web …
For information about The Berkshire County Women’s Political Caucus, visit mwpc.org/berkshire-chapter
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Our Opinion: “Women's caucus will energize Berkshire politics”
The Berkshire Eagle, Editorial, June 27, 2017
Why don't more women run for local political office? The answer is far more complex that one might think. Of course, there's residual bias from a time when men did all the leading in public and private life. The way local politics are structured, "gatekeepers" comprising longtime political operatives, retired politicians, incumbents and fundraisers, still decide who will make the best candidates for local office. They just naturally think of men for the job.
In recent decades, women politicians have made some inroads into the traditionally male bastions of government. Yet, the relative numbers remain far out of balance. According to the Center for American Progress, women hold fewer than 25 percent of state legislative positions, 10 percent of governorships and 19 percent of mayoral posts in cities with populations over 30,000.
It's also about self-esteem and simply convincing women that they are as capable and suitable for a political career as men, according to Andrea Harrington, a Richmond attorney who last year lost a race for a state Senate seat to Adam Hinds. "(Women) face higher standards throughout their lives, and have lower levels of self confidence as a result," she said. "They're critiqued more." Men, she added, are more likely to think of politics as a career move, while women have to be convinced that they are worthy.
To address this discrepancy in attitudes, two months ago Ms. Harrington and two other local women, Barbara S. Goldberg and Amy Diamond, co-founded the Berkshire County Women's Political Caucus, a nonpartisan organization whose goal is to promote, support and encourage women candidates for public office (Eagle, June 25). The group already boasts approximately 40 members.
The women stress the term "nonpartisan," because the issues they want to emphasize, such as early child education, support for working families, health care, and other social topics are universal. "How do you say they belong in the women's realm?" said Ms. Goldberg. "They belong to everybody."
More women in legislative bodies, according to Ms. Harrington, would provide the diversity that leads to a better product. "Women should have a seat at the table and be decision makers, because we need their perspective on the larger issues of economic development. The economy in Berkshire County is tough, and that affects everybody. It's our number one issue, creating more and better jobs. We need them for everybody — women, men, (those of) every sexual orientation and gender."
And then there is the way women tend to approach problem solving, which is particularly useful at a time when the country is so politically fractured. "It's win-win. They work in a more collaborative style," said Ms. Goldberg.
In fact, Ms. Goldberg stressed that, far from being anti-male, the BCWPC welcomes the support of men for both their organization and the candidates they encourage to run for office. "They just can't join," she said, laughing.
Any grassroots organization that encourages greater civic involvement, regardless of its particular focus, is to be celebrated in an era when the current nature of politics has alienated so much of the electorate. The BCWPC is therefore a welcome, and needed, addition to Berkshire County's political scene.
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June 28, 2017
Is it discriminatory or sexist that the new Berkshire County Women's Political Caucus will not allow men to join their political organization?
Would it be O.K. if a new "Berkshire County Men's Political Caucus" did not allow women to join their would be political organization?
What about if their was a black, white, hispanic, asian, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, or "other" political group that did not allow any other ethnicities or religious groups to joining their new political organization?
Why are there still double standards in politics?
No one should be racist, sexist, or discriminatory anymore!
- Jonathan Melle
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“1st Berkshire District: Christine Canning is first Republican to announce run”
By Adam Shanks , ashanks@berkshireeagle.com – The Berkshire Eagle, July 23, 2017
NORTH ADAMS — The race for state representative has its first Republican candidate.
Though Christine Canning will be on the GOP ticket, Canning said she puts politics over party and has campaign support from a broad political spectrum.
"I don't care what your political beliefs are as long as you can get the job done," Canning said.
Canning operates education consulting firm New England Global Network LLC, but now has her sights set on the Statehouse.
"I really don't care about power and prestige," Canning said, describing herself as a candidate who will bring change and new blood into Berkshire County politics without being afraid to take a strong stance on an issue.
A special election will be held in November to replace former state Rep. Gailanne Cariddi, who died in June.
In her race for state Senate last year, which she lost to Sen. Adam Hinds, Canning developed a 15-point plan for economic development in Berkshire County that she will adapt to the Northern Berkshires for her 1st Berkshire District campaign.
Citing her professional experience, Canning believes she can help the Northern Berkshires by launching new programs, providing tax cuts to business owners, supporting the arts and reducing unfunded mandates on schools.
Canning hasn't always toed the party line, supporting efforts like single-payer health care, legalized recreational marijuana and staunchly defending lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights.
Where she aligns often with her party is when the government steps in to regulate an industry or sector. Canning said she is a strong proponent of the Second Amendment, which articulates the right to bear arms, and of free speech.
Canning supported legalizing recreational marijuana as an economic opportunity. Now she is warning that the Legislature could make Massachusetts less competitive by overtaxing it.
A strong supporter of the liberal arts and of workforce development, Canning wants to tap into the resources of Williams College and the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts to help facilitate and encourage the development of both in the Northern Berkshires.
Canning, who was vastly outspent in the state Senate election last year, has no plans for major efforts to raise campaign funds.
"If people donate that's great, but I'm not going to go out for it," Canning said. "I never want anyone to say they bought my vote."
And despite the disparity in campaign funds, Canning notes that she won nearly 30 percent of the vote in the Senate election.
"That shows, number one that people believe in me," Canning said.
A Lanesborough resident, Canning lives with her two children, Alex, 14, and Katherine, 16, attend Mount Greylock Regional High School.
Canning plans to launch a campaign website and Facebook page in the coming days.
Thus far, Canning is the only Republican candidate to announce a candidacy for state representative. If necessary, a primary would be scheduled on October 10.
The special election will be held on Nov. 7.
Reach staff writer Adam Shanks at 413-496-6376 or @EagleAdamShanks on Twitter
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Letter: “Cynical austerity claims are crippling schools”
The Berkshire Eagle, August 24, 2017
To the editor:
I experienced whiplash reading the "B" section of The Eagle last Sunday, August 20. On page B1, I read Clarence Fanto's column in which he described the efforts of the Berkshire County Education Task Force to chart a course for our county's schools that would be financially sustainable. On page B7, I read the article headlined "Economic boom puts pressure on housing costs." We've got schools starved for funds in Berkshire County, hospitals closing, and towns sharing equipment and services, yet the Massachusetts economic boom is driving up housing costs, especially in the eastern part of our state around Boston. What gives?
The problem here is "austerity," a political concept that's used as a rhetorical cudgel and debate-ender by politicians, civic leaders, and others who would like to see public services starved of resources so that private, profit-making entities can make their owners and shareholders rich. According to the proponents of austerity, we as a commonwealth don't have enough money or resources to do right by our children, our elderly, our disabled, or our communities. "We wish we could do better, but we can't," say the proponents of austerity. "There's not enough money."
The obvious flaw in the deeply cynical austerity argument is that there is enough money — more than enough, in fact — and Massachusetts voters know it. Charter schools are an excellent example. There's nothing wrong with Massachusetts public schools that money couldn't fix. Massachusetts voters have been overwhelmingly skeptical of expanding the misguided charter schools effort for this very reason.
Massachusetts is among the richest states in the union. The real problem here is not the lack of resources but the lack of political will to tax wealth properly and direct it toward communally beneficial ends. Our Berkshire County schools are being starved for funds because politicians refuse to properly tax our wealthiest citizens, domiciled corporations, and LLCs.
Steve Dew,
Williamstown
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Christine Canning: “Making the argument for District 1 candidacy”
The Berkshire Eagle, August 25, 2017
To the editor:
I am running for representative from the 1st Berkshire District because I believe our area can be doing better than its current state, and I am a person with the will to implement, execute and deliver that plan to help our people. In the primary, people vote for their party, but in the main election the opponent from the other side will run against me. Easily and effortlessly, we can work together as a community to make the necessary work that needs to be done come to fruition.
We need a refinement of more positive movement toward the next decades if we want to poise North County for more constant sources of revenue, gainful employment with real benefits, and financial success. Engaging our community in excellent opportunities is my goal as the next state representative. I want consistent growth, where all people regardless of political party work together to make sustainable change happen.
In terms of the process of increasing and developing our area, I want to see more qualification for HubZone, 8(a), WOSB, VBE federal dollars. I want to use my education, expertise and world-wide experience to increase the arts, academic and workplace opportunities, and to expand our agricultural areas into more profitable ventures. Again, there are alternatives to higher taxes, business without borders, and responsible governance.
We need to move past nepotism, corruption and the fronting of puppet politicians who are used by people behind the scenes to push self-serving agendas. My goal is to be an actual public servant who aggressively seeks to protect the health, welfare and safety of my constituents. I want to establish networks that connect people, take into consideration various points of view and seek to build upon the great foundations already set by my predecessor, the late Rep. Gail Carriddi.
When I am elected, the decision will allow us more representation in the Statehouse because of my minority party status. During my run for state Senate last year, my opponent made promises which haven't been implemented. That is the difference. If I say I am going to do something, come hell or high water, I don't sleep until its done. Nothing gets in my way, especially if it benefits people.
I support many bipartisan issues that protect our amendment rights, civil rights and environment. We need better education funding. We need someone who actually understands the linguistics of third readings, so that we are not denied funding through embedded phrases and loopholes. We have to attract industry, look at the future of manufacturing, support our vets and foster relationships that grow small business.
Anyone who knows me is well aware that I go the distance, even at my own expense in the name of what is the moral and ethical option that best benefits the greater good. This is what has always separated me from others who want a job in name — I am there to do what needs to be done because it's my work ethic and duty.
Christine Canning, Lanesborough
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Letter to the editor: “Cut consumers in”
The Boston Herald, August 31, 2017
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is expected to collect umpteen million in taxes from the recent Powerball jackpot of $758.7 million, given that the winning ticket was sold in Chicopee (“Everyone has advice for newly minted millionaire,” Aug. 25).
So here’s a question for our Beacon Hill legislators: May we please have a sales tax-free weekend now?
Laughter and “fat chance,” I imagine is the response — but it was worth a shot.
— Mike Rice, Wellfleet
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Christine Canning is the Republican candidate for state representative in the 1st Berkshire District. Although Canning is on the left when it comes to social issues, she said she is on the right when it comes to finances. Photo credit: Adam Shanks - The Berkshire Eagle
“For 1st Berkshire District candidate Canning, it's about 'getting these people what they need'”
By Adam Shanks , ashanks@berkshireeagle.com – The Berkshire Eagle, November 3, 2017
NORTH ADAMS — Christine Canning is the Republican candidate for state representative, but says it's not her party affiliation that's important.
"I think I'm pretty moderate. For me, it's getting the job done," Canning said.
Canning sat with Berkshire Eagle editors and reporters recently to discuss why she's running for the 1st Berkshire District seat vacated by Democrat Gailanne Cariddi, who died in June.
After running unopposed in the Republican primary, Canning moved on to face former North Adams Mayor John Barrett III in the November special election. The winner will serve the remaining year of Cariddi's term.
Canning, of Lanesborough, ran for state Senate last year and lost to Sen. Adam Hinds.
Canning said the Berkshires are rife with corruption and nepotism, among other issues.
"The health, welfare and safety of people comes first, and my track record shows it," Canning said.
On social issues, Canning said that because she is a Republican, people assume she is racist.
But she contends that she has served with the NAACP and advocated for equality in the public school system.
Canning said she has worked in developing countries and has seen what universal health care can do to help people. Her husband died of cancer while they were living overseas.
"I don't know what I would have done at the point [without insurance]. You can't be fighting with insurance companies when that happens," Canning said.
Although Canning is on the left when it comes to social issues, she said she is on the right when it comes to finances.
"I can't stand fraud," Canning said. "I have absolutely no problem taking people to task."
Canning said she wants to serve on the House's committee for technology, and she would advocate for "business without borders." She wants to get local businesses certified as Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, or DBE's, to improve their ability to receive government contracts.
She also proposed legislation that would allow towns to forgo taxing certain business, instead charging a single licensing fee.
"Let's say we take the town of North Adams or Adams. We [would] say, if you're willing to invest in Adams, we want to remove the local taxes from you. Instead, you would pay a fee," Canning said.
Canning also advocated for new workforce development programs, citing programs that are available at the New York City Public Library.
"When they talk about workforce development, a lot of the programs that are being offered now are outdated," Canning said. "We need stuff that's updated."
Canning said the area has to position itself for the future economy.
"Why are we not having workforce development on 2035, where we know robots are going to be taking over robots? We just saw that today, I think it was a large phenomenal amount that's being paid into languages for training robots. Could you imagine? They have right now people who are training robots on how to act just like you or me. With the cast of characters in this county, we could have a real diverse population of that," Canning said.
"We need to learn the dark web. If I go out, I feel like jaywalking and saying to them, what do you think about the bitcoin? That shouldn't be, because you're not globally competitive," Canning added.
At 23 years old, Canning worked for the United Arab Emirates government and worked in the Middle East for more than a decade. She is the CEO of New England Global Network LLC, an education consulting firm, and has an English degree from the University of Massachusetts and a master's degree from West Virginia University in foreign language and linguistics.
As for education, Canning advocated for sharing services between districts while still educating those with special needs at a high level.
"I would look at their budgets and I would rethink how they spend their money," Canning said. "I think you need consolidated services."
Canning believes she can draw support from both major parties, and claimed that 30 percent of her team during last year's Senate run were Democrats.
"I even had a guy from the Communist Party," Canning said. "Now I'm doing this a second time around based on my notes of what worked and what didn't work."
Canning said she does not accept "financial endorsements" and will not allow her vote to be bought.
Instead, she said she's reaching out directly to voters to see what they need.
"It's about working bipartisan and getting these people what they need," Canning said.
Reach staff writer Adam Shanks at 413-496-6376 or @EagleAdamShanks on Twitter
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Adam Hinds: “A new social contract on public safety”
By Adam Hinds, op-ed, The Berkshire Eagle, November 17, 2017
PITTSFIELD — The Massachusetts Senate recently passed a comprehensive criminal justice reform bill. It aims to improve public safety while reducing the size and cost of the prison system. More importantly, the bill is an opportunity for a new social contract related to public safety.
I started a program working with youth at risk of gang violence in Pittsfield in 2014. At times in that effort law enforcement and communities impacted by crime and poverty worked closely to address the problem. In other moments dangerous gaps emerged. Understanding that divide — and finding ways to close it — is critical for our Commonwealth and the country.
Everyone agreed the criminal justice system needed help. Three-quarters of people going to jail have already been there and a majority experience behavioral and mental health issues. Both sides agreed drugs were destroying neighborhoods and police presence can create space for kids to be kids. Common concern focused on generational poverty and the limited hope that made crime more appealing.
Yet the program revealed disparities in perspective. Community members felt others lacked appreciation for the fact that government policies exacerbated poverty in communities of color. Decades of federal policies kept African-American families from accessing federal mortgages and black business owners from loans. It was difficult to get recognition of the direct link between the challenges faced today in neighborhoods with high crime rates and the generations without wealth transfers, de facto segregation in schools, and a war on drugs that disrupted families.
At the same time, police felt others did not appreciate the massive increase in guns encountered on the street and youth willing to use them. They have watched social problems expand and aggressively confront them. They are on the front lines confronting an addiction epidemic and the implications of poverty, and wonder why they are expected to solve all those problems. Theirs is an admirable profession — guardians of the community — but just getting home safely to their families feels harder and harder each day.
Bargain not met
A new social contract is required. The classic social contract is a trade-off: an individual gives up certain freedoms in exchange for the state protecting the rest. You don't commit crimes and your freedom, safety and opportunity are guaranteed.
But we have not upheld this bargain for either side. Instead safety and opportunity too often depend on circumstance. Crime is concentrated geographically. The wealth of parents determines life long earnings and education attainment. Addiction and mental health interventions lag behind.
Genuine public safety will be achieved when all sides come together to understand and address underlying drivers of crime and work together to stop serious criminals. There are four ways to do this in the criminal justice system.
First, signal the war on drugs as we knew it is over. Repealing mandatory minimum sentences for low-level drug offenses is a key first step. The Senate bill moves away from trying to arrest our way out of addiction and tries to move low-level sellers out of the drug economy. It gets individuals help to confront addiction or on the path to opportunity, while allowing for individualized justice based on the discretion of the judge.
Second, end the war on people experiencing poverty. The Senate bill works to reduce the long-term entanglement in the criminal justice system because you can't pay. It eases or eliminates things like parole and counsel fees, allows more fines to be worked off, and limits use of incarceration to collect fees and fines. The bill creates a trust fund that invests money saved through reform into neighborhoods disproportionately impacted by crime and the war on drugs.
Third, don't make an encounter with the criminal justice system a life sentence. For example, this bill allows juveniles to seal records within one year and expunge misdemeanors all together. It increases opportunities for housing and employment by limiting CORI access. It expands use of diversion so treatment or services get to those in need. The system should not keep people from getting on their feet; that is exactly what we want them to do.
In exchange, fourth, it means remaining focused on fighting serious criminals. Law enforcement has sought stronger penalties on solicitation of murder, intimidation of witnesses, and other tools. These are also included in the bill.
Opponents will say this sounds like being soft on crime. But in fact "red states" are taking the lead on repealing mandatory minimums and bail reform in an effort to cut costs. Most police confirm the best approach to crime and prevention is socioeconomic, or a focus on mental health and ensuring individuals get support putting their life together after jail.
The House passed meaningful criminal justice reform bill this week, and the two chambers will now work to craft a final bill. This is a once in a generation opportunity to build the most effective criminal justice system possible. What is required now is thoughtful policy changes, strong partnerships between law enforcement and communities, and leadership throughout the Commonwealth.
Adam Hinds, a Pittsfield Democrat, is state senator for the Berkshires and Western Massachusetts. This column first ran in Commonwealth Magazine.
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Letter: “Where is compromise on museum plan?”
The Berkshire Eagle, November 26, 2017
To the editor:
State Senator Adam Hinds' offer to play a role in ending the dispute between the trustees of the Berkshire Museum and the opponents of the art auction seems both naive and self-serving (Eagle, Nov. 22.) What would a "compromise" look like? That the museum could sell some of the 40 works of art, but not all of them? That Executive Director Van Shields should be forced to resign, as he was in South Carolina, along with Jeff Noble, the board member who is being investigated by the attorney general for conflict of interest (Eagle Nov. 19) but that the other board members can keep their seats? And that some of the parties who filed suit to prevent the sale should also be invited to serve on the board?
What would be more interesting than watching Hinds spin his wheels would be to have state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, who sides with the Berkshire Museum board, debate another politician who sides with the plaintiffs in this case. Meanwhile, my thanks go to the attorney ceneral for weighing in on this affair. She did the right thing!
Michel Paul Richard, New Marlborough
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Letter: “Museum board should accept Hinds’ overture”
The Berkshire Eagle, December 7, 2017
To the editor:
I am down on my knees begging the Berkshire Museum leaders and board of trustees to accept state Senator Adam Hinds’ offer to help oversee a coming together of both sides of the Berkshire Museum mess.
Let’s begin an attempt to hammer out a path forward. We all treasure the museum, we all want the best for the children of this county, we all value both art and science. Even with our differences, even with the venom spewed, we have enough in common to begin to talk.
Finally and thankfully, a politician has stepped forward and offered to help resolve this sorry situation. Speaking for those who oppose the “new vision” and possible art sale, we stand ready. Join us in the sunlight and let’s proceed.
The 100th anniversary of Zenas Crane’s death is December 17. Let’s honor the founder of the museum we all cherish and start talking that day.
Karen Chase, Lenox
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“Hinds appointed to Senate Committee of Ways & Means”
By Haven Orecchio-Egresitz, The Berkshire Eagle, January 24, 2018
BOSTON — On the same day that Gov. Charlie Baker's 2019 budget proposal was released, state Sen. Adam G. Hinds was appointed to the very Senate committee that will allow him to weigh in on state spending.
Acting Senate President Harriette L. Chandler on Wednesday appointed Hinds, D-Pittsfield, to the prominent Senate Committee of Ways & Means, announcing her decision during the Democratic Caucus at the Statehouse.
While the appointment took Hinds by surprise, he said he is looking forward to the opportunity to be "an even louder voice" representing Western Massachusetts.
"The big news, of course, is the budget process for this year," Hinds said shortly after the governor's budget proposal arrived at his office. "It's a very timely appointment."
The Senate Committee on Ways & Means reviews all matters relating to the state's finances, including the drafting of the Senate budget.
The committee also is the last stop for all bills and proposals before they are debated on the Senate floor. Hinds is filling a seat left vacant by former state Sen.Thomas McGee, who was elected as mayor of Lynn in November.
"I am honored to appoint Senator Adam Hinds to the Committee on Ways & Means. He will make a great addition to the Ways and Means team," Chandler said in a prepared statement. "He has impressed me with his dedication and hard work, and I think that it is especially important that he brings even more western Massachusetts representation to the Committee."
"It was an honor to be considered," Hinds told The Eagle.
Budget items instrumental to the success of Western Massachusetts include infrastructure like internet and transportation, workforce development and education, according to Hinds.
"I talk about it as a three-legged stool," Hinds said. "There's a lot of work to be done on the opioid epidemic as well."
Hinds said he will ensure that the small, rural communities of Western Massachusetts are represented during Ways and Means deliberations.
The committee is led by Chairwoman Karen Spilka, D-Ashland.
"Senator Hinds is a smart, passionate, effective advocate who has already had a significant impact on the Senate in his first term," she said in a prepared statement. "Whether he is fighting for issues important to his region or engaging young people in local and state government, Adam brings creativity, energy, and openness to his work in the Senate. I look forward to having his voice — another strong voice from western Massachusetts — at the table as we undergo the very vital process of crafting a budget for the Commonwealth."
The House and Senate Committees on Ways & Means will convene for a series of budget hearings across the state as the two committees prepare for their own deliberations. The committees each typically hold budget debates in the spring, with the new fiscal year beginning July 1.
Hinds joins fellow Western Massachusetts Sens. James T. Welch, D-West Springfield, and Donald F. Humason Jr., R-Westfield, on the committee.
Haven Orecchio-Egresitz can be reached at horecchio@berkshireeagle.com, @HavenEagle on Twitter and 413-770-6977.
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Andrea Harrington
“Attorney, former Senate candidate to challenge new Berkshire DA”
By Bob Dunn, The Berkshire Eagle, March 20, 2018
PITTSFIELD — Less than a week after Berkshire County's new district attorney was sworn in, he has a potential challenger.
Andrea Harrington, an attorney and former state Senate candidate, on Tuesday announced her decision to take on Berkshire District Attorney Paul Caccaviello in the Democratic primary.
"I'm excited to announce my candidacy for Berkshire County District Attorney," Harrington said in prepared remarks. "I want to bring a fresh approach to the DA's office focused on real solutions to combating the opioid epidemic, preventing crime through effective social programs and community engagement, and focusing on recovery and reentry services to reduce recidivism."
Harrington said she pulled nomination papers from the Secretary of State's Office in Springfield on Tuesday morning. Her campaign will officially kick off in the coming weeks.
Former Berkshire District Attorney David F. Capeless announced March 1 his intention to retire after 14 years in the post, and said Caccaviello, the first assistant district attorney, would be appointed to replace him March 15. That drew criticism from some, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, which felt that the move gives him a leg up on any potential opponents in the upcoming election.
Harrington's statement called the transition "controversial," describing Caccaviello as a political ally of Capeless.
She said she wants to prioritize treatment over incarceration for nonviolent drug offenders and increase access to treatment beds for those trying to recover from addiction.
"Every day, countless Berkshire residents are working to fight this public health crisis, but we need leadership in the District Attorney's Office that supports the work of our first responders and public health workers," Harrington said.
"Through my work as an attorney, I have seen the effectiveness of drug courts, and I support their expansion in the region," she said. "I've seen how critical youth outreach and educational programs are for crime prevention. And through my advocacy work here in our communities, I know that investing in effective programming will make our cities and towns safer and healthier places to live.
"This campaign is about keeping our communities safe through an effective approach to prevention and rehabilitation," she said.
Harrington is an attorney at Connor & Morneau LLP and has been practicing law for more than 15 years.
She grew up in Richmond, where she and her husband, Tim, are raising their two sons.
She has been actively involved in the region, serving as a member of her local Affordable Housing Committee, School Council and as an advisory board member of the regional nonprofit BerkShares Inc.
Harrington is a graduate of Taconic High School in Pittsfield, the University of Washington and American University's Washington College of Law.
She is a Richmond School Committee member and co-founder of the Berkshire Committee of the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus. Harrington also is a member of the Berkshire Bar Association and Hampden County Bar Association, and has extensive experience in criminal law and civil litigation.
In 2016, Harrington ran an unsuccessful bid for the state Senate seat previously held by Benjamin B. Downing, who did not seek re-election. She lost in the primary to Adam Hinds, who went on to win the seat.
The state primary is scheduled for Sept. 4; the general election will be held Nov. 6.
Bob Dunn can be reached at bdunn@berkshireeagle.com, at @BobDunn413 on Twitter and 413-496-6249.
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Adam Hinds: “Jump on board the Berkshire Flyer”
By Adam Hinds, op-ed, The Berkshire Eagle, April 1, 2018
PITTSFIELD — Connecting Berkshire County to New York City by passenger rail would spur the economy and start to reverse population decline. While the benefits have been clear for years, implementation has been a challenge. Yet, last week a Working Group led by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) determined a test run service connecting the Berkshires to New York by train, dubbed the Berkshire Flyer, could start in 2019 or 2020.
To date, the biggest barrier to reestablishing such service has been expensive track construction or upgrades, leading to lengthy timelines. To overcome both, I filed an amendment in last year's budget forming a Working Group to explore the feasibility of using existing passenger rail from New York, entering Berkshire County from the west. The report is in, and the results are promising.
Best option clear
First, the Berkshire Flyer route requires no new capital infrastructure investments. The proposed route utilizes tracks currently used by Amtrak for passenger rail and uses existing service from New York City to Albany/ Rensselaer station before continuing on to Berkshire County. The service would be a "one seat" ride that could take 3 hours and 50 minutes, with amenities like Wi-Fi internet and food/drink service.
The Working Group considered many possibilities, including building a short connecting track of 3,000 feet between the Pittsfield line and existing rail south Albany to reduce mileage. But terrain made this challenging: it added at least $17 million to construction costs due to geography, and would only save 20 minutes of travel time. An express train from New York City to Albany and Pittsfield was also explored. But that was complicated by scheduling with other trains on the track and a costly new train set.
Second, Amtrak indicates operating costs of the service would be $235,000, after factoring in $185,000 in revenue from ticket sales. This estimate is for the seasonal weekend pilot service operating 20 weeks per year, from the Memorial Day holiday weekend until Columbus Day. The proposed service includes one train from New York City to the Berkshires on Friday afternoon, returning to the city on Sunday evening. A public-private partnership could be envisioned to cover operational costs of the pilot.
Third, the track travels through West Stockbridge, where I envision adding a Berkshire Flyer stop in the long-term — critical for South County accessibility. Some hope MassDOT will resuscitate a stalled proposal to restore passenger service along the Housatonic Line, which travels through Connecticut to New York. That project is on hold due to Connecticut's current lack of interest and a large price tag for necessary capital upgrades. Interestingly, the southernmost station identified in that proposal is located in Great Barrington — only 10 miles, or 15 minutes, from the future West Stockbridge stop on the Berkshire Flyer route.
It is true that even with a West Stockbridge stop residents of the four or five southernmost towns in Berkshire County may choose to drive to Wassaic, New York to ride Metro North into New York City. But the Berkshire Flyer Working Group found that 70 percent of the 4,100 people living in metropolitan New York with second homes in the Berkshires live from Great Barrington north in the county.
Tourists are another target for use of the service, particularly those without cars. There are nearly 600,000 households in Manhattan alone without a vehicle. They are most likely to travel where a car is not required, and the option to land in Berkshire County improves the attractiveness of the county.
Wassaic has limited transportation options for this group. A key next step for advancing the Berkshire Flyer service is establishing local transportation options for people getting off the train in the Berkshires. Enhancing nearby rental car options, on demand services like Uber and Lyft, courtesy shuttles provided by hotels and attractions, and the BRTA are all envisioned as viable and attractive transportation solutions for these travelers.
We should continue to explore an agreement with Connecticut to reinvest in the Housatonic Line and identify efficient transportation options to and from Wassaic, such as regular buses. But our task is to identify rail transportation options deemed affordable in regional capitals, beneficial throughout the county, and timely in implementation. The Housatonic Line to NYC and the Berkshire Flyer both take nearly four hours. However the Flyer requires no capital costs and could start running next summer. The Housatonic Line faces an unknown timeframe with MassDOT estimating required track upgrades as high as $200 million in Connecticut and $100 million in Massachusetts, as well as the purchase of new rail cars and locomotives.
Come long way fast
Ten months ago the Berkshire Flyer was an idea. In less than one year we have secured legislative endorsement, the approval of the governor, convened a Working Group and determined the concept to be feasible and beneficial to the regional economy. I have only been in the Senate for 15 months, but I have learned government bureaucracy isn't designed to move quickly. To come so far so fast means this initiative clearly resonates.
I view the Berkshire Flyer's seasonal weekend service as a first step on the path to daily year round coverage that would bring even more economic benefits to the Berkshires. But first, we need your help to demonstrate demand for the service and support for further growth.
Sen. Adam G. Hinds represents 52 Massachusetts communities in the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden District. He is Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts & Cultural Development, vice-chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development & Emerging Technologies and a member of the Senate Committee on Ways & Means.
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“Hinds' push for more money for rural Berkshires education gains traction”
By Haven Orecchio-Egresitz, The Berkshire Eagle, May 24, 2018
BOSTON — The state Senate on Wednesday passed a budget amendment that, if finalized, would allocate $1.5 million in aid to rural schools in fiscal year 2019, including to nine Berkshire County districts.
Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield, proposed the amendment, with the support of other legislators, in response to concern about the fiscal conditions of schools in rural areas like Western Massachusetts.
"The thing that's really noteworthy is that this is a brand new line item [and] it's not taking out of the existing education budget," Hinds told The Eagle in a phone interview Thursday.
Hinds began work on the amendment soon after being sworn in last year, first securing a mandate in the fiscal year 2018 budget directing the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to conduct a feasibility study relative to establishing a formula for aid to be distributed to rural school districts.
That report, which was filed in January and identifies rural districts as those with fewer than 21 students per square mile, found that, over the past 10 years, enrollment declined in rural districts while it remained flat, on average, across the rest of the state.
In addition, rural districts employ more teachers and paraprofessionals per 100 students than other districts, and average per-pupil costs grew more quickly in rural districts, because of declining enrollment and rising costs, according to the report.
Rural districts spend $18,678 per in-district student, up from $14,224 in fiscal year 2008, compared with $16,692 in nonrural districts, up from $13,138, according to the report.
Hinds worked with school officials to craft the amendment, which, if finalized in the budget, would make school districts with fewer than 10 students living per square mile eligible to receive an additional $100 in Rural School Aid per student in the coming fiscal year.
A total of 34 districts across the state would be eligible for the aid in fiscal year 2019, with $372,900 available for Berkshire County schools.
Hinds hopes to expand the rural school aid program in the future.
If the program is funded at $3 million, 22 additional school districts that have 10 to 20 students per square mile would be eligible to receive an additional $75 per student, according to a statement from Hinds' office.
The proposal is not in the House budget, so if it were to be finalized, it would need to be part of a conference committee budget agreement, Hinds said.
"We have to focus on the conference committee," he said.
Michael A. Buoniconti, superintendent at Mohawk Trail Regional School District and Hawlemont Regional School District in Franklin County, was the at the forefront of advocating for rural school aid, Hinds said.
In 2016, after years of facing challenges of declining enrollment and increasing expenses, Buoniconti formed the Massachusetts Rural School Coalition.
The group of superintendents, mostly from Central and Western Massachusetts, meets regularly, with the goal of achieving two things: establishing rural school aid and creating a way to share services between districts in order to operate more efficiently, he said.
Their proposal for rural school aid has framed the detail for the budget amendment, Buoniconti said Thursday.
"We realized we couldn't fix ourselves," he said of the rural school districts.
Southern Berkshire Regional School District Superintendent Beth Regulbuto said that she is grateful that the "rural factor" is being acknowledged at the state level. Her district would be eligible for about $72,500 in aid, according to Hinds' office.
In addition to declining enrollment, the cost of resources, like professional development, is more expensive for rural schools.
"Everything is that much more for people to come out here and provide those services," she said.
Rural school aid would allow districts in these areas to put more money into the actual education of their students, she said.
Mohawk Trail Regional School District would be eligible for $95,000 to $100,000 a year, according to Buoniconti.
"It doesn't save the day for us, but we're trying to be realistic about this, and it's definitely a step in the right direction," he said. "In the end, what we're trying to accomplish here is equity for rural students. That equity, right now, does not exist."
Haven Orecchio-Egresitz can be reached at horecchio@berkshireeagle.com, @HavenEagle on Twitter and 413-770-6977.
At a glance
Berkshire schools that would be eligible for Rural School Aid:
Central Berkshire Regional: $162,000
Farmington River Regional: $11,400
Florida: $8,100
Hancock: $3,600
Lanesborough: $20,600
Mount Greylock Regional: $56,200
Savoy: $4,900
Southern Berkshire Regional: $72,500
Williamstown: $45,000
Aid amounts are estimated based on total students enrolled in the 2016-17 school year
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Thomas Wickham
“Wickham to challenge Hinds in Democratic primary for state senator”
By Dick Lindsay, The Berkshire Eagle, June 19, 2018
LEE — Berkshire County voters will have another race to settle after Labor Day.
Lee Selectman Thomas Wickham is challenging Berkshires state Sen. Adam Hinds for a senatorial district the size of Rhode Island.
Wickham will square off against the incumbent in the Sept. 4 Democratic primary. The winner, in essence, will win the seat, since Republicans haven't fielded a candidate for the general election Nov. 6.
The Berkshire District Attorney's contest is the other local winner-take-all primary, as three Democrats are vying to be the county's top lawmaker: interim Berkshire District Attorney Paul Caccaviello, Judith Knight and Andrea Harrington. The district attorney race also lacks Republican opposition in November.
Hinds succeed Benjamin B. Downing in 2016 by winning a three-way race for the Democratic nomination and defeating Republican Christine Canning in the general election.
Wickham is late to the campaign, telling The Eagle on Tuesday that he waited until after the Lee annual town meeting and other municipal business was completed before announcing his candidacy. He met the May 1 deadline for submitting signatures for certification to get on the Sept. 4 ballot.
"I felt a responsibility to the people of Lee. We had a lot of important issues, such as passing a marijuana zoning bylaw," he said.
Wickham admits that defeating a popular incumbent isn't easy.
"I see a definite challenge in unseating him, but I have the municipal experience to bring to the Senate," he noted. "I'm a little more conservative than progressive, but will listen to everybody."
The Lee native/businessman, a self-employed carpenter, has been a selectman for five years; 10 years and current chairman of the Lee Planning Board; chairman of the Lee Energy Efficiency Committee, and nine years representing Lee on the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission.
In his first two-year term, Hinds built an impressive legislative resume serving a 52-community district that includes all of Berkshire and parts of Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties. The Buckland native serves on several legislative panels, including the powerful Senate Ways and Means Committee, which helps shape the commonwealth's annual budget. Also, he co-chairs the Senate Rural Caucus, in an effort to ensure that Western Massachusetts voters are well-represented on Beacon Hill.
Hinds, in collaboration with the Berkshires' four state representatives, has been working to restore two Massachusetts television stations to Berkshires cable subscribers of Spectrum, a subsidiary of Charter Communications.
Nevertheless, Wickham believes his decade-long town government experience and working relationship with state and federal lawmakers representing the Berkshires is a foundation to becoming state senator.
Wickham's campaign platform is focusing on working toward bring Canadian hydroelectric power to Massachusetts, lessening the dependence on fossil fuels.
"Bringing in hydro power will open up the capacity of existing natural gas pipelines and no need to build new ones," he said.
In an effort to boost funding for repairing a crumbling infrastructure, Wickham supports a 5 percent local gasoline tax to help cities and towns fix secondary roads.
"It taxes everybody, not just property owners," he noted.
In communities with very few gas stations to tax, Wickham would help develop a funding measure for those municipalities.
If elected, Wickham would work toward fostering more shared services opportunities between cities and towns, an area in which Lee has excelled. Lee has a joint town administrator/manager and building commissioner with Lenox. The two school districts also share a food service director who has both cafeteria programs self-sufficient.
Lee also is part of the county's first shared service entity, the Tri-Town Health Department, formed 90 years ago and which covers Lee, Lenox and Stockbridge.
Dick Lindsay can be reached at rlindsay@berkshireeagle.com and 413-496-6233.
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Andrea Harrington, left, Judith Knight and Paul Caccaviello are the three Democratic candidates for Berkshire District Attorney. Caccaviello was appointed interim district attorney after the retirement of David Capeless. Eagle file photos
“Primary to select Democratic candidate for district attorney”
By Haven Orecchio-Egresitz, The Berkshire Eagle, July 21, 2018
Berkshire County residents registered as Democrats or unenrolled can vote in a Sept. 4 primary for one of three candidates running for the office of Berkshire district attorney.
David Capeless, who served as district attorney since 2004, retired in March and Paul Caccaviello, the first assistant district attorney under Capeless, was appointed to fill his seat.
Barring a successful Republican write-in campaign in November, the primary will determine the contest in Berkshire County.
People registered as Republicans have until Aug. 15 to change their party affiliation to Democrat or unenrolled for an opportunity to participate in the primary.
Campaign finance reports for each candidate can be viewed on the Office of Campaign and Political Finance website: www.ocpf.us/Filers/Index
Paul J. Caccaviello, 53, of Pittsfield
The candidate: Caccaviello, a native of Pittsfield, has spent his entire legal career in the Berkshire District Attorney's Office since graduating from the Western New England School of Law in 1989.
Caccaviello started out assigned to cases in the district courts, then moved to a Superior Court assignment in 1996, serving there through 2004, when he was appointed first assistant district attorney. When Capeless retired in March, Caccaviello was appointed to take his seat.
Stated plans for the office: Expansion of the community outreach and education unit; permanent assignment of prosecutor and advocate to all domestic violence cases from start to finish; complete development of the office's hate crime programming and training; vigilant prosecution of cases where narcotics and firearms intersect.
Andrea Harrington, 43, of Richmond
The candidate: Harrington, a graduate of the American University Washington College of Law, has been an attorney for 15 years, including post-conviction work with individuals on death row in Florida, and appellate and defense work in district and juvenile court in Western Massachusetts. She is "of counsel" at Connor & Morneau LLP, a firm that concentrates on labor, workforce and consumer law, in Springfield.
In 2016, Harrington ran for the state Senate seat previously held by Benjamin B. Downing, but lost in the primary to the eventual winner, state Sen. Adam Hinds.
Stated plans for the office: Launch high-risk domestic violence task force; create District Attorney's Office advisory board; nonviolent offender diversion program for new offenders; bring veterans' court to the county.
Judith Knight, 57, of Lee
The candidate: Since Knight graduated from the Washington and Lee University School of Law in Virginia in 1987, she has garnered more than 30 years of experience as a defense attorney, prosecutor, legal mediator and adjunct law professor. For the past 12 years, Knight has been in private practice in Great Barrington. In 2006, she ran for the district attorney seat on a progressive platform against Capeless. After the death of Jo Ann Fitzpatrick Brown, Knight managed Blantyre in Stockbridge for two years, until new owners purchased the property.
Stated plans for the office: Allocate forfeiture money toward the development of a youth center in Pittsfield and opioid treatment facilities; create a "restorative justice" program to introduce consenting victims and defendants as part of sentencing; use diversion programs for nonviolent offenders; permanent assignment of prosecutor and advocate to all domestic violence cases from start to finish.
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“The `noble idea': Inside the job of district attorney”
By Haven Orecchio-Egresitz, The Berkshire Eagle, July 21, 2018
Pittsfield — In six weeks and three days, Berkshire County voters will shape the race for the next district attorney, a powerful office that often goes uncontested.
Despite their significance, these races can fly below the radar. Legal experts acknowledge that the job is not well understood by the public.
For the justice system to work, voters need to understand the stakes, said Daniel Medwed, Northeastern University's Distinguished Professor of Law and Criminal Justice.
"Forty-five states elect their chief prosecutor. It reflects this populist idea from the Jacksonian era," Medwed said. "It's kind of a noble idea. The problem is, if people aren't paying attention, there is really no accountability."
Until Sept. 4, three Democratic candidates will try to draw voter attention from summer pursuits and push their own merits, hoping to be the lone campaigner able to cruise to a November win.
The Berkshire district attorney's race is one of six contests for that position this year in Massachusetts. The outcomes of those races will play a significant role, experts suggest, in how the criminal justice system serves the public.
As in most states, Massachusetts district attorneys hold elected positions. That makes them accountable to voters. Once elected, though, a majority of the district attorney's decisions, as the top law enforcement official in their jurisdiction, are made behind closed doors.
Campaigns like the one underway in Berkshire County give voters a chance to scrutinize the candidates' trial experience, management skills and intended policies.
