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A screen shot from PCTV of the debate.

Democratic Senate Candidate Participate in Pittsfield Gazette Debate

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — In the second of back-to-back debates for the Democratic state Senate candidates on Monday, the three spent an hour handling questions posed by David Cachat, coordinator of PCTV's CityLink channel.
 
Not only was the debate, which kicked off at 8:30 p.m. the second that night for the senatorial candidates, but it was also back to back for Berkshire Community College. The three candidates had debated at the Mahaiwe in Great Barrington before heading to BCC for the Pittsfield Gazette's debate. The Gazette had put on a few hours earlier a debate among the two Democrats seeking the nomination for the House seat in the 3rd Berkshire District. 
 
In Pittsfield, the Senate candidates handled a mix of local and state issues. Cachet asked about the recently approved ban on non-domesticated animals adopted by the City Council and the proposal for the new Walmart at the William Stanley Business Park — both issues have triggered significant debate and banter among residents and officials over the past few months. 
 
"I feel that state legislations similar to what the City Council passed is appropriate in our state," said Andrea Harrington of the ban on circus animals. "I think we have a responsibility to advocate for these animals that are part of these circuses that shouldn't be there and aren't getting the proper care."
 
Harrington is a Great Barrington-based attorney and is seeking the nomination against Adam Hinds, on leave as Northern Berkshire Community Coalition executive director, and Pittsfield attorney Rinaldo Del Gallo. 
 
"I think the Pittsfield City Council did the right and proper thing," Del Gallo said. 
 
Hinds said he's willing to take up the ban on the state level as well. As for Walmart, Hinds says he doesn't like the business model but also recognizes the city's economic bind when it comes to developing the former General Electric land. The issues has made it clear to him that the state has done a poor job in helping the city made the transition from an manufacturing center to post-closure. 
 
"Generally and personally I am opposed to Walmarts and their impact on local economies in term of the draining local dollars out of the economy, in term of the downward pressure on benefits and wages," Hinds said. 
 
Del Gallo agrees, saying that it was 10 years ago when he first voiced displeasure with the operations of the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority. 
 
"They did a horrible job in managing the Stanley Industrial Park," Del Gallo said,
 
Harrington's frustration with the proposal is that it is only being looked at as a Pittsfield issue but "when we lose 300 jobs in Pittsfield it affects the entire county, it affects the entire district." Harrington is calling for a regional approach to economic development coupled with a long-term planning to outline what the county as a whole envisions in the future. 
 
State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier had filed a bill looking to pilot a vehicle miles traveled tax. The plan would be considered a possible replacement to the gas tax. But, after the governor vetoed it, it led to a lot of discussion about the bill with many saying that it would unfairly hurt Berkshire County. The three Senate candidates all joined in that chorus of opposition to the concept.
 
"That doesn't sound like a very good idea now does it?" Del Gallo said. "We need to rely less on user fees or sales taxes that are regressive."
 
Harrington said she recognized the need to raise more revenue for roads and bridges, but felt the miles-traveled bill takes away incentives to drive fuel-efficient cars and unfairly punishes people in the Berkshires. 
 
"I believe that could require the government to be monitor where they are driving, how much they are driving, and I see that as an invasion of privacy," Harrington said.
 
Hinds said there are many examples of Berkshire County being unfairly treated including busing for schools. He said he'd be going to the State House looking to be a strong voice resisting such bills. Hinds is also calling for more money to be allocated to Berkshire County to repair the infrastructure.
 
"We've been watching for too long as transportation funds go to the MBTA," Hinds said. "We're not getting what we need out here."
 
Some of that revenue is coming from the reinstated tolls on the Massachusetts Turnpike, which is being switched over to an all-electronic collection system. 
 
"I am concerned when people are losing their livelihoods. I would prefer to see toll takers still working," Harrington said of the shift.
 
Del Gallo called it "impractical" to require every drive to have an E-Z pass transponder, but that is what the proposal calls for with those who don't being charged at a higher rate. Del Gallo said he didn't know enough about the plan to render a judgment.
 
What he did judge is the operations of the Department of Children and Families. He said that organization has made "terrible choices." Del Gallo wonders why the department opts to investigate some families while other families which should be are not.
 
"They make a lot of terrible choices ... They investigate people who should not be invested and that takes time away from the cases they should be investigating," Del Gallo said. "If you spend all your time where you shouldn't be, then you don't have the resources." 
 
Hinds said the issues at DCF is reflective of large caseloads for social workers. On the bright side, he said he has seen an increased level of services the department offers. 
 