Overall, the most important qualifications for a district attorney are a commitment to justice, high ethical standards, and the ability to marshal and lead staff, according to a range of legal experts.
"They have to have good judgment," Judge Francis X. Spina, a Pittsfield native who retired from the Supreme Judicial Court in 2016, said of district attorneys. "You have to know how to allocate your resources."
A district attorney is not only a litigator who takes the lead role in reviewing criminal charges, overseeing bail requests and assisting prosecutors with trials in his or her jurisdiction. This also is an administrative position responsible for managing dozens of employees.
"The county district attorneys are arguably the most powerful players in our legal system," Medwed said from his home in New Marlborough. "They decide who to charge with crimes, what crimes and whether to offer plea bargains at all."
The power
The district attorney has complete prosecutorial discretion over criminal cases from the moment an arrest is made, and sometimes sooner.
Justice comes across this desk — and that's, in part, why the job pays $171,561 a year.
"I think it's important for the public to understand that in the criminal justice system, it's the DA office that decides what charges are going to be brought, and then at the end of the case, the prosecutor recommends sentencing or the punishment," said Wendy Kaplan, clinical professor of law at Boston University.
"Lots of people think, really, it's the judge that calls all the shots, but realistically, it's the DA," Kaplan said.
While police officers file charges against a defendant at the time of arrest, prosecutors have the ability to alter them in court, based on the evidence and allegations.
Every day, a district attorney uses discretion in handling cases, making decisions that have an immediate impact on people coming before judges.
Because of the high volumes of cases in the district court, it is uncommon for a district attorney to alter charges filed by police at that level. But at the Superior Court level, where sentences can result in committed time exceeding 2 years, the chief prosecutor will sign off on charges presented to a grand jury for indictment, according to David Rossman, director of criminal law clinical programs at the Boston University School of Law.
Some district attorneys will seek the highest possible charge based on probable cause. Others will choose not to pursue cases they feel are not likely to result in a conviction, according to Spina, who served as an assistant district attorney under [Anthony] Ruberto when the office was created in 1979.
A "good" district attorney is not always going to charge defendants with the most serious offense at their discretion, but will make decisions based on the merits of each case, Rossman said.
"Having a DA be someone with sound judgment is a really important thing," Rossman said. "You want someone with the highest commitment to justice. You want, at least, for the candidate to make a commitment to hire people who have more dedication to the ideal of justice than to winning."
Bail requests, pleas
Choices that a district attorney makes can affect a defendant's freedom, even before a case is resolved.
While a judge determines the amount of bail that a defendant is held on, if any, it is the prosecution that makes the request; it is uncommon for a judge to set a bail figure higher than that request.
"The correct legal standard is: Are they likely to show up for court?" Spina asked. "It's not dangerousness. Dangerousness is a separate statute."
If a prosecutor feels that a defendant is a danger to themselves or the public, he or she can make a request to a judge for the individual to be held without bail through a dangerousness hearing.
But otherwise, bail is requested to give the individuals an incentive not to miss their next court hearing.
When examining candidates for the office, Rossman is interested in policies they might have for bail requests.
"Are they going to ask for bail from people who are unlikely to get a jail sentence?" Rossman asked.
Most cases never make it to trial. A district attorney calls the tune in plea deals.
More than 95 percent of criminal cases result in a guilty plea before going to trial, and the severity of the charges read at arraignment play a big role in what the ultimate sentence will be, Rossman said.
"And virtually all guilty pleas are the result of plea bargains," he said.
To resolve matters before trial, the prosecution and the defense have the opportunity to suggest a plea bargain, in which the defendant will accept guilt for some charges, possibly less serious than what initially were filed, in exchange for the dismissal of others.
Sentencing issue
Rasaan Hall, director of the Racial Justice Program for the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, suggests that voters consider how candidates for the office of district attorney view mandatory minimum sentences.
Hall is pushing a statewide campaign to increase public awareness about the responsibilities and tools at the discretion of a district attorney. The goal is to empower residents to better assess candidates in their districts.
If convicted of a crime with a mandatory minimum, a defendant can't be sentenced to anything less than that term. As a result, people tend to plead guilty to lesser charges to avoid the possibility of a lengthy commitment to jail or prison.
While some prosecutors might opt to file charges with a mandatory minimum sentence at every opportunity, to induce defendants to take a plea bargain before trial, others will avoid them outside of extreme circumstances, Hall said.
District attorneys might even opt to use criminal charges that come with mandatory minimums as "sentence enhancers," even when they aren't relevant to the allegations of the crime, said Hall, a former Suffolk County prosecutor.
For example, Hall said, some prosecutors have tended to file "drug distribution in a school zone" charges just because drugs were found in a car that was stopped by police in the vicinity of a school, even if there was no evidence suggesting that the defendant planned to sell to minors.
Similarly, charges of drug trafficking, which imply large-scale drug dealing, can be filed when the quantity of a controlled substance exceeds 18 grams, Hall said.
"That's the equivalent of 4 sugar packets," Hall said.
Instead of pursuing trafficking charges for every case that meets the 18-gram minimum, district attorneys might opt to file drug-distribution charges for the same quantity when the drugs were realistically being sold on the street level, Hall said.
While the criminal justice law that Gov. Charlie Baker signed in April eliminated mandatory sentences for some nonviolent drug-distribution charges, and limited the use of school zone charges, other such minimum sentences remain.
Ultimately, because of differences in the prosecutorial styles of district attorneys, criminal cases with similar allegations can end up resulting in vastly different resolutions, experts say.
The paperwork
Outside of litigation and overseeing state police detective units assigned to his or her office, a large component to the job of district attorney is administrative.
The Berkshire District Attorney's Office has a $6 million annual budget, about 80 percent of which pays salaries of more than 50 employees along with rent of their office space, according to interim Berkshire District Attorney Paul Caccaviello, who is a candidate in this year's race.
Those positions include attorneys, support staff, information technology specialists, victim/witness advocates, and people who run community outreach and education programs.
Spina, the former SJC justice, suggests that managerial acumen is a key qualification.
"Have they ever managed an office? Have they implemented administrative procedures for the official handling of anything?" Spina asked. "Do they manage people well? How do they hold their staff accountable for the work they do?"
Kaplan said that one of the biggest responsibilities for a district attorney is "supervision of your troops."
"There is a big management component," Kaplan said. "It seems to me that the DA sets the policy, but it's someone else in the office who puts the policy in the office."
It is not uncommon for young lawyers to take their first jobs after passing the bar exam in a district attorney's office. The usual job trajectory is to start new assistant district attorneys in the district court rotation, Kaplan said.
"What, to me, has always been a little disappointing is that in many cases, the least experienced ADAs are thrown into the district court," Kaplan said. "Really, district court is where most of the action happens."
District court is where most criminal cases are generated, and prosecutors assigned there tend to carry heavy caseloads, Kaplan said.
That court is usually where a person with no criminal history will be introduced to the system, she said.
A district attorney should ensure that the least experienced prosecutors have regular ethics training, and supervisors who will oversee and scrutinize their decision-making, she said.
"They may have a supervisor who has extensive prosecutorial experience, but it's usually the younger ADAs, who really don't have a breath of experience, in court," Kaplan said.
The district attorney also should keep an eye on prosecutors who have served for decades, to be sure they are up to date on the latest training and are still passionate about their jobs, according to Spina.
In the early years of the Berkshire District Attorney's Office, it was more common for prosecutors serving in the office to "graduate" to jobs in private practice, which can be more lucrative, Spina said.
"That's not necessarily true anymore. Being a public servant can be very rewarding, whether you're a prosecutor or a DA," Spina said. "But some people can get stale in a job, and you have to be able to identify that and encourage them to get out."
Case management
A well-run district attorney's office sees to it that cases do not languish. That means defendants should normally be tried within a year of arrest, Spina said.
"District attorneys are very different about that, about how they are going to move those cases," Spina said. "What kind of metrics are they going to use to ensure people don't sit and rot in jail because they don't have money for bail?"
It is a common misconception that police departments call the shots when it comes to criminal prosecution. In fact, it is a team effort with the district attorney's office, Kaplan said.
"Too many people think the district attorneys are just the police mouthpiece — and that's not an appropriate way to look at the DA's office," she said. "They work hand in hand."
With the primary date coming up fast, time will tell whether voters zero in on this contest.
People with questions about the office and the candidates can attend a series of forums and debates starting Aug. 1 at the Silvio O. Conte Community School sponsored by the NAACP.
Haven Orecchio-Egresitz can be reached at horecchio@berkshireeagle,com, @HavenEagle on Twitter and 413-770-6977.
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“Hinds Touts New Education Funding For Western Mass In State Budget”
By Josh Landes, WAMC, July 27, 2018
With the 2019 Massachusetts budget signed into law by Republican Governor Charlie Baker Thursday, Democratic State Senator Adams Hinds is touting education funding for the western part of the state.
Hinds is celebrating the new rural sparsity school aid line item. $1.5 million in the budget will go to schools with ten or less students per square mile and a per capita income below the state average. The Pittsfield Democrat says about a million of that will be going to Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties.
“In my district I see a handful of schools have been closing and our enrollment has been going down, and so this is an effort to address that and give that extra boost," he told WAMC.
Hinds says he put forward the amendment based on feedback from area school superintendents.
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Letter: “Wickham a strong candidate for state Senate”
The Berkshire Eagle, August 19, 2018
To the editor:
The Massachusetts Senate race representing the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden District will be a challenge for state Senator Adam Hinds. Why? The incumbent is going up against a strong opponent, Tom Wickham. Tom has been the CEO of his company, Wickham & Daughters, since 1989; been on the Lee Planning Board for 11 years and the Lee Board of Selectmen for five years. In addition, he has been on the Berkshire Regional Planning Board for 10 years and on the Energy Commission for nine years and its chairperson for the last seven years.
Tom is not only involved in his business and politics but also involved in volunteer work. He has been the consultant and general contractor for the Lee Youth Commission. Tom was instrumental in building the pavilion at the Lee Athletic Field, planning and installing the Toddler Playground at that field, and installing equipment at the Bradley Street Playground. His new adventure is installing equipment at the Marble Street Playground, the South Lee Playground, and the East Lee Playground.
His dedication as a builder, town official and volunteer demonstrate his passion and ability to forge ahead to acquire the ways and means to answer the needs of the people. This September will be his biggest challenge in winning the race for the Massachusetts Senate. I urge voters to look carefully at the candidates and cast your vote for the candidate who will do the best job for us. That's why we support Tom Wickham for the Massachusetts Senate. We urge you to do the same.
Bill and Kathy Hall, Lee
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Letter: “Vote Hinds to keep momentum going”
The Berkshire Eagle, August 21, 2018
To the editor:
In these times of volatile elections, strong opinions and disappointed voters, may I suggest a deserving candidate that is a no-brainer vote? His accomplishments since election less than two years ago are nothing less than impressive. He has worked tirelessly to advance the plans for rail service from New York City to Pittsfield. He has worked to get funding for the economic development bond bill for the region. He has passionately worked for additional school aid (something near and dear to his heart) for rural areas that are disproportionately impacted by dealing enrollment numbers.
This is just a small part of the progress state Sen. Adam Hinds has made since being elected in 2016, but more important than his accomplishments is that he has served with class, dignity, integrity and honesty.
Do yourself and this district a favor and re-elect Adam Hinds for state Senate and let the forward momentum continue.
Laurie A. Tierney, Pittsfield
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Mayor Linda Tyer announces Wednesday her endorsement of District Attorney candidate Andrea Harrington at Harrington's campaign headquarters in Pittsfield. Stephanie Zollshan - The Berkshire Eagle
“Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer endorses Andrea Harrington for DA”
By Haven Orecchio-Egresitz , The Berkshire Eagle, August 22, 2018
PITTSFIELD — Mayor Linda Tyer endorsed District Attorney candidate Andrea Harrington for the office at a news conference this afternoon.
"My endorsement comes with the strong belief that Andrea and I share similar values and we are like-minded," Tyer said, standing beside Harrington at her East Street campaign headquarters with about 25 supporters. "We both believe in creating opportunities for social justice and for thinking differently about entrenched problems."
Harrington, 43, of Richmond, will face off against sitting District Attorney Paul Caccaviello and Judith Knight in the democratic primary Sept. 4.
Tyer noted similarities between her leadership style and that of Harrington, and said they share ideas on how to bring Pittsfield into the future with progressive ideas.
"I especially admire Andrea's plan to create a citizens advisory committee, her balanced perspective of vigorously prosecuting crimes, protecting victims and seeking new ways to disrupt criminal culture," the mayor said. "These are bold, new ideas for our modern challenges."
Thanking the mayor for her endorsement, Harrington said Tyer has been an inspiration for her campaign. Together, she and the mayor will work to get "dangerous people off the street and to modernize policing by fighting the underlying causes of crime like the opioid epidemic, Harrington said.
"Mayor Tyer has tackled tough issues facing the city with candor and determination," she Harrington said. "She has broken with the go-along-to-get-along politics that have prevented progress, and I will do the exact same thing as your next District Attorney."
One criticism of Harrington from supporters of other candidates has been a lack of trial experience. At the endorsement announcement, Harrington and Tyer made an effort to emphasize the experience she does have, which includes legal work in Florida, Berkshire County and, currently, Springfield.
Harrington raised questions from the public at a recent debate when she mentioned post-conviction work she did with defendants on death row in Florida.
When pressed about the nature of her work at Capital Collateral Regional Counsel, where she worked after a short stint at a corporate law office out of law school, Harrington acknowledged that for more than two years she and a team of other lawyers and investigators reviewed the cases of clients on death row and sought to have their convictions overturned or to get them a life sentence instead of execution.
"Those cases, they take years, if not decades to resolve, so any kind of success that you have in one of those kind of cases is a result of a lot of people working very hard for a long period of time," Harrington said.
"Which is going to be important in the district attorney's office," Tyer interjected. "That's where the experience matches up."
When asked how the city will work with the District Attorney's office if Harington is successful, Tyer said that when the "dust settles," public officials come together to do the best they can for the people they represent.
"So I will extend my hand to whoever the successful candidate is — it's going to be Andrea Harrington — but whoever that is I will extend my hand to them and hope that hand extends back to me," Tyer said.
Haven Orecchio-Egresitz can be reached at horecchio@berkshireeagle,com, @HavenEagle on Twitter and 413-770-6977.
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Letter: “Support for Sen. Hinds”
The Berkshire Eagle, August 27, 2018
To the editor:
Senator Adam Hinds has earned my continued support with his very productive first two years as our state senator. First and foremost, Adam has been able to position himself in a very short period of time to be an effective leader for many years to come. That is not always an easy task nor is it always successfully accomplished.
In particular, we are thankful in Adams for his successful effort to secure a $2 million allocation in an economic development bond bill for a planned outdoor center at Greylock Glen. He is an integral part of a thoughtful approach on this project that will give our town a real shot at welcoming more and more tourists and recreational seekers to this area. As many know, the town has had to remain above the fray of many fractured efforts and objectors to get to this point.
In short order, Adam has also recognized and taken action on issues that will also have impact on our town and this area. They include his support to secure funding in an environmental bond bill to help facilitate a more formal arrival of the mountain biking industry into the Berkshires. It fits very nicely with the assets available at Greylock Glen and other parts of the county. His practical efforts based on our specific needs is appreciated and supported.
He has also worked hard in Boston to increase funding for regional transportation for our public schools as well as starting a rural sparsity aid program this year that will assist nine schools in the county.
He has done all of this and much more while remaining visible and accessible to constituents in 52 communities spread over four counties in Western Massachusetts.
Please support Sen. Hinds on Sept. 4.
Dan Hogan, Adams
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Letter: “Writer skeptical about Harrington”
The Berkshire Eagle, August 27, 2018
To the editor:
During the debates of the candidates for Berkshire district attorney, Andrea Harrington keeps mentioning her death penalty cases of 12 years ago in Florida and not much since.
My curiosity prevailed so I decided to look into this matter a bit. It seemed to me to be odd that she says she was reversing death penalty cases.
From what I found out, Andrea Harrington had an entry level job, straight out of law school for about a year and a half with a firm that attempted these reversals. She was never a lead attorney, and on every brief hers was the last name mentioned on the brief which, by no means, equals her portrayal of her experience when she is campaigning.
After my research I came away realizing that not only is she inflating her experience way beyond what it is. We need an honest district attorney who tells the truth.
Harrington supporters, find out the truth about all the candidates before you vote. I think you will be surprised at what you find and don't find regarding Andrea Harrington.
John H. Hart, Stockbridge
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“It's got to be Judy”
The Berkshire Eagle, August 27, 2018
To the editor:
Andrea Harrington has spunk. But spunk is not enough for the job of district attorney. Ms. Harrington is entering the fray for the Democratic DA nomination with limited knowledge and experience of the workings of the office. This was evident in some of her debate responses, especially those dealing with our county court system. Sliding into the DA position is not the time for on-the-job training.
In her quest for the state Senate seat in 2016 she failed to fully comply with campaign finance law. While the violations were relatively minor for the first-time candidate and remedial action was taken, she referred to the episode as a learning experience.
In commenting on the report citing her financing missteps issued in November 2017, she said she had no immediate plans to run for office again and was interested in helping other women run for political office. If only Paul Caccaviello, the anointed candidate of the outgoing (really?—see below) DA Capeless and Republican Governor Baker has perhaps too much experience, of the wrong kind.
His reluctant acceptance of the Justice Reform Act of 2018 may be another landmark on his march back to the future.
DA Capeless in his resignation announcement stated he " will stick around and be appointed as a special assistant DA." To complete still-open cases? Or will he hold on to the reins of power as the eminence grise behind Caccaviello?
Judith Knight, with her challenge to DA Capeless in 2006, earlier successful defense of marijuana sting victim and then Otis resident Kyle Sawin in 2005, other pro-bono work for those in need and her performance in this year's debates have convinced me that she, and her curriculum vitae (and spunk), would be the best fit for a new and improved office of the district attorney.
Ms. Knight, during her 30-plus years as an attorney, has served as an Assistant DA and a public defender/defense attorney demonstrating her knowledge of the Massachusetts court and legal system. Her proven enterprise management and certified mediation skills will also prove invaluable.
Judith's enthusiastic support for a diversion (second chance) program and the positive use of some drug forfeiture funds (for community centers, etc.) is something I, my family and my neighbors support.
In the apocryphal words of Carey Grant it's got to be "Judy, Judy, Judy."
Frank Tolopko, Otis
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“Hinds for state Senate”
The Berkshire Eagle, Editorial, August 30, 2018
In the 20 months since Adam Hinds first took his seat in the Massachusetts state Senate representing Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden Counties, he has put a strong focus on the considerable economic needs of the region. Not only has he demonstrated adeptness at identifying the problems and priorities of Western Massachusetts, he quickly learned the art of horse-trading and dealmaking to maximize his frequently overlooked district's clout. His achievements have been solid, particularly in light of his freshman status, and he has managed to propel himself from back-bencher to serious player during his relatively short tenure.
Senator Hinds has been able to procure funds to establish pilot status for the long dreamt-of Berkshire Flyer direct rail service from New York City to the Berkshires, which, if successful, will provide a significant boost to the Berkshires' tourist industry. His influence helped convince MassDOT to begin study of high-speed rail service between Boston and Pittsfield, a project with the potential to transform the Berkshires' economy by attracting permanent residents to the area who hold high-paying jobs in the state's eastern counties.
As the senator told The Eagle's editorial board, his proudest achievement is the establishment of a $1.5-million budget item designed to aid rural schools, which experience chronic problems with weak tax bases and higher transportation costs associated with sparse populations. While the item applies statewide, in reality it is Western Massachusetts that will benefit most.
The Berkshire Innovation Center, a long-stalled project that has the potential to become a high-tech catalyst for business growth, has finally broken ground thanks in part to funding Senator Hinds helped shepherd through the Byzantine legislative process. He was also involved in establishing funding that will finally bring broadband to the Berkshires' remote hill towns by 2020. The senator is now focusing on a rural jobs act that, once again, will be weighted in favor of Western Massachusetts due to the region's demographic makeup.
Senator Hinds' opponent in Tuesday's Democratic primary, Tom Wickham, is a general contractor based in Lee. He has five years of experience as a Lee selectman, 10 years on the town's planning board and nine years as a delegate and alternate on the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission. He has some interesting ideas, including a Northeast regional electricity compact with Canada that would lock in rates for extended periods, thereby giving businesses a stable benchmark upon which to base future plans, and a five-cent local-option gas tax for infrastructure improvements, which unfortunately fails to take into account municipalities without gas stations. As a small business owner, he argues that he has unique insight into the needs and priorities of local enterprises.
We admire Mr. Wickham's dedication to his town and the Berkshires, and anyone who enters the political process with a desire to serve should be applauded. That said, he has not made a case to unseat an incumbent state senator who quickly built an impressive resume and has a promising future.
Because there is no Republican candidate for the position in November, the winner of the Democratic primary will in effect be elected to the state Senate. The Eagle recommends that Adam Hinds be returned for a second term on Sept. 4.
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September 1, 2018
Re: Berkshire Eagle endorsements all incumbents and men
Dear Editor of the Berkshire Eagle,
I read the Eagle’s recent endorsements that are for all incumbents and men. Since my dad ran for Berkshire County Commissioner in 1996, I have been interested in state and local politics in Western Massachusetts. I found that most “elections” are non-competitive and the incumbents win 99.9% of the time. Moreover, voter turnout is very low. When I read the Eagle’s endorsements of incumbent Member of Congress Richard Neal over a black, muslim woman challenger named Tahirah Amatul-Wadud, Attorney, and then the Eagle’s endorsement of Paul Caccaviello over two women challengers named Andrea Harrington and Judith Knight for Berkshire County District Attorney, and then the Eagle’s endorsement of incumbent Adam Hinds over challenger Tom Wickham for Berkshire-based State Senator, I felt it was more of the same, predictable politics by the Eagle.
I understand that I haven’t lived in my native Berkshire County since the early Spring of 2004, I have read about the issues and problems that the people of Western Massachusetts have faced over the past nearly 14.5-years.
After the 2010 U.S. Census, Western Massachusetts lost one of its Congressional seats, and Member of Congress John Olver retired in 2012. Since 2010, the Republican Party has a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, which might flip to the Democratic Party in 2018. In 2012, Richie Neal’s district included Berkshire County. Like many northeastern politicians, Neal’s base of support is financial interests, which have little to no presence in most of Western Massachusetts. Some people saw Neal’s interests in big banks and insurance companies as being disconnected to the needs of his rural district. Some people saw him as out-of-touch with his constituents. Richie Neal has shown himself to be a career politician who served decades in U.S. Congress with a multi-million dollar campaign account. In short, he is untouchable in politics!
I read that the Berkshire District Attorney’s office went after young adults involved in marijuana back in 2006, which lead Judith Knight to challenge then D.A. David Capeless both in court and in that year’s election. I also read that Pittsfield and North Adams are in the top 10 for communities with violent crime in Massachusetts. My dad worked in Pittsfield probation since late-1970, and I recently asked him if Pittsfield had such high cases of violent crime, drugs, and gangs nearly 48-years-ago. My dad, who retired in 2002, told me that he knew most of the people on probation back then, but today, the violent criminals are from out-of-town from big cities. Times have changed for insular communities. I looked at all of what happened in Berkshire County, and I saw the D.A.’s office going after teenagers with marijuana, while violent crime became a serious problem! I also read about the Bernard Baran case, where the late-D.A. Gerry Downing hid audio tape recordings that proved Baran was framed, and it wasn’t until after Downing’s death that Capeless released the exculpatory evidence. I read that now Superior Court Judge Daniel Ford and D.A. Downing – then prosecutors – used homophobia, and Downing illegally withheld evidence to ruin Baran’s life. You could make a movie out of all of corruption that went on in Berkshire County criminal justice system!
As for Berkshire-based State Senator Adam Hinds, his first vote in political office was for the legislative pay raise bill right after the Legislature received a pay raise in their base pay. Indeed, all five Berkshire delegates to Beacon Hill voted for the pay raise bill early last year, 2017. When it came time for leadership concerning the Massachusetts Attorney General’s legal case over the Berkshire Museum’s unethical selling of its most valuable and historic pieces of art, Adam Hinds was nowhere to be found! In the 2016 “election”, Adam Hinds was pre-selected and favored to be State Senator over Andrea Harrington and Rinaldo Del Gallo III, in the Democratic Primary. In short, Adam Hinds was always in bed with the Good Old Boys and the political establishment. If that is leadership, then our sky isn’t really blue during a sunny day.
In closing, the Eagle’s recent editorial endorsements of all incumbents and men perpetuates the same old problems facing politics and government in Berkshire County.
- Jonathan Melle
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Letter: “Ethical Knight is beholden to no one”
The Berkshire Eagle, September 1, 2018
To the editor:
Paul Caccaviello's campaign was announced on his behalf by his former boss, David Capeless, following a months-long scheme working behind the scenes with a Republican governor to try to rig a Democratic primary in the Berkshires. Andrea Harrington's impetus for running is purely political: a poll was paid for on her behalf that showed she had great name recognition. Judith Knight began her campaign to fight for what she's always been fighting for: a strong, smart, and fair criminal justice system in the Berkshires.
When Paul outlined his campaign, he promised continuity with how things have always run in the DA's office. Mid-campaign, he began announcing reforms, two of which were ideas articulated exclusively by Judith Knight in the first debate: mandating implicit bias training for DA staff and requiring domestic violence cases be tracked from start to finish. No doubt this was in response to a tough campaign. But I have to judge him by his record: 30 years on cruise control with a philosophy of punitive justice.
In lieu of a strong resume, Ms. Harrington has run largely on her well-rehearsed talking points and progressive ideals. After losing the state Senate race in 2016, she co-founded an organization to elect progressive women, but when Gail Cariddi tragically passed away, she threw her support to John Barrett, even as two progressive women were running to succeed Gail, because Barrett supported her failed Senate bid. This is instructive: When political favors need to be called in, her progressive ideals fly out the window.
Judith Knight is beholden to no one. She has no promises she needs to repay to politicians; she has no history of backtracking on her personal convictions. She is the perfect synthesis of the two other candidates. She was a prosecutor in a large community in Cambridge and Lowell sending rapists and domestic violence offenders to prison with an agenda for reform that is based on her actual experiences with the deficiencies of justice in this county; she doesn't get her talking points and ideas from policy blogs or tough-on-crime mantras from the 1980s. Please join me in voting for Judith Knight for district attorney on Sept 4.
Timothy M. Kushi, Pittsfield
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Candidate Andrea Harrington arrives at Flavours of Malaysia restaurant in Pittsfield to cheers from supporters during the Berkshire County District Attorney Democratic primary. Stephanie Zollshan - The Berkshire Eagle
Paul and Karen Caccaviello hug as election results come in late Tuesday night. Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
Judith Knight spends the night with supporters at Tito's Mexican Grill in Pittsfield as she awaits the results of the Berkshire County District Attorney Democratic primary. Stephanie Zollshan - The Berkshire Eagle
“Close victory for Harrington in Berkshire DA race”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, September 4, 2018
Pittsfield — Andrea Harrington has won her campaign to unseat Berkshire District Attorney Paul Caccaviello.
Harrington, a Richmond attorney, narrowly defeated Caccaviello, who was named to the post in March after the retirement of David F. Capeless, in Tuesday's primary. Great Barrington attorney Judith Knight was polling last in the three-way race.
Harrington was ahead by 551 votes with one town — Sheffield — yet to report results.
Caccaviello called his rival shortly after 11 p.m. to congratulate her on her victory.
Harrington, 43, who pledged during her campaign to reform the office, now will have the opportunity to put those words into action. She will become the first female district attorney in the history of Berkshire County.
"We did this together," Harrington said to a crowd of jubilant supporters as her victory seemed almost assured.
She now heads into the November election unchallenged, unless someone mounts a write-in campaign. When asked whether he'd run a write-in campaign, Caccaviello simply said it was "something to consider."
For about 75 Harrington supporters packed into Flavours of Malaysia in Pittsfield, the night was an emotional roller coaster. The mood fell when Caccaviello took Pittsfield early in the evening, but it picked up as Harrington filled the gap and eventually emerged victorious.
At one point, Mayor Linda Tyer took a call, leaning over her husband's computer as the two crunched numbers. Pittsfield city councilors poured through the door.
"This is going to be a long night, folks!" Council Vice President John Krol yelled, pumping his fist. "We're coming back with all the hilltowns coming in!"
Just after 9 p.m., calls came in reporting Andrea was up by 122 votes. Not long after, Harrington's headshot bumped out Caccaviello's on the television screen as Pittsfield Community Television's numbers reflected her lead.
"This is so exciting!" Julia Kaplan yelled, throwing her hands together.
Just before 10 p.m., Harrington walked into the restaurant to boisterous applause and chants of "An-dre-a. An-dre-a."
"People like us do not win. We fight for the underdog every day," she said. "But tonight it looks like we may have changed that story."
Numbers coming in show the county "has chosen hope over fear."
She knew it would be a hard road, she said, but it was even harder than she expected. "I'm trying to decide what's harder — natural childbirth or this race," she said, to laughs from the crowd.
The restaurant buzzed with excitement late into the evening.
Dennis Powell, president of the Berkshire branch of the NAACP, said he's hopeful that Harrington can make a difference in the Berkshires. "Change is needed in Berkshire County in the criminal justice system," he said.
And if she wins, he said, "justice is served."
Linda Kelley, an active resident of Pittsfield's West Side, said Harrington has what the county needs in its district attorney. "You can hire experience," she said. "What you cannot hire is vision."
Tom Sakshaug, who managed Mayor Linda Tyer's campaign and worked heavily on Harrington's, said progressive politics means taking a long-term view.
"If you want progressive things to happen, you have to give it some time," he said.
Caccaviello calm
A crowd of friends, family and supporters broke out into applause when Caccaviello entered a banquet hall at Mazzeo's Ristorante just after 9 p.m.
While Harrington had the public support of Pittsfield's progressive community leaders, city councilors Kevin Morandi and Melissa Mazzeo and Berkshire County Sheriff Thomas Bowler were among Caccaviello's endorsements.
Early in the night, some supporters expressed confidence that Caccaviello's experience and commitment to the job were enough to carry him through the contentious race. Others said they expected it to be tight, and were concerned that Caccaviello and Knight's caseload may have put them both at a disadvantage to Harrington.
"It's like having the jury out," Caccaviello said about his calm demeanor while he and Harrington battled for the lead.
Kristen Gordon, seated with her 73-year-old mother, said Caccaviello was their hero.
In 2008, he successfully prosecuted the woman who sold the fentanyl patch to her sister, Carlen Robinson, who was addicted to painkillers.
"Every day we saw the empathy, the wonderful man Paul is," she said, "and in the courtroom we saw the ferocious prosecutor he is."
"He helped me believe this really wasn't my sister's fault," Gordon said. "That's something I was struggling with."
Throughout the race, Caccaviello's opponents have painted him as a continuation of Capeless, who many labeled as overzealous in his prosecution of low-level crimes.
While Caccaviello has consistently stopped short of criticizing his predecessor, he ensured voters he would bring a "different approach" to the office's longstanding commitment to justice.
That approach will include the vertical prosecution of domestic violence cases, increased community outreach and a mission of "compassion when appropriate, but consequence when it's needed."
Caccaviello, 53, has worked as a prosecutor in that office for nearly 30 years and replaced Capeless when he retired in March. He had committed to be accessible as district attorney, increase community outreach, and reorganize how domestic violence cases are prosecuted.
He was appointed by the governor to replace David Capeless upon his retirement in March. He faced backlash after it was learned Capeless and the governor's office had exchanged emails about Caccaviello's possible appointment before he announced he was leaving the office.
Tensions were high throughout the uncommon three-way race for district attorney.
Statewide, the American Civil Liberties Union has run a campaign to educate voters on the role of the district attorney.
In the past 20 years, 77 percent of Massachusetts district attorney races have been uncontested, and this year, six districts have contested races, according to Rashaan Hall, a former Suffolk County prosecutor who headed the ACLU effort. Camps for each candidate became more spirited as the primary, which decided the race, approached.
Supporters praise Knight
Amid tacos and pitchers of margaritas at Tito's Mexican Grill in Pittsfield, Knight's supporters praised their candidate for her integrity and progressive agenda. As it became clearer that she wouldn't win, Knight told The Eagle that the campaign was a blessing in that it brought the workings of the DA's office under a bright light.
After Harrington jumped into the lead late in the evening, Knight said she wished her well.
She said she still wants to work toward more diversion programs, noting the community wants to see changes that include keeping low-level, nonviolent offenders from dragging through a torturous system.
Some of her supporters decried the political aspect of the race.
"I wish yard signs were outlawed," said Mary Hart. "They make people forget about the facts."
"Politics gets in the way of good work ... there's a lack of substance," said Karen Davis, speaking to what she said is Knight's integrity.
"She's not a politician — she's not polished like a politician — she speaks from the heart," said Jeanet Ingalls.
There were cheers when televised results announced that Knight had won Otis and Becket.
When asked if she would mount a write-in campaign for the November election, Knight said she hadn't thought about it — until now.
"No, the election is the election," Knight said. "I will just accept the results."
Eagle staff writers Haven Orecchio-Egresitz and Heather Bellow contributed to this report.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireegle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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"Adam Hinds wins primary election handily"
Source: The Berkshire Eagle, September 4, 2018
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Letter: “Women, reform vote brought change to DA”
The Berkshire Eagle, September 6, 2018
To the editor:
Good luck, Andrea Harrington, with your ideas for liberalizing the policies of the district attorney's office. Reform there is overdue.
And congratulations on your victory. As the public knows by now Harrington got 39 percent of the vote Tuesday, to 36 percent for DA Paul Caccaviello and 24 percent for Judith Knight, who I voted for. Combined, the two women, both progressives, captured 63 percent of the vote, demonstrating a clear desire by the voters to end the 17-year reign of David Capeless. He retired March 15 and the governor at the DA's request appointed Caccaviello, his long-time lieutenant, to the post, giving Caccaviello the advantage of incumbency.
The Eagle and the police union endorsed Caccaviello and everyone I talked with thought he would win. But he was undone by the high-powered campaign of Harrington and an apparent weariness with Capeless's hard-nosed approach. Caccaviello might have been fine as DA, but he couldn't overcome his legacy and Harrington's energy.
And don't underestimate the power of the women's political network, a local force to be reckoned with.
Grier Horner, Pittsfield
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The author says that It is clear that Andrea Harrington, who was voted in this week as the next Berkshire District Attorney, learned what to do in her failed campaign for the state Senate in 2016. Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
Alan Chartock | I, Publius: “DA race a prime example of democracy in action”
By Alan Chartock, op-ed, The Berkshire Eagle, September 7, 2018
GREAT BARRINGTON — So, the hard-fought campaign for Berkshire District Attorney is finally over. It was an amazing race and a great example of how democracy ought to work.
The winner, Andrea Harrington, is one of the most single-minded, energetic campaigners I have ever seen. She beat Paul Caccaviello, the Eagle's preferred choice and a very nice man, in a very close race. Judith Knight, a second progressive candidate, also ran a spirited race but came in a relatively distant third.
It is clear that Harrington learned what to do in her failed campaign for the state Senate in 2016. She tirelessly walked from door to door, and she really did it right this time. When some of her detractors took shots at her, she ignored them and just kept getting her message out. She was really something to behold.
There is, of course, a backstory here. The real reason why Caccaviello lost was that his predecessor in the job, David F. Capeless, pulled a fast one and resigned early. That made Caccaviello the incumbent, potentially giving him an advantage in the election. Well, that backfired big-time.
Caccaviello was the guy who had been doing the hard work in that office for quite some time. The problem was that many of the voters in Berkshire County thought that Capeless' early resignation ploy didn't seem quite cricket. It sure didn't to me, and you might remember that I wrote about it in this space.
I must say, the choices were made easier by the several debates that occurred among the candidates.
Caccaviello argued that he was the experienced law-and-order candidate but that he was open to progressive change. He correctly said he had been doing the hard work and that he understood what needed to be done to put the bad guys in jail.
Harrington was left to argue that the criminal justice system needed reform, but she also had to convince the voters that she was no pushover and that she would be tough on wrongdoers. That wasn't easy, but assuming that Caccaviello doesn't run as a write-in or on stickers, she will be the DA.
And a lot of people will be watching to make sure that she is doing what needs to be done to take the big-time drug dealers, rapists and murderers off the streets and put them where they belong — in jail. If she doesn't do that, she will be a one-term wonder.
The various political apparatuses of Berkshire County were also hard at work. The power of Mayor Linda Tyer was enhanced because she took a huge chance in endorsing Harrington. The successful candidate, of course, is just one more sign that the liberal Democrats in the country are coming out in numbers, including the victorious Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in New York and, in Boston, the bombshell upset by Ayanna Pressley, who will be the first woman of color in the Massachusetts congressional delegation.
Pressley beat 20-year incumbent Michael Capuano, demonstrating that, no matter what your fundraising advantage is and how much money you have in your campaign coffers, if your message is good and if you truly look like and sound like your constituents, you will win.
Put another way, change is in the air. In politics it's all about turnout. If people think that they have something to vote for, they will turn out.
So, now the question is whether Caccaviello will run as a write-in. It's tough to remember how to spell his name. It won't be easy.
So, what will Harrington have to do? She'll have to get along with the police, who might not always be on her wavelength.
When something terrible happens (and it will), she'll have to prosecute the bad guys. She'll have to recruit experienced prosecutors to do the hard work. Good for you, Andrea.
Alan Chartock, a Great Barrington resident, is president and CEO of WAMC Northeast Public Radio and a professor emeritus of communications at SUNY-Albany. The opinions expressed by columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of The Berkshire Eagle.
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September 7, 2018
The Berkshire County's most infamous criminal case was the framing of Bernard Baran, whose life was ruined by two corrupt then prosecutors. The two prosecutors were now Superior Court Judge Daniel Ford and the former Berkshire D.A./late Gerry Downing. They used homophobia to bias the jury against an innocent man. They had audio tape recordings from then children who said Bernard Baran wasn't the man who sexually abused them. Gerry Downing hid those tape recordings as a prosecutor and then throughout his tenure as Berkshire D.A. It wasn't until after Gerry Downing died that then Berkshire D.A. David Capeless released the exculpatory evidence showing Bernard Baran was framed.
While I don't trust Pittsfield politics, after reading about how an innocent man was framed and his life ruined, I really don't trust the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office!
I hope that Andrea Harrington is a woman of her word and she will bring back integrity to an office that has many hidden and terrible secrets.
- Jonathan Melle
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September 8, 2018
Re: Why Bernard Baran instead of Carmen Massimiano?
After reading some of the essays on the "Free Baran" web-site, I thought about the alleged child sex abuser former Berkshire County Sheriff Carmen C. Massimiano, Jr.
What happened during Carmen Massimiano's youthful days at Camp Russell?
Did Carmen Massimiano really fondle a then 7 year old boy in the early-1970s?
What is the true story concerning Carmen Massimiano's alleged sexual deviancy with boys?
If it is all true, why did Carmen Massimiano get away with it, while Bernard Baran was framed and his life was ruined because of it?
What does all of this say about criminal justice in Berkshire County?
- Jonathan Melle
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Berkshire District Attorney Paul Caccaviello, shown during his swearing-in ceremony last March, has decided to run as a write-in candidate after losing the Democratic primary. Eagle file.
“Berkshire DA Paul Caccaviello to run as write-in candidate”
By Haven Orecchio-Egresitz, The Berkshire Eagle, September 19, 2018
Pittsfield — After losing a primary earlier this month, Berkshire District Attorney Paul Caccaviello has announced he will mount a write-in campaign to hold onto his position.
"I have to answer the call that I'm hearing from so many people throughout Berkshire County, to stay in this race for District Attorney," Caccaviello said Wednesday morning. "I'm answering the call from the grassroots organization that has formed, urging me to continue as a write-in candidate on the November ballot."
Caccaviello, who said he is running because of a outpouring of support from the community, announced his write-in campaign in a statement Wednesday.
"Many people, unenrolled voters, Independent, Republican and other others who could not take out a Democratic ballot with my name on it in the September Primary, want and should have their vote count," he said in the statement. "These voters want and deserve a say in who will represent and protect them and their families as their District Attorney."
Caccaviello lost to attorney Andrea Harrington by 692 votes in the three-way Democratic primary Sept. 4. Judith Knight, a Great Barrington attorney, polled third in the race.
Harrington, 43, of Richmond, ran on a pledge to reform the District Attorney's Office, which had been run by David F. Capeless for 14 years until he retired in March. The governor appointed Caccaviello, who was first assistant district attorney at the time, as Capeless' successor.
While Harrington had the public support of progressive community leaders in the city, including Mayor Linda Tyer, city councilors Kevin Morandi and Melissa Mazzeo and Berkshire County Sheriff Thomas Bowler were among Caccaviello's supporters.
Caccaviello, who has worked in the Berkshire District Attorney's office for nearly 30 years, won in 14 of the county's 32 towns, while Harrington took 10 and Knight had eight.
He received 46 percent of the Pittsfield vote, but Harrington won in key municipalities like North Adams and Great Barrington. In Williamstown, Harrington saw her most decisive municipal victory, winning 58 percent of the vote with a 589-vote margin over Caccaviello.
After losing the primary, Caccaviello said running a write-in campaign was "something to consider."
"I am incredibly proud to be the Democratic nominee for Berkshire County District Attorney," Harrington said in a written statement. "On September 4th, we won the Democratic primary election, because Berkshire County residents want a new direction in the justice system — prioritizing treatment over incarceration for nonviolent drug offenses, standing up for victims of crime, and aggressively prosecuting violent criminals and traffickers of heroin and fentanyl. Voters put their trust in my vision and experience, and I look forward to fighting each and every day to make our region a safer and healthier place to live."
After Caccaviello conceded on primary night, Knight showed up at Caccaviello's election gathering at Mazzeo's Ristorante to offer him her support.
Knight did not immediately return a call seeking comment Wednesday morning.
"I'm proud of our campaign, the issue-oriented high-road we took and that we spent significantly less money than my opponent who achieved such a narrow margin of victory," Caccaviello said.
As of Sept. 15, Caccaviello had about $2,137 in his state campaign finance account, including about $700 in donations that came in after the state primary.
The person elected to the office of the district attorney should not be someone in "pursuit of a political agenda," but rather someone dedicated to public safety, he said, adding that the support he's gotten "has been as humbling as compelling."
Voters "must know that their DA is an experienced criminal attorney with a vast depth of knowledge," Caccaviello said. "Not a product manufactured by a powerful political machine."
"Many of the voters who have reached out to me over the last two weeks have expressed two common concerns: the importance of a candidate's experience and demonstrated accomplishments, and what they view as money, support, and political influence on the race from outside of Berkshire County," he said in the statement. "I share those concerns and vow to redouble my efforts to keep the office of the District Attorney accountable to the people we serve and in the hands of competence, experience, and judgement informed by the prosecution of 5,000 plus cases."
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“As a write-in candidate, Caccaviello will face procedural hurdles at polls”
By Haven Orecchio-Egresitz, The Berkshire Eagle, September 19, 2018
While District Attorney Paul Caccaviello surely will face challenges in his unusual write-in campaign in the November election to keep his seat, the spelling of his last name shouldn't pose too much of an issue, according to the Secretary of State's Office.
Caccaviello, who lost to Andrea Harrington in the Democratic primary, will take a second bite at the apple in the general election Nov. 6.
To do this, voters will need to write his name and address under the proper office on a paper ballot at the polls.
While all voters should seek to do so accurately, poll workers are required to count all votes where it is reasonably clear who the intended candidate is, according to Debra O'Malley, a spokeswoman for the secretary of state.
"If they spell the last name wrong, that would be fine," O'Malley said. "It's a difficult name to spell, but this isn't a spelling test."
In Massachusetts, candidates also can use a sticker campaign, distributing stickers of the appropriate size with their names and addresses preprinted.
These stickers, which might alleviate the concern that voters will forget the write-in candidate's name at the ballot, can be distributed by mail, in person during the campaign, and even on Election Day, as long as distributors are not within 150 feet of a polling place, O'Malley said.
The most important thing for voters to remember is that they have to be placed in the write-in slot for the correct office, she said. If the sticker falls under an office that the candidate isn't running for, it might be counted as a vote in the incorrect race, she said.
Caccaviello said Wednesday that he was considering whether to use stickers in his campaign.
Candidates running write-in campaigns are urged to report to the Secretary of State's Office so they can alert poll workers of names they might encounter on Election Day. The Office of Campaign Finance works to identify write-in campaigns across the state in an effort to keep track of their donations and expenditures, according to Jason Tait, a spokesman for the state office.
While successful write-in candidates in primaries are far from rare, they are less common in general elections, O'Malley said.
Notable success stories on a national level include Alaskan Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who became the first in that office in more than 50 years to win an election with a write-in campaign.
Murkowski had lost the primary to tea party Republican Joe Miller, but ended up winning by more than 10,000 votes in the statewide general election.
In Waterbury, Conn., Michael Jarjura was elected mayor in 2005 as a write-in candidate, after losing the Democratic primary to Karen Mulcahy.
In Massachusetts, during the September Democratic primary, there were several successful write-in campaigns across the state, according O'Malley.
"It's usually easier in a primary, because there is often someone not on the ballot," she said.
Ray La Raja, a professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, called write-in campaigns "very challenging."
Candidates should consider the differences between the demographics of the general electorate and the primary electorate and whether that will benefit or hurt their campaign, La Raja said.
The most successful write-in candidates are those who either have been elected to a public office before or have some sort of name recognition in the community, he said.
"He might win some conservative Democrats over, particularly those who didn't vote in the primary," La Raja said of Caccaviello.
No matter how well known a candidate is, though, write-in campaigns are significantly more expensive than if a name is on the ballot, La Raja said.
"If you want to win, yeah, it's going to cost you more," La Raja said. "You have to communicate to the voters, teach them how to put your name on the ballot. Most voters don't pay that much attention."
Successful write-in candidates tend to go door to door getting their name out, and providing voters with sample ballots to show them how to properly write in their name.
Most voters will choose the candidate running with their party affiliation, and if they don't see a name, they might leave the space blank, La Raja said.
"One concern I'd have if I was advising his campaign would be drop-off — people just not finishing the ballot," he said. "It's really hard to win without getting on the ballot."
Haven Orecchio-Egresitz can be reached at horecchio@berkshireeagle.com, @HavenEagle on Twitter and 413-770-6977.
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Letter: “Harrington's behavior since primary is disqualifying”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 21, 2018
To the editor:
Peggy Kern's letter to The Eagle stating that Paul Caccaviello's write-in campaign is comparable to a man who won't take no for an answer from a woman is as irresponsible as it is vile and anti-democratic (Sept. 21). The fact that Andrea Harrington would allow a supporter to make such a comparison is a clear message to voters that she will do and say anything to be elected DA, including playing the gender card and tacitly allowing a comparison of Caccaviello to an offender. Harrington actually posted this revolting letter to her Facebook page.
This letter reveals as much about Harrington's character as does her behavior since the primary. Harrington is anything but a gracious winner. Now that the primary is behind her, she knows the general election will show in stark detail just how unfit she is to be district attorney. Not only is she professionally unprepared for the job, her comportment since the primary has shown just how ethically compromised this young politician is: politicizing the "Walk A Mile" event; calling and threatening a city councilor with political retribution for backing Caccaviello; erroneously calling herself "DA-elect;" throwing temper tantrums; abruptly ending media interviews when the questions get tough; and threatening the DA with "war" when he announced his write-in candidacy. In a word, the Democratic nominee for DA behaves like a spoiled brat.
Her supporters have threatened people at the polls, at their homes for having Caccaviello lawn signs, and online with fake names and profiles. And now they have shown their despicable hand by comparing Caccaviello to a guy who won't take no for an answer from women.
Clearly, Harrington and her supporters will say and do anything do defeat a man who is above reproach, an expert criminal attorney and known for his kindness, honesty, and humility. Is this the `vision" that her supporters laud? Is this the "integrity" that her online anonymous posters reference?
Caccaviello's career of protecting female victims of domestic violence, child abuse and sexual assault speaks volumes for him as does Harrington's politically cynical divisive rhetoric for her. He has devoted his career protecting the most vulnerable among us.
Please join me on Nov. 6 and write in Paul Caccaviello for Berkshire District Attorney.
Lisa Tully, Pittsfield
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Letter: “It's time for Harrington's new approach to fighting crime”
The Berkshire Eagle, October 25, 2018
To the editor:
According to new figures released by the FBI in September and posted by The Eagle on Oct. 18, North Adams and Pittsfield rank among the cities and the towns with the highest violent crime rate in Massachusetts. While violent crime is declining statewide and nationally, it continues to rise in Pittsfield and North Adams. North Adams ranks No. 1 for violent crime in the state and Pittsfield ranks No. 5, and if that's not alarming enough, Berkshire County's rate of domestic violence restraining orders is 23 percent higher than the rest of the state, one in three homicides in Berkshire County over the past decade were domestic violence murders and in 2015 Pittsfield had the sixth-highest rate of rape by population in Massachusetts, which was over twice the state average. These statistics are alarming and prove that we as a county need to make some changes to our status quo and seek new ways to disrupt the criminal culture.
Andrea Harrington says we deserve better. Andrea believes we need a new approach to criminal justice and as district attorney Andrea will support effective programs that "prevent" crime, reduce recidivism and break cycles of addiction.
Mr. Caccaviello asks us to allow him to continue his commitment to public safety — yet opioids, gang violence and domestic abuse plague our county and are on the rise. The recent fatal stabbing in Pittsfield represents the third homicide in the county this year. Mr. Caccaviello offers no plan or solutions to the problems that create crime. Thirty years of experience means nothing if your experience has not been proven to be effective in making our county safe.
The voters clearly heard Harrington's message, liked it, and responded with their vote. Harrington made "local history" when she won the election in September by becoming the first woman Democratic nominee for district attorney ever.
We ask you once again to fill in the oval for Andrea Harrington. It's a vote for criminal justice reform, it's a vote for a safer Berkshire County and it's a vote for change. Enough is enough, we deserve better!
Greg & Chris Yon, Pittsfield
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Octoober 30, 2018
The Berkshire County District Attorney's Office framed Bernard Baran by hiding exculpatory evidence until after Gerry Downing's death. They used homophobia against Baran to frame him. For all of the decades that have past, no one in the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office has been held accountable!
Meanwhile, alleged child molester and sexual deviant Carmen Massimiano never faced legal charges, despite all of the allegations, news reports, and rumors over the decades.
That means that the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office plays politics instead of enforcing the law. If you are innocent like Baran, you get framed and sent to prison. If you are someone like Carmen Massimiano, you get to serve as Berkshire County Sheriff for three decades and collect a 6-figure state pension.
What's worse, North Adams is #1 once again in the commonwealth for violent crime, while Pittsfield is #5 in 2017, according to the FBI.
I endorse Andrea Harrington for Berkshire County District Attorney! She will bring progressive change to a political office that framed an innocent man named the late Bernard Baran.
- Jonathan Melle
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November 2, 2018
The Berkshire County District Attorney's Office framed a man named the late Bernard Baran on child molestation charges by withholding of or hiding exculpatory evidence in the form of audio tape recordings of children saying Bernard Baran did not molest them. It wasn't until well after Gerard Downing's death in 2003, that David Capeless released the hidden tape recordings, and Bernard Baran was released from prison.
THINK ABOUT THAT for a minute!
Daniel Ford and Gerry Downing FRAMED an innocent man by withholding or hiding exculpatory evidence! Ford and Downing also used homophobia against a then teenage gay man to ruin his life.
Who served under Downing and Capeless? The answer is Paul Caccaviello!
If Paul Caccaviello had any integrity, then he would denounce this travesty of injustice by the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office he has served in for nearly 3 decades.
I am for Andrea Harrington because Paul Caccaviello's silence is beyond disturbing and he shows that if you politically connected, you'll be taken care of (see alleged child molester and sexual deviant Carmen Massimiano), but if you have powerful enemies (like I do with Luciforo), you might as well as bend over and take it up your tailpipe.
Paul Caccaviello does NOT stand of "Equal Justice Under Law!"
I hope Paul Caccaviello loses again this year!
- Jonathan Melle
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November 3, 2018
What if it was you or a loved one who was framed by the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office instead of the late-Bernard Baran? That would mean you would be innocent, but exculpatory evidence would be hidden for many years by the D.A.'s Office, plus homophobia would be used against you, but you would be wrongly found guilty and sent to prison to be raped and abused for many years.
What if it was you or a loved one who was an alleged victim of alleged child molestation by the alleged sexual deviant Carmen Massimiano? Per Carmen Massimiano's alleged child molestations, including but not limited to when he was a camp counselor at Camp Russell and a volunteer at the Boys' Club, you would have to suffer in silence while watching Carmen Massimiano serve as Berkshire County Sheriff for 3 decades and then collect a 6-figure state pension.
Despite the many allegations, rumors, and news reports against Carmen Massimiano, the Berkshire District Attorney's Office never prosecuted him. Because Carmen Massimiano is so powerful for so many years in Pittsfield, his alleged victims could not safely seek help or legal recourse against him. I read a blog post that one of Carmen Massimiano's alleged victims took his own life over what Carmen Massimiano allegedly did to him.
Again, I ask: "What if was you or one of your loved ones who had to experience the injustices of the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office?"
It is time for new leadership! Please vote for Andrea Harrington for Berkshire County District Attorney!
- Jonathan Melle
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November 4, 2018
I read an opinion piece concerning Superior Court Judge John Agostini's mistrust of D.A.'s Paul Caccaviello's troubled prosecution of a pending murder case. It concerns the prosecutors’ - including Assistant District Attorney Joseph Coliflores- refusal to admit that they promised anything at all to secure unprecedented cooperation from a murder suspect named Peter J. Campbell against his alleged accomplice named Laquan Johnson.
Laquan Johnson's lawyer has charged that Caccaviello’s prosecutors have withheld exculpatory evidence from the defense and the grand jury, while allowing the destruction of cell phone data that might have exonerated his client.
link: https://theberkshireedge.com/the-da-a-judge-cant-trust/
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November 4, 2018
I am rooting for Andrea Harrington to win again on Tuesday, 11/6! She is fair and wants to help people who need it.
Paul Caccaviello is a sore loser who should have backed his opponent in the September primary.
I see the Berkshire County District Attorney’s Office as a place of injustice that has withheld or hidden exculpatory evidence to frame, railroad, and strong arm defendants. It has been written about in the Boston Globe and The Washington Post.
To make it clear, if you are well connected, you will be taken care of. But, if you are powerless, you will be persecuted!
- Jonathan Melle
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Letter: “Stop undermining Harrington's achievement”
The Berkshire Eagle, November 9, 2018
To the editor:
When I saw the Nov. 7 editorial, I was elated to see the opening line: "The people have spoken: Berkshire County has a new district attorney." I expected that what would follow would be a reminder of what Andrea Harrington promised on the campaign trail: reforms to county's approach to criminal justice, evidence based policy change and transparency.
Instead, what The Eagle's editors chose to do was undermine her ability to manage effectively. They continue to criticize her supposed lack of experience. To state that her choice, more than any other new DAs, of first assistant carries "outsize importance" is unnecessary and false. Even the comments that seem to be supportive come across as misogynistic and spiteful.
Of course, any new office holder needs to earn the respect of their staff, but it is also incumbent upon that staff (and perhaps the press) to offer their respect and assistance. There is no reason to imply that Harrington is going to have a harder time than any other, unless of course, misogynistic attitudes like those expressed in this editorial resist female leadership.
Childishly, the editors felt it necessary to point out that a reporter was "snubbed." Really? Perhaps Harrington thought it more important to thank and talk to the people who have worked with her during this unnecessarily long campaign than to give more fodder to The Eagle to undermine her achievements.
If there is evidence of "intransigence," it is clearly on the shoulders of The Eagle, which refuses to change its biased view of this remarkable woman. I hope the editors' behaviors are "merely a product of the heat of the moment rather than a harbinger of future relations." I am positive that Andrea will continue to be open, dedicated and visionary as she steps into her new role.
Stephanie Boyd, Williamstown
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Karen Bell has spent 20 years as assistant district attorney in Hampden County, having worked in all areas of prosecution. She will become first district attorney in Berkshire County in January. Photo provided by Andrea Harrington
“Berkshire DA, names first assistant, transition chairman”
By Haven Orecchio-Egresitz, The Berkshire Eagle, November 14, 2018
Pittsfield — District Attorney-elect Andrea Harrington has selected longtime Hampden County prosecutor Karen Bell as her first assistant district attorney.
And retired Supreme Judicial Court Judge Francis X. Spina will lead the transition team for the office.
"Right now our top priority is ensuring that the important work that is ongoing at the District Attorney's Office continued uninterrupted," she told The Eagle. "Part of that is making sure I have a strong team in place ready to go on Jan 2."
Harrington, the Democratic nominee who fended off a write-in campaign by Berkshire District Attorney Paul Caccaviello on Nov. 6, made those announcements on Wednesday as she looks ahead to taking over the office next year. Harrington and Spina are expected to announce a full transition team after Thanksgiving.
Bell has spent 20 years as assistant district attorney in Hampden County, having worked in all areas of prosecution including the appellate division, District Court division, grand jury, and the Superior Court division. She has prosecuted thousands of cases and most recently served as a member of the Hampden DA's Superior Court Homicide Unit, according to a statement from Harrington.
Like Harrington, Bell will be the first woman to hold her title in Berkshire County.
Spina, who also lives in Richmond, was the second assistant district attorney under Anthony Ruberto, the county's first DA, in 1978, and worked on his transition into the office, which had previously been part of the Hampden District.
At that time, he and Ruberto's first assistant traveled the state to learn about how other district offices are run, and worked to implement successful ideas locally, Spina has said.
Spina went on to work as a Superior Court judge and Massachusetts Appeals Court judge before ascending to the state's highest court.
"I am proud of the experienced and visionary team we are building to help shape the District Attorney's Office," Harrington said in her announcement. "Incoming First Assistant Karen Bell and transition chair Francis Spina bring decades of courtroom experience to the the team, and Paul Caccaviello has been an incredible resource throughout the process."
These announcements come in what Harrington considers "phase one" of the transition. Phase two will be focused on increased community outreach, Harrington said.
Currently, Harrington is exploring the office model that Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan has in place.
Instead of hiring a second assistant district attorney, Sullivan has a deputy district attorney who focuses on outreach, domestic violence and district court matters. Harrington said. This would allow the first assistant district attorney to focus her attention on supervising the Superior Court.
Harrington's goal is to run an office that enhances public safety in the community, in addition to prosecuting cases in court.
"Were looking at a structure that is going to support that mission," she said.
Harrington first reached out to Bell and Spina after the primary about their prospective roles, but those talks had to be put on hold when Caccaviello announced his write-in campaign.
She was introduced to Bell by her current employer, attorney Jeffrey Morneau, who identified the Hampden ADA as a successful prosecutor.
Spina, she said, will help facilitate a smooth transition into an office he helped create.
"He's an amazing resource and a great mentor," she said. "I can't even tell you how lucky I am to have his expertise."
After the contentious campaign season came to an end last week, Caccaviello and Harrington have met and spoken several times to begin the transition.
"Andrea and I have been working closely to establish a process that will ensure a seamless transition into the District Attorney's Office," Caccaviello said in a written statement. "In the months ahead, Andrea and I will further this collaboration so that the criminal justice system in Berkshire County continues to do what matters most to us both — putting the safety of our residents first."
Haven Orecchio-Egresitz can be reached at horecchio@berkshireeagle.com, @HavenEagle on Twitter and 413-770-6977.
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Greenfield resident Jane Banks, who is the assistant undersecretary of the Department of Housing and Community Development, speaks during a summit discussing homelessness Friday at Greenfield Community College in Greenfield. Staff Photo/Dan Little
Claire Higgins, with mic, Brad Gordon, and Gerry McCafferty answer questions during a summit discussing homelessness Friday at Greenfield Community College in Greenfield. Staff Photo/Dan Little
Springfield Office of Housing Director Gerry McCafferty speaks during a summit discussing homelessness Friday at Greenfield Community College in Greenfield. Staff Photo/Dan Little
Greenfield Community College President Yves Salomon-Fernández speaks during a summit discussing homelessness Friday at the college in Greenfield. Staff Photo/Dan Little
Springfield Office of Housing Director Gerry McCafferty speaks during a summit discussing homelessness Friday at Greenfield Community College in Greenfield. Staff Photo/Dan Little
“Tackling homelessness ‘one bite at a time’”
By Joshua Solomon, Staff Writer, November 16, 2018
Greenfield — Shortly after a Friday discussion over how to end homelessness in western Massachusetts, two of the most influential policymakers in the room succinctly put how that goal can be achieved — by “one bite at a time.”
Natalie Blais, the state representative-elect out of Sunderland who officially won Stephen Kulik’s seat this month, and Claire Higgins, the executive director of Community Action of Pioneer Valley, were reflecting on the two-hour presentation they had just heard at Greenfield Community College. The talk spelled out a handful of steps that in theory would significantly shrink the degree of homelessness in the area.
The data presented explained that chronic homelessness has declined by 38 percent since 2012 in western Mass. — although this data may be more an indication of a declining number of homeless that are seen, and a rising number of homeless who are left unseen and under-housed.
“It’s clear that this isn’t just one issue,” Blais, the outgoing executive director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, said. “There’s a need for additional affordable housing, higher paying jobs and more support services, if you really want to address this head-on.”
Asked how to actually work toward achieving those goals, Blais paused and thought for a moment.
“One bite at a time,” Higgins, the former mayor of Northampton, said, jumping in. She said there needs to be money for upstream prevention to address homeless youth.
“We have cut everything to the bone,” Blais continued, “but we cannot continue to cut if we’re going to address these problems.”
Higgins had shortly before addressed the audience of about 100 influencers in the region who had been invited by the Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness.
“Housing is built in communities,” Higgins said. “I think local governments have to say: ‘Yes, we welcome you into our communities’.”
The presentation was designed to inform recently elected legislators about a core issue in their communities.
“The bottom line is prevention,” Higgins said. Communities need to develop more housing, and create higher wage jobs so some people “don’t fall off the cliff and end up homeless.”
In addition to Blais, state Senate-elect Jo Comerford of Northampton also attended, along with representatives-elect Dan Carey of Easthampton, Mindy Domb of Amherst and Lindsay Sabadosa of Northampton.
There were other elected state officials or their political aids, including Sen. Jim Welch, Sen. Adam Hinds, Rep. John Barrett, Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Rep. Aaron Vega, Rep. Bud Williams, Rep. Carlos Gonzalez and Rep. Paul Mark.
A host of mayors came, including from Northampton, Easthampton, Holyoke, West Springfield, North Adams, Pittsfield; town managers from Amherst and South Hadley and MJ Adams from Greenfield Mayor William Martin’s office. Martin couldn’t make it for family reasons.
Adams, Greenfield’s community development administrator, said there were a handful of points she will bring back to the mayor.
She felt certain Section 8 rent vouchers, talked about by Springfield’s Director of Housing Gerry McCafferty in her data presentation, were particularly useful and could lead to people in Greenfield finding a ticket to housing right away. The voucher is intended for non-elderly, disabled people.
Greenfield Housing Authority Director Dan Finn, one of several housing authority directors present, noted afterward that while additional vouchers in theory are helpful, there needs to be an apartment for people to use them, which isn’t always the case, given the affordable housing market.
Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and North Quabbin Coordinator Debra McLaughlin said she thought it was “heartening to have such a diverse group of stakeholders in the room across the four counties to talk about these issues.”
“We want to delve more deeply into the particular housing challenges for people in recovery and for folks who were formerly incarcerated,” McLaughlin said, noting a point that was not touched on directly by the presentation. “It’s a huge problem in our region.”
Homelessness can “impact not just the lives of the individuals, but impact the lives of multiple generations,” GCC President Yves Salomon-Fernandez said in her opening remarks.
“I think it’s really important for communities to get together and partner together on how they will work toward homelessness,” said Jane Banks, assistant undersecretary of the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development and a Greenfield resident.
Organizer and Executive Director of the the Western Mass. Network to End Homelessness Pamela Schwartz said the day was a “starting point.”
“Actually, it’s a marking point because we know this work has been going on for a long time,” Schwartz said. “This is what is going to make us end homelessness, and I really mean it.”
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Jon Leab, left, a case manager at Barton's Crossing, a shelter program for the homeless in Pittsfield. is part of the team that provides 24-hour coverage at the shelter. Like others, he helps advise guests on practical steps they can take to change their circumstances. Ahmed Ennin, right, a relief counselor and native of Ghana, said he tries to encourage guests to reach for another chance at making things work financially.
Gillian Jones - The Berkshire Eagle
Cheryl Bassett, the new site manager at Barton's Crossing, said that 80 percent of the shelter's guests move on to what they hope will be permanent housing. Since taking charge in October, Bassett said, she is shaping new goals for the program, one of which is to foster a "therapeutic" environment able to help nudge people to confront their challenges. Gillian Jones - The Berkshire Eagle
“Fighting homelessness in Berkshires remains year-round quest”
By Larry Parnass, The Berkshire Eagle, November 17, 2018
Pittsfield — As snow approached Thursday, those who manage the Barton's Crossing shelter prepared for a busy night of checking in guests and keeping peace in the building's mazelike corridors.
The day before, a week into ramped-up winter operations here on a busy road north of downtown, fewer than a dozen people came in on foot or off the bus to take emergency shelter, bunking on cots lined up in two rooms, one for women, one for men.
"Tonight we'll fill 20," Jay Sacchetti of ServiceNet, the shelter's operator, said Thursday.
From November through April, his agency channels $150,000 in state aid to shelters in Berkshire County that offer a last resort for people with nowhere else to go.
But this problem doesn't vanish come May.
Storms worse than bad weather — chiefly, poverty and substance abuse — put thousands of county residents at risk of losing their homes all year round.
Though winter shelter programs buzz with activity this time of year, by the numbers, much of the heavy lifting on homelessness prevention takes place elsewhere.
For instance, it happens in the Fenn Street offices of the Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority, which reports that in the past fiscal year, it helped 2,229 households sliding toward homelessness.
It happens in Western Massachusetts Housing Court and in the county's three district courts, where advocates fight to help tenants not tumble into a housing crisis through the 700 cases of eviction that reached such venues last year.
It happens one-on-one between counselors and people beset by a kaleidoscope of individual problems that put housing at risk: job loss, divorce, late mortgage payments, foreclosure petitions, substance abuse — particularly runaway opioid use — and mental health struggles.
The first 10 months of this year saw the filing of 175 foreclosure petitions.
"For me, it's a 12-month-a-year proposition," said Brad Gordon, the regional housing authority's executive director.
"You can easily go from being a homeowner to being homeless," Gordon said. "The face of homelessness has always been different in Berkshire County."
One day last January, a tally conducted across the region found 181 homeless people in Berkshire County, including those taking part in emergency and transitional housing programs.
That number is less than one-tenth of the volume of cases handled by Gordon's program in the year that ended June 30. And that doesn't count caseloads at Louison House in North Adams or Construct Inc. in Great Barrington, both of which help people with dire housing problems.
For thousands in the region, including many children, the comfort of home lies at risk for simple economic reasons.
Consider: The county's per capital income is 16 percent below the state average and median household income is 23 percent below that average. There are 10 percent more children in the county younger than 18 living under the poverty line, compared with the Massachusetts average.
In Pittsfield, 16.7 percent of all households try to make ends meet below the poverty line — double the state norm; in North Adams, that figure is 18.9 percent.
"When you look at income statistics, you really kind of wonder how they can make it," said Thomas Matuszko, executive director of the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission.
One additional pressure in Berkshire County is rising rents. Gordon, the housing authority's executive director, said it takes 70 hours of work for those making minimum wage to come up with rent for a two-bedroom apartment.
Breaking back in
Even though the Barton's Crossing shelter in Pittsfield expands by 20 beds for winter, its staff works through the year to help people in transitional housing programs turn a corner.
Cheryl Bassett, the program's new site manager, said that 80 percent of the shelter's guests move on to what they hope will be permanent housing.
Since taking charge in October, Bassett said, she is shaping new goals for the program, one of which is to foster a "therapeutic" environment able to help nudge people to confront their challenges.
"It's a hard system to break if you don't know any other way," said Bassett, who grew up poor in Florida. While under her roof, Bassett wants guests to shower, rest, eat well (she's a culinary school graduate) and focus on making plans to find stable housing.
Longer-term guests have used Barton's Crossing to save up, while working jobs in the community, to apply to upfront rent payments — and otherwise getting their financial lives in order.
And while together, guests often help one another.
"There's an amazing resiliency and compassion within this community," Bassett said. "People will give half of the last thing they have. You see more of people doing the right thing here."
Jon Leab, a case manager at Barton's Crossing, is part of the team that provides 24-hour coverage at the shelter. Like others, he helps advise guests on practical steps they can take to change their circumstances.
"You can tell who's motivated. We don't discriminate," Leab said.
Last year, Barton's Crossing saw 137 people come through for winter shelter, in a season that started late due to delays in state funding. It expects to serve 160 different people in the next five months.
While no one is turned away from the winter shelter, there is a waiting list to gain entry into the home's transitional housing program.
Ahmed Ennin, a relief counselor and native of Ghana who recently moved from Missouri, said he tries to encourage guests to reach for another chance at making things work financially.
"It is better to be paid a dollar than to be paid nothing," said Ennin, a veteran of restaurant jobs and work at a meatpacking plant. "The little drops of water can make a mighty ocean. Let it keep dripping. You always have to counsel them that they can do it. There's no harm in trying."
As shelter staff work to get people back into regular housing, that is job No. 1 for agencies around the region, including ServiceNet.
Sacchetti, an executive with the agency who lives in Pittsfield, said continuing efforts to divert people from homelessness are essential.
He noted the fact that, nationally, one-third of homeless youths ages 18 to 24 were formerly in foster care.
"There are some stark numbers," Sacchetti said. "I don't think we'll see a decrease in the number of people seeking shelter this winter."
Better steps
Strategies to prevent homelessness dominated discussion at a regional gathering Friday afternoon at Greenfield Community College, in a forum convened by the Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness.
The two-hour briefing was first designed to bring newly elected state lawmakers up to speed on the problem of homelessness — and to enlist their help in securing new funding.
While the winter shelter programs received a 5 percent increase in state funding this year, the money isn't enough to provide needed programs, shelter officials say.
And what is available isn't distributed fairly across the state, said Pamela Schwartz, the network's director.
The four western counties are home to 13 percent of homeless individuals in the state, Schwartz said, but the area gets 7 percent of available funding.
"There's an equity issue," she said.
The network offered the audience in a Greenfield Community College auditorium a top-to-bottom review of what can be done to make headway against homelessness.
Geraldine McCafferty, Springfield's director of housing, highlighted successes in the network's nine years of work. She said that 95 percent of those living outdoors in Hampden County who engage with her department find stable housing.
Compared with 2012, the outlook is better today for many people, based on data McCafferty presented on a large screen.
"They've changed because we've worked really hard on the system," she said.
Thomas Bernard, the mayor of North Adams, said he came away from Friday's conference eager to continue collaborating with others in the county.
"Any person in need is one person too many," Bernard said.
Larry Parnass can be reached at lparnass@berkshireeagle.com, at @larryparnass on Twitter and 413-496-6214.
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“Landscape of Berkshire County emergency shelters”
By The Berkshire Eagle, November 17, 2018
The following programs provide emergency shelter in Berkshire County. In all, they provided shelter for 428 households last year. The figures are for the fiscal year that ended June 30:
Construct Inc.
What it is: This nearly 50-year-old program provides housing, support and educational services in southern Berkshire County to people who have lost a home or cannot afford to maintain safe, decent and affordable housing.
Where: 41 Mahaiwe St., Great Barrington
People served: 41
Waiting list as of June 30: 80
To get help: 413-528-1985
ServiceNet Inc.
What it is: Nonprofit human resources agency operating throughout four Western Massachusetts counties
Where: Offices and resource center at 141 North St., Pittsfield; shelter sites elsewhere in Pittsfield
Served at Barton's Crossing winter shelter: 131
Served at Barton's Crossing emergency shelter: 118
Served at Our Friends House family shelter (two programs): 51
Served at Our Friends House (other sites): 99
To get help: 413-585-1300, general number; Barton's Crossing, 413-442-1445
Louison House
What it is: A 22-bed transitional housing program that has operated since 1990 as a nonprofit
Where: 149 Church St., North Adams
People served: 54
Families served: 13
To get help: 413-663-6323
Soldier On
What it is: Human services program that runs housing and other programs for veterans around the region, including a 71-bed transitional housing program in Pittsfield and a 165-bed shelter at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Northampton.
Where: 360 W. Housatonic St., Pittsfield
Number of winter shelter beds: 10
To get help: 413-236-5644
Sources: Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority and agencies named
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“Regional homelessness by the numbers”
By The Berkshire Eagle, November 17, 2018
A report released Friday by the Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness documented aspects of the issue across the region. Among the data in the study:
- Number of homeless people counted at one point in time in the four western counties last January: 2,899 (includes people in programs)
- Of that number, 2,190 were members of families, plus 709 individuals; the one-day count of homeless people in Berkshire County was 181
- Number of those homeless ages 18 to 24: 149
- Of those who are homeless and age 18 to 24 nationally, percentage that had been in foster care: Nearly 30 percent
- Percentage of young people who had been in juvenile justice system or jail: Nearly 50 percent
- Number in January count who are veterans: 211
- Number of individuals in January count without any shelter at that time: 98
- Cost to state of housing homeless families: over $42,000 a year
- Percentage of homeless mothers in Massachusetts with a history of domestic violence: More than 80 percent
- Percentage of time state domestic violence programs must turn away requests for housing due to overcapacity: 85 percent
- Percentage of Massachusetts community college students who are uncertain about their housing prospects: 49 percent
- Among positive changes in Western Massachusetts since 2012, the network reports that there has been a 38 percent decline in chronic homelessness and a 24 percent decline in veteran homelessness
- Number of Berkshire County households helped by the state's Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program, which provides grants to prevent homelessness: 233
- Average allocation per household: $2,924
- Total RAFT dollars allocated in fiscal year 2018 through Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority: $677,285
- List of Berkshire County RAFT cases by community: Adams (2), Cheshire (3), Clarksburg (1), Dalton (3), Great Barrington (3), Lanesborough (3), Lee (2), North Adams (37), Pittsfield (177), Southfield (1), Stockbridge (1)
- Number of cases handled by Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority that resulted in preserving existing housing and preventing homelessness: 222
- Number of Berkshire County households served by housing authority in year that ended June 30: 2,229
- Number of households preserved through authority's programs that year: 863
SOURCES: Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness; Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority
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Our Opinion: “Homeless are part of our community”
The Berkshire Eagle, November 27, 2018
A homeless person or family are worthy of their community's care. They may have mental health issues, addiction problems or just be down on their luck, having lost the job that paid their rent. They are neighbors in need, and those needs are no less urgent or legitimate simply because they lack a permanent roof over their heads.
Fortunately, Pittsfield is home to several agencies whose mission is to serve the homeless in various ways, and the city has formed a committee comprising service providers, homeless advocates, city officials and even representatives from the homeless community. The Pittsfield City Council approved the formation of the new Homeless Prevention Committee in September and it met for the first time on Monday. Considering that homelessness is an ever-changing, yet permanent feature of Pittsfield's daily municipal existence, the only question is why the concept of coordinating efforts to combat it was allowed to languish in the 1990s.
The good news, though, is that there are community leaders and stakeholders who realize that working together toward the same goal amounts to a force multiplier by helping to prevent duplicative efforts, sharing information and targeting specific remedies to those with specific needs. Communication, for example, is key — not just for organizational purposes but for getting the word out to clients, whose knowledge of available aid is passed mainly by word of mouth.
Erroneous rumors can make a difference between life and death. Cheryl Bassett, site manager for Barton's Crossing, a local shelter, is trying to correct the misconception that her facility is turning people away simply because there is a waiting list for rooms. A homeless person unaware that they are welcome at Barton's Crossing even if they have to be housed in the basement might needlessly spend the night in the bitter cold with possibly fatal consequences.
The committee elected Pittsfield resident Ed Carmel, who used to be homeless himself, as its chairman. Mr. Carmel hopes to establish a hub where the homeless can not only obtain food but find professional medical attention, a worthy goal.
Of all times of the year, winter is the most perilous for Pittsfield's homeless residents, and the institution of the new committee could not have come at a more propitious moment. Importantly, its name — the Homeless Prevention Committee — can not and will not be interpreted as running the homeless off to some other locale. It means that it has been formed to address the specific underlying causes of homelessness, beginning with the individuals who, along with those who have a place to lay their heads at night, comprise a full-fledged segment of the Pittsfield community.
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The Gale family enters their new Pittsfield apartment together for the first time as a family. "This apartment has been my light at the end of the tunnel," mom Sherry Gale said. And it's "only because I knew who lived there, [that's] really sad." Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
The Gale family, from left: Shaun, Sherry, Indie, 7, Zayden, 10, Isabelle, 12, and Zoey, 8. Many people in the Berkshires are stuck in the difficult search of finding an affordable place to call home. But not the Gales, not any longer, at least. Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
Shaun and Sherry Gale's search for an affordable, decent home to rent has never been easy. Sherry Gale, 31, has been renting apartments in Pittsfield for 12 years, moving often to accommodate her growing family. "It is very hard to find a decent place - especially for a large family - that is affordable, even with two incomes," she said. Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
Sherry Gale plays with her son, Zayden, 10, and daughter, Indie, 7, at the North Street home in Pittsfield that the family moved into last month. Sherry Gale counts herself lucky: She knew the person moving out and was able to get an interview with the landlord before he put the unit on the market. Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
“Renters squeezed by high prices, low inventory in Berkshires”
By Kristin Palpini, The Berkshire Eagle, December 1, 2018
The worst place that Sherry Gale has rented in Berkshire County was an apartment on Boylston Street in Pittsfield infested with bedbugs. To deal with the problem, she said, her landlord handed her a bag of poison along with these instructions: Figure it out.
Gale, 31, has been renting apartments in Pittsfield for 12 years, moving often to accommodate her growing family — she and her husband, Shaun, have four children ages 7 to 12.
The couple's search for an affordable, decent home to rent has never been easy. Gale said she has had to settle for apartments with moldy basements and broken or unsafe appliances because it's all the couple could afford. Sherry works at Bear Care Preschool and Childcare in Dalton and Shaun works at Modern Mold & Tool in Pittsfield.
"It's no joke," Sherry Gale said. The couple bought a house on Bossidy Drive in 2015, but lost it through foreclosure this summer.
"We have bad credit, but we both have jobs. Most apartments want a credit check, first, last and security, no pets, application fees," Sherry Gale said. "It is very hard to find a decent place — especially for a large family — that is affordable, even with two incomes."
Half the time, people end up renting places they can't afford: 50 percent of Berkshire renters are burdened by monthly housing costs, according to the most recently completed U.S. Census American Communities Survey. A household is considered "burdened" when rent or mortgage and utilities eat up more than 30 percent of income.
The situation has gotten worse since the Great Recession, local experts say, and is exacerbated by short-term rentals and by stagnant or falling wages. Rental housing that workers can afford has become scarce. While communities are working to increase the supply of rental housing, cost remains a problem.
A lack of housing that people can afford to rent or buy hobbles the workforce needed for a vibrant local economy. Berkshire County already is feeling this pressure through a declining population and a job vacancy rate of over 5 percent.
"It's not just folks who work in restaurants and the tourist industry that can't afford to live where they work," said Jane Ralph, executive director of Construct Inc. in Great Barrington, which provides housing support services, and coordinates affordable housing construction and management.
"It's firefighters, teachers, people at banks, and folks that have what have generally been considered pretty good jobs are being priced out of the market," Ralph said. "That becomes a quality-of life-issue for everyone."
The county's rental crunch developed over decades. It stems from many factors, according to local housing experts, including General Electric Co. pulling out of the Berkshires, expansion of the relatively low-paying tourism industry, lack of new rental housing construction, seasonal rentals and the last recession, to name a few.
Median rents in Berkshire County range from about $650 to $1,300 per month, according to the Census. The median annual household income in the county is $52,253. A family earning the median would have to spend 44 percent of their gross income on a $1,300 apartment that might or might not include utilities.
The rental housing market is so out of sync with the community's needs in Berkshire County that even the town with the lowest rent is unaffordable. Otis has the lowest median rental rate in the county — $636 a month — as well as one of the largest renting populations considered to be burdened by housing costs — 58 percent.
Taking steps
Among communities taking steps to reverse the trend and provide a diverse housing stock are Great Barrington, Lenox and Williamstown, all of which have established affordable housing trusts to help support renters and developers.
Pittsfield has special zoning to encourage lower rents, and North Adams is working on an update of its zoning map that would include space for affordable housing. Egremont is getting its first four Chapter 40B affordable housing units.
The state and federal governments have exact formulas for what qualifies as "affordable." In Massachusetts, affordability standards are maintained in state law Chapter 40B. More needs to be done to solve the area's housing crunch, housing experts say, but the problem is being better recognized in Berkshire County, and affordable housing advocates have plans for improvement.
This September, the county hosted its first Housing Summit, attended by politicians, real estate professionals and housing advocates. The goal of the event, sponsored by the Berkshire Board of Realtors, was to gather housing professionals under one roof to talk about challenges to the county's housing market.
Progress can be made, officials say, by pursuing small developments of affordable and market-rate housing aided by high-density zoning bylaws, state grants and assistance vouchers from nonprofits.
"A lot of affordable housing is being currently done with low-income tax credits — that's the primary resource available to subsidize the development," said Brad Gordon, executive director of the Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority.
But small might not be beautiful, despite a saying to the contrary.