"There is clearly a disconnect between the needs and the resources that they have in terms of staffing or even being able to track kinds in the system," Hinds said.
 
Harrington said what tends to happen is government pull funding from social program, like the DCF, and that leads to consequences down the road. Fixing systems like DCF is why she wants the seat. She said the state needs to start investing in other areas instead of the criminal justice system to prevent people from having to be in courtrooms. 
 
"I see that on the other end when those kids grow up and end up in the criminal justice system. My motivation for running is mainly because I have become incredibly  frustrated by what I see in the courts. I see so many people whoa re suffering from mental health problems, learning disabilities, people who never received the help and treatment they need. I see so many families who are struggling and trying to scrape by. I'm tired of what I am seeing," Harrington said. 
 
On education, both Harrington and Hinds said they did not support raising the cap on the number of charter schools. 
 
"We need to keep our schools strong right here," Hinds said citing that the city of Pittsfield alone loses some $2 million in funding because of charter schools. 
 
Hinds said the Chapter 70 formula for the foundation budget in how the state funds schools needs to be redone. Harrington said public schools want to have more art and STEM education so instead of building new schools, the state should invest in bringing more of those programs into charter schools, she said.
 
"The idea that we need charter schools so we have high quality education just flies in the face of logic. Charter schools take too much money away from our public school system, there is no local accountability," Harrington said.
 
Del Gallo took a different angle — he said he'll support whatever voters decided. The question of raising the number of schools is going on the ballot and Del Gallo said he'd support whatever the voters do. When it comes to recreational marijuana, which is also on the ballot, Del Gallo said he is in favor of it. 
 
"I am for legalizing marijuana," Del Gallo said. "I think this is a ridiculous waste of police resources. I don't think it should be a crime."
 
Hinds said he has "no objection to sensible adult use" of marijuana but his concerns are out it is regulated to keep out of the hands of youth, whose brains are still developing. Hinds said if it passed, he'd be looking for strong regulations to do that.
 
Harrington said she doesn't believe recreational marijuana is a good thing because so many young people who she sees in the court system started smoking it at a very young age. However, Harrington does see the benefits of medical marijuana and would like to see a dispensary in the Berkshires. 
 
If Harrington wins, she said she'd judge her performance with how well she did on addressing population decline and expansion of the economic opportunities. Hinds said he would measure up to the platform he put out focusing on the environment and energy, education, and economic development. Del Gallo said he would be the most progressive candidate calling for a move to the Nordic model of capitalism and judge himself by how close the state came to debt-free college, the $15 minimum wage, and single-payer health insurance.
 
Hinds said three areas of focus of his include going above what the recently passed energy bill calls for with upping the renewable portfolio in Massachusetts and increasing the amount of off-shore wind. He also calls for a foundational budget review of the Chapter 70 funding formula for local schools. 
 
"There is a lot. Those are the top three priorities in my mind," Hinds said.
 
Del Gallo says he believes he'd like to take aim at the tax code and try to usher in a more progressive system.
 
"I don't think we live in a progressive enough commonwealth. We don't have a progressive income tax, it is outlawed in the constitution," Del Gallo said.
 
Harrington said one thing that stands out for her is to push for universal preschool.
 
The three will meet in an array of debates this week and on Sept. 8 the preliminary election winner will determine who goes up against Republican Christine Canning-Wilson in the general election. 

Tags: debate,   Democratic Party,   election 2016,   primary,   


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Central Berkshire School Officials OK $35M Budget

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Central Berkshire Regional School Committee approved a $35 million budget for fiscal 2025 during its meeting on Thursday.
 
Much of the proposed spending plan is similar to what was predicted in the initial and tentative budget presentations, however, the district did work with the Finance subcommittee to further offset the assessments to the towns, Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis said. 
 
"What you're going see in this budget is a lower average assessment to the towns than what you saw in the other in the tentative budget that was approved," she said. 
 
The fiscal 2025 budget is $35,428,892, a 5.56 percent or $1,867,649, over this year's $33,561,243.
 
"This is using our operating funds, revolving revenue or grant revenue. So what made up the budget for the tentative budget is pretty much the same," Director of Finance and Operations Gregory Boino said.
 
"We're just moving around funds … so, we're using more of the FY25 rural aid funds instead of operating funds next year."
 
Increases the district has in the FY25 operating budget are from active employee health insurance, retiree health insurance, special education out-of-district tuition, temporary bond principal and interest payment, pupil transportation, Berkshire County Retirement contributions, and the federal payroll tax. 
 
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