"Doing things on a smaller scale is more expensive than doing the urban development, and it's had a chilling effect in different ways," Gordon said.
As things stand, the need is plain. Gordon estimates that a person earning minimum wage would have to work 71 hours a week to afford a two-bedroom apartment in the region.
In Berkshire County, about 70 percent of the housing is owner-occupied and 30 percent is rentals. Of those rentals, nearly three-fourths are located in the regional hubs of Pittsfield, North Adams and Great Barrington, according to a 2014 deep-dive study, "Housing and Neighborhoods: An Element of Sustainable Berkshires," by the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission.
When housing has been created, it was mainly for vacationers. Since the 1980s, the Berkshires has added 5,000 seasonal units to the area.
Meanwhile, many people in the Berkshires are stuck in the difficult search of finding an affordable place to call home. But not the Gales, not any longer, at least.
Last month, the Gales moved into a home they're renting on North Street in Pittsfield — 2.5 bedrooms with utilities included for $925 a month. Gale said she lucked into getting the rental. She knew the person moving out and was able to get an interview with the landlord before he put the unit on the market.
"This apartment has been my light at the end of the tunnel," Sherry Gale said. And it's "only because I knew who lived there, [that's] really sad."
The beginning
The start of the Berkshire County rental housing affordability crisis has been pegged to different events and influences, but most people agree that a combination of low wages and a general shortage of inventory are major influences.
Ralph said the rental-affordability gap began when General Electric withdrew from Pittsfield in the 1970s and '80s, taking thousands of well-paying jobs with it. The tourism industry later emerged as a growing sector, but one that paid lower wages than manufacturing jobs.
Gordon said the rental market has been exacerbated by a fundamental shift in homebuying that was part of the fallout of the Great Recession.
"More people started renting rather than buying, and so there was a greater pressure on the rental market and it drove rental prices up, and we in Berkshire County are not immune to that," Gordon said.
Patricia Mullins, community and economic development program manager at the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, said the Airbnb trend — that's where people rent their homes to vacationers — has had a major impact on rents in the area. People with investment properties and second homes have more opportunities to rent homes or bedrooms to people on vacation who will pay a higher rate than residential renters.
"Owners have to make a decision on what kind of landlord they want to be," Mullins said. "Sometimes it's easier to cater to people who are on vacation."
Wendy Goodwin, president of the Rental Housing Association of Berkshire County, said the price of rent in Berkshire County isn't the problem; it's the decline in wages.
In the past 10 years, the median rent in Berkshire County has increased by $145, she said. That's a 22 percent increase, but less than the state's average increase of 28 percent.
Goodwin, owner of Leading Edge Property Management in Pittsfield, said the rental market is hard for renters, but the same is true for landlords. To recoup money, new Berkshire County developments with 30 to 50 units need to charge rents upward of $1,000 per month. For older apartments, a landlord might still have a mortgage on the property, requiring a firm rental price that might be too high for a household just getting by. Berkshire County has an older housing stock, and the upkeep can be difficult for landlords trying to keep rents down.
"As far as landlords, if the rent is not high, if it's not affordable, then they're not able to put extra money into the property," Goodwin said. "They're just making ends meet."
The present
Locally, some communities are working to make a difference.
Lenox, known for its fine dining and entertainment, might not be the first Berkshire County community that comes to mind when thinking about affordable living. But the town has made progress in providing market-rate and less-expensive units.
Town Planner Gwen Miller said Lenox was encouraged to investigate its housing stock and address affordability when residents reported being unable to find adequate housing. People who wanted to retire and stay in Lenox couldn't find homes to size-down to, and families couldn't find larger homes in their price range, Miller said.
"We heard, for instance, of a human resource director at a very large hospitality institution who had a hard time finding a house. So, you think when people at that level are having a challenge, what about workers in other positions?" she asked.
In recent years, Lenox has established a housing trust and committee that provides income-qualified grants to people looking to move to or stay in town. Lenox is the only town in the county with a state-certified "Housing Production Plan," according to the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development. An HPP, as the plan is known, is produced by a municipal committee that has analyzed the community's housing needs and developed a plan to address them. While other towns might have plans, having one that is state-certified is a bonus when applying for government awards.
The "Sawmill," a small, affordable living complex for 45 to 50 people, is being developed, and planners continue to look at zoning bylaws to support higher-density housing in designated areas of the town.
Miller said Lenox is also in touch with Habitat for Humanity and officials might use some of the town's optional lodging and hospitality tax to fund affordable housing projects.
"We still know there's a need," Miller said. "We're looking at zoning bylaws to see how we can promote all kinds of housing development — it doesn't always have to be 'affordable.' "
For many communities wanting to make a difference, creating an HPP is the first step.
The future
Though civic leaders have options to expand housing supply, they lack resources.
"It's going to take time to really catch up to that demand and it'll take the willpower to do that," Gordon said. "I think people articulate that, but the resources haven't totally been devoted to making that happen."
There are a host of groups working on that "catch-up," including the Community Development Corp. of South Berkshire, Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority, Berkshire County Planning Commission and Construct Inc.
The state recently launched a Housing Choice Initiative aimed at providing grants to communities with populations less than 7,000.
More affordable housing is on the way: The Community Development Corp. of South Berkshire is developing the 100 Bridge St. and 910 Main St. projects for a total of 100 new residential units in Great Barrington. And in Lenox, they're working on Sawmill Brook, which would add 40 to 50 affordable rental units to the town's housing stock.
In Pittsfield, developer David Carver is transforming St. Mary the Morning Star Church into an apartment complex that will include 29 market-rate apartments.
Last year, Construct completed the Forest Springs project in Great Barrington, adding 11 new rental units for a variety of income levels.
"For an area of our size, there are a number of different organizations committed to providing affordable housing — there is more than enough work for all of us," said Ralph, the Construct executive director. "We're geographically large and so far from Boston resources that we have to rely on each other to work and get things done here."
Kristin Palpini can be reached at kpalpini@berkshireeagle.com, @kristinpalpini on Twitter, 413-629-4621
"It's not just folks who work in restaurants and the tourist industry that can't afford to live where they work. It's firefighters, teachers, people at banks, and folks that have what have generally been considered pretty good jobs are being priced out of the market. That becomes a quality-of life-issue for everyone."
Jane Ralph, executive director of Construct Inc. in Great Barrington, which provides housing support services, and coordinates affordable housing construction and management
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“Half of Berkshires renters considered 'burdened' by costs”
By Kristin Palpini, The Berkshire Eagle, December 1, 2018
Pittsfield — Median monthly rents in Berkshire County ranged from less than $650 to more than $1,000 in 2016, the most recent year for which data are available.
In Berkshire County, the median rent for all units was $780 per month, according to the U.S. Census' 2016 American Communities Survey.
The figure takes into account all sizes of dwellings and numbers of bedrooms. A median is the midpoint, meaning half of the rents were lower and half higher.
According to the Census report, half of all Berkshires households that rent are burdened by housing costs.
Households are considered burdened when one-third of their income goes to paying for rent and utilities.
The highest median rent rate in the Berkshires was in Tyringham that year, where the figure was $1,300 per month.
In all, nine county towns had median rent of over $1,000, with the others being New Marlborough, Alford, West Stockbridge, Richmond, New Ashford, Becket, Hancock and Florida.
Seven communities had median rates below that of Berkshire County. Otis has the least expensive rent, at $636 per month. Other communities below the Berkshire median are Adams, North Adams, Sandisfield, Hinsdale, Clarksburg and Lee.
Just because a town has a lower median rent rate doesn't mean people living there find it affordable.
Municipalities with the highest percentage of renters "burdened" by housing costs are Richmond, where 82 percent of renters were burdened; Monterey, where 79 percent were burdened; and Otis, which has the least-expensive median rent.
In Otis, 58 percent of renters were living beyond their means in 2016, based on paying more than one-third of income on shelter.
Communities where renters are having an easier time paying the bills are: Florida, where only 4 percent of renters are burdened, as well as Hancock, Alford, Tyringham and Becket.
Below is a list of the median rents charged in 2016 by county and community and the percentage of renters who were burdened by housing costs, according to the Census survey:
Berkshire County: $780; 50 percent
Adams: $642; 44 percent burdened
Alford: $1,225; 15 percent
Becket: $1,115; 22 percent
Cheshire: $822; 31 percent
Clarksburg: $725; 58 percent
Dalton: $872; 56 percent
Egremont: $875; 45 percent
Florida: $1,018; 4 percent
Great Barrington: $936; 26 percent
Hancock: $1,080; 5 percent
Hinsdale: $723; 28 percent
Lanesborough: $994; 26 percent
Lee: $761; 46 percent
Lenox: $794; 46 percent
Monterey: $962; 79 percent
Mount Washington: No units were rented in 2016
New Ashford: $1,156; 22 percent
New Marlborough: $1,228; 58 percent
North Adams: $684; 55 percent
Otis: $636; 58 percent
Peru: Not available
Pittsfield: $801; 54 percent
Richmond: $1,182; 82 percent
Sandisfield: $706; 39 percent
Savoy: $792; 58 percent
Sheffield: $883; 56 percent
Stockbridge: $961; 56 percent
Tyringham: $1,300; 17 percent
Washington: Not available
West Stockbridge: $1,219; 45 percent
Williamstown: $895; 48 percent
Windsor: Not available
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Our Opinion: “Affordable housing problem in Berkshires must be addressed”
The Berkshire Eagle, Editorial, December 5, 2018
Berkshire County's shortage of a decent, affordable rental housing poses a hardship for residents. Beyond that, it threatens to stall the county's economic growth.
The front page story in the Sunday, Dec. 2 Eagle by Kristin Palpini documents the problem of low incomes, high rental costs and a tight market of quality housing. This is a statewide problem that defies easy solution. However, if Berkshire County wants to attract and keep new businesses to address population loss and economic sluggishness then affordable housing must be in place to house employees of these businesses.
Housing experts say the recession of 2008 caused more people who might have bought homes to rent, straining the market. The problem is compounded in the Berkshires where new seasonable housing has been built for vacationers — an important component of the local economy — but little for renters. The Airbnb trend of renting to vacationers has also caused rents to increase. Half of all renters in the county are straining under the combination of high rents and low salaries according to a Census report.
Happily, there are communities, Pittsfield, North Adams, Great Barrington and Lenox among them, that are aggressively exploring the use of grants and financial incentives to increase their affordable housing. Organizations like the Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, and the Community Development Corp. of South Berkshire are working with towns and the state to expand the market. Sadly, a state initiative to address restrictive zoning laws that was backed by Governor Baker, legislators and the business community became bogged down by amendments and stalled in the last session. If it passes in 2019 it should address antiquated restrictions that attest to the unfair stigma that has hindered the development of affordable housing. While these efforts continue, Berkshire towns must use housing regulations and health codes to crack down on landlords who let their properties decline knowing that tenants may have no better options.
The affordable housing market problem must be addressed — for the sake of renters and for the long-term future of the Berkshire economy.
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“Hinds, Tyer will join passenger rail advisory group”
By Larry Parnass, The Berkshire Eagle, November 27, 2018
After almost being left on the platform, Berkshire County now has robust representation on a panel pushing for expanded passenger rail across Massachusetts.
As a test of seasonal service between Pittsfield and New York City nears in 2020, a separate effort is underway to see if east-west train travel could again knit disparate parts of the state, long after the demise of trolley and rail networks.
This week, state Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield, joined a group of Berkshire County leaders and officials on what's known as the Project Advisory Committee for the East-West Passenger Rail Study.
That group — which all but needs a caboose to fit its title — will gather for the first time Dec. 18 in Springfield.
The panel's mission is to advise the East-West Passenger Rail Study launched this year by the state Department of Transportation.
Among those attending quarterly meetings will be Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer.
Tyer said she is looking forward to what she termed meaningful and possibly "transformative" work.
"It's important that we shine a spotlight on the ways people are able to move across the state," she said in a statement, in response to a question about her participation.
Tyer said rail holds the promise of spurring the economy.
"Personally, I would love to be able to board a train at the Intermodal Center [in Pittsfield] and travel across the state for a meeting, and then come back home that same day," she said.
"This convenience and flexibility cannot be underestimated," Tyer said. "The idea that you can live in Pittsfield and work in Springfield or vice versa is an option that many would love to be able to consider."
Both 1Berkshire and the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission hold seats on the advisory committee. To the east, officials with the Franklin Regional Council of Governments and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission are also involved. U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, has been invited to join the meetings.
Hinds and other area lawmakers are credited with bolting Berkshire County onto a project that was, at first, only going to look at expanded passenger rail options between Boston and Springfield.
Hinds said providing Berkshires residents with rail options would aid economic growth and expand personal opportunity.
"This is a tremendous first step in that direction," he said in a release announcing his plan to join the committee.
Hinds was nominated for the seat by Senate President Karen Spilka and appointed by Stephanie Pollack, secretary of the state DOT.
The DOT has hired a consultant, WSP USA, to conduct the study. That firm is expected to size up what it would take to make swift passenger rail a reality — including taking stock of the amount of public investment needed.
For rail to prosper, officials say it must compete with other forms of transportation. The study has been asked to explore ways to get train passengers from Springfield to Boston in 90 minutes.
The consulting firm is due to outline its findings in 12 to 18 months.
Hinds with join fellow senators Joseph A. Boncore, D-Winthrop, and Eric P. Lesser, D-Longmeadow, on the committee. Lesser pushed for a passenger rail feasibility study for three years, enlisting Hinds as a co-sponsor of legislation that created it this year.
The measure was amended at the request of Berkshires lawmakers to include study of travel as far west as Pittsfield.
Larry Parnass can be reached at lparnass@berkshireeagle.com, at @larryparnass on Twitter and 413-496-6214.
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“State Sen. Hinds gets engaged”
By The Berkshire Eagle, December 20, 2018
Adam Hinds is getting hitched. The Berkshire state senator announced via Twitter recently that he's engaged to Alicia Mireles Christoff, an English professor at Amherst College.
"Her family is from Mexico, so it was especially meaningful that I got to ask her while in Mexico," he tweeted this week.
Hinds proposed on Monday, somewhat surprising his fiancee, a Detroit native, he said in a Eagle phone interview on Thursday.
The couple have been dating for about 18 months and were introduced by mutual friends, Hinds said. They expect to have a Berkshire wedding. A date has not been announced.
Hinds says taking to social media on such a personal matter is a rarity, but he had to share the good news.
"I couldn't hold back on this one," he told The Eagle.
Hinds, 42, was recently re-elected to a second two-year term to the Massachusetts Senate, defeating Lee Selectman Thomas Wickham in the state Democratic primary and running unopposed in the November general election.
In his first term, Hinds has risen to become the Senate chairman of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development and the Senate vice chairman of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. The Buckland native also serves on the powerful Senate Ways and Means Committee, which helps formulate the annual state budget and addresses other money matters.
Hinds represents the largest legislative district in the commonwealth — nearly the size of Rhode Island — covering 52 communities in Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties.
He has experience in federal government and international law, having worked 10 years for the United Nations, focusing on the Middle East.
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Williamstown: Forum to address Berkshire poverty
The Berkshire Eagle, January 4, 2019
Williams College and Berkshire Community Action Council will host the Berkshire Poverty Forum at 8 a.m. Friday, Jan. 11, at Williams College, Brooks Rogers Auditorium, Bernard Music Center, 54 Chapin Hall Drive.
Mass. Budget and Policy will outline its poverty study, "Obstacles on the Road to Opportunity." The panel will include Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington, State Sen. Adam Hinds, and state Reps. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Paul Mark and John Barrett III.
The forum is free and open to the public. Breakfast is included. RSVP to Aleta Moncecchi at 413-663-3014.
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January 4, 2019
Re: Berkshire forum on poverty hosted by political phonies!
When I read about an upcoming forum to address poverty in Berkshire County hosted by state politicians, I believe they are all part of the problem that is the region’s severe economic inequality. The Berkshires are a China-like one political party system where only political insiders and hacks run the show. The average local resident has no real voice in their government. In fact, if you speak out, they take away your job and blacklist you.
For the past generation or 3 decades, the Berkshires has experienced large numbers of population loss in the thousands. Also, many hundreds of living wage jobs have been lost, and once those jobs are gone, they aren’t coming back in our lifetime. The region relies on a tourism and cultural economy. The jobs are low-income and seasonal.
In Pittsfield and North Adams, teen pregnancies and welfare caseloads double the statewide average. The average worker has little chance of a living wage job with job security. The Boston Federal Reserve Bank gave Pittsfield a grant concerning its inner city poverty. All local students now receive free school lunches.
I believe that the politicians use an economic concept called “perverse incentives” to run state and local government and keep themselves in power forever. To be clear, the more poverty equals the more federal grants and state administered public money for social services, public education, and the county jail. The working and welfare people suffer daily indignities, while the career politicians count their money!
- Jonathan Melle
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Representative Paul Mark speaks during the Poverty Forum presented by the Berkshire County Community Action Council at Williams College, Friday, January 11, 2019. Senator Adam Hinds, Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier and Representative John Barrett III were also on the panel. Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
“Poverty cycle topic of forum”
By Haven Orecchio-Egresitz, The Berkshire Eagle, January 11, 2019
Williamstown —When State Rep. Paul Mark was 12-years-old, his father was laid off on Christmas Eve. The loss of his job sent his family into five years of financial instability, forcing them to move several times and rely on public assistance.
At a Poverty Forum hosted at Williams College on Friday, Mark told attendees that is was that difficult period in his life, and other experiences since, that inspires his work in government.
"What got me out of poverty, what kept me out of poverty, was higher education," he told the crowd, many of whom worked for social service organizations.
Mark, along with the rest of the Berkshire legislative delegation and local elected officials, spoke about how state and federal policy can impact those living in poverty, and how local issues like low wages and a lack of education are hindering Berkshire County residents. The event was organized by Berkshire Community Action, Massachusetts Association for Community.
When talking about college, Mark shared that the first time he attempted to get a bachelors degree, he had to drop out after a year because he couldn't afford the cost of living and didn't want to be a burden on his family.
He later landed himself at a job at a phone company that offered tuition assistance. Today he has a bachelor's degree, masters degree, law degree and a doctorate.
"Because they paid for it," he said.
His wife however, wasn't as fortunate, he said, and her $750 a month student loan payment remains a burden for them, stalling the growth of their family, he said.
Massachusetts has the 12th highest student loan debt in the country and 66 percent of graduates have student loans, he said.
In order for individuals to ensure individuals don't get themselves trapped in poverty, it's imperative that students be educated about loan financing and that there tuition assistance options available for them, he said.
State Rep. Tricia Farley Bouvier, too, spoke of the importance of a education, and said that it should start long before college.
"Some of our lowest paid professionals are early childhood educators," she said. "A lot of that comes from gender discrimination."
Time has come for the government to start funding universal Pre-K and paying teachers a living wage, Farley Bouvier said.
State Rep. John Barrett, who's district encompassed north county, called Berkshire County's job training "pitiful" and the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority "out of sync."
To improve the quality of life of residents, these problems must be fixed, he said.
Statewide, the average household income is around $96,000 a year. In North Adams and Pittsfield, it's in the mid-$40,000s, according to Nancy Wegman, of the Massachusetts Policy and Budget Center.
Wegman explained that the country faced an economic boom after World War II with a steady increase in both economic growth and employee wages through the mid-1970s. Today, however, the economy continues to grow, but middle and lower-earning employees are not seeing the growth in their salaries, she said.
That stagnant wages have had ripple effects throughout the country, including rural areas like Berkshire County.
Despite some development in the county's cities, low wages restrict some residents from being able to reap the benefits, Mayors Linda Tyer, of Pittsfield, and Thomas Bernard, of North Adams said. For some, it can even push them into committing crimes of desperation and ending up in the court system, according to District Attorney Andrea Harrington.
The most heartbreaking part of poverty is that "it steals people's joy," Tyer said.
While many may assume that poverty is restricted to those who don't work, that's not the case in Berkshire County. Pittsfield has an unemployment rate of 3.6 percent.
"People are working, but they're still poor," she said.
And some people, even if they are able to find and want to work a full-time job, staying on public assistance may be more financially viable option for their family, said Alisa Costa, executive director of Pittsfield's Working Cities initiative.
Costa explained "the cliff effect," a term to describe how an increased income could prompt the sudden loss of assistance programs such as SNAP, childcare or public housing and end up pushing someone further into poverty.
For example, if a single mother with two children suddenly found a job at $18 an hour, the increased cost of housing and other costs would end up being a burden to the family, she explained. The woman would need to make around $27 an hour to stay above water, she explained.
The cliff effect is a long-standing systemic issue that needs to be addressed, she said.
All speakers urged the audience to commit to working for economic development and to fill out the 2020 census to ensure local organizations receive the funding they need.
"We have to be very deliberate in dismantling the growing income inequality in this state," State Sen. Adam Hinds said.
Haven Orecchio-Egresitz can be reached at horecchio@berkshireeagle.com, @HavenEagle on Twitter and 413-770-6977.
North Adams Mayor Tom Bernard described the safety net created by the agencies in the berkshire working together at the conclusion of the Poverty Forum presented by the Berkshire County Community Action Council at Williams College, Friday, January 11, 2019. Senator Adam Hinds, Representative Paul Mark and Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier were also on the panel. Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
Nancy Wagman, of the Massachusetts Policy and Budget Center, made some introductory remarks on the slow growth of poverty at the Poverty Forum presented by the Berkshire County Community Action Council at Williams College, Friday, January 11, 2019. Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
Attendees listen during the discussion at the Poverty Forum presented by the Berkshire County Community Action Council at Williams College, Friday, January 11, 2019. Ben Garver - The Berkshire Eagle
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Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington talks Wednesday as the keynote speaker at the NAACP Berkshire County Branch's monthly meeting at the Berkshire Athenaeum in Pittsfield. Branch President Dennis Powell, center, and Vice President Leah Reed listen as Harrington, elected on a reformer's campaign, lays out her policy priorities. Stephanie Zollshan - The Berkshire Eagle
“DA Harrington outlines early priorities during local NAACP meeting”
By Amanda Drane, The Berkshire Eagle, February 6, 2019
Pittsfield — Berkshire County will have a new juvenile jail diversion program this spring, District Attorney Andrea Harrington told a crowd Wednesday.
City Councilor Helen Moon, the office's new director of special projects, is spearheading that program, which Harrington described as a vehicle to support kids in the community. The idea is to give young people tools to deal with the root causes of their issues with law enforcement, Moon said, rather than rush to potentially put them through the court system.
"Children are so impressionable, and they believe what we tell them," Harrington said. "And when we tell them they're criminals, they take on that identity."
During the Berkshire branch of the NAACP's monthly meeting, the new district attorney told a crowd of about 50 people in the Berkshire Athenaeum auditorium that she will use the power of her office to lift up the community. She's also working with legislators to bring in new funding to combat violence against women and to fight the opioid epidemic, she said, noting her trip last week to Washington to meet with U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield.
She told them the office is beginning to work much differently than it has — a point that drew boisterous applause.
"Our system cries for reform," said Shirley Edgerton, a member of the NAACP's board, before introducing Harrington. The criminal justice system needs to do better by young people, she said, lest they potentially be branded criminals when it could be avoided.
"The tough-on-crime mantra has failed," she said, and now the county has a new district attorney who "will turn things right-side up again."
Harrington ran a reformer's campaign and, on Jan. 2, was the first woman to take reins of the Berkshire District Attorney's Office.
In addition to a new countywide juvenile task force, Harrington said, there will also be a task force addressing domestic and sexual violence. Six Berkshire women have lost their lives to domestic violence in the past four years, she said, and that's too many for a small county.
Harrington said she met with the county's state legislators, too, to brainstorm ways to bring new dollars into Berkshire County for crime prevention. She's prioritizing resources on a dual track, she said, putting money into prosecuting people who are dangerous while also building programs to help prevent people from getting to that point.
She'd like to reserve the cash bail system — it disproportionately hits people of color, she noted — for extenuating circumstances, using dangerousness hearings instead for those considered too much of a hazard to the public.
She said she supports changes proposed by Gov. Charlie Baker that would allow the court to consider criminal history when trying to determine whether a person is too dangerous to let back into the community. Right now, criminal history cannot be part of the proceedings, she said, "which is a big omission."
"For me, it is essential that we distinguish between people that are dangerous and people that need help," she said.
In law school, Harrington recounted, she learned from professor Angela Davis how the criminal justice system grew to replace the system of slavery. Instead, Harrington said she's busy building a new criminal justice system that is more proactive than punitive.
Moon said the juvenile diversion program will intervene before arraignment, rolling out programs rather than charges. She said the office will hire a case manager to work with young people, and aims to get into schools to work with those with issues before charges come about.
School resource officers and others who work in schools already have a sense of the kids with issues, she said, and that can serve as a starting point.
"We want to early intervention with them, not just talk about them," she said.
Diversion is great, an audience member said, but where are the resources going to come from to provide the kinds of social work, mental health and substance abuse services required to keep these people out of trouble?
"That's the thing I lie awake at night and try to figure out," Harrington said in response.
That's why, she said, she's making political alliances and working to negotiate new revenue streams.
"I really am working to bring in more resources," she said.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@berkshireeagle.com, @amandadrane on Twitter, and 413-496-6296.
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John and Agatha Haun, of Cheshire, leave the Big Y in Adams on Thursday. The two were surprised to hear about news of the store's pending closure and had come to do their food shopping there, since it was more convenient for them than heading to Pittsfield. Gillian Jones - The Berkshire Eagle
Springfield-based Big Y announced Thursday that it will close its Adams location, after 35 years of operation, in early March and lay off approximately 90 employees. Gillian Jones - The Berkshire Eagle
“Hinds, Barrett chide Big Y for not consulting with Adams officials on pending store closure”
By Adam Shanks, The Berkshire Eagle, February 15, 2019
Adams — The town's state legislators were sharply critical of Big Y on Friday, a day after the company announced that it is closing its Adams location.
State Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield, and State Rep. John Barrett, III, D-North Adams, issued a joint release Friday that scolded the Springfield-based company for failing to engage with local leaders before announcing its decision to close the Myrtle Street market.
Big Y announced Thursday that it will close its Adams location, after 35 years of operation, in early March and lay off approximately 90 employees.
"It is inexcusable that this decision was made by company management without first alerting the Adams Select Board or Community Development official," Hinds said in a statement. "It goes without saying that losing 90 jobs will be impactful — in all the wrong ways — in Northern Berkshire, and residents who have shopped at the Adams Big Y for a generation now are left without a hometown market."
Barrett said there is "no excuse" for company officials to have not informed Adams leadership of the impending closure before Thursday's announcement.
"We're asking that Big Y immediately open discussions with town officials so that they can work together to find a quality replacement store," Barrett said.
The company has stated that it is working to transition ownership of the store to a new grocer, and has a specific buyer in mind.
"Our intended goal is not to abandon the little town of Adams, we want them to have a market where they can shop," said Rick Bossie, senior vice president of operations at Big Y, in an interview with The Eagle on Thursday.
The company has not yet named the future operator.
"After speaking with Big Y corporate headquarters today we anticipate a new grocer will be named for this location," Hinds said. "Rep. Barrett and I are available to help make that a reality and urge all parties to stay in close communication moving forward in this transition."
Until then, the company has pledged to operate a shuttle service to bring Adams customers to its North Adams location and offer steep discounts at its Adams location to liquidate its inventory.
Big Y was the only grocery store in Adams, but the company said the store was too small to offer the array of services, like pizza and sushi, that it does at other locations, and that it could not expand the Adams store because of the small size of its lot.
Adam Shanks can be reached at ashanks@berkshireeagle.com, at @EagleAdamShanks on Twitter, or 413-629-4517.
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After learning that the General Electric Co. will return financial incentives related to its proposed Boston headquarters, state Sen. Adam G. Hinds, D-Pittsfield, called for GE to act on a standing order from the Environmental Protection Agency to remove suspected carcinogens from the Housatonic River. Eagle file photo
“Hinds to GE: It's time to make good on Housatonic River”
By Larry Parnass, The Berkshire Eagle, February 15, 2019
The General Electric Co. is writing a big check — $87 million big — but not to settle the company's environmental debt to Berkshire County.
That brought a lament Friday from state Sen. Adam G. Hinds, D-Pittsfield. After learning that GE will return financial incentives related to its proposed Boston headquarters, Hinds called for the company to act on a standing order from the Environmental Protection Agency to remove suspected carcinogens from the Housatonic River.
"Instead of simply writing a check to reimburse the Commonwealth for $87 million in unused incentives it makes sense to consider reinvesting those public funds in western Mass," Hinds said in a statement.
Action on the EPA's "Rest of River" remedy is on hold, as parties work with a mediator in an attempt to get a cleanup underway and avoid continued litigation.
"It really still felt like we had to be very clear about their commitments in Western Massachusetts," Hinds said in an interview from Boston, when asked about the timing of his remarks.
"This would be a meaningful gesture for goodwill in that process," Hinds said.
GE is returning incentives because the beleaguered company is sharply scaling back its plan for a new corporate campus in Boston's Seaport district.
When former CEO Jeff Immelt gathered with Gov. Charlie Baker, Mayor Marty Walsh and other officials to break ground May 8, 2017, the $200 million GE project was to include a 12-story office tower topped with a newfangled "solar veil."
But as a new GE chief executive now works to address a steep slide in the company's share price and to end losses, the company is altering job-creation goals and ditching the planned tower. About 250 GE employees will now occupy space in an adjoining former candy factory. The bulk of the $120 million in incentives provided to GE by the state will flow the other way now. The ground broken for the tower is waiting for something new to rise.
Hinds' idea is for some of the incentive money to head west.
In his statement Friday, Hinds offered a reminder that GE's exit from the Berkshires wounded the region financially.
"Let's not forget that the City of Pittsfield .. [and] the regional economy in the Berkshires was devastated a generation ago when General Electric packed up and left town," he said. "The Housatonic River is still polluted with PCBs and the cleanup effort has been stalled for years."
He noted that the EPA, GE and other parties now "meander through the complicated and unending legal and regulatory process that will ultimately determine what to do with those carcinogenic pollutants."
The company allowed polychlorinated biphenyls to enter the river for decades before the chemical was banned in 1979.
GE has paid tens of millions for cleanup work in the area of its former transformer-manufacturing sites in Pittsfield. But the river south remains befouled by PCBs. A central issue in the mediation concerns where removed PCBs will be buried. Despite the EPA's demand for disposal at licensed sites out of state, the company is pushing for burial in the county.
Though Pittsfield still feels the effects of GE's exit, Boston has benefited, Hinds noted.
"Just three years ago the Commonwealth doled out millions in tax breaks and incentives to entice GE's headquarters to Boston," he said in the statement.
Hinds said that move helped bring prestige and new jobs to Boston, even with the current downsizing from an expected GE workforce of 800 in the city.
"It's about time for our public investment to benefit western Mass, as well," he said.
Recently, the state provided incentives for online retailer Wayfair to open a call center in Pittsfield and to expand its Boston presence.
Hinds said that even with that investment, the region has a right to expect action regarding GE's legacy of environmental degradation.
"This is about GE. This isn't about Wayfair," Hinds said.
At the time of the 2017 ground-breaking in Boston, GE's market capitalization stood at $252.8 billion, making it bigger than the next six Massachusetts-based companies combined. That market cap figure, the value of all its shares, is $87.76 billion today. GE's shares closed at $10.09 Friday, better than the 52-week low of $6.66.
In late 2016, the EPA ordered GE to embark on a $613 million, 13-year project to remove PCBs from river soils and sediments. The company appealed to a Washington court. The EPA largely prevailed in a January 2018 decision by the Environmental Appeals Board, but action is on hold as a mediator explores possible compromise among the parties.
Larry Parnass can be reached at lparnass@berkshireeagle.com, at @larryparnass on Twitter and 413-496-6214.
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Our Opinion: “A cautionary tale from GE and Boston”
The Berkshire Eagle, Editorial, February 18, 2019
The General Electric Company's decision to abandon its plan to build a new headquarters in Boston is a disappointment for that city and, to a lesser extent, the rest of the Bay State. The corporation, which will rent space in existing buildings instead, plans to repay $87 million in incentive money to the state. Enter state Sen. Adam Hinds of Pittsfield, who suggested that while GE was busy writing checks, it would be a lovely idea if some of that money were diverted to make a goodwill down payment on the Rest of River cleanup of the Housatonic that is currently bogged down in arbitration.
Sen. Hinds should be applauded for seeking every opportunity to do well by his district, but chances are his exhortation will fall on deaf ears. First, the same economic forces that compelled a contracting GE to deep-six its ambitious headquarters plan reinforce its standing posture with the EPA that the cost of transporting hazardous PCB-polluted Housatonic River sediment — for which it is responsible — out of state is too high. Second, the money being returned belongs to the taxpayers of Massachusetts, and would have to be re-appropriated by the Legislature to partially fund any cleanup, which is highly unlikely. Nevertheless, Sen. Hinds' proposal serves to remind those outside Berkshire County that GE did leave a mess behind when it moved on, for which it should be held accountable.
GE's headquarters reversal does, however, provide an object lesson for local governments that would seek to attract outside businesses through use of public money and tax incentives as "sweeteners," or to use a less euphemistic term, "bribes." Pittsfield and the Berkshires have been burned in such schemes before — an electric-power bus manufacturing plant that never saw the light is a prime example— and it appears the size of the municipality makes it no less susceptible to disappointing economic developments.
To attract steady, dependable job creators to a region, public money is far better spent by communities to create the kind of environment businesses find conducive to long-term investment. The Berkshires, for example, already boast several of the elements that corporations find attractive — beautiful scenery, a thriving arts scene and relatively inexpensive housing. To round out that menu, a pan-generational and unflagging long-term commitment to creating infrastructure and producing a well-educated workforce eager for training is key. The William Stanley Business Park, while still in need of tenants, represents such a commitment, as does the new Taconic High School in Pittsfield with its emphasis on vocational technology.
These represent substantial investments in the "conducive environment" philosophy, but they are only a beginning. Companies have come to expect financial breaks in return for locating in a particular place, but it is a locale's willingness to prepare itself to accommodate businesses and their needs that will ultimately clinch the deal. Berkshire County is on the right track to fulfill its end of this winning equation, but it must continue to play the long game if it plans to enjoy sustained future prosperity.
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“Mass. leaders gear up for fight to save federal heating assistance funds”
By Scott Stafford, The Berkshire Eagle, March 25, 2019
North Adams — If the Trump administration's effort to gut the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program in the fiscal 2020 budget succeeds, there will be more than 7,000 Berkshire County households struggling to find money to heat their homes next winter.
The proposal calls for reducing funding for the program from $3.69 billion to zero. Meanwhile, Beacon Hill lawmakers have advanced a $30 million state appropriation to provide additional heating assistance for low-income individuals in the supplemental budget — which is backed by Gov. Charlie Baker — to a final conference committee, said state Rep. John Barrett III, D-North Adams.
"That is going to be voted on and approved," Barrett said. "Because these are some of our most vulnerable people by far — most of them seniors."
Trump administration officials said low-income households have other places to seek assistance.
"In a constrained budget environment, difficult funding decisions were made to ensure that federal funds are being spent as effectively as possible," the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services wrote in its budget plan. "Some utility companies and state and local governments also provide heating and cooling assistance. Many states limit regulated utilities from discontinuing heat or cooling during specific time frames such as certain winter/summer months and/or a certain number of consecutive days where the temperature drops below or increases above a certain level."
Last week, U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Westford, circulated a statement from members of the New England Congressional delegation vowing to reinstate program funds.
"We know New England was disproportionately hurt by the Department of Health and Human Services Fiscal Year 2019 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program allocation," delegation members said. "LIHEAP is critical to seniors, people with disabilities, and the most vulnerable in our region. It keeps homes warm in the winter, and cooler in the summer. As a united New England delegation, we are looking into every option to address this issue to ensure our constituents are not impacted."
Presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said she is also troubled by the president's efforts to undercut the poorest segment of the population.
"President Trump's budget would put families out in the cold by eliminating LIHEAP, which hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents rely on to heat their homes during the cold winter months," Warren told The Eagle via email Thursday. "I'm committed to working with my colleagues to protect and strengthen this critical program."
Massachusetts this year received a 7.6 percent reduction in its LIHEAP allocation, which had already dropped from $200 million to $136 million in recent years, according to state Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield.
Aleta Moncecchi, deputy director of the Berkshire Community Action Council, which administers the LIHEAP program locally, noted that among the 7,000 households served by LIHEAP funds, about 2,500 of them had run out of their heating assistance funds by mid-December.
"If LIHEAP disappears, 7,000 households will be hurt," she said. "And with the biggest number of them being seniors, it will get scary."
Moncecchi noted that the state legislators "really stepped up" by coming up with additional funding to fill in the gaps of reduced funding from the federal government last winter.
"I think our state representatives well know that our friends and families are suffering," she said.
The State House News Service contributed to this report.
Scott Stafford can be reached at sstafford@berkshireeagle.com or 413-629-4517.
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Letter: “DA's Decision on Prevention Programs Hurts Children & Families”
iBerkshires.com – Letter to the Editor, April 9, 2019
To the Editor:
For 15 years,the Community Outreach and Education Department (COE) in the Berkshire District Attorney's Office has provided student-based, educational and prevention programming to elementary, middle and high school students throughout Berkshire County. Tens of thousands of students have received vital educational programming and support on bullying, online safety, safe and healthy relationships, substance abuse and leadership.
These grant-funded programs required data collection and the Berkshire results continually showed positive outcomes for our students. Alongside student programming, staff and parents have received the training and guidance they need to support youth as they navigate the years where decisions about such important topics are made. Peer Leadership & LifeSkills programs, presented throughout the schools in our county, provide evidence-based, research-driven curriculums that give students the tools needed to mentor and support each other and make positive choices during these important formative years.
All of this student, staff and parent training and support is provided to our schools at no cost to our community and the district attorney's office and COE department has been recognized as a model for other offices across the state.
Sadly, District Attorney Harrington has made the recent decision to eliminate this important educational and prevention programming and we as a community should be asking why.
The people of this county voted for change but this decision is not moving forward toward positive change. COE has been a vital partner collaborating with youth service providers and other organizations who fight to support children and families. This is a huge loss to our schools and our community as a whole and I urge any student, parent or educator who has benefited from these programs to reach out to DA Harrington to voice your concern about her decision to eliminate this programming, as our youth will definitely suffer this loss.
Kristen Westerman Kanter
Great Barrington, Mass.
Kanter is a former employee of the Berkshire District Attorney's Office.
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Letter: “Support bill mandating candidate tax returns”
The Berkshire Eagle, April 10, 2019
To the editor:
I applaud the efforts of Congressman Richard Neal in issuing subpoenas to obtain from President Trump his federal tax returns for the last six years. President Trump is the first president in 45 years to not voluntary discloses his federal tax returns.
However, Congressman Richard Neal's request deals with those tax returns in the past. For the upcoming 2020 presidential primary and election, and national elections thereafter, how do we in our state make the disclosure of those tax returns mandatory and not voluntary?
There is presently a bill in the Massachusetts legislature in the Joint Committee on Election Laws Bill No. 383 which is an "act restoring financial transparency in presidential elections." The Act requires that: "any candidate or potential candidate for the office of President of the United States whose name is set to appear on a presidential or primary ballot shall submit to the Secretary of State the candidate's federal income tax returns for the 3 most available years." Failing to supply those tax returns, the candidate shall not appear on the presidential primary ballot.
The Act goes on to further say that in a general election "a candidate for the office of president or vice president whose electors have been certified shall submit a copy of his or her federal tax returns for the 5 most available years " "The name of any candidate for president who declines to submit both said income tax returns and a statement of financial interests shall not appear on the general election ballot."
Massachusetts has 11 Electoral College electors. No candidate for national office can afford to lose those 11 votes.
We, as the citizens of Berkshire County, need to impress upon our legislators, of which there are 31 who have signed off on this bill, to move this bill out of committee so it can be discussed and debated on the floor of the legislature and passed. The presidential primary process is breathing down our necks, and the general presidential election for 2020 is not that far behind.
Sen. Michael J. Barrett, Democrat, Third Middlesex District, is the assistant majority leader and chief sponsor of the bill. He can be reached at: Mike.Barrett@masenate.gov. Please send him an email to move the bill. Our senator, Adam G. Hinds, is also a sponsor; send him an email as well to move the bill at: adam.hinds@masenate.gov
I would also request that The Berkshire Eagle look into this bill and give it editorial support. The state of Washington's Senate just passed such a bill.
It behooves each of us as citizens to prevent the travesty Trump is perpetuating to continue in our national elections. Please write to your various state senators and representatives to support this bill and move it forward as a priority in this legislative session.
Bob Rosen, Otis
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“Berkshire delegation says Baker's cuts to LIHEAP 'a shock'”
By Scott Stafford, The Berkshire Eagle, April 10, 2019
North Adams — With the Trump administration trying to eliminate federal funding to aid low-income families with the cost of heat, Gov. Charlie Baker has undercut the Legislature's attempt to make up for cuts to the program by reducing the amount of state funding by $19 million.
The Berkshire County delegation is not pleased.
"Although the state shouldn't have to provide this funding — it should come from the federal government — this kind of funny business with state money isn't OK," said state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield. "So, there will be a tremendous amount of pressure on the governor to reverse his stand. Many of our most vulnerable families need this funding."
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) was cut from $3.69 billion to zero in the fiscal 2020 budget proposed by President Donald Trump's team. If that proposal holds, more than 7,000 Berkshire County households will be struggling to find money to heat their homes next winter.
Meanwhile, because the program's allotment to Massachusetts has been cut by millions in the past few years, Beacon Hill lawmakers passed a $30 million state appropriation in the state's supplemental budget, which Baker signed, to provide additional heating assistance for low-income households.
But in an email Friday, Ed Kiely of the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development said $11 million will be allocated to agencies for fiscal 2019, which ends June 30, and the remainder in fiscal 2020, which begins July 1.
"This came as a shock to all of us," said state Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield. "And so far, I haven't heard a real explanation."
State Rep. John Barrett III, D-North Adams, said this wasn't a veto, so it isn't something the Legislature can override.
"But we can sure put pressure on [Baker]," Barrett said.
The law that Baker signed allocating $30 million for LIHEAP includes a clause that says "any unexpended funds in this item shall not revert but shall be made available for the purpose of this item until June 30, 2020."
In January, Baker asked lawmakers to approve $11 million to offset federal reductions in LIHEAP money.
A statement issued on behalf of the Department of Housing and Community Development by Colleen Arons, senior director of communications for the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, said that the department had determined that $11 million would be enough to bring the benefits up to 2018 levels, and that the rest would be needed to do the same next year.
"The Baker-Polito Administration is committed to providing home heating assistance for families in need, and this year will maintain the maximum benefit levels for families with the greatest need and offer additional funding to 66,000 households eligible for this program," the statement reads. "Given the recent reductions of federal funding, the administration believes it is critical to ensure an appropriate amount of funding, which is allocated over two years, is available for Commonwealth families next year, particularly to safeguard against factors like a harsh winter or higher fuel prices."
Joe Diamond, executive director of Massachusetts Association for Community Action, said he has proposed a compromise to legislators and the Baker administration. Community Action councils across the state administer the distribution of the money to those in need.
He said the original plan was to provide 100 gallons of oil to oil-heated homes and $100 to gas- and electricity-heated homes. To do that with all 160,000 homes on the LIHEAP program in Massachusetts, it would cost the $30 million. The compromise he proposed cuts to $50 the benefit for gas and electric heat. So, he hopes to get backing to distribute $19 million for the rest of this fiscal year, and the remaining $11 million starting in October for fiscal 2020.
But gas and electric customers who still owe money to the utilities are on the verge of getting shut down. "Our concern is that time is of the essence," he said.
In a letter to Baker, Diamond wrote on behalf of communication action groups, "The bottom line is that far less than half of the 160,000 households served with fuel assistance would benefit if only $11 million is distributed."
"The poorest of the poor" — those earning 150 percent of the federal poverty level or less — would not receive any additional fuel assistance under the $11 million allocation, Diamond wrote.
This year, Massachusetts received a 7.6% reduction in its LIHEAP allocation, which already had dropped from $200 million to $136 million in recent years, according to information provided by Hinds.
State legislators outside the Berkshires also are spoiling for a fight over the supplemental LIHEAP money.
Describing himself as "quite upset," Action for Boston Community Development President John Drew said the administration is "holding back" on $19 million in new state money, even though families are struggling with bills and facing shut-off notices.
"I'm totally frustrated with this," Drew told the State House News Service. "This is not the way the world should run."
House Speaker Robert DeLeo and House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz issued a statement echoing Drew's pique.
"On behalf of the House, we encourage the Baker Administration to release the full $30 million the Legislature appropriated, and the Governor signed, for LIHEAP. These are critically important funds to support some of the most vulnerable families in the Commonwealth," DeLeo and Michlewitz said.
Aleta Moncecchi, deputy director of the Berkshire Community Action Council, which administers the LIHEAP program locally, noted that among the 7,000 households served by LIHEAP money, about 2,500 of them had run out of their heating assistance money by mid-December.
State House News Service contributed to this report.
Scott Stafford can be reached at sstafford@berkshireeagle.com or 413-629-4517.
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Our Opinion: “Disappointing stance by Baker on fuel aid”
The Berkshire Eagle, April 13, 2019
President Trump's indifference to the plight of low-income Americans is well-established so his bid to eliminate federal funding to help those families with the cost of heat is no surprise. The response of Governor Baker, which amounts to piling on, is a surprise, however.
The president reduced funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) from $3.69 billion to zero in his fiscal 2020 budget. Mr. Trump probably did so to punish cold weather states that tend to vote Democratic, like Massachusetts and the rest of New England, but he has low-income supporters in those states who would also suffer because of his spiteful budget cut. House Democrats will fight these cuts in what is sure to be a lengthy budget battle accompanied by threats of a government shutdown, but should they happen, more than 7,000 Berkshire households will struggle to pay for their heat next winter. (Eagle, April 11.)
The White House has been hacking away at LIHEAP funding for two years, with the state hit with a 7.6 percent reduction in funds for the current year that had already declined from $200 million to $136 million, according to figures supplied to The Eagle by state Senator Adam Hinds. To compensate in part, the Legislature passed a $30 million appropriation in the state's supplemental budget which the governor signed.
The Baker administration, however, through its Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, announced last week that it would distribute $11 million, which it asserts brings the fuel aid benefits up to 2018 levels, and not release the remaining $19 million until next year. In a letter to the governor, Joe Diamond, the executive director of the Massachusetts Association for Community Action, disputes the administration's figures, asserting that far less than half of the 160,000 households served by LIHEAP would benefit from the fuel assistance money if only $11 million is release and the "poorest of the poor" earning up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level would be hit hardest.
The bottom line is that the governor signed off on $30 million in fuel assistance, not $11 million. The administration may believe it is wise to squirrel away $19 million in anticipation of coming cuts to LIHEAP but they are not a done deal and can be addressed later. Mr. Diamond worries that without the full $30 million in assistance now people will not be able to pay utility bills and risk being shut off.
House Speaker Robert DeLeo, who recently warned that the state doesn't have the resources to make up for all of the Trump administration's cuts, has nevertheless urged the governor to release all $30 million of the approved funds "to support the most vulnerable families in the Commonwealth." Along with Senator Hinds, State Reps. Tricia Farley-Bouvier of Pittsfield and John Barrett III of North Adams told The Eagle they would join colleagues in pressuring the administration to reverse its decision and release all of the funding. Whatever the administration's motivation it is only worsening the plight of those victimized by the president's callousness.
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“Baker restores some funding for heating assistance after uproar over cuts”
By Scott Stafford, The Berkshire Eagle, April 16, 2019
North Adams — After an outpouring of concern over cuts to low-income heating assistance, Gov. Charlie Baker's administration is reversing course.
Administration officials announced Monday an increase to $19 million in supplemental funding. The legislative allocation for heating assistance had been reduced from $30 million to $11 million for fiscal 2019.
Still, some are not satisfied and demand that Baker release, as intended by the legislators, the entire $30 million before the fiscal year ends in June.
Administration officials insist that the legislation allows for distribution of the money over the next two fiscal years.
Either way, Joe Diamond, director of the Massachusetts Association for Community Action, said the additional $8 million is a step in the right direction. It should help most of the 160,000 households aided by the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program avoid utility shut-off and lack of heat during the early spring months, and keep them fluid as the next cold season starts bearing down on the Northeast, he said.
"It is much appreciated, because it will help all our fuel assistance clients," Diamond said. "It is progress in the right direction."
LIHEAP was cut from $3.69 billion to zero in the fiscal 2020 budget proposed by the Trump administration. If that proposal holds, more than 7,000 Berkshire County households will be struggling to find money to heat their homes next winter. This year, Massachusetts received a 7.6% reduction in its LIHEAP allocation, which already had dropped from $200 million to $136 million in recent years.
Meanwhile, because the program's allotment to Massachusetts has been cut by millions in the past few years, Beacon Hill lawmakers passed a $30 million state appropriation to provide additional heating assistance for low-income households in the state's supplemental budget, which Baker signed.
But the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development issued a statement noting that only $11 million will be allocated to agencies for fiscal 2019, which ends June 30, and the remainder in fiscal 2020, which begins July 1.
The decision to increase the amount from $11 million to $19 million is an effort to aid thousands of families facing steep bills for late-winter heating, according to a statement issued on behalf of the Department of Housing and Community Development by Colleen Arons, senior director of communications for the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development.
"The Baker-Polito Administration is committed to providing home heating assistance for families and seniors in need and will support the use of $19 million in state funds in FY19 to fund a one-time increase in benefits this year, providing thousands of Massachusetts households with additional assistance for this year's heating costs and a head start for those who use oil on next year's winter heating season," the statement reads.
More information provided by Arons shows that the DHCD will spend $19 million of the $30 appropriation in FY19. Benefits will be increased for all eligible households by a total of $17.5 million. This will support an increase in household benefits from the start of the FY19 season. The remaining $1.5 million will be provided to the organizations that administer the program. Community Action councils across the state administer the distribution of the money to those in need.
The $11 million remaining in the supplemental appropriation will be available in FY20 as a partial offset to another anticipated reduction in federal fuel assistance funding next year.
Diamond explained that with $30 million, households using oil for heat would each receive 100 gallons to get them through the last of the cold weather and give them something to heat their home in the fall. It also would provide $100 to each household that uses either natural gas or electricity for heat, giving them the ability to avoid service shut-off for bills incurred during the last weeks of winter.
With just $11 million, that plan would not have been possible. But with $19 million, Diamond noted, those using oil for heat will still get the 100 gallons, while households with electricity or gas will get $50 each to help pay down their bills and, hopefully, negotiate a plan with the utilities to avoid shut-offs.
Choosing between eating and heating
State Rep. John Barrett III, D-Northern Berkshire, said the Legislature intended the $30 million for this year to help low-income families in the aftermath of last winter, not next winter. If LIHEAP winds up underfunded again for next year, the Legislature likely would address it then.
But for this year, Barrett said, if the $19 million covers the need and folks aren't shut off from their utilities, that should be fine. But he wasn't sure it would be enough.
"We need to give the folks out there the ability pay their bills in full before the next heating season comes along," Barrett said. "And that should be in there as part of any compromise. People shouldn't have to choose between eating and heating. Whenever that happened, there was too much tragedy as a result."
Other elected officials and community organizers renewed calls Tuesday for the administration to deploy all $30 million in authorized spending, writing letters and holding a news conference outside Baker's office. The money is needed as soon as possible, they said, to help families in need ensure that they can afford utilities needed to heat their homes.
"This is not just a financial crisis that we're having," the Rev. June Cooper, president of City Mission in Boston, said at the news conference. "This is a moral issue when we're not able to take care of the most vulnerable residents of the commonwealth."
"This program benefits the poorest of the poor and the most vulnerable households in the commonwealth," said Georgia Katsoulomitis, executive director of the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute. "It is certainly immoral that we have thousands of people every day in Massachusetts that have to make the very, very tough decision of, 'Do I pay my rent, do I buy food, do I buy medicine, or do I pay my utility bill?' "
State Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, and state Rep. Natalie Blais, D-Sunderland, penned a letter to Baker on Tuesday warning that withholding some of the money would "disproportionately and negatively affect the people in our region who rely on this critical social program."
Half a dozen other advocates, including state Rep. Liz Malia and Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu, voiced their concerns at the Tuesday news conference outside Baker's office. A winter moratorium on utility shut-offs ended in March, they said, so low-income families face growing risks even amid warming weather.
Horace Small, executive director of the Union of Minority Neighborhoods, called Baker's decision not to deploy the full $30 million "unconscionable."
"I was shocked but not totally surprised that the governor only released a little under two-thirds of this allocation," said Cambridge Mayor Marc McGovern. "Consistently, we are a state and leadership here that likes to show up for ribbon-cuttings at biotech companies in Kendall Square, but I would actually invite the governor to come sit with the people that I sit with every day, the people that come into my office begging for help and in incredible need of help."
State House News Service contributed to this report.
Scott Stafford can be reached at sstafford@berkshireeagle.com or 413-629-4517.
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“The income inequality problem Massachusetts ignores”
By Adam G. Hinds, op-ed, The Boston Globe Magazine, May 17, 2019
Let’s say you, your spouse, and your two kids live in Mattapan. The closest elementary school for your son, in first grade, is in Waltham. And the closest preschool for your daughter is in Hyde Park. Your employer lets you work remotely, but your neighborhood doesn’t have broadband Internet access, so you have to drive to a co-working space in the Back Bay, because the MBTA has terminated service to your area. For medical care, the closest hospital is in Wellesley. Isn’t life complicated enough without obstacles like these?
That’s essentially the situation facing Josh and Kim Wachtel in Cummington, a town of 881 people between Pittsfield and Northampton. The elementary school there closed five years ago because of low enrollment, so Josh drives his son to first grade two towns away. Cummington has no high-speed Internet, and the nearest hospital is a 30-minute drive. In gatherings I host in small towns across Western Massachusetts, an area I represent in the state Senate, I hear similar stories all the time.
We all know about income inequality in Boston, easily seen from the steps of the State House: 1 in 5 people in the city lives in poverty. Meanwhile, in Suffolk County in 2015, the top 1 percent on average made 54 times what everyone else made, according to the Economic Policy Institute.
What most people don’t see, however, is the severe income disparity in rural areas such as Western and Central Massachusetts and Cape Cod. The median household income in Berkshire and Franklin counties is about 40 percent lower than that in Middlesex and Norfolk counties, and the gap has grown in the last decade. Berkshire, Hampshire, and Hampden counties have three of the four highest poverty rates in the state.
The Wachtels’ experience in Hampshire County epitomizes some of the challenges small rural communities confront. As industries left the region, big barriers to development remained. Broadband, essential to the knowledge economy, is only coming to many rural towns over the next year and a half. Public transportation is nonexistent in most of these towns, meaning you can only get to regional economic centers by car. School districts struggle to keep doors open and maintain quality curricula due to dwindling enrollment and an inability to capture economies of scale. People leave, making it harder for those who stay to pay for basic services.
The result is a vicious cycle — and a dangerous divide. Fears of the nation’s rural-urban gap resonate here, as rural areas watch big cities boom. People living in rural counties always made less money, but the cost of living made it manageable. What I hear from families now tells a different story. Many of them believe the recession never ended, and for them it hasn’t.
The state needs to fix this now. Why hasn’t it? Perception, partly. These regions evoke images of beautiful landscapes, hearty farmers, and wealthy owners of second homes. If you think it’s all Tanglewood, Norman Rockwell, and the Clark Art Institute, you’re wrong. Another problem is numbers: Fewer people means fewer advocates and less state aid.
We cannot let numbers alone drive policy. Programs in rural areas may occasionally cost more per person. But to give citizens everywhere in the state an equal opportunity, strategic investments are needed. Not doing so costs the state more in the long run — it loses revenue when economic activity slows in multiple regions. Moreover, when rural governments lose their local tax bases, they cut spending. Budget cuts hurt infrastructure and public schools, and people move to cities, putting more pressure on transportation and housing.
The solution: Massachusetts needs its own version of a farm bill. A statewide rural renewal plan, similar to the federal farm bill passed at the end of 2018, would be a comprehensive effort bolstering our food producers and fishermen, identifying key infrastructure investments — such as rural broadband and transportation — and investing in strategic regional economic development in small cities and towns. Bills addressing many of these elements are making their way through the Legislature. But rallying support behind the big themes of a rural renewal plan would raise the chances that each one of these initiatives passes.
That includes a bill filed by several rural legislators, myself included, to create an office for rural policy in the governor’s office. Massachusetts established a Rural Policy Advisory Commission in 2015, but it lacks staff and the strength that would come from being in the executive branch. No other entity serves this function for rural areas, so a full-time executive director for this new office could ensure that statewide policies don’t adversely affect such places or leave them out altogether, as was the case with broadband Internet.
A rural renewal plan could also spur private investment in small towns and small businesses, something the state’s existing incentives to stimulate economic growth don’t do. I filed a bill in the Senate, and state Representative Natalie Blais filed a version in the House, providing tax incentives for private contributions to rural growth funds meant for small businesses in towns or cities with fewer than 500 people per square mile (about half of our municipalities).
Despite the challenges, there are incredible bright spots. Compared with some rural areas in other states contending with post-industrial economic shifts, rural areas in Massachusetts boast universities, vibrant arts and cultural scenes, and amenities such as outdoor attractions. In Berkshire County, these translated into $1 billion worth of investment the past three years alone in tourism, housing, and universities. But to cultivate true growth — and ensure a strong economy reaches every corner of the state — we need a more comprehensive approach.
Adopting such a plan would mean we’d have a commonwealth that literally lived up to the name.
Adam G. Hinds is a state senator representing 52 communities in Western Massachusetts. Send comments to magazine@globe.com.
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Alicia Christoff, Adam Hinds
The New York Times, August 25, 2019
Alicia Jean Mireles Christoff and Adam Gray Hinds were married Aug. 24 at August Moon, an events space in Sheffield, Mass. Diana Quinn Inlak’ech, a sister of the bride who received permission from the state of Massachusetts, officiated, with Hillery Hinds Maxymillian, the groom’s sister, taking part.
Ms. Christoff, 37, is an assistant professor of English at Amherst College in Amherst, Mass. She is also the author of “Novel Relations: Victorian Fiction and British Psychoanalysis,” which is to be published in December by Princeton University Press. She graduated and received a master’s degree, in English and American literature, from N.Y.U. and received a doctoral degree in English from Princeton.
The bride is a daughter of Judith A. Christoff of South Lyon, Mich., and the late Thomas A. Christoff. The bride’s father was a design engineer for the Ford Motor Company. Her mother retired as a sales agent for Delta Air Lines; she worked at the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.
Mr. Hinds, 43, a Democrat, is a Massachusetts state senator. He represents the Berkshires area district, in Western Massachusetts. Before his election, in 2016, he was the director of Pittsfield Community Connection, a gang intervention program, in Pittsfield, Mass. He graduated from Wesleyan University and received a master’s degree in law and diplomacy from Tufts University.
He is the son of Patsy-Jill Hinds and Robert W. Hinds of Buckland, Mass. The groom’s parents both retired from Mohawk Trail Regional High School, which is in Buckland. His mother was a librarian and his father was a teacher for students with emotional and behavioral difficulties.
The couple met in 2017, when a former girlfriend of the groom who was also an acquaintance of the bride threw a cocktail party in Worthington, Mass., in order to introduce them. They had a first date shortly thereafter.
A version of this article appears in print on Aug. 25, 2019, Section ST, Page 13 of the New York edition with the headline: Alicia Christoff, Adam Hinds.
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Letter: “Seeking Hinds' help on Pontoosuc”
The Berkshire Eagle, November 10, 2019
To the editor:
As a resident of Lanesborough, I congratulate the folks on Narragansett who got their bridge. Now the rest of here and in Pittsfield need to have state Sen. Hinds push to get state funding for a more complete sewer system via Route 7 or do away with septic tanks around the lake to preserve Pontoosuc Lake, not just for our two communities but for the sake of an asset relevant to tourism and ambiance.
Please Mr. Hinds, let us hear from you.
Paul Soroken, Lanesborough
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Letter: “Spectrum's state channel is a joke on Berkshires”
The Berkshire Eagle, December 30, 2019
To the editor:
A new Spectrum channel with one reporter to cover the Berkshires — is that some kind of a joke?
When my wife and I moved to Great Barrington a year ago, we thought we had relocated to Massachusetts. Instead, it feels like we live in New York State. When I turn on my television, it's all Albany, and, as The Berkshire Eagle's Dec. 27 editorial today points out, those news stations "are of little or no relevance to Berkshire viewers" ("State news channel is nice, not enough").
Now, I have nothing against New York. On the contrary. But we are residents and voters of Massachusetts. Boston is not only the state's major city, it is also its capitol, and what happens there matters to every Massachusetts resident.
Before we became Berkshires residents, Spectrum's cable lineup included two Massachusetts stations, WWLP and WCVB, out of Springfield and Boston, respectively. Both were silenced by Spectrum and have not been reinstated or replaced.
Sen. Ed Markey has been active in this matter, which he regards as "a threat to the informed citizenry that a healthy democracy requires." He has support from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Congressman Richard Neal and the Berkshire delegation in the capitol, but Spectrum stands pat, "an insult to paying Berkshire subscribers," to quote The Eagle again.
Now, if we had a choice, we would switch cable providers. We are starved for local news via television. As it is, local TV news, out of Albany, has become largely irrelevant, and we watch it less and less.
So, of course, these two silenced Massachusetts stations need to be returned to the cable lineup, but Spectrum should also add other Boston stations. A Spectrum news channel out of Worcester with one Pittsfield-based reporter cannot fill this void. "Nice, not enough," according to The Eagle's headline. I think it's "not enough" by a long shot — as a former journalist well aware of the financial and human resources required to do good journalism, it's a joke.
Klas Bergman, Great Barrington
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Our opinion: “DA fails duty to press, public”
The Berkshire Eagle Editors, Editorial, January 18, 2020
The press serves the governed, not the governors, the late Supreme Court Associate Justice Hugo Black once wrote. Were he alive and in the Berkshires today, Justice Black would be justifiably alarmed over the contempt some public agencies have toward the public's right to know.
This week, the general counsel and public records officer to the Berkshire district attorney quit after she said Andrea Harrington told her "we are not responding" to The Eagle's request for public records in a politically fraught case. In the realm of public records law, that is simply not an option.
Jeffrey Pyle, a Prince Lobel Tye LLC attorney versed in public records law and First Amendment litigation, called Jeanne Kempthorne's allegations "remarkable" and Harrington's alleged action "highly unusual" and "improper."
"I've never seen a whistleblower within an agency come forward with such an allegation," Pyle told The Eagle.
Sadly, battling public agencies for access to public records is a struggle in the Berkshires and the behavior of too many public officials in withholding such information borders on Trumpian.
Lest anyone think that the newspaper is muckraking for its own sake, journalists work on your behalf to obtain information to which you're entitled. You, too, can request public records and information, but the point here is if it's difficult for a professional news organization to obtain the material, what are the average citizen's chances?
The District Attorney's Office denied wrongdoing and it paid lip service to transparency, but too many of The Eagle's experiences with the office prove otherwise. Nevertheless, the in-house expert, Ms. Kempthorne, a lawyer of 36 years who once sat on the state Ethics Commission, could find no legal reason to justify holding back the information The Eagle sought in the Simon's Rock case.
Understandably, Ms. Harrington is averse to bad publicity. Though this past week's news was of Ms. Harrington's own making, Ms. Kempthorne's departure was the coda to a pattern of evasion the District Attorney's Office has exhibited time and again toward The Eagle and its questions. Indeed, the district attorney chose to avoid answering an Eagle reporter's questions directly on this matter Thursday, opting instead for her taxpayer-paid media spokesman to answer on her behalf via email.
Ms. Harrington's actions show contempt for The Eagle, which did not endorse her candidacy. This behavior is disrespectful to the citizens of Berkshire County, including those who did not support her candidacy, to whom Ms. Harrington owes a duty.
Ms. Kempthorne calls it a "campaign culture" that Ms. Harrington runs on the inside. If that's the case, then the public isn't likely to get access to the truth about decisions, situations, etc., that affect the public but might compromise Ms. Harrington's reelection chances with the public.
"My concern is that what [Ms. Harrington] did was not in the public's interest; it was in her interest," Ms. Kempthorne told The Eagle.
Indeed, it's been a challenge to get Harrington to release records from politically fraught and controversial cases like the Simon's Rock student's now-debunked claim of a racial attack and the Sheffield family murder-suicide last year. Too many questions loom large still about these cases, which rattled and confused the public.
So sensitive to the prospect The Eagle would go public with Ms. Kempthorne's whistleblowing, Ms. Harrington called The Eagle's executive editor on Thursday and asked it not be published. Ms. Kempthorne was "disgruntled," Ms. Harrington said. The editor declined her request.
Recently, the District Attorney's Office asked The Eagle not to file formal records requests because of the legal burden it puts on the process, preferring informal requests. Indeed, the Freedom of Information Act is in place to ensure that the process is recorded, that government officials are accountable for fulfilling such requests.
Ms. Kempthorne moved across Massachusetts to take Ms. Harrington's job offer as general counsel to the district attorney. Despite their feud, Ms. Kempthorne still believes in and respects Ms. Harrington's progressive philosophy toward justice.
But the District Attorney's Office has a serious responsibility to the public it serves and that includes a respect for the public and the press that works on its behalf. It's tragic that the Berkshires has lost a public servant in Ms. Kempthorne, ironically over a disagreement on how to serve the public.
"I actually do think this is the people's business and there might be some repercussions for me," Ms. Kempthorne said. "It's my obligation to get [this work] done right, and the political function is interfering with me doing my job."
Somewhere up there, Justice Black is listening and hoping the tide turns in the public's favor, and soon. As do we.
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Jeanne Kempthorne and Andrea Harrington (credit: Eagle composite photo)
“DA's office whistleblower resigns over public records issues, 'campaign culture'”
By Heather Bellow and Haven Orecchio-Egresitz, The Berkshire Eagle, January 18, 2020
Pittsfield — The Berkshire district attorney's general counsel and public records officer has resigned after she said Andrea Harrington attempted to block the release of public records in a politically fraught case.
Jeanne Kempthorne, who advised the district attorney on legal matters and served as the office's public records officer, also said Harrington routinely ignored her legal advice and ran a "campaign culture" in the office — an atmosphere that places political concerns above the public's right to information.
On Dec. 16, The Eagle filed a formal request for the public records, seeking emails about an inactive investigation into the now-debunked claim by a Bard College at Simon’s Rock student that she was racially attacked. A process that should take 10 workdays to release, the District Attorney’s Office had repeatedly denied The Eagle access to these public records.
"It was the straw that broke the camel's back," Kempthorne told The Eagle in an interview Thursday.
"My concern is that what she did was not in the public's interest; it was in her interest," Kempthorne said. "This isn't a private company, and it's not her campaign. There are bigger considerations — are we actually going to fulfill our public duties?"
The costly investigation into the racially charged issue was a thorny one for Harrington, and she ultimately decided not to press charges against the student for the hoax.
Harrington, through her spokesman, denied wrongdoing.
Kempthorne said she submitted her resignation Monday with one month's notice.
"Recent events have cast into stark relief the differences in our views of my roles as general counsel and records access officer," she wrote to Harrington.
Initially, Harrington said she was concerned that she might not be able to replace her that quickly, according to Kempthorne. But by Wednesday, Harrington asked her to clean out her office — while supervised — and Kempthorne was escorted out of the building.
Kempthorne said she learned Deputy District Attorney Richard Dohoney, a Berkshire lawyer who served as Pittsfield's city solicitor, would replace her.
In a Jan. 8 email exchange provided to The Eagle, Harrington instructed Kempthorne not to release the public records to The Eagle. Ordinarily, Kempthorne, as the public records officer and general counsel, handles all public records requests.
"We are not responding to this request," Harrington wrote to Kempthorne.
"How do we not respond?" Kempthorne wrote back.
The public's interest
Kempthorne said she could find no legal reason to justify holding back the emails between the District Attorney's Office and Simon's Rock officials.
Kempthorne ultimately decided on her own to provide redacted copies to the Eagle on Jan. 10 — after Andrew McKeever, the spokesman for the District Attorney's Office, told a reporter that the office could not release the requested information.
Kempthorne said that had she not produced the records, she would have committed not only an ethical violation, but also possibly have broken Massachusetts Public Record Law.
"I've never done anything in the job that I never felt wasn't right," she said. "There's nothing that I would not do to get it right."
The District Attorney's Office said that attempting to circumvent the records access officer in this case does not breach the law.
But Jeffrey Pyle, a lawyer at Prince Lobel Tye LLC and an expert in public records law, called Kempthorne's allegations "remarkable."
Pyle said that in his 19 years of practice on First Amendment litigation, he never has seen a case like this.
"This is a very serious allegation of improper withholding of public records, and I've never seen a whistleblower within an agency come forward with such an allegation," Pyle said Thursday in a phone interview. "This is a highly unusual case."
Harrington would not comment directly Thursday. But McKeever, in an email responding to Eagle questions, said the District Attorney's Office is committed to transparency. There had been a disagreement over whether releasing the emails would cross lanes with the jurisdiction of the state police, which had worked the case. State police assigned to the Berkshire District Attorney's Office conducted the investigation.
McKeever said the press office is "always part of public records requests."
There is an exemption to the public records law that allows agencies to withhold information that would be detrimental to the work of law enforcement, but not every pending investigation is subject to that exemption, Pyle said.
The Eagle had sought the emails between the college and the District Attorney's Office to gain some insight into the reported assault and conclusion that it was false — a series of events that rattled the student body and community. The office has said it is essentially dropping the active investigation for lack of evidence because the student refused to cooperate, but the investigation technically remains open, making the final report exempt under the records law.
But McKeever said that even closing an investigation doesn't necessarily render its reports public record.
"Under the public records law, investigatory materials may remain confidential indefinitely if they contain confidential investigative techniques or information that would identify private witnesses," he wrote.
Justin Silverman, executive director of the New England First Amendment Coalition, said it would be "simply inexcusable" for public officials to attempt to abuse the public records law and its exemptions.
"Falsely claiming an investigation is ongoing as a way to keep records secret violates the law and our trust in public officials," he said. "When officials abuse the investigatory exemption of the public records law, they prevent us from learning if justice is being served in our communities. They also weaken the credibility of those who will use the exemption to protect actual investigations in the future."
Pyle noted that in cases where there is no whistleblower, like Kempthorne, the requester wouldn't know that the investigatory exemption is being misused.
"This is a classic circumstance where an individual requester, who doesn't have a whistleblower, would be frustrated," he said.
Experienced attorney
After her 2018 election, Harrington tapped Kempthorne, 63, for the key role in her office, citing her 36 years of experience that include 11 years as a federal prosecutor in Boston, where she was part of the Major Crimes Unit, the Economic Crimes Unit, and chief of the Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit. With her permanent home still in Salem, Kempthorne moved to Pittsfield to take the job.
As chief of appeals, Kempthorne said, Harrington supported her initiatives, including reforms for young offenders.
"She let me do some great things," she said. "We did the first ever expungements. We acquiesced to DNA testing in two cases — I was very proud of that. I really felt like I was doing great work, work that the public wanted and expected her to do, and it really took courage. I do compliment her for her grit and her courage."
But Kempthorne, a former commissioner on the State Ethics Commission, also said she grew frustrated by Harrington's attempt to place her into a silo, where her role as general counsel was marginalized around certain issues. She said Harrington told her it is important to cultivate relationships in the public realm, especially with news media.
Kempthorne said she told Harrington that the work was about legal precision.
"You can't run the office like a campaign," Kempthorne said she told Harrington. "It's not about relationships — it's about the letter of the law."
Kempthorne said coming forward in the public's interest could be a career-ending move for her. She said she "has nothing to lose."
"I actually do think this is the people's business and there might be some repercussions for me," she said. "It's my obligation to get [this work] done right, and the political function is interfering with me doing my job."
Heather Bellow can be reached at hbellow@berkshireeagle.com or on Twitter @BE_hbellow and 413-329-6871.
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Letter: “Unacceptable situation in county D.A.'s office”
The Berkshire Eagle, January 20, 2020
To the editor:
What an extraordinary loss Attorney Jeanne Kempthorne is to the Berkshire District Attorney's Office ("DA's office whistleblower resigns over public records issues, 'campaign culture,'" Eagle, Jan. 17.). It is quite distressing to read of the circumstances of her decision to have to leave her position and an extreme loss of her invaluable background that will result.
I applaud her for her courage and strength to stand up for what she knew was a decision she had to make. It speaks volumes about her integrity, her knowledge of the requirements of her position, her uncompromising fortitude in the face of the necessity for the public and freedom of information laws to prevail.
Her credentials, her background, her public service for many nonprofit organizations, her legal qualifications and moral strength were superb assets to the Berkshire District Attorney's Office and will be sorely missed.
What happened is beyond unacceptable. It is unforgivable treatment of an honorable and exceptional attorney.
Rachel I. Branch, North Adams
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Letter: “Kempthorne put ethics before career”
The Berkshire Eagle, January 22, 2020
To the editor:
We need more Jeanne Kempthornes in the world. We need more people who adhere with faithfulness and bravery to a strict moral compass ("DA's office whistleblower resigns over public records issues, 'campaign culture'', Jan. 17).
We know from the simple black and white reporting over the last week that she is such a person because her ethics came at a personal cost to her: her livelihood. When we put her actions in a national context, we must acknowledge that she is swimming against the stream of self-promoting, morally bankrupt politicians who forfeit the truth and the law in benefit only to themselves.
As public defenders, we hope to come across people like Jeanne Kempthorne who do simple things like: promptly reply to requests, openly state reasons for opposition and adhere to legal guidelines. We need people like Jeanne Kempthorne in order to make this judicial system function. The fact that she had to choose between her values and her career is a sad testament to the failures of this system.
Holly Armitage,
Madeline Weaver Blanchette,
Sarah Dolven,
Elaine Fronhofer,
Xiomara M. Hern[a]ndez,
Jessica LaClair,
Barb Munro,
Molly Ryan Strehorn
The letter was sent from the law office of Molly Ryan Strehorn in Amherst. All who have signed the letter are attorneys who practice law in the Commonwealth and have taken cases assigned out of Berkshire County.
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Letter: “MCC programs will help cultural groups”
The Berkshire Eagle, April 10, 2020
To the editor:
Cultural organizations in Massachusetts have lost tens of millions of dollars. Thousands of teaching artists and cultural workers are out of work. The cultural sector is not the only part of our economy that has been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic, but it is central to our well-being and way of life and it will be an important driver in returning prosperity to the Commonwealth.
In the Berkshires, the ten-week summer theater and music season fuels restaurants and hotels for an entire year.
The Mass Cultural Council has just announced two COVID-19 Relief Programs to help individuals who make their living in the cultural sector and organizations struggling to make it through this crisis. The COVID-19 Relief Fund for Individuals (https://massculturalcouncil.org/artists-art/covid-19-relief-fund-for-individuals/)provides direct grants of $1,000 to Massachusetts' artists. The Safe Harbors COVID-19 Initiative (https://massculturalcouncil.org/blog/covid-19-relief-effort-for-organizations/) provides help for cultural organizations seeking funding from the federal stimulus program, along with direct grants.
As Senate vice chair of the legislative Cultural Caucus and former chair of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts & Cultural Development and the Commonwealth's highest ranking arts official, we know how crucial our museums, theaters, historic sites and science centers are to our community and how much our artists and cultural workers contribute to the education of our children. Their survival and vitality depend on support at the federal, state, and local level, and on the continued generosity of all of us.
When the virus is defeated, and we can return to an un-sequestered life, it is the arts and culture that will lead the recovery and rebuild the community and social bonds that we have so sorely missed.
Adam Hinds, Pittsfield
Anita Walker, Boston
State Sen. Adam G. Hinds (D- Pittsfield) is the state senator serving the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden District. Anita Walker is the executive director of the Mass Cultural Council.
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On Friday, the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires convened leaders representing about 70 Berkshire organizations with all the members of the local legislative delegation through an hourlong virtual town hall focused on COVID-19 relief efforts in relation to the nonprofit sector. The forum featured, from left, state Sen. Adam Hinds, and state Reps. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Paul Mark and John Barrett III. credit: screenshot via Zoom teleconference
State Rep. John Barrett III, D-North Adams, took part in a virtual town hall Friday convened by the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires encouraging nonprofit organizations to work together as financial hardships continue during the coronavirus pandemic. credit: screenshot via Zoom teleconference
State Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield, took part in a virtual town hall Friday convened by the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires encouraging nonprofit organizations to work together as financial hardships continue during the coronavirus pandemic. credit: screenshot via Zoom teleconference
State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield, took part in a virtual town hall Friday convened by the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires encouraging nonprofit organizations to work together as financial hardships continue during the coronavirus pandemic. credit: screenshot via Zoom teleconference
State Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, D-Lenox, took part in a virtual town hall Friday convened by the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires encouraging nonprofit organizations to work together as financial hardships continue during the coronavirus pandemic. credit: screenshot via Zoom teleconference
“Local legislators advise Berkshire nonprofits to band together to weather virus storm”
By Jenn Smith, The Berkshire Eagle, April 17, 2020
Members of the Berkshire legislative delegation are encouraging nonprofit organizations to work together as money for their operations dries up during the coronavirus pandemic.
On Friday, the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires convened leaders representing about 70 Berkshire organizations with all the members of the local legislative delegation through an hourlong virtual town hall focused on COVID-19 relief efforts in relation to the nonprofit sector.
According to the center's 2019 annual report, Berkshire County is home to more than 1,000 nonprofit organizations; 75 percent of them operate with an annual revenue of less than $250,000.
"We had a very diverse crowd, as evidenced by the breadth of questions on everything from housing evictions to business-interruption insurance to hazard pay and disproportionate standards of care affecting communities of color," said Liana Toscanini, executive director of the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires. "I think it's important to provide a level of support to senior nonprofit executives who have the weight of the world on their shoulders under normal circumstances."
Meeting outcomes and next steps will be posted on the organization's website, npcberkshires.org.
Board member Stephanie Bosley moderated the forum featuring state Sen. Adam Hinds, and state Reps. John Barrett III, Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Paul Mark and William "Smitty" Pignatelli.
The delegates encouraged the nonprofits to work together to help engage volunteers and supporters to meet the rising needs.
"I think all of us on a daily basis are just simply shaking our heads at where we've found ourselves," Hinds said. "And so this delegation in front of you has been working right from the start on just about every issue that you're all working on, if I can be so bold. I mean it's literally been health care mitigation to how our schools are acting and services locally and working on funding and adjusting regulations."
Hinds, D-Pittsfield, who chairs the Joint Committee on Revenue, said experts project the fiscal 2021 budget to include a revenue decline of $4 billion to $5 billion, putting community safety nets in jeopardy.
The House and Senate on Friday sent bills to Gov. Charlie Baker's desk requesting a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures, and liability protections for health care workers and facilities during this state of emergency. Pignatelli and Barrett co-sponsored petitions for various relief funds, specifically for residents facing financial hardship, for food service and hospitality workers, and for nonprofit cultural organizations.
Pignatelli, D-Lenox, encouraged individuals in the latter sector to apply for Massachusetts Cultural Council relief money before the April 22 deadline.
In addition to triaging for immediate needs, the legislators said planning long-term solutions to fix the preexisting breaks and fractures in public support systems is paramount for residents and the economy to successfully rebound.
Mark, who called in while sitting in his car at home in Peru, noted that he couldn't connect via live video because he, like dozens of other Berkshire residents living in more remote towns, lacks adequate broadband access.
As the chairman for the house redistricting committee, he emphasized the importance of residents completing the 2020 U.S. census for fair redistricting and distribution of public money.
"How many nonprofits out there are inadequately funded at all times?" Mark asked. "We can't forget how we got there, how easy it was for the rug to be ripped out from underneath us, and people need to act and organize accordingly afterwards."
Said Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield: "An essential worker is a CNA who makes $12.50 an hour. An essential worker is someone who stocks grocery shelves and checking people out, but they are some of the most low-paid workers. The fact that we have people who are laid off who weren't essential workers but were low paid, and they are making more now by being unemployed, I just think is an example of how upside down our system is."
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April 29, 2020
Re: Adam Hinds op-ed in the Boston Globe
I mostly concur with Pittsfield (Mass.) State Senator Adam Hinds’ op-ed in the Boston Globe. U.S. Congress should provide bailout funds for state and local government during the coronavirus pandemic. Massachusetts state government faces a $5 billion budget shortfall. Its local governments also face big budget deficits due to the loss of revenue compounded by the increases in social services.
What is frustrating to me is that Adam Hinds did not practice what he is preaching to Capitol Hill when he exercised his first vote on major legislation to increase his own pay and benefits in early-January of 2017. He did not speak out against Beacon Hill’s State House of Representatives when they voted to increase the gas tax, along with other transportation taxes, by $600 million in early-March of 2020, despite his large legislative district’s workers’ huge commuting expenses in rural Western Massachusetts.
I do not believe Adam Hinds has looked out for his taxpaying constituents over the past 3 years and 4 months on Beacon Hill’s State Senate. Instead, his focus is on the state government’s agenda of legislative pay raises, the last two fiscal years of billion dollar budget surpluses with a $3.5 billion slush fund, and tax hikes on workers who spend their hard earned money on commuting costs.
I was disappointed with Adam Hinds when he did not oppose the worldwide controversy and unethical sale of historic artwork by the Berkshire Museum for tens of millions of dollars. Pittsfield politics’ former Mayors Gerry Doyle and Jimmy Ruberto led the shakedown. Instead of standing up for a good cause and against the likes of Doyle and Ruberto, Adam Hinds was nowhere to be found. If I were in his shoes, I would have spoken out against that terrible injustice!
I have followed Beacon Hill politics for decades. In fact, 21 years ago, my dad, who was a Berkshire County Commissioner at that time, and I spoke at a legislative hearing on county government in the Spring of 1999. I told the legislative committee that they were hypocritical to abolish Berkshire County Government when the state government mismanaged Boston’s “Big Dig” with many billions of taxpayer dollars in cost overruns. Then State Representative Marty Walsh, who is now the Mayor of Boston, replied to me that I had already emailed the entire state Legislature of my thoughts on the matter, and that the “Big Dig” is an “engineering marvel”.
I want to let Marty Walsh know 21 years later that the “Big Dig” has claimed peoples’ lives, and it leaks millions of gallons of dirty water everyday, and that it cost well over $20 billion of taxpayers’ hard earned money. I want to let Adam Hinds know that he is similar to Marty Walsh in that he doesn’t practice what he is preaching to U.S. Congress.
In Truth,
Jonathan A. Melle
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OPINION
“The nation’s economy can be rescued by rescuing state economies” – “Congress must direct stimulus dollars toward investments in state and local governments and locally directed infrastructure projects in the wake of the coronavirus shutdown.”
By Adam Hinds, op-ed, The Boston Globe, April 29, 2020
There is a looming obstacle to the Commonwealth’s recovery from the economic devastation caused by the coronavirus pandemic. At exactly the moment Massachusetts will try to get the economy moving again, probably this summer, the state and local governments could be contracting their budgets under the weight of plummeting revenue and colossal COVID-19 related costs. To ensure the recovery is not undermined, state government needs to be positioned to support the economy. But that won’t happen until Congress focuses federal stimulus dollars on investments in state and local governments and locally directed infrastructure projects.
In a recent video conference call, nine state and national fiscal policy experts from the public and private sectors gave the Massachusetts Legislature a dire forecast for fiscal 2021 (which begins July 1). State revenue could fall short of previous projections by more than $5 billion. With the economy largely shut down, revenue from income, sales, and corporate excise tax has disappeared. Yet while revenue has dried up, the pandemic has forced state and local governments to spend far more on health care, unemployment, and other programs.
Several tools can fill the fiscal gap. Massachusetts has its largest “rainy day fund” ever, with $3.5 billion put aside for just the kind of moment we find ourselves in today. But we don’t know how long the recession will last, so it would be irresponsible to empty this account in one fiscal year.
In these moments, states typically take steps to cut costs, including layoffs. But cutting public sector jobs could accelerate the economic downturn — state and local governments combined are the largest employer in Massachusetts. Demand for municipal bonds has also plummeted, taking away one of the main tools local governments have to quickly raise money.
The recovery from the COVID-19 downturn will be different than the recovery from the Great Recession. Recessions typically happen when demand for goods falls. In this case, the plug was pulled out of the economy. As social and economic restrictions are lifted in the coming months, pent-up demand should drive economic activity in the short term. But with the valve opening slowly to stay ahead of the virus, and fewer jobs in the market due to businesses closing or cutting employees, there needs to be a deliberate mid-range plan to sustain growth.
The best middle-term strategy will be multiple federal injections spread out for sustained impact, starting with bolstering state and local budgets. Unlike state and local governments, the federal government is not restricted by the need to balance budgets annually and can borrow money. While money has been made available to individuals and small businesses, the missing piece is support to states. The unemployment problem will not go away quickly, yet states will provide long-term welfare, health care subsidies, and even support for higher education as residents consider alternatives during an economic downturn.. Without assisting states at the same time as individuals and businesses, we are in for a longer and more uneven recovery.
After supporting local government, Congress must finally act on the over-hyped infrastructure bill. At the start of this year, the Massachusetts Legislature debated a significant transportation revenue package. A federal infrastructure bill could make several key investments a reality, putting state residents to work while finally addressing challenges to our economy.
Transportation shortfalls were a wet blanket on the Greater Boston economy as congestion blocked the movement of goods and people, and because public transportation was not viewed as safe or reliable. The state still needs affordable regional transportation solutions across the state so people can access jobs and health care. A revitalization of rail means finally connecting the Commonwealth, including west-east rail from Pittsfield and Springfield, to Worcester and Boston.
Some in Congress are pushing back, saying the federal government should not fund budget decisions they don’t agree with at the state level. That gravely underestimates the impact of the pandemic at the ground level. Undermining states and cities means taking away critical safety nets and the ability to achieve an equitable recovery across regions and demographics.
This past year, Massachusetts took steps to finally address the real cost of education. We committed to increase education funding by $1.5 billion to properly account for low-income students, special education, and the costs of health care for employees and retirees. Now is not the time to step back from critical investments in some of our most vulnerable children and families.
Some of the biggest recipients of support in early federal stimulus benefited from their army of lobbyists in Washington. Our cities and towns do not have those, but Massachusetts consistently provides more funds to the federal government than we receive in return. It’s time we got the critical support only the federal government can provide.
State Senator Adam Hinds represents the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden districts, and is cochair of the Joint Committee on Revenue Committee.
caption: The Boston area transit system is projecting a huge budget deficit for the fiscal year that ends June 30 [2020], caused in large part by a near nonexistent ridership during the coronavirus pandemic. credit: Steven Senne/Associated Press
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“'Still a lot of work to do': Berkshire leaders weigh in on state reopening plan”
By Amanda Burke, The Berkshire Eagle, May 18, 2020
Pittsfield — After the state crawled into the first phase of its tentative reopening plan Monday, members of the local delegation say questions linger as some employees prepare to return to work at revenue-starved Berkshires business.
Gov. Charlie Baker released details of the plan's early stages, which allow houses of worship, manufacturing and construction to resume operations.
"The reality is there's still a lot of work to do," said Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield, who was one of two legislative observers to the Reopening Advisory Board. He said the state has a role to play making sure "gaps are filled" as operations restart, like securing personal protective gear for workers, and said there is a need to expand child care as more employees report to work.
"If people are moving back to work, we have to make sure our child care system is up and running," he said.
Phase one of the tentative reopening plan allows some businesses in the service industry, like hair salons and pet groomers, to open on May 25 while following safety and public health guidance. Nonessential retail shops will also be allowed to offer curbside pickup, and medical providers will begin seeing patients for pediatric care and other priority health services.
Though more employees will be going to work, under the current proposal, most child care centers in the state will have to stay closed until June 29. While Baker said the emergency centers for children of essential workers provide "significant capacity," that's not the case in the Berkshires, said Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield.
"There is a blanket statement that the emergency worker child care system that was set up was not at full capacity," she said, "but that's statewide and we know that it's different here."
And local child care centers, already operating on "razor-thin margins," are now "operating as a loss," Farley-Bouvier said, because state subsidies are not enough to cover operating expenses.
She said state officials should have announced the industries that were allowed to open Monday earlier, likening it to a top-tier educational curriculum handed to teachers on the first day of school.
Baker and the advisory board kept details of the plan close to their vests, and Rep. Paul Mark, echoing Farley-Bouvier, said that meant he had nothing to say when constituents called him up for guidance.
"I think it was completely irresponsible for the government to make this announcement without giving anyone a heads up in the Legislature," he said.
Mark said it makes a lot of sense to let retail stores open for curbside pickup, a service that restaurants in Massachusetts have been offering for months.
While Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, D-Lenox, applauded Baker's "deliberative" approach to restarting business operations, he said it was extremely unfair that the mom-and-pops had to shut their doors while large corporations stayed open, and added that it will be weeks before small retailers can open for in-store shopping.
Local businesses "sell products that I can buy from Walmart, Home Depot and they've never been shut down my fear is that some small businesses may not be able to survive that they'll be swallowed up by big-box stores."
He urged residents to continue wearing masks when social distancing is not possible, and follow public health guidance to help contain the coronavirus outbreak. Business must follow industry-safety guidelines, which local health officials have been empowered to enforce.
Members of the local delegation said that could lead to varying levels of enforcement across industries, since many smaller communities in the Berkshires do not employ full-time health officials.
"It's a lot of work to enforce this, so I am concerned that there's a lot of responsibility being put on these boards of health, and a lot of resources," Farley-Bouvier said.
Pignatelli noted the Berkshires has fared comparatively well through the pandemic so far.
"Our health care system not only flattened the curve," he said. "It obliterated the curve."
Baker on Monday also lowered the state's stay-at-home advisory to what his administration is calling a "safer at home" advisory, but businesses are still meant to let employees work from home when possible and gatherings of more than 10 people remain prohibited.
Mark said the two advisories mean "effectively the same exact thing."
Hinds said the region is in a good place to take a cautious approach to restarting some aspects of industry as long as residents and businesses must remain vigilant, continue wearing face coverings and following public health recommendations for containing the outbreak.
"Because we're in a region that has been ahead of the rest of the state in terms of its health care metrics, we are well positioned to start a deliberate reopening process by industry," he said. "The question really comes down to, are individuals and businesses complying with the guidance?"
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Francis Marinaro, Berkshire County register or probate, is retiring after 24 years in the post. Marinaro, shown in 2016, also was Pittsfield's Ward 5 city councilor from 1991-97. credit: Eagle file photo
“Francis Marinaro to retire after 24 years as Berkshire register of probate”
By Danny Jin, The Berkshire Eagle, June 5, 2020
Pittsfield — Longtime Register of Probate Francis Marinaro will retire at the end of his term this year, with Anthony Patella, the current office manager, Marinaro's likely successor.
Patella, 45, was the only candidate to file nomination papers by Tuesday's deadline, according to data published Thursday by the State House News Service. Challenges can still come from write-in campaigns for the position, which pays over $130,000 a year and has a six-year term. Marinaro and Patella are both Democrats.
Marinaro, 63, said he made clear his intention to retire, as well as to support Patella, in the fall of 2019. Prior to his election as register, a position he has held for 24 years, Marinaro served 15 years in the Department of Children and Families (DCF). He was also Pittsfield's Ward 5 city councilor from 1991-97.
During his time as register, the probate court has increased use of technology and started a legal education program, as well as strengthened partnerships with the DCF, the Elizabeth Freeman Center and the Center for Human Development.
"He leads this office with compassion and vision," said Probate and Family Court Judge Richard A. Simons. "He's created an environment in which all of the employees know that he has their back, and that promotes teamwork and collaboration and efficiency."
Marinaro said he sees Patella as a "great successor" who would provide continuity.
"He has worked so very hard to learn the intricacies of this court," Marinaro said of Patella. "He also understands, as I do, the importance of the staff and how talented they are, and how important it is to cultivate their successes, their personal needs and professional needs It really has been an eye-opener in the midst of this pandemic to witness their commitment to the families of Berkshire County and to this court."
"He is bright, industrious and caring," Simons added. "He believes so much in the mission of this court and puts in 150 percent each day that he's here, and I think he's going to be a wonderful register."
Patella has worked in the probate court for 16 years, including three as office manager. He has also served on Lenox's Community Center board and its Community Preservation Committee.
"For me it's just about family, education and commitment," he said, who added that he believes Marinaro and Simons "have really set the standard for the probate courts across the state."
"It's who I am," Patella said. "When people walk through the door, I want people to feel we're here to help them through this process, whether it's a difficult time or a rewarding time."
All five incumbent Berkshire state-level legislators will also run unopposed. Each of the 200 seats in the Massachusetts Legislature are up for reelection, yet in 125 races, only the incumbent filed nomination papers.
Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield; state Rep. John Barrett, D-North Adams; state Rep. Paul Mark, D-Peru; state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield; and state Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, D-Lenox, all filed for re-election.
Danny Jin, a Report for America corps member, is The Eagle's Statehouse news reporter. He can be reached at djin@berkshireeagle.com, @djinreports on Twitter and 413-496-6221.
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June 5, 2020
Hello Pat (Patrick Fennell),
Did you read the news about the Berkshire delegation running unopposed for reelection this year?
“All five incumbent Berkshire state-level legislators will also run unopposed. Each of the 200 seats in the Massachusetts Legislature are up for reelection, yet in 125 races, only the incumbent filed nomination papers.” – Danny Jin, a Reporter for America corps member & Eagle Statehouse news reporter
Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield; state Rep. John Barrett, D-North Adams; state Rep. Paul Mark, D-Peru; state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield; and state Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, D-Lenox, all filed for re-election.
What happened to Democracy with competitive elections in Massachusetts State House politics? Are Adam Hinds, Paul Mark, John Barrett III, Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Smitty Pignatelli really royalty who are anointed to government sinecures every two years?
Maybe Adam Hinds, Smitty Pignatelli, and company will vote themselves yet another legislative pay raise? Perhaps they will vote to raise the gas tax again? I wonder if Smitty Pignatelli will write yet another op-ed pointing out all of the job losses in Berkshire County over the decades without looking at himself in the proverbial mirror?
Best wishes,
Jonathan
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June 6, 2020
Re: Open letter to Patrick Fennell
Hello Pat,
With the Berkshire delegation to Beacon Hill all running unopposed this year, it really means that Speaker for Life Bob DeLeo’s power will go unchecked. Boston politicians are never to be trusted by the people of Massachusetts! Beacon Hill politics is done behind closed doors. The Legislators are only in it for their status and lucrative taxpayer benefits. They are like “perfect bureaucrats” who get rewarded for following orders that do a disservice to the people they supposedly represent at the State House.
Per Congressman or PAC-man Richard Neal, who has been in office for over 3 decades, it really means that Wall Street, Fortune 500 companies, and K Street corporate lobbyists will all benefit, while the people of Western Massachusetts will pay for their excesses. The financially constrained people and communities will have no one advocating for them on Capitol Hill.
Per U.S. Senator Ed Markey and challenger Congressman Joe Kennedy III, what is their infighting really all about? I believe Joe Kennedy III wants to be a Massachusetts U.S. Senator like JFK so he can follow in JFK’s footsteps to the Oval Office in 2024. I predict Kennedy will oust Markey. I predict Kennedy will then run for U.S. President.
In closing Pat, no one is representing the people of Massachusetts at the Boston State House and/or Capitol Hill. Massachusetts politics makes a mockery of Democracy where the people used to have a voice in their government instead of facing retribution at the hands of career political hacks.
Best wishes,
Jonathan
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Hello Pat,
I enjoy reading your letters, emails, and responses to my open letters to you. Our country is a mess right now. Protests over racial injustices and police brutality. Over one hundred thousand American people dead from COVID-19. 43 million American workers lost their jobs and health insurance. Congress AWOL. Trump using Nazi police state tactics that have been condemned by the military establishment. Massachusetts State House facing a $5 billion fiscal year 2021 budget deficit. Overpriced and under-performing local school districts ran by greedy teachers' unions instead of the parents. Financially constrained taxpayers and communities told to "pound sand" by out-of-touch ruling elites who serve top-down leaders like Speaker for life Bob DeLeo and dish out retribution to people who complain about it all like you and me.
I wish new blood would enter federal, state and local governments, too. The career political hacks are failing us!
Best wishes,
Jonathan
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July 10, 2020
Re: Open letter to Patrick Fennell
Hello Pat,
I have an idea how Massachusetts’ state government can save some money to close the $6 billion gap in its yet to be passed state budget that started on July 1, 2020. The elected state government officials, such as Smitty Pignatelli and Adam Hinds, can all pay back the money from their greedy early-2017 legislative pay raise bill that cost state taxpayers over $18 million. Then, they can work for minimum wage with no other stipends. They can go on Medicaid for their healthcare insurance. They can go on food stamps for their grocery orders. They can donate their lucrative state pensions to help fund public schools. They could forgo all of their pay and stipends during their five-month recess that starts in three weeks on August 1, 2020 and ends on December 31, 2020.
What do you think of my idea that Massachusetts state elected officials go on a taxpayer diet to help close the $6 billion budget deficit? Also, when do you think the Massachusetts State Legislature will pass its belated state budget that is already 10 days late?
Best wishes,
Jonathan
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“$6 billion short, Mass. lawmakers weigh revenue options”
By Danny Jin, The Berkshire Eagle, July 10, 2020
With Massachusetts facing a $6 billion budget shortfall, lawmakers hope to avoid big spending cuts while minimizing hardship.
There still is no consensus on how to do that.
Cuts could delay economic recovery, observers say, and have harmful long-term consequences on those hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic. Some say tax increases are preferable and perhaps inevitable.
Legislators expect that the state will draw from its $3.5 billion rainy day fund, raise new revenue and possibly borrow — with some targeted cuts.
"People don't want to talk about taxes, but the alternative is cutting basic services that are investments crucial to our collective well-being," said Randy Albelda, a professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, who supports corporate and income tax increases. "These cuts would have disproportionate impacts on communities of color and women."
State Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield, who chairs the Senate's revenue working group, said "everything is on the table" to raise revenue.
"We're committed to avoiding cuts, so that's a starting point, and how we get there is what we're working on," Hinds said.
Some House lawmakers, though, are skeptical of tax increases, which, they say, would hurt people already struggling.
"In my 35 years in municipal government and state government, I've never seen a situation where you increase taxes when things are going bad," said state Rep. John Barrett III, D-North Adams. "That's when you're supposed to use the rainy day funds."
With unemployment about 16 percent, there is little appetite for tax increases now, said state Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, D-Lenox. Even with the rainy day fund, the state must proceed with caution, he added.
"We have to be careful how much we take out of it, not knowing if this is a six-month dip, or a two-and-a-half-year dip," Pignatelli said. "It'll be a combination of the rainy day fund, looking at ways to raise revenue carefully and being smart about spending."
Recession tax hikes
Massachusetts increased tax revenues in each of the past three recessions, allowing for a more "balanced" approach than only cutting spending, according to a report from the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center.
"Economic theory and historical experience" have shown recession-time spending cuts to be more harmful than tax increases, 91 economists argued in a May 26 letter. Albelda, the UMass-Boston professor who worked on tax policy for the state Senate in the 1980s, co-wrote that letter.
Spending stimulates the economy, and infrastructure investments promote future prosperity, said Gerald Friedman, a professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
"You're putting more money in people's pockets through state spending, [and] somebody in the commonwealth will spend some of that money on services and goods produced in the commonwealth," he said.
Maintaining those investments will require tax raises, economists say.
While the state hiked its sales tax in 2009, raising corporate rates and income tax (along with an increase in exemptions) might shift the tax burden more toward top earners, whose spending levels have fallen significantly.
"If equity matters at all, then budget cuts are far worse than increasing taxes on those who can afford to pay them," Albelda said.
The argument that low taxes lead to economic growth has been weakened by recent studies, Friedman said. States that cut more in the Great Recession fared worse economically than states that resisted cuts, according to the Center for American Progress.
"The politics aren't great when people are already hurting," Friedman said. "But, the alternative is to go to your constituents and explain the destruction of our education system and the crumbling of the public health system during a pandemic."
Opponents wary
Barrett said that when he was mayor of North Adams, from 1984 to 2009, he sought to use rainy day funds to balance budgets during three downturns.
"We put money aside in every account we could," Barrett said. "You consolidate services. You don't go out and tax the people, especially in Northern Berkshire."
Barrett supports closing corporate tax loopholes, and he, along with other Berkshire lawmakers, has said he wants to protect education funding. But, he doesn't buy economists' arguments for tax increases.
"Where are people going to get jobs when their unemployment benefits run out?" he asked, adding that North Adams' downtown has struggled in recent years.
Chris Carlozzi, the Massachusetts director of the National Federation of Independent Business, said the state should cut spending, identifying "a bloated MassHealth system" as one target.
"The state will need to take a good hard look and make tough decisions, just like any business has to do right now," he said.
Job creation by small businesses and a gradual resumption of consumer spending will fuel the state's recovery, Carlozzi said, and tax increases would hurt small businesses after what he characterized as "a very slow reopening process."
"The faster small businesses start employing workers again, and commerce resumes in the state, the state will start seeing more money coming into their coffers as well," he said.
Continued uncertainty
More clarity on the previous year's state tax receipts and the possibility of federal aid is expected by mid-July, when revenue talks likely will pick up.
Berkshire lawmakers have expressed support for taxing corporate income held offshore. Estimates vary over how much revenue that would raise, but they top out at $400 million.
While the House passed a transportation bill in March that included a 5-cent gas tax increase and was projected to raise $600 million, the Senate has not moved forward with the legislation.
State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield, urged the Senate to take up the bill in a June 29 letter from the House Progressive Caucus, which she co-chairs.
"I'm calling for a serious look at revenue before cutting," she told The Eagle. She said she doesn't support raising income taxes.
Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation President Eileen McAnneny said the state must be careful with possible tax increases.
"If the budget gap is sizable, they're going to have to, as part of the solution, probably increase taxes," McAnneny said, but added, "We want to make sure that we're not hurting people at a time when they're economically vulnerable. We also don't want to make Massachusetts a high-cost state."
The revenue group will accelerate its work in the fall and explore "new ideas about how to create a fair tax system," Hinds said. Massachusetts' constitution requires a flat rate for income taxes, although reform efforts have renewed after the state's Supreme Judicial Court blocked a referendum in 2018.
More comprehensive reforms could come in future years, which might pose an even greater revenue challenge, Hinds said.
"We anticipate federal assistance this fiscal year, but the next fiscal year is where I think there are going to be bigger problems," Hinds said. "We are not going to have federal assistance, and we are assuming the full effects of layoffs and the recession will be felt. So, the timeline for developing new sources of revenue may not be this July."
Danny Jin, a Report for America corps member, is The Eagle's Statehouse news reporter. He can be reached at djin@berkshireeagle.com, @djinreports on Twitter and 413-496-6221.
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July 11, 2020
Jonathon;
Easy ways to save 6 billion;
Make legislature part-time they are barely that right now.
No per diem, they no longer need to travel due to computers.
Eliminate all but three Registers of Deeds offices, again computers
Get rid of sheriffs' departments, we have local police, state police and a department of corrections already.
Get rid of the Mass Board of Education, let local school committees, businesses and citizens educate their kids. Tired of the state indoctrinating them with lies and hateful propaganda.
Make school districts such as those in Berkshire County consolidate. Too many chiefs getting rich.
Send someone down to South Carolina to find out they can do road and bridge work for $40,000 a mile when we spend over $700,000 a mile.
Cut the RMV by 50% and let insurance companies and AAA handle car, truck and bus registrations, the RMV can handle drivers' licenses.
Raise retirement age to 67 most companies and self employeed people already do that
How much did I save?
Patrick Fennell
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July 11, 2020
Hello Pat,
Thank you for your response. I like all of your ideas to close the $6 billion budget deficit in the yet to be passed fiscal year 2021 Massachusetts state budget. Beacon Hill elected officials have not offered to cut any of their outrageously generous taxpayer-funded pay, stipends, and other benefits. I wonder where they are going to cut services when they eventually pass the belated state budget that is 11 days and counting late? In 3 weeks, the Massachusetts State Legislature begins their 5-month-long recess. Maybe Smitty Pignatelli and Adam Hinds, et al, will all forgo their pay, stipends, and other benefits from August 1, 2020 - December 31, 2020 to save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars to help close the state government's $6 billion budget deficit. They could also pass term limits so that taxpayers will no longer have to support career politicians. But, so many politicians retire and become lobbyists and political consultants that it wouldn't make any real difference. When do you think Governor Charlie Baker will comment on the hundreds of millions of dollars that are missing from the state's unemployment account due to fraud? Maybe if Governor Charlie Baker recoups the hundreds of millions of dollars in stolen money from the state's unemployment account, it would help close the state's $6 billion budget deficit.
Best wishes,
Jonathan
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Think about it. The state legislatures' main job is to pass a budget, and every year in spite of getting full-time pay, benefits and paid just to show up to the State house miserably to pass a bloated budget. This is proof the majority of MA voters are completely stupid.
If I was hired to paint a house, didn't show up or get it finished in a timely would have trouble getting paid at all let alone in full. If a restaurant serves only half a meal they don't get paid in full. Imagine reprsting someone for drunk driving and getting the defendant getting the death penalty, good chance the family won't pay that lawyer. Yet every two to six years our elected leaders fail us, over tax us and provide less than acceptable services and keep staying in the trough. Time to stop paying these thieves, liars and racists.
Patrick Fennell
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Hello Pat,
I agree with you 100 percent! Politicians are lazy, liars, thieves, and racists. Hillary Clinton called black youths "Super Predators" in the 1990s to help her cheating heart husband Bill Clinton get re-elected to the Oval Office (or should I say "Oral Orifice"). Donald Trump called white nationalists and neo-Nazis "very fine people". Smitty Pignatelli and Adam Hinds voted themselves huge pay raises, while also voting to raise state taxes on the struggling working people. Charlie Baker won't comment on hundreds of millions of dollars that went missing in the state's unemployment account due to fraud. Where did all of that money go? To the thieves on Beacon Hill, it is not their money so they are keeping the taxpayers in the dark about it.
Best wishes,
Jonathan
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July 17, 2020
Re: Open letter to Patrick Fennell
Hello Pat,
Happy Friday! During this past week of Beacon Hill politics, Massachusetts now ranks #1 in the nation with an unemployment rate of 17.4 percent. Governor Charlie Baker still won’t comment on the hundreds of millions of dollars missing from the state’s unemployment account, while many displaced workers are still waiting to receive their unemployment benefits. The state government is facing an up to $8 billion state budget deficit. The State Legislature has yet to even propose a fiscal year 2021 state budget, which started on July 1, 2020. Two weeks from now, the State Legislature will go on a 5-month recess from August 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020. The State Legislature is sitting on a 40% pay raise. All of their pay, stipends, and expenses are factored into their state pensions. Local government is expected to soon bear the brunt of devastating cuts in state aid, while the state Legislators who represent them are living the high life. I believe State Senator Adam Hinds and State Representative Smitty Pignatelli should propose a bill to cut their pay and all of their other taxpayer-funded benefits in half to help close the multi-billion dollar state budget deficit.
On Capitol Hill, U.S. Congress reconvenes on Monday, July 20, 2020 for 15 days before they go on their August recess through Labor Day. The House and Senate are not talking to each other to resolve their competing proposals for the newest economic stimulus bill. Our nation’s national debt will balloon by another +3 trillion dollars over the next 3 weeks. Our nation’s children and grandchildren will look back on this point in history as the time Uncle Sam robbed them of their financial security generations from now.
Best wishes,
Jonathan
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Hello Pat,
I don't blame you for telling Governor Charlie Baker, State Senator Adam Hinds, and State Representative Smitty Pignatelli to "Go to Hell"! Beacon Hill has failed the people of Massachusetts. Hinds first vote was the infamous early-2017 $18 million 40% pay raise bill for himself and his colleagues in the corrupt Massachusetts State Legislature, which Smitty voted for as well. Hinds and Smitty receive a lot of publicly-funded pay and benefits for failing to even propose a new state budget that is 17 days and counting late. Smitty voted for $600 million in transportation tax hikes in March of 2020. Smitty did not offer to cut his own taxpayer-funded pay and benefits! For around two months, the state's unemployment account has hundreds of millions of missing taxpayer dollars unaccounted for, but Baker, Hinds, and Smitty all refuse to comment on the fraud. The Holyoke Soldiers Home has had 100 deaths since the COVID-19 pandemic. Massachusetts taxpayers will have to fork over hundreds of millions of dollars after the state gets sued for that tragedy. The Massachusetts RMV management and oversight errors led to 7 dead Marine Veterans in Randolph, NH when the Massachusetts driver should have had his license suspended, but instead he was driving while he was high on drugs when his truck killed 7 motorcyclists. Boston's +$20 billion "Big Dig" continues to leak millions of gallons of dirty water everyday. The deadly "Big Dig" has killed innocent people. It will only last around 50 years before it completely submerges into the Atlantic Ocean. Local government will endure brutal cuts in state aid soon due to Massachusetts state government's up to $8 billion state budget deficit. Massachusetts is #1 in the U.S.A. for unemployment at 17.4%. Baker, Hinds, and Smitty are a bunch of do nothings who are responsible for this mess!
Best wishes,
Jonathan
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July 22, 2020
Now that we know that Beacon Hill’s state government and Pittsfield’s City Hall are both financially insolvent, do you believe that Adam Hinds, Tricia Farley Bouvier, the lovely Linda Tyer, Peter Marchetti, et al, will offer to cut, in part, any of their taxpayer-funded pay and other public benefits before they cut Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski’s public services and the Kapanski family children’s public education? The lovely Linda received a pay raise this year, while Tricia Farley Bouvier and Adam Hinds, et al, are all sitting on a 40% pay raise they voted for themselves in early-2017.
- Jonathan Melle
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Senate Ways and Means Chairman Michael Rodrigues is anticipating tax collections in fiscal 2021 for Massachusetts will be down $5 billion from last year. <i>credit: State-House News Service File Photo</i>
"State Senate budget chief anticipating $5 billion drop in tax collections in fiscal 2021"
By Matt Murphy, State House News Service, September 17, 2020
Despite signs that the state's finances have not completely cratered during the pandemic, the Senate's top budget official said this week he anticipates tax collections in fiscal 2021 to be down $5 billion from last year, and said lawmakers will need to dip "deeply" into the state's $3.5 billion "rainy day" fund unless new federal aid arrives from Washington.
The state's uncertain financial picture could start to come into clearer focus in the coming weeks with House and Senate leaders, as well as Gov. Charlie Baker's administration, preparing to outline a plan to introduce and pass a long-term budget that would carry the state through July of next year.
Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairman Michael Rodrigues told business leaders this week that "some major announcements" would be made in the next couple weeks about how Beacon Hill leadership wants to proceed with a fiscal 2021 budget, as well as how to close the books on the fiscal year that ended June 30.
Rodrigues said he is currently working off estimates that tax collections will be down 15 percent to 18 percent from last year in fiscal 2021, compared to the 2.8 percent growth rate projected in January.
"It's going to be a tough year, but we'll get through this," Rodrigues said.
The Westport Democrat made his comments Tuesday on a webinar hosted by Associated Industries of Massachusetts for its membership as part of a new "Commonwealth Conversations" series produced by the business trade group.
"Within the next couple of weeks we're going to be making some major announcements relative to putting to bed, finally, the FY21 budget and to close out FY20," Rodrigues told the business leaders, indicating the announcement would include a "more formal schedule" for budget deliberations.
State government has been operating since the fiscal year began in July on interim budgets, the most recent being a more than $16.5 billion spending authorization that expires on Oct. 31. The Legislature, however, extended formal legislative deliberations beyond July, knowing lawmakers would have to return to the State House this year to take up a spending bill for the remainder of the fiscal year.
Wherever budget writers land, the decision of how much tax revenue on which to base the annual budget will set off a flurry of lobbying by legislators and advocates to either find ways to bridge the revenue gap with higher taxes and fees, or to protect priorities from necessary spending cuts.
Brooke Thomson, executive vice president of government affairs, moderated the discussion with Rodrigues and noted "rumors" of a revenue shortfall of between $3 billion and $6 billion. In financial disclosure documents state officials have estimated the revenue shortfall at between $2 billion and $8 billion.
"We've been using a $6 billion revenue shortfall for just rounding, simple back of the envelope math, but as we dig deep into it it's probably going to be closer to about a $5 billion revenue reduction," Rodrigues said.
The other major wildcard in the state's unprecedented budgeting process this year has been whether Congress would deliver additional federal relief to state and local governments. The House has passed a $3.4 trillion stimulus bill with more than $800 billion for state and local governments, but the relief package has stalled and bipartisan efforts at compromise have failed to lead to a breakthrough, although talks continue.
"The latest news out of D.C. is not optimistic," Rodrigues said. "We've been pretty much told you can pretty much forget about having anything passed by Congress before the Nov. 3 election, which means we're going to go into the FY21 budget probably counting on zero dollars of federal support, dipping deeply into the stabilization account, but doing so responsibly knowing that FY22 is going to be just as bad as FY21 and we can only spend that money in the savings account once."
As Massachusetts businesses have slowly reopened as part of Gov. Baker's phased approach to rebuilding the economy without jeopardizing public health, tax collections have defied the most pessimistic of projections from early in the pandemic when economist were warning of upwards of $8 billion in losses.
Through August, tax collections for the first two months of fiscal 2021 were up 3.1 percent over last year, and Rodrigues said delayed income tax collections for 2019 that will be credited back to fiscal 2020 were "what we expected" on both the personal and corporate side.
"We are anxiously waiting our September numbers. September is a big month in the tax world. It's when all the estimated filings are done and it's the end of the first quarter of the fiscal year," Rodrigues said. "September numbers are going to be important and then we will get down to more public work."
Senate President Karen Spilka said Wednesday that Rodrigues has been meeting weekly with House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz and Administration and Finance Secretary Michael Heffernan, and Rodrigues confirmed that the three talk "regularly" as they have monitored economic and tax activity.
Neither Michlewitz nor Heffernan could not be reached for comment on Thursday about Rodrigues's remarks, and a Heffernan spokesman said work on budget planning is continuing.
Rep. Todd Smola, the ranking Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, last week called it a "coin flip" whether Democratic leaders would push for a budget vote before the election, or try to pass another short-term spending bill.
Rodrigues, however, seemed inclined to want to try to pass an annual budget next month, and then turn his attention toward fiscal 2022, and planning for the next budget that Baker must file in January.
"Our goal is by the end of October to pass an FY21 budget and also we still have to close out FY20," Rodrigues said.
Getting a budget proposed, amended and passed in each branch, and reconciled by the end of October will be a big lift, as the process for passing a budget usually takes several months.
Baker's annual budget proposal filed in January before the pandemic took hold called for $44.6 billion in spending, with tax collections anticipated to grow by 2.8 percent to $31.15 billion.
Even if the revenue losses are smaller than once anticipated, Thomson said there's no question that federal relief will be needed to spare businesses from higher operating costs as they struggle to get back on their feet.
The unemployment trust fund, Thomson said, is projected to be at a $3 billion deficit in 2020, and that total will increase to $6 billion in 2021 and $6.6 billion in 2020. AIM has been advocating for unemployment insurance relief at the federal level, Thomson said.
Rodrigues, who described himself as the "UI nerd" of the Senate, also said the unemployment insurance liability for employers is his "biggest concern right now" for the employer sector, with costs expected to climb next year nearly 60 percent.
The chairman, however, did not indicate whether he would support a freeze in rates if Congress doesn't allocate funding to help, instead pointing out that the Legislature passed a bill to protect employers hit hardest by job losses during the pandemic from being penalized when rates do increase.
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October 2, 2020
Hello Patrick Fennell,
When I recently read that Stan Rosenberg is back on Beacon Hill as a registered lobbyist, I asked my dad this week if it was Stan Rosenberg's plan to resign from the Massachusetts State Senate to collect a state pension, and then wait until he can go back to the Boston Statehouse to make a 6-figure salary as a Beacon Hill registered lobbyist. I also told my dad that Dan Bosley and Peter Larkin did the same thing as Stan Rosenberg. My dad replied to me: "That is their plan, and they all do it". I thought to myself that Stan Rosenberg, Dan Bosley, and Peter Larkin are making a lot of money off of the taxpayers of Massachusetts, while the Massachusetts State Government has not yet passed a fiscal year 2021 state budget due to a multi-billion-dollar state budget deficit. From an accounting standpoint, if Pittsfield State Senator Adam Hinds and decades-long Lenox State Representative Smitty Pignatelli ever get around to passing a state budget after over 3 months and counting, and they cut funds to public school districts and local government, then a 10 percent budget cut would compound higher as the months pass by. To illustrate, if they cut funds by 10 percent, then it is really 20 percent cut on a prorated basis after a couple of months. If they cut funds by 10 percent after a couple more months without passing a state budget, then it is really a 30 to 40 percent cut on a prorated basis. The longer the Massachusetts State Legislature waits to pass a state budget, the bigger the cuts in funds. So what does that mean for Great Barrington taxpayers? The answer is that the Town of Great Barrington will face historic cuts in funds from Beacon Hill, which will mean that local taxpayers will have to pay higher municipal and public school district taxes to make up the difference. Meanwhile, Beacon Hill still has not held even one single formal legislative session since July 31, 2020. That means that Hinds and Smitty have not accomplished one single thing in on Beacon Hill in over 2 months and counting. I wonder what the salons do all day? I believe the answer is that they do nothing all day!
Best wishes,
Jonathan Melle
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Hello Patrick Fennell:
(Sarcasm): When you wrote: "Government is meant to serve the people, not the other way around", do you mean that Smitty and Hinds and company's early-2017 vote for their own 40% legislative pay raise package wasn't meant to serve the people/taxpayers of Massachusetts? Do you mean that Beacon Hill's 2 month and counting recess where the Massachusetts Legislature has yet to hold even one formal session isn't meant to serve the people/taxpayers of Massachusetts? Do you mean that Beacon Hill has yet to even propose a fiscal year 2021 state budget after over 3 months and counting isn't meant to serve the people/taxpayers of Massachusetts? (More sarcasm): The people/taxpayers of Massachusetts must be shocked, shocked!
Best wishes,
Jonathan Melle
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October 2, 2020
Hello Patrick Fennell,
The Massachusetts State Legislature is on +2-month-long recess. They have not met in formal session since July 31st, 2020. 75% of them are running unopposed for re-election in next month's election. All of their taxpayer-funded expenses, yearly salary, committee stipends, and leadership pay are factored in their state pensions. BUT, that is not enough for them. After they retire from being a political hack on Beacon Hill, they become registered lobbyists where they make 6-figures shaking down taxpayers for special and vested interests. A number of former Boston Statehouse salons started marijuana dispensaries. My point is that they get their dirty hands on all of the taxpayers' dollars then can stuff in their own respective corrupt pant pockets. The taxpayers never stand a chance at building public equity with career politicians such as Ed Markey, Richard Neal, Adam Hinds, or Smitty Pignatelli. If one speaks out about how Boston politicians screw over the rest of the state, then he or she will be blacklisted. They don't want to hear from the little guy who pays the bills, but they don't mind taking our money. Beacon Hill is playing a financial shell game by not passing a state budget after over 3 months. If Smitty tells you that he worked hard to minimize the cuts in state funding to Great Barrington's municipal and public school budgets, then he is not telling you the real impact of a 10 percent cut. That is because over 3 months have passed, and Great Barrington already spent 3 months of their municipal and school budget. Smitty's 10 percent cut would apply to the remaining months of prorated fiscal year 2021. That means that Smitty's 10 percent cut would really be 20 percent, and the longer he takes to pass a state budget, Smitty's 10 percent cut would compound to 30 percent, then 40 percent, and so on. Smitty would tell Great Barrington taxpayers he fought for them on Beacon Hill by limiting state budget cuts to 10 percent, but what would really happen is that Great Barrington taxpayers would have to raise municipal taxes, fees, and public debts to make up for a 20 percent, or 30 percent, or 40 percent prorated budget cut. Of course, most of the taxpayers in Great Barrington would believe Smitty's announcement because they don't understand Smitty's financial shell game tactics. A few people would point out that Beacon Hill is downshifting costs from Boston to Great Barrington, but the Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle) would never print the truth. Smitty would come out of all of it smelling like a rose, when he really smells like a skunk. One would think that Smitty and Hinds would renounce their early-2017 vote for their own 40 percent pay raise that cost taxpayers over $18 million, but instead, Smitty and Hinds will point out that U.S. Congress should bailout Beacon Hill to close the Statehouse's multi-billion dollar state budget deficit. A few people would point out that Smitty and Hinds should rescind their 40 percent pay raise and their fattened state pension accounts, but the Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle) would instead blame Mitch McConnell and his Republican Party U.S. Senators for not passing a new stimulus bill that would bailout the financially constrained and indebted state and local governments. Once again, Smitty and Hinds would come out of it smelling like roses, when they are being skunks. In closing, it is all smoke and mirrors, and Smitty and Hinds are playing financial shell games that will ultimately raise local taxes on towns like Great Barrington.
Best wishes,
Jonathan Melle
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"Rural Berkshire districts need bump in education aid, lawmakers say"
By Danny Jin, The Berkshire Eagle, October 6, 2020
Some Berkshire school districts, particularly those that serve rural communities, will require additional funding in a school year hampered by the coronavirus pandemic, lawmakers say.
Massachusetts legislators have committed to funding Chapter 70, the main source of education funding in the state budget, at last year’s level with an added $107 million for inflation. Yet schools may see extra costs for needs such as transporting students when in-person learning resumes, and will consequently need access to other funding sources, Western Massachusetts lawmakers said in a recent letter sent to Jeff Riley, the state’s commissioner of elementary and secondary education.
Signed by state Sen. Adam Hinds and state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier — two Pittsfield Democrats — the letter also addresses Riley’s Sept. 18 letter asking 16 districts in communities with low coronavirus rates when they planned to begin in-person learning. Fully reopening schools, the legislators said, would require further state support for public health infrastructure, including “rapid, free surveillance testing deployed equitably across the Commonwealth.”
Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School, Hoosac Valley Regional and Pittsfield Public Schools were among the 16 districts that received Riley’s letter, in which he said he was “concerned” the schools were starting remotely despite low virus transmission rates locally.
“One of the points that the superintendents came back to us with was that there are serious costs applied or incurred through the reopening process, and we need to have a guarantee of not just the Chapter 70 but the whole range of revenues coming in across the budget,” Hinds said.
The letter called attention to the 21st Century Education Trust Fund, established by the 2019 Student Opportunity Act to support innovative learning projects for districts. Lawmakers asked Riley to quickly provide information on the application process and how funding would be distributed.
Farley-Bouvier said Pittsfield has used those funds in the past to support after-school activities and “broadening perspectives” through programming in partnership with community groups. She suggested funds could be used to support children learning at local child care centers.
The fund was set up “with a preference for certain school district populations, including rural areas with low or declining enrollments,” according to the letter.
Berkshire superintendents have also pointed to rural sparsity aid as a key funding source this year, Hinds said.
Rural sparsity aid was established in 2018, after Hinds secured $1.5 million in the budget to support districts with 21 students per square mile or fewer.
The present moment “shines a spotlight on these unique challenges when you have a limited tax base for providing basic services and equal education,” he said.
State Rep. William “Smitty” Pignatelli, said he could anticipate an increase in South County districts’ transportation costs this school year, with safety restrictions limiting the number of students that can be transported each trip.
"The template of Chapter 70 across the state — it can’t be the same formula, and it doesn’t work fairly,” he said. “You have to fund [rural sparsity aid], and you have to be fair about it.”
Chapter 70 has faced additional questions after a recent report found that of the $778 million, or 14 percent, of funding that is given without regard for communities’ financial need, 64 percent of “needs-blind” dollars go to the wealthiest 20 percent of districts.
While Chapter 70 is an old formula, the Legislature can make revisions to increase equity, as it did in 2019, Farley-Bouvier said.
“We had great success in bringing more resources to underserved communities,” she said, noting Pittsfield is scheduled to see a $21 million to 24 million increase over several years, although the timeline remains uncertain.
Farley-Bouvier also renewed a call to raise revenue, through a variety of corporate taxes, in order to support education amid a budget shortfall.
“If I have to make the choice between cutting critical programming and asking millionaires to pay their fair share, I don’t think anybody would be surprised to hear I’m going to pick the latter,” she said.
Other lawmakers who signed the letter were state Sens. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, and Anne Gobi, D-Worcester, and state Reps. Natalie Blais, D-Sunderland, and Susannah Whipps, I-Athol.
Danny Jin, a Report for America corps member, is The Eagle's Statehouse news reporter. He can be reached at djin@berkshireeagle.com, @djinreports on Twitter and 413-496-6221.
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October 6, 2020
Why hasn't Beacon Hill passed a fiscal year 2020 state budget for Massachusetts yet after over 3 months and counting? The answer is that the State Legislature, which faces an election in less than 1 month from now (October 6, 2020) on November 3rd, 2020, is really playing financial shell games while the state government faces a multi-billion dollar state budget deficit. The news article, below, states that rural state Legislators are calling on the state to provide more public education funds to their Western Massachusetts public school districts.
We all know that when the state Legislature eventually proposes and then passes a belated state budget, the first thing that will get cut are state funds to local government and their public education districts. If Smitty Pignatelli, Adam Hinds, and company say at this point the state funding cuts are only 10 percent, they are misrepresenting how finance and budgets work. That is because over 3 months of the fiscal year has passed by, and a 10 percent cut would be prorated at an actual 20 percent cut. If a few more months pass by without a state budget, a 10 percent cut would be prorated at an actual 30 to 40 percent cut.
In closing, the longer Smitty and Hinds and company wait to pass the state budget, the more the cuts in state funds will compound for local government and their public school districts. It is a financial shell game by the disingenuous Massachusetts State Legislature!!!!
- Jonathan Melle
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October 6, 2020
Jonathon;
Anyone who votes for anyone in the MA legislature is a complete idiot.
Patrick Fennell
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my response:
Hello Patrick Fennell,
I agree with you that voters are being idiots for voting for the political hacks in the Massachusetts State Legislature on Beacon Hill. The career politicians make a mockery of democracy. Speaker for life Bob DeLeo has total control over the State House chamber. He receives near unanimous votes on his bills. It is worse than Communist countries such as China. For over 2 months and counting, they have not held even one single formal legislative session. All of the Boston Statehouse's business has been behind closed doors and done in secret without any public knowledge or input. For over 3 months and counting, they have yet to even propose a state budget. The longer Beacon Hill waits to pass a fiscal year 2021 state budget for Massachusetts, the deeper the funding cuts will be to towns such as Great Barrington. The Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle) publishes puff pieces making Adam Hinds, Smitty Pignatelli, and company, look good for asking for more state education funding for rural public school districts, but what is really happening is that they are playing financial shell games that will royally screw over the municipalities and public school districts throughout Massachusetts. The state is looking at a multi-billion dollar budget deficit. Predictably, Beacon Hill will pass funding cuts onto the local government and their public school districts. It happens every time their is a recession, and we are in a terrible economic recession this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A 10 percent funding cut from Beacon Hill after 3 months is prorated around 20 percent, and it only gets worse as the months pass without a state budget in place. Smitty, Hinds, and company will say they limited funding cuts to 10 percent or another low-ball number, but they are leaving out the prorated funding cut that compounds higher over time as fiscal year 2021 passes us by without a state budget. I do not understand why the Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle) and other news media outlets throughout Massachusetts do not explain all of this to the taxpayers and citizens.
In closing, I believe Smitty, Hinds, and company, should repeal the 40 percent pay raise they voted for themselves over 3.5-years-ago, and pay it back to the taxpayers before they pass a belated fiscal year 2021 state budget that makes deep cuts to the municipalities and public school districts in their rural legislative districts.
Best wishes,
Jonathan A. Melle
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October 6, 2020
Jonathon;
No one residing in the State House should get a penny until they;
Balance the state budget
Properly handle the China Virus
Pass a balanced 2021 State Budget
Get the Pension fund fixed, it is billions in the red
And actually work full-time
So basically these Freeloaders should never get a penny of taxpayer money.
The MSM like the Eagle, Edge and Globe are so far up the DNC's hindquarters their tongues are brown
Patrick Fennell
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my response:
Hello Patrick Fennell,
Could you imagine if the shoe was on the other foot, meaning that if the hypothetical Republican Party majority on Beacon Hill pulled all of the same crap that the Democratic Party majority on Beacon Hill pulls? No formal legislative sessions for over 2 months and counting now, which means all of the state government's legislative business is being done in secret. No fiscal year 2021 state budget after over 3 months and counting. Financial shell games being played, while local government and public school districts are waiting for the other shoe to drop, meaning forthcoming deep cuts in state funding. A Speaker for life named Bob DeLeo, who runs the State House like a dictator. Legislators such as Smitty Pignatelli and Adam Hinds who voted themselves a 40 percent pay raise. Lobbyists such as Stan Rosenberg, Dan Bosley, and Peter Larkin, who collect state pensions, and then return to Beacon Hill to shakedown taxpayers for respective 6-figure lobbyist salaries on top of their state pensions. State and local politicians who voted to put a toxic waste dump in Lee (Mass.) without any citizen input, which will cause local resident's property values to plummet. What would the Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle), Berkshire Edge, Boston Globe, and other MSM say about it all if they were Republicans instead of Democrats?
Best wishes,
Jonathan A. Melle
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"Spending cuts, tax hikes on the table as coronavirus takes estimated $3-5 billion bite from revenues"
By Erin Tiernan, etiernan@bostonherald.com - Boston Herald, October 7, 2020
From spending cuts to tax hikes, “every option” is on the table for lawmakers struggling to plug a gaping budget hole with tax revenues predicted to nose dive between $2.76 billion and $5.23 billion this year amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“Even under the rosiest of projections, we still have some real difficult decisions to make in relation to trying to balance our books for FY 21,” House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz said.
“Every option is really on the table at the moment,” Michlewitz, a North End Democrat, added.
Gov. Charlie Baker has repeatedly said he would not support raising taxes amid a pandemic that has wrought the worst economic fallout in recorded history. Baker’s budget chief, Administration and Finance Secretary Michael Heffernan doubled down on that on Wednesday, telling reporters, “from what we can see, we won’t need to raise taxes.” The shortfall prediction comes from the Department of Revenue.
Raising progressive taxes like a wealth tax has gained popularity among left-leaning organizations recently.
“Cuts will not address the growing needs or help us prime our economy for a robust and just recovery. Only new, progressive revenue can do those things,” Marie-Francis Rivera of the left-leaning Massachusetts Budget and Police center said.
Last month, a group of more than 150 Massachusetts organizations sent a letter to lawmakers urging similar revenue-raising measures.
The state could draw on its $3.5 billion Rainy Day Fund to balance the budget or make spending cuts.
While Massachusetts is “clearly in a rainy day,” State Treasurer Deb Goldberg warned drawing too much from the state’s savings account could lead to a downgrading by crediting agencies
“We don’t know how long the rainy day will last,” she said, noting agencies first “want to see the state has used all available, public finance tools, including cutting discretionary.”
Uncertainties with federal aid make it hard to pin down exactly how big the state’s budget hole is, Eileen McAnneny of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation said.
Should another federal relief package not materialize, McAnneny said “the revenue shortfall will grow massively.”
Senate Ways and Means Chairman Michael Rodrigues described “glaring federal dysfunction” by the feds and said it was up to the state to “close an anticipated budget shortfall without federal assistance for at least the foreseeable future.”
Tufts Center for State Policy Analysis, however, offered a more optimistic picture, predicting revenue will come in $1.6 billion below the January benchmark.
Executive Director Evan Horowitz encouraged lawmakers to rely on the state’s rainy day fund to balance the FY 21 budget and “avoid painful cuts.” Concerns about budget woes in FY 22 are “overstated,” he said.
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October 10, 2020
Hello Patrick Fennell,
Once again, thank you for responding to my political email letters. I always enjoy reading your email letters, too. Per Beacon Hill getting nothing accomplished for over 2 months and counting, I ask "WHY?"
Why is all of Beacon Hill's state legislative business being done in secret since August 1, 2020? Why haven't they held even one formal legislative session in over 2 months? Why haven't they gotten even one thing accomplished, including not even proposing a fiscal year 2021 state budget after over 3 months and counting?
What do Adam Hinds, Smitty Pignatelli, Tricia Farley Bouvier, Paul Mark, and John Barrett III do all day? (Answer: NOTHING AT ALL!) Why are they still getting all of their pay and benefits paid for by taxpayers when they have done nothing for so long now? Why did they, except John Barrett III, all vote themselves a 40 percent legislative pay raise that also padded their state pensions, which cost taxpayers over $18 million, over 3.5-years-ago?
Why do retired Beacon Hill Legislators such as Dan Bosley, Peter Larkin, and Stan Rosenberg, who all collect their state pensions, and then return to Beacon Hill as Lobbyists to shakedown taxpayers for 6-figure lobbyist salaries on top of the state pensions? Why does the Massachusetts state pension fund have such huge liabilities?
Why won't Governor Charlie Baker comment on the hundreds of millions of dollars stolen from the state's unemployment fund due to fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shouldn't the public and taxpayers who pay into the state's unemployment fund get truthful answers from Governor Baker?
Why won't the U.S. Congress stop taking month-long recesses and work together to pass a new stimulus bill while millions of Americans are unemployed, uninsured, dying in the hundreds of thousands, infected by the millions, and families trying to stay financially afloat? Why does D.C.'s K Street corporate Lobbyist industry run Capitol Hill instead of American Citizens through their elected legislative delegates? (Answer: MONEY!)
Should the states receive bailouts? If they don't, then they will go financially insolvent, which will mean deep cuts to public services, local government and their public school districts. I don't like bailouts, either, but there is no alternative.
Our country's founding was founded on Massachusetts asking King George III for a bailout. He refused, and told his needy subjects to raise taxes. The people rebelled. The rest is history.
Best wishes,
Jonathan Melle
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October 10, 2020
Hello Patrick Fennell,
I agree with you in theory. Bailouts for big business and government are like rewarding children who misbehave. When our Founders, most of whom owned Slaves, started the Revolutionary War against King George III and Great Britain in the name of classical Liberty, it was because the King of England refused to bailout Massachusetts, but instead he told the Founding Fathers to raise taxes. The saying "No taxation without representation" actually originated in Ireland, who like our nation's Founders, rebelled against the King of England and Great Britain. The Founders used the Irish protest chant against King George III to rebel against Massachusetts not getting a bailout.
The old saying "No taxation without representation" applies to the people of Massachusetts today. That is because Beacon Hill has accomplished nothing at all in over the last two months and counting. Beacon Hill has not held even one formal legislative session since July 31, 2020. That means that all of Massachusetts' legislative business on Beacon Hill is being done in secret. The people and taxpayers of Massachusetts have no idea what is going on in their Statehouse building. The commonwealth's local governments and their public school districts have no idea how deep the state funding cuts will be because Beacon Hill has yet to even propose a state budget after over 3 months and counting.
The U.S. House of Representatives on Capitol Hill is currently on an over one month recess. The U.S. Senate begins Judiciary Committee hearings next week on the U.S. Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett. Neither Capitol Hill legislative chambers are doing anything about the 2020 economic recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. To be clear, nothing is getting done on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
Our state and federal legislative delegates are literally doing nothing at all to serve We the People. In closing, it sure feels like we have "no representation with taxation"!
Best wishes,
Jonathan Melle
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October 12, 2020
Hello Patrick Fennell,
Please read the following news article:
Boston Statehouse: "State lawmakers set to resume formal sessions this week"
https://www.wwlp.com/news/state-politics/state-lawmakers-set-to-resume-formal-sessions-this-week/
After a 73 day taxpayer-funded paid vacation, Beacon Hill lawmakers will return to the Boston Statehouse this week to debate pending legislation and the yet to be proposed fiscal year 2021 state budget that is over 3 months (104 days) and counting late.
What do you think of my proposal? The Beacon Hill lawmakers refund taxpayers for their 73 day vacation by paying back their salaries and all other public benefits they receive into the state's general fund, which has a multi-billion budget deficit.
What do you think they will debate in formal session this week? Will they vote to give themselves another 40 percent legislative pay raise like they did over 3.5-years-ago? Will they debate taking another 73 day vacation through the new year?
Lastly, do you think we are better off when Beacon Hill lawmakers are on a 73 day vacation or when they return to the Boston Statehouse to debate pending legislation and an elusive state budget?
Best wishes,
Jonathan A. Melle
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November 1, 2020
Hello Patrick Fennell,
Massachusetts surpassed 10,000 Covid 19 deaths today. The Holyoke Soldiers Home (debacle) is shutdown to visitors who care about their Veterans family members. Beacon Hill has yet to pass a state budget. The Massachusetts State Legislators have gotten nothing done in over 3 months. All they care about is getting reelected and receiving all of their pay, benefits, and compensation paid for by the taxpayers they have failed. Cities and Towns are waiting in fear of cuts in state funding to local governments and their public school districts. Governor Charlie Baker is hoping for a cabinet position in a would be Joe Biden administration. Beacon Hill has been operating behind closed doors because they won't hold formal legislative sessions, which means the public has no idea what is going on in Boston other than Massachusetts' state government is facing a multi-billion-dollar state budget deficit. In closing, the people of Massachusetts are getting the proverbial royal screwing over by the likes of career politicians such as Smitty Pignatelli, Adam Hinds, and so on.
Best wishes,
Jonathan Melle
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Off topic, but I have a question for my fellow Planet Valenti blog readers. Beacon Hill released its over 4-month and counting late Massachusetts state government budget proposal today (Thursday, November 5, 2020), which is 2 days after election day. They are dealing with a multi-billion-dollar budget deficit, but they plan on increasing state spending by 5.3 percent. My question is: How does their budget math make any sense? I don't understand it myself. I believe they are playing financial shell games.
- Jonathan Melle
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November 12, 2020
Hello Rinaldo,
I read most of your letters to the editors or op-eds. I read the following letter to the editor:
https://www.iberkshires.com/story/63563/Letter-Why-Media-Got-It-Wrong-and-Why-I-Was-Right-Predicting-the-Election.html
In response to your arguments about Joe Biden and the far-left-wing of the Democratic Party, Biden has the same economic advisors that served Bill and Hillary Clinton, who were pro-Wall Street. Bernie Sanders stood up to Hillary Clinton about her Wall Street connections, and Bill and Hillary Clinton disliked Bernie Sanders for pointing it out to Democratic Party voters. Many Democrats believe that Trump did not defeat Hillary Clinton, but rather, Bernie Sanders did her in during the 2016 campaign for the White House.
Wall Street destroyed our country's economy in 2008. Bill Clinton and George W. Bush's administrations gave Wall Street a lot of power, and Wall Street bet the proverbial farm and they lost big. The credit bubble burst, and many small investors and businesses lost at least half of their money in their 401k's and IRA's. Hillary Clinton was going to continue giving Wall Street all of the economic power, and Bernie Sanders stood up to the Clintons. Trump carried on Bernie Sanders' populist message, and Trump won in 2016.
We are back to square one with Joe Biden. He is going to use "Clinton-omics" and let Wall Street bet it all, again. Critics of Trump argue that the Trump administration mortgaged America's economic future on Wall Street, and that we cannot do that forever. Fiscal Year 2020, which ended on September 30, 2020, produced the biggest federal budget deficit ($3.1 trillion) in U.S. History.
Joe Biden is promising to raise taxes on wealthy individuals and corporations. The only question I have is, What is the use of raising taxes on the rich when we continue to bail them out when they lose money? The U.S. House of Representatives stimulus bill, which is stalled in the U.S. Senate, has bailouts for big businesses in it. The Democratic Party is playing financial shell games by saying they want to reverse Trump's tax cuts, but then they always vote for bailouts for corporate America.
Rinaldo, when you write about the violent protests of the far-left, I wish to ask you about the hate march in Charlottesville, Virginia, where a young woman lost her life to a neo Nazi who purposefully hit her with his car. Trump had neo Nazis and other haters work for his campaign and presidential administration. Trump stirs up hate, and he praises racist hate groups. Far-right hate groups are the biggest terrorist threat in our beloved country.
In closing, I followed your 2016 campaign for Berkshire-based State Senator. I believed you wanted to bring economic development to Western Massachusetts. The problem you faced over 4-years-ago was that the political insiders were in Adam Hinds' corner. The first vote State Senator Hinds casted on Beacon Hill was to give himself a 40% legislative pay raise that cost Massachusetts taxpayers over $18 million. The irony of your campaign for economic progressivism was that Adam Hinds put himself at the front of the line, along with Smitty Pignatelli, Tricia Farley Bouvier, and Paul Mark.
Best wishes,
Jonathan A. Melle
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November 15, 2020
Off topic, but I am interested in reading Planet Valenti's blog readers and posters thoughts about Beacon Hill's State House of Representatives attaching abortion as state law in Massachusetts as a rider to the yet to be passed into law very belated fiscal year 2021 state budget. Should major state laws such as abortion be attached to the state budget or should they be debated in public with public input and public hearings?
- Jonathan Melle
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"Massachusetts Senate abortion vote looms as budget debate winds down"
By Michael P. Norton, State House News Service, November 18, 2020
The House approved an abortion access budget rider last week by a barely veto-proof margin and the Senate may vote on the matter Wednesday, potentially giving those following the issue a clearer idea of whether it might survive a possible gubernatorial veto.
An amendment (180) proposed by Sen. Harriette Chandler of Worcester is among the more than 140 amendments to a $46 billion fiscal 2021 budget that has yet to be considered as senators look to possibly wrap up annual budget deliberations in just two days of mostly behind-the-scenes activity.
The House approved its abortion amendment, which closely mirrors a bill known as the ROE Act, 108-49 on Thursday. The amendment would allow abortions after 24 weeks in the case of lethal fetal anomalies and lower the age from 18 to 16 that a minor can choose to have an abortion without parental or judicial consent.
While Gov. Charlie Baker stopped short of saying whether he would veto it, he joined other Republicans in registering a process complaint: they don't believe the policy measure should be part of a budget.
"I do share some of the unhappiness that was raised by a number of members of the Republican Party, that putting policy in the budget was something that both leaders in the House and Senate said they would not do," Baker said at a press conference Friday. "And it's pretty hard to argue that this isn't a major policy initiative that is now in the budget."
Baker said "folks on our side" took policy initiatives off the table because of the no-policy message that Democratic leaders had communicated earlier in the budget process.
The governor noted that he has joined Democrats in the Legislature in the past to "strengthen" laws governing access to reproductive services and "have cleaned up a lot of the historical issues that we had here in our existing laws" to bring statutes in line with court rulings. He didn't want to comment on the bill because legislation "tends to morph a lot between the time people start asking me about it and it ultimately lands on my desk," he said.
Pressure to codify or expand abortion access in Massachusetts ramped up after the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a President Donald Trump nominee, with Speaker Robert DeLeo saying in a statement that there is a "threat to reproductive rights for women on a national level."
Advocacy groups like the ACLU of Massachusetts praised the House for "removing medically unnecessary barriers to abortion care," while opponents like the Catholic church took particular issue with lowering the age of consent.
"Abortion at any time, from the moment of conception to birth, is in direct conflict with Catholic teaching and must be opposed," Archbishop of Boston Sean O'Malley, Bishop of Worcester Robert McManus, and Bishop of Fall River Edgar da Cunha said in a statement Tuesday.
In an interview at the State House, House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz said after Thursday night's vote that the issues had been aired at a public hearing and that Judiciary Committee Co-chair Rep. Claire Cronin has been working on the measure and talking to members about it for 18 months.
"This was a much-needed debate and discussion," Michlewitz said. "We felt it was necessary for us to take this step now." He added, "I'm very proud of the vote that we just took. I'm a strong a staunch supporter of pro-choice, and a woman's right to choose and I'm glad that we took this step today, and I'm looking forward to seeing the Senate do the same next week."
Nineteen House Democrats joined Republicans in voting against the House amendment.
"This is a very difficult issue for many members that are on both sides of it and I think that's why it took so long to get to this point to take that vote," Michlewitz said. "There was a lot of meticulous work done on this discussion. For some members, it was a bridge too far to cross and I think that when you're talking about abortion rights, it can become very private, a personal conversation. I have a lot of personal beliefs in it, from family history and other things and I think that a lot of people carry that into that into that type of vote, much more extensively than you get from maybe some other votes."
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November 20, 2020
Hello Patrick Fennell,
The New Hampshire Union Leader newspaper published my letter to the editor about the combined age of Joe Biden, who turned 78 today, Mitch McConnell, who is 78 but will soon turn 79 in early-2021, and Nancy Pelosi, who is 80, which totals 236 years for our three very old federal leaders. I wonder if Adam Hinds will someday be cited by a letter writer like myself as a career politician who is near 80 in the future to come? What about decades-long Smitty Pignatelli, too?
Joe Biden has spent nearly 5 decades as a career politician, and now all of the Biden alleged Crime Family members are all worth tens of millions of dollars each. How did that happen? When I talk to my friends about Hunter Biden, who is now 50, fathering children by multiple women, they respond to me that he has the money to pay for his multiple families. They also say that Hunter Biden tried to weasel his way out of paying child support for the then college student, who worked as a stripper, whom he impregnated, but the court-ordered paternity test ultimately proved that Hunter Biden was the father. We don't live in the old days when a spoiled rich middle-aged man like Hunter Biden can lie to a Family Court Judge about the woman he got pregnant. Hunter Biden has at least 5 children by at least 3 women. But hey, the Biden alleged Crime Family all somehow made tens of millions of dollars, and Hunter can get high on crack cocaine and drunk on alcohol, and pay for all of the women and babies he is responsible for with all of the Biden alleged Crime Family money.
Adam Hinds must be a financial wizard! He wrote to his constituents that he increased the fiscal year 2021 Massachusetts State Budget by 5.5 percent over last fiscal year's state budget, yet Beacon Hill is still dealing with an estimated $3.6 billion state budget deficit. I wish I had the financial acumen of Adam Hinds! If I had tens of thousands of dollars in unsecured debts, I guess I could be like Adam Hinds and increase my yearly spending by 5.5 percent. Smitty Pignatelli has a college degree in Finance, and he once worked at a bank in Lee (Mass.) I wonder if I went back in time and met with then banker Smitty Pignatelli and I told him that I had tens of thousands in unsecured debts, if Smitty would have given me a bigger line of credit for me spend? If Smitty approved the increase in my line of credit at Lee Bank, then I could tell him that when he makes a long career in politics that he should vote himself a 40 percent raise in early-2017, and he should also write op-eds in the Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle) about how Berkshire County has lost population and jobs while taxes went through the proverbial roof. I would tell Smitty that when he writes his op-eds about Berkshire County's acute economic inequality, shrinking population, scarce living wage jobs, and high taxes, that he should not look at himself in the proverbial mirror after serving decades in the Boston State House because, after all, he votes himself big taxpayer-funded legislative pay raises. As long as Smitty takes care of himself, then nothing else matters.
We should praise State Senator Adam Hinds and State Representative Smitty Pignatelli for attaching abortion as a budget rider to the still unpassed very belated fiscal year 2021 state budget so that there is no public input and there are no public hearings. Hinds and Smitty are so smart that they know what is best for We the People. Let us all just hand them over our tax dollars so they can play their financial shell games and pass major state laws such as abortion via budget riders.
Best wishes,
Jonathan Melle
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November 20, 2020
Senator Hinds;
SHAME ON YOU! You are bragging in spite of being four months late with the BLOATED state budget. Do you not have any pride at all? The only thing the State Senate and House are really responsible for is the budget, thanks to your laziness people in need went hungry, without and stayed homeless. But hey parents can still abort their babies, isn't that so humane?
The saddest part of your incompetentance, laziness, apathy and tardiness is you and your fellow felons still collect a full paycheck complete with benefits.
Thank your lucky stars the average voter in Massachustts is a complete moron, otherwise you would have to get a real job in the Dreaded Privater Sector.
Adam thanks for NOTHING. Throughout the China Virus you and yor fellow parasites were AWOL. We have survived in spite of greedy Public Servants like you.
Too bad you are spinelsee as lazy. There were billions of dollars of waste in the bloated budget to cut, like funding State government.
Patrick Fennell
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November 21, 2020
Hello Honorable Adam Hinds,
Please explain your financial wizardry. Massachusetts state government has a $3.6 billion budget deficit for fiscal year 2021, but the very belated and still unpassed state budget you just voted for increases state government spending by $2.4 billion or 5.5 percent over the previous fiscal year's state budget. I fail to see how the math adds up here.
You said the State Senate’s revenue working group is on track to deliver revenue proposals in January [2021] ahead of next year’s budget debate. Also, the state did not fully fund the first year of the Student Opportunity Act. Why did Beacon Hill pass the law when you did not fully fund it?
Before you, Pittsfield State Senator Adam Hinds, propose tax increases approximately 2 months from now, please consider voting to rescind the 40 percent pay raise that you vote for yourself in early-2017. While you are at it, please consider cutting your pay, stipends, benefits, and compensation, too.
Please lead by example. When you propose tax increases during the 2020 and 2021 economic recession, start by sacrificing all of your taxpayer-funded perks. If you don't want to cut your own public perks, then you shouldn't be asking your constituents to sacrifice their hard-earned money.
In closing, Beacon Hill's lawmakers are total hypocrites because you only take care of yourself, while treating the taxpayers you do many disservice to like your personal ATM!
In Truth!
Jonathan Melle
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"With budget nearing completion, Hinds says revenue proposals will come next year"
Danny Jin, The Berkshire Eagle, November 21, 2020
For the $46 billion state budget, which has cleared both the House and Senate, lawmakers opted primarily to draw from one-time funding sources rather than generate new revenue.
Allocating $2.4 billion more than the state spent last year, the budget targets investments toward coronavirus-related needs while saving new revenue strategies for next year, said Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield. Hinds expects next year’s budget to be more challenging due to decreased federal funding and a weakened rainy day fund.
The Senate budget would take $1.5 billion from the rainy day fund while raising over $400 million in new revenue from increasing ride-sharing fees and accelerating the sales tax schedule. The House did not include the hike in ride-sharing fees, and a six-person conference committee will reconcile the branches’ differences before the budget heads to Gov. Charlie Baker.
Hinds, who chairs the Senate’s revenue working group, said the pandemic-induced recession “really points in the direction of needing new revenue.” He said the group is on track to deliver revenue proposals in January ahead of next year’s budget debate.
“In every major recession in the past generation, it is typically the case that new revenue was raised,” he told The Eagle, noting new revenue helps to sustain “critical investments.”
Yet by foregoing additional revenue this year, the state missed an opportunity to commit more resources to long-term needs the pandemic has exacerbated, said Phineas Baxandall, a senior analyst at the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center.
“There definitely are meaningful sprinklings of money, and that will help,” Baxandall said. “While there was fear that the budget could have been worse, to really move the needle you would’ve needed new revenue.”
The state did not fully fund the first year of the Student Opportunity Act, a landmark 2019 law that would have cost over $350 million this year to begin implementation.
“This money is particularly needed for low-income districts, which are the ones hit hardest by the coronavirus,” Baxandall said, adding people of color have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. “So they’re getting hit on both ends.”
Lawmakers sought to make up the gap through other means, with House Speaker Robert DeLeo noting the House version spends an added $80 million on educational support programs.
The Legislature fulfilled its commitment to increase K-12 education funding $107 million from last year to account for inflation. Federal aid also gave Massachusetts schools $193 million and up to $225 per student for COVID-19 safety, Hinds said.
Hinds said that since this year’s budget draws heavily from one-time sources, and that the economy received a $30 billion infusion of federal funding unlikely to be replicated in future years, it made sense to save new revenue for future budgets.
“Holding onto the tools that might allow us to bring new revenue to the table in the next fiscal year is actually an important strategy to us,” Hinds said Tuesday on the Senate floor, praising the budget’s investments in housing, food security, child care, economic development, public health and education. “It’s a way to maintain those critical investments next fiscal year and beyond when we do not have the present levels of external support.”
Baxandall, however, argued more revenue this year could have meant greater investments going to residents who need support now.
“Even if [raising new revenue next year] works, it doesn’t really help the people who may get evicted this year and it doesn’t help the kids who are going to have inadequate schooling,” he said. “You don’t get that year back... That’s something which works better on the accounting ledger than it does on the experience of people.”
He said raising rates on unearned income, as well as taxing offshore holdings of multinational corporations could generate resources without hurting those hit hard by the pandemic.
Hinds expressed hope that next year’s revenue discussion would take into account a shifting economy that he said “is increasingly putting the little person and the small business under the gun.”
While Senate budget discussions saw fewer amendments than in most years, Hinds successfully proposed to establish a trust fund to stabilize summer camps and to bump rural school aid from $1.5 million to $3 million.
“Our funding formula disadvantages rural schools, and I am glad that my colleagues now accept for the third year in a row that we need an additional support for rural schools,” Hinds said.
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November 22, 2020
Hello Patrick Fennell,
U.S. Congress will celebrate Thanksgiving this week. Then, when they return to "work" in early-December of 2020, they are scheduled to break on December 11th, 2020. U.S. Congress will celebrate Hanukkah (December 10th - 18th, 2020) and Christmas (and the Holiday Season) through then end of the year of 2020. The 117th U.S. Congress will begin after the New Year of 2021. To be clear, over the next 40 days, U.S. Congress will "work" only 10 days -- or 25 percent of the time.
After Trump's tax cuts and the 2020 economic recession, the federal government borrowed $4.2 trillion this year of 2020. Our beloved country's national debt is currently around $27.28 trillion dollars. U.S. Congress has gotten little to nothing done all year, while our future generations of U.S. taxpayers will have to pay back $4.2 trillion in federal debts this year of 2020.
Joe Biden is a pro-Wall Street and K Street career politician. All of the Wall Street and K Street operatives and lobbyists are lining up to work for or influence Joe Biden's presidential administration. Joe Biden's economic advisors are the same ones from Bill Clinton's corporate-friendly administration and Hillary Clinton's Goldman Sachs favored presidential campaign. Of course, Joe Biden will be the oldest U.S. President in U.S. history. Instead of Democrat, he will be known as the Dementia-crat.
On Beacon Hill, Smitty Pignatelli and Adam Hinds are planning on proposing tax and spending increases in January of 2021 for the Massachusetts fiscal year 2022 state budget. It is interesting how they did not vote on the very late (and still unpassed) fiscal year 2021 state budget until after the November 3rd, 2020, election. It is even more interesting how they are waiting until after the election and new year (2021) to propose state government tax and spending increases. I don't believe their timing is coincidental.
In review and closing, U.S. Congress will "work" only 10 days (or 25% of the time) for the rest of the year of 2020, the U.S. Congress did little to nothing all year of 2020, Trump's tax cuts and the 2020 economic recession led to the U.S. government borrowing $4.2 trillion this year of 2020, Joe Biden is in the pocket of Wall Street and K Street, Joe Biden will be known as the Dementia-crat as the oldest U.S. President ever, Beacon Hill is planning to raise state government taxes and spending in approximately 2 months from now, and their "perfect" timing will happen after they are secure and comfortable in their (useless) political careers.
Best wishes
Jonathan A. Melle
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"Lawmakers should donate pay raises amid coronavirus pandemic"
The Boston Herald, Editorial, January 5, 2021
There’s a difference between doing the people’s business and giving people the business.
Someone should explain this to the Massachusetts legislators who intend to take the 6.46% raise on the table this year.
Our lawmakers on Beacon Hill get a raise every two years — it’s written into the Massachusetts Constitution that their pay correlate with the state’s median household income. They voted a nice increase for themselves in 2017, overriding Gov. Charlie Baker’s veto, and got another 6% raise in 2019.
Each of the state’s 200 senators and representatives are in line for a $4,280 bump in their base salaries. They’ll also get a bump in their expense accounts and stipends.
How many people in the private sector have missed out on pay raises because of company “belt-tightening,” even before the coronavirus hit our shores?
In past years, umbrage was (rightly) taken at the taxpayer burden imposed by the pay hikes.
But this year’s raises add insult to injury.
In a pandemic that has cost hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts jobs, with a jobless rate of 6.7% (as of November), and that has shuttered businesses across the state, legislators get more money.
But they don’t have to — lawmakers and other constitutional officers can reject the raises.
According to a spokesperson, Gov. Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito will decline.
New Speaker of the House Ronald Mariano will accept the raise — his pay packet climbs to more than $178,000 a year.
This while desperate families set their hopes on a stimulus check.
State Rep. Mike Connolly, another raise-taker, said, “Cost of living increases make sense for everyone in terms of government benefits, Social Security and other programs.”
Here’s what seniors receiving Social Security will get for a cost of living increase this year: 1.3%.
Members of the military are set to receive a 3% pay raise this year, according to federalnewsnetwork.com. Business Insider reports that base pay for an enlisted service member in their first six months comes out to less than $20,000 per year. Newly commissioned officers make about $38,250 a year.
It’s good to be a lawmaker in the Bay State.
Yes, we have coronavirus vaccines, and a return to normalcy is on the horizon, but we are still struggling.
Food banks are seeing double-digit increases in demand for free groceries.
Here’s a challenge to lawmakers opting for that pay hike amid an economy-crushing pandemic: Donate the money to a food bank, a homeless shelter or one of the many organizations that are helping those in need. There’s no shortage of want in Massachusetts — what a great way to show solidarity with constituents, not just the high-earners, but those who try to support a family on minimum wage jobs, those who’ve seen tips disappear along with their restaurant positions, those who have spent all their savings without a new job in sight.
It’s taxpayer money that’s funding your pay raise — never forget that.
David Tuerck, president of the Beacon Hill Institute, summed up the situation succinctly: “It is utterly inappropriate for any state government official to take a pay raise at this time, considering we are still in the depths of this COVID-19 crisis and considering the fact many that many people have gone without pay for quite some time.”
Legislators, the ball is in your court.
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"A new Legislature convenes and three pay hikes kick in. Only in Massachusetts"
By Jeff Jacoby, Boston Globe Columnist, January 6, 2021
If you are a Massachusetts resident who works a minimum-wage job, your pay goes up this week to $13.50 per hour, an increase of 75 cents.
If you are one of the state’s 1.2 million Social Security recipients, your benefits check will be boosted by 1.3 percent this month. For the average retiree, that will mean a monthly hike of about $20.
If you are a private sector worker in Greater Boston who gets an annual cost-of-living adjustment based on the Consumer Price Index, your wages may inch up by a slight 0.4 percent — the change in prices locally over the past year, as determined by the US Labor Department.
And if you are among the 6.7 percent of the state workforce that is currently unemployed — you won’t get any paycheck at all, though you may be eligible for temporary unemployment benefits.
But if you are a member of the Massachusetts Legislature, you won’t have to settle for such trifling (or nonexistent) gains in pay. The salaries of Bay State legislators are going up by thousands of dollars as a new session of the Legislature commences and not one, not two, but three separate pay raises kick in.
Again.
Pay Raise No. 1 will enrich each senator and representative by an additional $4,280 per year, raising their base salary by 6.46 percent from the current $66,257. Under an amendment to the Massachusetts Constitution, legislative salaries are adjusted every two years to match the change in household median income, as determined by the governor. The Legislature placed that amendment on the ballot in 1998 and successfully pitched it to voters as a guarantee that lawmakers would never again vote to hoist their own salaries.
But in Massachusetts, lawmakers don’t collect only a salary. They also collect a generous “expense allowance” — currently, $16,250 per year for those whose districts are within 50 miles of the State House and $21,660 for all the others. On top of that, every state senator and almost two-thirds of state representatives collect hefty “leadership stipends,” which augment their compensation by at least 20 percent. For most taxpayers, getting that kind of money for a job as undemanding as state legislator is sheer fantasy. But when it comes to their own pockets, Massachusetts lawmakers make fantasies come true.
In 2017, the Legislature passed a law automatically hiking their expense allowances and leadership stipends in tandem with state wages every two years — effectively guaranteeing themselves a second and third pay raise at the start of each new session. Even for Beacon Hill, it was a brazen ploy. There was a public outcry, and Governor Charlie Baker vetoed the measure. But the Legislature steamrolled his veto, with the result that each two-year legislative session now begins with multiple pay raises for House and Senate members. In the 2021-22 session, Massachusetts lawmakers will be paid a base salary of $70,537, plus an expense allowance of $22,729 ($17,044 for those within 50 miles of Boston). In addition, 70 percent of legislators will receive yearly “leadership” pay ranging from $17,039 to $90,876. No member will make less than $87,581; some will collect as much as $178,457.
Virtually no other state pays its lawmakers so much money. (California, New York, and Pennsylvania are the exceptions, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.) If Beacon Hill were a model of legislative excellence, such exorbitant compensation might be justifiable, but the opposite is true. Most Massachusetts legislators have no influence, and the handful who do conduct nearly all their business in secret — indeed, our Legislature is one of the least transparent in America. Year in, year out, the Legislature blows off its deadline to pass a state budget. Rarely is any legislative issue seriously debated in the open. Bills approved in advance are typically gaveled to passage in pro forma votes whose outcome is a forgone conclusion.
In most of America, state lawmakers convene for just a few weeks or months each year — long enough to hammer out a budget, approve needed legislation, and adjourn. They know better than to think of legislating as a full-time job requiring bountiful salaries.
But not in Massachusetts. Here, growing their own pay is one of the things legislators do really well, and taxpayers keep underwriting raises that they can only dream about for themselves.
Jeff Jacoby can be reached at jeff.jacoby@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @jeff_jacoby. To subscribe to Arguable, his weekly newsletter, visit bitly.com/Arguable.
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January 18, 2021
Beacon Hill and Capitol Hill's career politicians only do many disservices to the taxpayers and people they in theory represent. Adam Hinds, Tricia Farley Bouvier, Smitty Pignatelli, Paul Mark, and John Barrett III will all someday retire with taxpayer-funded state government pensions worth around 6-figures per year. PAC-Man Richie Neal, who has been on Capitol Hill for over 3 decades, only represents K Street corporate lobbyist firms that fill his campaign coffers with millions of special interest dollars each and every year. U.S. Senator Ed Markey really lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland. U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren ran a failed grassroots campaign for president, but then she backed the Democratic Party's most corporate-friendly candidate Joe Biden, who has the same economic and financial team as the corporate Clintons. The Biden (alleged) "crime" family members are all worth tens of millions of dollars each without reasonable explanation. Hunter Biden is under federal investigation for his lucrative foreign business dealings and alleged money laundering. Joe Biden's first bill will increase the U.S. national debt by around $2 trillion and give most Americans $1,400 stimulus checks. The U.S. national debt will soon be well over $30 trillion and counting higher. In closing, I believe that it is wrong for Beacon Hill lawmakers to collect up to 3 pensions during the K-shaped (record highs on Wall Street, record lows on Main Street) recovery/recession during the COVID-19 pandemic!
- Jonathan Melle
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January 19, 2021
Rinaldo Del Gallo III would have been one of the good guys in politics and government, but he isn't an insider who takes orders from the corrupt Big Wheels in Boston so instead he writes thoughtful op-ed pieces to share his political views with the public. I thought Rinaldo's support of Alex Morse for U.S. Congress last year made many good points about how out of touch K Street's PAC-Man Richie Neal is with the people who live in his Western Massachusetts legislative district. What the Massachusetts Democratic Party did to Alex Morse was homophobic, conspiratorial, and mean-spirited. Congressman Richard E. Neal allegedly ran a smear campaign in 2020 without leaving behind his own fingerprints/DNA to intimidate Alex Morse and any future candidates from challenging his out of touch and entrenched over 3 decade long public record on Capitol Hill. The Holyoke Soldiers Home debacle is the WORST state government mismanagement episode in the history of Massachusetts! 78 Veterans died of COVID-19 there so far, while Governor Charlie Baker (or "Faker") took zero accountability for what happened. I believe Baker should have resigned his office in disgrace. I remember when my dad was a Berkshire County Commissioner from 1997 - mid-2000, and Charlie Baker was the bureaucrat in Beacon Hill back then who oversaw the financing of Boston's "Big Dig", which had billions of dollars in cost overruns. I cannot believe Charlie Baker's financial mismanagement of the deadly and constantly leaking with millions of gallons of dirty water "Big Dig" did not stop him from being elected Governor in 2014, but Charlie Baker is a Boston insider unlike Rinaldo. Lastly, I am sorry to read of Rinaldo's loss of his former partner to COVID-19.
- Jonathan Melle
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January 25, 2021
Hello Patrick Fennell,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about Pittsfield State Senator Adam Hinds. In early-2017, Hinds first vote on Beacon Hill was for the 200 Members of the Massachusetts State Legislature to receive a 40 percent legislative pay raise that cost state taxpayers over $18 million. 4 years later, Hinds and his Beacon Hill colleagues just received up to 3 legislative pay raises at the start of the New Year, while over one million Massachusetts workers have lost their jobs and health insurance. Hinds is on the public record looking to raise state taxes in 2021 to fund and balance the fiscal year 2022 Massachusetts state budget. Hinds is not making any financial sacrifices himself, while he is looking to take more money out of the pockets of the state's shrinking working class taxpayers.
Despite Lenox State Representative Smitty Pignatelli's public open letters to Governor Charlie Baker, the climate bill was vetoed by Baker. I thought it was ironic that Smitty's climate legislation set its future benchmark dates after Smitty retires as a career politician - when Smitty will be collecting his 6-figure taxpayer-funded state pension and other public perks. I also thought it was ironic that Smitty's climate bill set lofty environmental policies, while he openly supports putting a toxic waste dump full of GE's industrial chemicals called PCBs in the heart of his legislative district in Lee, Mass. Smitty is a total phony!
I read a lot about Massachusetts state government politics over the decades. On Boston TV, a woman Massachusetts State Representative said there are 2 ways to describe Massachusetts politics. She said the wealthy suburbs outside of Boston are called the Starbucks coffee drinking constituents, while the rest of the state are called the Dunkin Donuts coffee drinking constituents. The real political power in Massachusetts politics are where the Starbucks coffee drinking people live, while the rest of Massachusetts gets political hacks such as Adam Hinds and Smitty Pignatelli.
I went for a dog walk with my dad this late-afternoon, and I asked my dad if NY State Governor Andrew Cuomo should receive the $15 billion bailout from Capitol Hill and the Biden White House that Cuomo is demanding to pass his next state budget. My dad replied that if Cuomo gets his $15 billion bailout, then all of the other state governments will receive less in federal funding. My dad told me that he doesn't know the financial formula(s) that give most states more federal funds, while a few states get less federal funding.
If I were in Biden's shoes, I would sit down with Governor Andrew Cuomo and ask him why he is demanding a $15 billion bailout. If Cuomo gave me legitimate reasons for his state government's huge budget deficit, then I would work with Cuomo on a bailout for New York State government that would restructure its public finances to avoid a future financial disaster that Cuomo is currently trying to deal with and solve. If I were in Biden's shoes, I would not just give Cuomo $15 billion without structural changes to New York State government's financial management policies.
Best wishes,
Jonathan Melle
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Senator Hinds;
The State House has absolutely NOTHING to be proud of. Remember we pay the bills and the return we get is abysmal at best criminal at worst.
In the last ten months crime, suicides, domestic abuse, addiction problems and depression have increased. More people are on poverty. With kids staying home many are not eating properly, many kids depend on lunch programs to survive. More people are on food stamps and living on the street. Landlords are suffering, by not collecting rent, which helps maintain their property and pay taxes to get nothing in return. And most small businesses got NOTHING! Yes Zero dollars in spite of lockdowns. These lockdowns are your doing, not ours's
And just when things are BAD, you make them Worse. The 'Climate' Bill will kill the poor, electric, gas, oil, food, healthcare nd other bills will skyrocket. Berkshire County workers depend on gas run vehicles, we don't get a check just to show up to Boston. The poor don't drive Priuses.
The only time liberals like you reach into your own pockets is when it is cold. So far you have been nothing more than a paid parasite.
Patrick Fennell
Great Barrington
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"Legislature’s committee fest doesn’t do state any favors"
The Boston Herald, op-ed, By Peter Lucas, February 13, 2021
Progressives in the Massachusetts Legislature are all for making the institution more transparent, except, of course, when it comes to pay raises.
Discussion of what legislators are paid is off the table. It is simply not a subject for debate, nor are issues of reforming and making transparent some of the archaic rules under which the House and Senate operate and have operated for years.
An example — their silence on the creation of three new and costly politically correct joint House and Senate committees to do the work that some of the existing joint committees already do.
There are 29 joint House and Senate committees ranging from the Committee on Cannabis Policy to the Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs, and everything in between.
In addition to the 29 joint committees, the 40-member Senate has 11 more committees of its own, along with three temporary committees. The 160-member House also has 11 of its own House committees and two temporary committees.
There are 37 Democrats in the Senate, which means that everybody is a chairman of one committee or another, and sometimes chairman of two.
The three new joint committees announced in joint press release by Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Ron Mariano are the COVID-19 and Emergency Preparedness and Management Committee, the Racial Equity, Civil Rights and Inclusion Committee, and the Advanced Information Technology, Internet and Cybersecurity Committee.
While three new committees are created, no existing committee has been eliminated.
Asking why none of the existing committees cannot do the work of the three new committees is to miss the point.
The goal of the new committees is not only to appease progressive dissenters by giving them appointments, but to also tamper charges of “systemic racism.”
If there is anything systemic about state government it is systemic incompetence, as witnessed by the disarray and mismanagement in the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The creation of the three new committees means that Spilka and Mariano will be able to provide slots for their critics by giving them something to do to bring about changes.
It also means a fat pay raise for those lucky enough to be named chairs of the new committees.
The new committees will be run by six new chairs and six new vice chairs, all appointed by Spilka and Mariano and all will be receiving extra pay.
While the basic salary of a legislator is now $70,000, plus another $15,000 to $20,000 in office expenses, the $70,000 figure is misleading.
Committee chairs and vice chairs get additional pay in the form of a stipend, as do members of Spilka’s and Mariano’s leadership team.
Committee chairs, for instance, get an additional stipend of $15,000 to $30,000, which brings the salary of many members up to $100,000, not including health and retirement benefits. Lucky chairmen of two committees make close to $150,000.
And unlike many people who were forced out of work during the coronavirus pandemic and shutdown, legislators continued to get paid even though most of them worked from home.
It is good work if you can get elected.
The nature of the legislator’s job has changed. Most new people coming into the Legislature now are not traditional politicians. They are committed progressives looking to advance liberal ideology and get paid well for doing it. The era of the back-slapping pol who would do a favor is gone.
The patronage hiring scandal at the Probation Department — even though not criminal — largely ended political patronage on Beacon Hill. It ended compassion, too.
So, the onetime honored practice of a legislator doing a favor, like getting a state job for a needy constituent, or helping a kid into a community college, or working out an immigration problem, is over.
Progressives don’t do favors; they do climate change.
As one battle-hardened Beacon Hill lobbyist put it. “These progressives won’t do you a favor, can’t do you a favor, and don’t know how to do you a favor.”
So don’t ask.
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February 13, 2021
Hello Patrick Fennell,
Beacon Hill added 3 new joint committees to give 6 new chairmen (or chairwomen) and 6 new vice chairmen (or chairwomen) tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars in legislative leadership stipends on top of the 3 legislative pay raises the corrupt and greet Boston state Legislators received last month on January 1, 2021. The 3 new joint committees are on top of the existing 29 joint committees that pay 58 chairmen (or chairwomen) costly stipends, the state Senate's 11 committees of its own plus 3 temporary committees, and the state House has 11 committees of its own plus 2 temporary committees. After doing the math, Beacon Hill now has 59 committees, 91 committee chairmen (or chairwomen) and 91 vice chairmen (or chairwomen). Some Boston state Legislators chair 2 committees with lucrative public salaries and stipends that add up well into the 6-figure range.
Peter Lucas points to Governor Charlie Baker's botched vaccination distribution program to point out Beacon Hill's incompetence. I would add the Holyoke Soldiers Home where 78 Veterans have died from coronavirus. There are many other examples of Beacon Hill debacles, such as the state's unemployment department's problems. Peter Lucas and other news journalists point out that over one million Massachusetts workers have lost their jobs since the Covid-19 pandemic, while Beacon Hill is cashing in with their legislative pay, stipends and perks that the hard hit working class taxpayers are paying for. Oh, the irony! Instead of the government serving the people, the people are serving the corrupt politicians (and greedy lobbyists) at the public trough.
Beacon Hill's Statehouse is secretive and corrupt. Governor Charlie Baker and the Boston State Legislature only do disservices to the common people who are struggling to survive in the real World. The ruling elites in Boston only care about their legislative pay raises, stipends and public perks. We the People have to pound sand because the political system is rigged.
Best wishes,
Jonathan Melle
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"What are your state lawmakers working on? Berkshire delegation outlines session priorities"
By Danny Jin, The Berkshire Eagle, February 28, 2021
Local lawmakers talk ending the isolation in the Berkshires, from transportation to telecommunication
The Berkshire delegation of the Massachusetts Legislature is looking ahead to a two-year session to work on long-term and coronavirus pandemic-related goals.
The coronavirus pandemic came to dominate the legislative agenda last year.
After the recent deadline for filing bills, members of the Berkshire delegation spoke with The Eagle about their priorities for the session, which runs through July 2022.
Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield
Hinds said his top priorities fall into four “buckets”: helping local cities and towns; tackling climate change; addressing income inequality; and pursuing racial equity.
A proposed $100 million fund for rural small businesses was approved by the Legislature last session but denied by Gov. Charlie Baker, and Hinds is renewing that effort. He also wants to promote outdoor recreation and fix the state-owned land reimbursement program, which currently shortchanges municipalities such as Savoy and Mount Washington.
On climate, Hinds’ bills seek to promote carbon sequestration, protect forests and remove references to biomass as a clean energy source in state law.
“The fight is not only about reducing emissions, but capturing carbon instead of letting it enter the atmosphere,” Hinds said. “Western Massachusetts has a significant role to play with carbon sequestration.”
Hinds has proposed to establish a state-owned bank, which, he said, would increase banking in low-income neighborhoods and other underserved areas. Top banks tend to gear services toward wealthier neighborhoods, according to a Bloomberg data analysis.
Hinds wants to create a racial equity office to work toward anti-racist policies, paired with a constitutional amendment that would deem “persistent unequal outcomes” across categories such as gender and race to be unconstitutional.
“It’s drawing upon [the idea that a] racial disparity is evidence of racist policy,” he said. “It’s saying if there are disparate outcomes, that’s illegal and needs to be addressed.”
He continues to chair the Revenue Committee and leads the new Committee on Post-Pandemic Resiliency.
Rep. John Barrett III, D-North Adams
Improving broadband service and constructing the proposed Greylock Glen Outdoor Center are, for Barrett, the projects that would provide the greatest boost for the Northern Berkshire economy.
Helping towns build their own networks would create competition for existing providers, which Barrett said lack an incentive to reduce costs or improve services if they have a monopoly. Barrett refiled a bill that would allow municipalities to attach to utility poles at no cost for broadband or police communications.
“Right now, utilities charge exorbitant prices for people to attach to their poles, which limits the ability of towns to make [building municipal broadband] cost-effective,” Barrett said.
With improved broadband service, the region could attract more businesses and remote workers, Barrett said.
While the pandemic delayed the release of money, Barrett said the state is “ready to move forward” on Greylock Glen.
Another Barrett bill would streamline the process for neighborhoods to remove racial covenants. Those covenants, which exclude people from owning property based on race, no longer are enforceable but still exist on some older properties.
Barrett remains the sole Berkshire member of the Ways and Means Committee, which oversees much House legislation. He is vice chairman of the new Federal Stimulus and Census Oversight Committee, which will review where and how federal stimulus money was spent.
Rep. Paul Mark, D-Peru
“A good deal” of Mark’s focus this session will be on telecommunications, utilities and energy, the committee for which he is vice chairman. Some of his priorities are bills that he regularly files, including proposals for clean-energy expansion and job growth.
“It is very important to me that as we transition forward into cleaner, renewable energy sources, we have workers at the table to ensure they are benefiting the most from the job-creation opportunities that are possible,” Mark said, noting his background as a telecommunications worker and union member.
He also is pushing for “bills that make higher education more affordable and accessible, bills that promote local and sustainable job growth and opportunities, and bills that put our rural communities on equal footing with the bigger cities.”
He is continuing to advocate for multiple bills promoting employee ownership, which, he said, can help ensure that companies serve their workers and communities.
“Worker-owned businesses, of course, want to make a profit, but their profit motive is based on serving customers, employees and offering a good product or service, not on meeting artificial targets set by Wall Street,” Mark said. “As more small-business owners age and look to transition their businesses, employee ownership is a great option to keep jobs and profits local.”
Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield
After the “foster parents’ bill of rights” Farley-Bouvier long has advocated for nearly became law last session, she again will make child welfare a focus, alongside a renewed push for immigrant driver’s licenses and an effort to prohibit employers from paying a rate below the minimum wage to workers receiving tips.
A new bill would allow foster parents to unionize, and Farley-Bouvier refiled bills to provide foster parent protections and establish an independent foster care review office.
“I hear often that foster parents feel they are retaliated against if they were to ever raise concerns around the system,” she said. “Allowing foster parents to have a seat at the table and have collective bargaining rights on such things as reimbursement rates, representation and ensuring that communication takes place [would have] a huge impact on their family life.”
The Progressive Caucus, which Farley-Bouvier co-chairs, will advocate for immigrants’ rights, full and equitable funding of the Student Opportunity Act and generating revenue from top earners to prevent budget cuts, she said.
“When we go to look at the programs that we have to fund, we have to look at the other side and where progressive revenue is being left off the table,” she said, noting that billionaires in Massachusetts have made profits.
Farley-Bouvier said she will fight to increase child care funding in budget debates, calling Baker’s proposed allocation “disappointing.” Insufficient child care funding, she said, has resulted in women leaving the workforce in droves.
Farley-Bouvier is vice chairwoman of the Steering Committee.
William “Smitty” Pignatelli
Rep. William “Smitty” Pignatelli, D-Lenox
Pignatelli filed bills concerning the opioid crisis, health care, transportation, and environment and agriculture.
The Helping Overdosing Persons in Emergencies Act would require first responders to carry an opioid antagonist while on duty.
“The problem is not that these first responders are not trained; it is that they are not always equipped,” he said in a document he provided that was addressed to House colleagues.
He refiled a dental therapy bill that would establish midlevel practitioners, as well as an acupuncture bill that he has said could decrease the rate of opioid prescriptions. Other Pignatelli bills would establish a bill of rights for people experiencing homelessness, a local-option gas tax and a local option for ranked-choice voting in local elections.
“We have a shortage of dentists, and we have a potential of a great shortage in the Berkshires going forward,” Pignatelli said in August, when making the case for the dental therapy bill.
Pignatelli is vice chairman of the Rules Committee.
Danny Jin, a Report for America corps member, is The Eagle’s Statehouse news reporter. He can be reached at djin@berkshireeagle.com, @djinreports on Twitter and 413-496-6221.
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Looking forward: "The millionaire’s tax in a post-pandemic Mass."
By Isabel Contreras, For the [Daily Hampshire] Gazette, 3/15/2021
BOSTON – As Massachusetts residents and legislators continue to acclimate to the new normal in the year since the pandemic started, some are turning their attention back to a hot topic that has been debated for years – the “millionaire’s tax.”
The proposal for a state constitutional amendment that would impose a 4% surtax on income exceeding $1 million, also known as the Fair Share Amendment and Proposition 80, passed through the Massachusetts House and Senate during the last legislative session and, if approved again, will be decided on the November 2022 ballot.
In the time since the amendment first passed in 2019, the country has faced a transformative year which legislators and business advocates say has challenged the state’s taxation needs and priorities.
State Sen. Adam Hinds, a Pittsfield Democrat who is Senate chairman of the Legislature’s Committee on Revenue as well as the Senate Committee on Reimagining Massachusetts Post-Pandemic Resiliency, voted in favor of the constitutional amendment in 2019.
Hinds said COVID-19 has highlighted the gaps in funding for the state’s education and transportation systems – the two areas that would receive the revenue collected through the proposed tax – which play an important role in reducing income and racial disparities in the state.
“I’m thinking particularly about the Student Opportunity Act, but also the serious vulnerabilities revealed by the pandemic point to child care and early education as a critical investment for the economy and for addressing income inequality and ensuring we have a robust recovery,” said Hinds, whose sprawling district covers nine towns in Hampshire County.
“Each of those are pointing at more revenue, not less,” he said.
Andrew Farnitano, a spokesman for RaiseUp Massachusetts, a nonprofit coalition that supports what it calls the Fair Share Amendment, said the education and transportation sectors will need more funding to address the long-term effects of the pandemic.
“I think the need has multiplied, especially in our education system that’s seen so much disruption. It’s going to take years to recover,” he said. “The impact the pandemic has had on kids’ mental health and emotional health is going to take a lot of work to repair in addition to academics.”
Chasing out the rich?
But critics caution that taxing high-income earners could chase them out of the state, leaving Massachusetts without their already sizable taxes while depleting the state’s business and entrepreneurial sectors.
Paul Craney, board member and spokesman for the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, cited cases where similar taxes in states like Connecticut, Maryland, California and New Jersey have pushed rich residents away from the state, forfeiting their high revenue taxes.
“The first year there are some higher taxes collected, but the next year it falls off because all these people just move out of state, and then as a state you just lost that ability to have their taxes,” he said. “Once you chase out your high-income earners it’s really hard to bring them back.”
Greg Sullivan, research director for the Pioneer Institute, said the burden of this tax would eventually fall on local businesses and “one-time millionaires,” or people whose income surges over $1 million due to a good year for their business or some other factor.
“The proposal effectively represents a tax on small and medium-sized businesses in Massachusetts, and that’s really bad timing as these businesses try to recover from the COVID recession,” he said.
Craney said in spite of the economic toll COVID has had on many, the state has collected more revenue than expected, and is also receiving federal relief, implying that the Legislature does not need extra funding.
“What this really is all about is for politicians to always have a spigot of money coming in so they never have to reduce their spending,” he said.
Sustainable revenue
However, Hinds said long-term investment is necessary to overcome the obstacles posed by the pandemic, and federal stimulus is not enough.
“They are one-time investments, and the problems that have been revealed and the needs really require sustainable revenue,” he said. “While there will be a large injection in the short term, identifying long-term sources of revenue for these critical investments is important as well.”
JD Chesloff, Executive Director for the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, said the state has to find a balance between making investments that are important to the local economy and making the state attractive in terms of costs of living and working.
“The pandemic changed that equation quite a bit,” he said. “Some employers are simply more mobile now and the pandemic has proven the concept that work can be done from anywhere. Some folks are saying that the barriers to exit have never been lower. It’s just easier to move.”
Popular support
A survey conducted by MassINC Polling Group in January showed that 72% of participants backed the surtax, and that they supported the measure whether the revenue would be directed towards education or transportation.
Earlier polling data also shows public support for the tax, even though a previous proposal for this constitutional amendment was dismissed by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, citing a “relatedness clause,” a restriction specific to citizen proposals for constitutional amendments, which does not apply to amendments proposed by the Legislature.
Phineas Baxandall, a senior policy analyst with the Massachusetts Budget & Policy Center, said the surtax’s public support makes him confident it would not drive too many people away from the state.
“What draws people to live and work in Massachusetts is our great schools and being a great place to live and raise a family,” he said. “What will drive people away is a broken transportation system and unaffordable housing, not marginal changes in tax rates for multi-millionaires.”
Isabel Contreras writes for the [Daily Hampshire] Gazette from the Boston University Statehouse Program.
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March 16, 2021
Pittsfield (Mass.) State Senator Adam Hinds wants to tax the wealthy with a surtax on millionaires who live and/or do business in Massachusetts. Just last week, Adam Hinds, along with a great majority of Beacon Hill career politicians, voted to give tax breaks worth hundreds of millions of dollars to already wealthy big businesses under the pretense of helping small businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Then there is President Joe Biden, who is working on a new economic plan that would raise taxes on less than the top 2 percent of the wealthiest people and businesses to fund his big government policies and programs. This is the same Joe Biden who voted for and most recently signed into law multibillion dollar bailouts for big businesses, as well as state and local governments.
Why do Democrats say they want to raise taxes on the wealthy when they turn around and bail them out?
- Jonathan Melle
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Adam G. Hinds: "Who pays taxes and who doesn't?"
By Adam G. Hinds, op-ed, The Berkshire Eagle, April 14, 2021
April 15 is traditionally tax day in America. It is also a day to consider who pays taxes, who doesn’t and why.
We often hear about Amazon, a $1.5 trillion-dollar company, paying zero federal taxes. But unfair evasion comes in many forms.
Construction workers bear a particularly heavy burden related to wage theft. That’s why members of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters are participating in Tax Fraud Days of Action in hundreds of locations this week. As many as 2.41 million construction workers in the United States — about 20 percent — are paid in cash off the books or are misclassified as so-called independent contractors. Estimates indicate this led to federal and state tax losses of .4 billion a year.
We are not immune to these thefts in the construction industry here in Massachusetts. Last September, Attorney General Maura Healy announced that her Fair Labor Division sought $2.5 million in restitution and penalties against construction employers for wage theft against more than 500 workers. In one case in Western Massachusetts, the Attorney General’s office sought $1 million in restitution and fines from a Chicopee firm for underpaying carpenters. Those wage violations meant impacted carpenters had a harder time paying rent or mortgages and putting food on the table for themselves and their families.
The Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division proactively created a multilingual Construction Site Field Team to educate employers and workers about employer responsibilities related to wages and workers compensation insurance under the state’s wage laws.
One way wage theft happens is by deliberately misclassifying construction workers as independent contractors. It’s an unjust way to reduce labor costs and it comes at the expense of workers and our communities. Construction is one of the more dangerous industries, where every worksite is temporary, and the cumulative physical toll of heavy work shortens careers. Misclassified workers are not covered by workers’ compensation insurance, cannot collect unemployment and have no contributions made toward their retirement. For middle-class workers such “off-the-books,” “tax-free arrangements” can be disastrous.
Misclassification and wage theft in the construction industry often go hand-in-hand. According to the AFL-CIO, nearly $1 billion in wages are stolen from workers in Massachusetts each year by employers that don’t pay overtime or simply don’t pay workers what the were promised and owed. Less than 1 percent of this money is ever recovered. That’s $373 million lost in GDP, 2,430 lost jobs and $100 million in lost tax revenue.
Part of the problem is lax enforcement by the U.S. Department of Labor and a rollback of worker protections at the federal level. That’s according to a 2019 study by Harvard Law School’s Mark Erlich and Terri Gerstein. Without strong federal enforcement, states need to fill the void to make sure workers are paid fairly and insured properly. Massachusetts can do that by collaborating with community organizations, unions, employer associations, businesses and workers’ centers.
A study about to be released by the Institute for Construction Economic Research and University of Massachusetts Labor Studies Center will provide more updated statistics specific to Massachusetts, but early indications are that the results will be bad news for state funding and honest contractors trying to operate in a competitive bid industry.
For years, labor brokers and dishonest companies have hidden behind layers of subcontractors to facilitate their schemes. Construction managers and general contractors who benefit from lower bid prices have little reason to find out how the corners are cut.
A common-sense solution is being considered in our Legislature: SD 774/HD 967. The bill would provide “lead contractors” with notice when their subcontractors fail to obey the law and allow them an opportunity to ensure that wage issues are corrected. It would allow the Attorney General’s Office to bring civil wage cases directly to court and clarify criminal penalties for law-breaking subcontractors, but not lead contractors. It would also allow the attorney general to make use of “stop-work orders” while giving plenty of opportunities to correct violations.
There are so many construction companies that do the right thing. They create good-paying jobs, follow the law and remain part of the foundation of a strong middle class. Unfortunately, for others in the industry, tax and insurance laws have become meaningless and the responsibility to pay workers for their labor is considered optional.
We should all work for basic fairness and justice for our workers. Tax Day is a moment to think about how we create equal treatment in our community, our Commonwealth and in our country.
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April 15, 2021
I read State Senator Adam Hinds' op-ed in the Berkshire Eagle (online) today (April 15, 2021) about who pays and who doesn't pay taxes. I find his op-ed to be disingenuous because of the huge tax breaks the Massachusetts State Legislature and Governor Charlie Baker gave already wealthy big businesses just last month in March of 2021. House Bill 89, which never had a public hearing and was rushed to the floor of the State House of Representatives in just over 24 hours last month, included an outrageous "Double Dip" tax break for big business.
The grassroots public advocacy group Act of Mass explained in an email letter last month that businesses that receive PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) grants won't pay taxes on those PPP grants and also would get to deduct expenses paid with PPP funds. The cost of this tax break isn't clear. Gov. Baker estimates the cost of this tax break to be about $130 million, but MassBudget has shown that number is definitely too low, and isn’t possible to pin down exactly since we don’t know the full amount of PPP grants given last year. The total amount of Adam Hinds and his fellow career political hack colleagues on Beacon Hill tax breaks for big business could be as much as $300 million to $600 million. Act on Mass' email letter last month explained that the Boston-based state legislature limited this “double-dipping” to businesses that use the personal income tax passthrough method of paying taxes, so it wouldn’t affect corporate taxes. But plenty of big businesses, including Fidelity, pay taxes this way. Over the past few decades passthrough businesses have become more common because of the ability for those structures to avoid more taxes than traditional C-corps.
Adam Hinds' first vote in state government politics was for a whopping 40 percent legislative pay raise bill for himself and his career political hack colleagues on Beacon Hill in early-2017 that cost state taxpayers $18 million. Every two years in early-January at the start of the new legislative session, Adam Hinds accepts three legislative pay raises, including at the beginning of 2021, after over one million Massachusetts workers lost their jobs and health insurance during the Covid-19 pandemic. Adam Hinds, as well as State Representative Tricia Farley Bouvier, have openly supported raising state taxes, especially on the wealthy, without offering to sacrifice any of their own generous public pay and perks that are paid for by state taxpayers.
In closing, I hope that the people who live in Adam Hinds large Western Massachusetts legislative district are not fooled by his totally disingenuous op-ed in the Berkshire Eagle about who pays and who doesn't pay taxes. Adam Hinds belongs on the proverbial poster of who doesn't pay!
In Truth!
Jonathan A. Melle
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May 17, 2021
There are 2 Smitty Pignatellis. The first Smitty Pignatelli is known by the proverbial little guys. That Smitty Pignatelli acts like an arrogant buffoon around the proverbial little guys. The second Smitty Pignatelli is known by the big wheels like Speaker Ronny Mariano, PAC Man Richie Neal, and other big shots. That Smitty Pignatelli is a brown nose who kisses their dirty behinds for money and power.
There are 2 Adam Hinds aka Chrome Dome. The first Adam Hinds writes wonderful op-eds in Western Massachusetts liberal newspapers. The second Adam Hinds votes himself and his Beacon Hill career politicians huge pay raises, as well as votes to give hundreds of millions of dollars in state tax breaks to big business with no public input or public hearings.
There is only 1 Richie Neal. He is known by K Street corporate lobbyist as "PAC Man" because he eats up all of the special interests' lobbyist dollars he can on Capitol Hill.
On the minimum wage and working poor, I think it is all wrong, especially when politicians give the wealthy so many tax breaks and the like. I believe there should be a living wage where every worker makes at or above the poverty level in the area where they live. I do NOT believe that a worker should have to work without the economic and financial incentive to earn a living at or above the poverty line in the area where they live. Our economic and financial system is supposedly founded on economic and financial incentives for working people to be able to achieve a rewarding life out of poverty.
Joe Biden wants to grow the federal government too big to fast, which is hurting the economy in the short-term. Joe Biden should use incremental steps to achieve his long term goals of economic growth instead of spending trillions upon trillions of taxpayers on everything under the Sun.
Lastly, Massachusetts is a very financial and classist state where some communities have very high 6-figure median incomes and others have very low median incomes. Smitty, Chrome Dome, and PAC Man Richie Neal only make the severe economic inequality worse with their top-down and corporate politics.
- Jonathan Melle
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Re: Adam Hinds invests $690,000 in Amherst MA family home - NOT Pittsfield MA family home!
News Article:
"Hinds buys house outside his Senate district, but vows to maintain Pittsfield residency"
By Danny Jin, The Berkshire Eagle, June 3, 2021
State Sen. Adam Hinds and his wife have bought a home outside the district Hinds has represented since 2017, although Hinds said Thursday that the couple and their newborn child will continue to spend most of their time in Pittsfield.
The couple purchased a $690,000 property at 762 North East St. in Amherst, according to documents publicly accessible at MassLandRecords.com. A “declaration of homestead,” which they signed and filed April 22 with the Hampshire District Registry of Deeds, states that they “intend to occupy said premises as my/our principal residence.”
Hinds said Thursday, however, that he and his wife, Alicia Mireles Christoff, an associate professor of English at Amherst College, plan to live in Pittsfield most of the time. He viewed the declaration of homestead “as part of the normal process of purchasing a property,” he said, and did not anticipate any effect on his ability to run for reelection in November 2022 should he choose to do so.
It was not immediately clear whether a declaration of homestead may pose a potential hurdle for demonstrating in-district residency, which is required for election to the Senate. Former state Sen. Stanley Rosenberg, who represented the Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester district from 1991 to 2018, won reelection six times after declaring a homestead at a Boston condominium.
Hinds, D-Pittsfield, has for seven years rented an apartment in the city, from which he has represented the 52 towns in the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden district.
He and Christoff welcomed their first child on May 27. They will continue living together with their child at the Pittsfield apartment, where Christoff has lived for two years since their marriage. They sometimes may stay in Amherst during the week because it shortens Hinds’ commute to Boston, he said, and is near Christoff’s workplace.
While the purchase may fuel speculation over whether Hinds will seek another term, the senator said he remains “committed as ever to fight for the district and for Massachusetts.” He has yet to decide on any future political plans, he said.
A Monday story from The Boston Globe mentioned Hinds, who told the Globe that he was seriously considering running for statewide office, in a discussion of possible Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor. When asked Thursday, Hinds said he felt the Globe story was “accurate,” and he said he is considering how his background and skills suit different offices.
“I’ve been asked to consider running on numerous occasions by numerous people and I’m humbled by that,” Hinds said. “I think we have some thinking to do, but right now we’re focused on the baby and all of the work that we have to do in the Senate, which is significant, including finishing the budget.”
Hinds said he “hadn’t thought of” possible implications of the declaration of homestead on his ability to run for reelection.
Article XCII, Section 2 in the articles of amendment to the Massachusetts Constitution states that to be elected senator, a person must be “an inhabitant of the district for which he is chosen” at the time of their election.
Hinds said he views the transaction as similar to ones that other Western Massachusetts lawmakers have made for personal convenience. Former state Sen. Ben Downing, who represented the same district from Pittsfield, filed a declaration of homestead at a Boston home in 2016, after he had announced he would not seek reelection.
“We just decided that given [Christoff’s] place of work and a new child, buying a place that’s closer to her and closer to Boston was a solution that we found workable,” Hinds said. “We did feel that Amherst would be a place where we could stay midweek, and having a second location as needed was valuable ... to balance our multiple needs.”
A declaration of homestead serves mainly as protection against bankruptcy, according to a member of Hinds’ staff.
It is highly unlikely that redistricting will make Amherst part of Hinds’ existing district, the staff member said. Hinds said in April that in the upcoming redistricting cycle, he expects that his district will need to pick up an additional 15,000 to 20,000 in population to get to the 170,000 range necessary for Massachusetts Senate districts.
The 2010 census recorded a population of 37,819 in Amherst, and the town is represented by state Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton.
All 40 state senators are up for reelection in 2022. Brendan Phair, a Pittsfield man who identifies as a conservative and is not affiliated with a political party, has said he will challenge Hinds for the seat.
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June 4, 2021
I find it interested that Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer and her millionaire Accountant husband Barry Clairmont live in a near $1 million home in a gated community that is very close to the Pittsfield/Hancock border, which is far away from the local residents of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. I find it interesting that then Mayor Jimmy Ruberto moved into his mother's Pittsfield home and then served 8 years in the corner office in Pittsfield City Hall without investing one cent in owning a Pittsfield home. Now, Jimmy Ruberto signs his letters to the editor of the Berkshire Eagle as a resident of Naples, Florida, while he also owns a $490,000 Summer Condo in upscale Lenox. Now, Adam Hinds invested $690,000 in a family home in Amherst, Massachusetts, which is NOT in his Berkshire based state senate legislative district. Pittsfield State Representative Tricia Farley Bouvier owns a beautiful home in Pittsfield near the Lenox border, and she sent her children to Lenox public schools. I believe that the politicians who serve Pittsfield politics in state and local government do NOT represent the local people who live in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
- Jonathan Melle
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June 5, 2021
Pittsfield (or should I write Amherst) Massachusetts State Senator Adam Hinds will soon release a Beacon Hill public policy report this upcoming Summer of 2021 on his proposals to raise state taxes on the people/taxpayers who live in Massachusetts, especially on the wealthy, in the near future. Adam Hinds wants the state government to "bring in additional tax dollars". Adam Hinds is waiting to release his state tax hike proposal report until after Beacon Hill lawmakers pass the fiscal year 2022 Massachusetts state budget, which begins on July 1, 2021. On top of Adam Hinds' plans to raise state taxes, Beacon Hill and Governor Charlie Baker will receive nearly $5.3 billion in Biden Buck$ direct aid over the next two fiscal years. The federal stimulus windfall is not being used in the fiscal year 2022 Massachusetts state budget.
In response to Adam Hinds state tax hike proposal report that he will release to the public this Summer of 2021, I believe that Adam Hinds - and the rest of his Beacon Hill career politicians - should (all) cut his/their public pay and perks by at least 50 percent first before raising state taxes. It is very hypocritical for Beacon Hill lawmakers to enrich themselves with lucrative public pay and perks, and then soon release a report proposing to raise state taxes on the people and taxpayers they serve in Massachusetts state government. One of Adams Hinds' revenue raising group is to be FAIR in increasing the state government tax burden on Massachusetts taxpayers. What an oxymoron!
- Jonathan Melle
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"Hinds' revenue working group to release report amid improving revenue picture"
By Danny Jin, The Berkshire Eagle, June 5, 2021
A year ago, with the Massachusetts economy hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, state lawmakers thought they would need to close a budget gap of $5 billion to $8 billion.
State Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield, chairs the Senate revenue working group, and he was asked to shift that group’s work to focus on ways for the state to bring in additional tax dollars, he told The Eagle.
“Everything,” he said, was on the table so that the state could avoid spending cuts.
A year later, the House and Senate have passed budgets for fiscal years 2021 and 2022 that avoided significant revenue proposals. Better-than-expected tax collections, a withdrawal from the “rainy day” fund and a new round of federal assistance, lawmakers said, helped fill in the gaps.
Now, Hinds says the improving revenue picture has allowed the revenue working group to return to its original mission — lessening the focus on proposals for raising new revenue.
“It is interesting, because we had this period where we thought we were looking for additional revenue to cover a budget gap,” Hinds said. “Now, we’re back to the original goal, which is to ensure that the Massachusetts system is functional, modern and fair for all of us and ... ensuring that we have the ability to pay for the future that we may want to create.”
The group has a draft report but no set date for finalizing its recommendations, although Hinds expects the work to be done “very soon, certainly this summer,” he said.
In 2019, some members of the revenue working group had suggested that its recommendations would be close to revenue-neutral, meaning that increases in revenue in some areas would be offset by decreases in others. Hinds said Tuesday, though, that revenue neutrality was not necessarily a goal for the group.
Some left-leaning observers have identified raising revenue as a priority for the Legislature in the coming years. While the nearly $5.3 billion the state is receiving from the federal American Rescue Plan Act can enable “transformative” changes, bringing in new revenue will be necessary to sustain those investments going forward, said Phineas Baxandall, a senior analyst and advocacy director for the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center.
“It’s great that we have federal money to help us ramp up, but we need something sustainable,” Baxandall said. “The wrong way to interpret the current situation is to look at the big bucket of federal money and think that there’s less need for long-term revenue.”
Baxandall cited education and child care as areas where new revenue would help fund expanded investments that meet residents’ needs. The Student Opportunity Act, a landmark education reform bill passed in 2019, was estimated to increase annual school spending by $1.5 billion once it fully is funded. Making child care universally accessible, MassBudget has estimated, would cost the state $5 billion.
The revenue working group had been on track to release recommendations by the end of the 2019-2020 legislative session before the coronavirus pandemic hit Massachusetts in March 2020, when “like everything else in the world, we got sidetracked,” Hinds said.
During debate over the fiscal year 2021 budget, Hinds said that the revenue working group planned to release recommendations ahead of the 2022 budget. But, because of pandemic-related uncertainty and constant shifts in the state’s revenue picture, the group decided to wait until after the budget process to finalize recommendations, Hinds said.
“We wanted to kind of understand the trajectory of the pandemic and the state of our recovery before putting ideas on the table, so, it feels like we’re now reaching the point where we can usefully reconvene and finalize the work,” he said.
To fund the 2022 budget, the House and Senate proposed to make a withdrawal from the $3.5 billion stabilization, or rainy day, fund. While the House opted to draw up to $1.87 billion, the Senate proposed to take a maximum of $1.55 billion.
The Legislature had agreed to draw $1.7 billion from the fund for the fiscal year 2021 budget, but revenue collections far have outpaced projections, and it’s unclear how much, if any, the state will need to draw to cover budget expenses, House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz said in April.
Hinds doesn’t expect drawing from the rainy day fund to be necessary for future budgets because tax collections remain “strong, although maybe erratic,” he said.
“Having the [rainy day fund] money available to draw from has been critical, but I think all the data points to a much more stable and robust revenue picture, in no small part due to federal assistance,” Hinds said. “It strikes me that we will be able to cover that going forward.”
Meanwhile, left-leaning groups led by Raise Up Massachusetts are ramping up a push to pass the Fair Share Amendment, a ballot initiative that would levy an additional tax of 4 percentage points on the portion of annual income exceeding $1 million. By raising up to $2 billion a year for the state, the constitutional amendment would help fund public education and transportation, supporters say.
The Legislature voted 147-48 to advance the amendment in 2019, but the amendment must receive at least 50 percent approval once more in order to appear on the 2022 ballot. The Legislature will vote Wednesday, and it is widely expected to advance the amendment to the 2022 ballot.
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Letter: "Support legislation to end puppy mills in Massachusetts"
The Berkshire Eagle, June 11, 2024
To the editor: The public might be aware that I spearheaded local legislation in Pittsfield and Lenox banning the sale of puppies from puppy mills at pet stores.
Berkshire Voters for Animals and the Massachusetts Humane Society were strong advocates and helped immensely.
I have received an email from Berkshire Voters for Animals stating, “There is still one of our bills in its original committee that needs to be released by June 14 or it will not have a chance to be passed this session. Time is running out for Massachusetts lawmakers to advance legislation that will prevent commercial dog breeders (puppy mills) from trucking cruelly bred puppies into pet shops. New York, Maryland and California have successfully passed similar laws. Massachusetts should be next.”
The appeal was that “We need you to contact your rep to ask them to contact the House Chair of the Environment Committee to release the bill.”
It is my hope that the bill makes it out of committee and not die there, as too many good pieces of proposed legislation often do. I cannot stress how popular these initiatives were. In Pittsfield, I have had ordinances that took literally as much as half a decade to get passed. No so with this. Dozens upon dozens showed up in support for the ordinance. The Pittsfield City Council passed it immediately, with no debate.
Lenox has an open town meeting where any town resident can show up and vote, and of the dozens upon dozens of people that attended, not a single one voted against the measure when put to a final vote. In fact, that vote was also almost instantaneous.
According to the letter, Sen. Paul Mark has already spoken with the Senate chair. I respectfully request Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Rep. John Barrett and Rep. Smitty Pignatelli, excellent legislators of the Berkshire delegation of whom I am fond, to help pass “An Act banning the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in new pet shops” (H.826/S.550) before the 2024 legislative session ends.
This salutary legislation enjoys widespread and practically unanimous support from the public.
Rinaldo Del Gallo III, Pittsfield
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