Election 2009: Alcombright Discusses Taxes

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Mayoral candidate Dick Alcombright discusses property tax increases:
 
I have heard that if I am elected I will raise taxes. I ask you to remember that I am a homeowner and taxpayer in this city and have been for over 30 years. I don't like property tax increases any more than you do. The fact remains that property taxes in this city have increased each and every year since 2005 and maybe beyond that.

These records are available on the Department of Revenue Web site. Additionally, taxes in North Adams according to one Department of Revenue source indicate that taxes (on average) have increased over the past five years a total of 23 percent as compared to the state average of 19 percent. Additionally, Adams, Williamstown and Pittsfield were all at or below the state average.

Why would the fact that I might have to increase taxes to maintain city services be any different from the fact that Mayor Barrett has done it every year? Mayor Barrett has increased property taxes even in years when state aid has been increased. Please feel free to contact my campaign headquarters for the facts and figures on this. It's all a matter of public record and available on the Department of Revenue Web site. When state aid is drastically reduced, as it has been this year and will likely be next year, there are very few options for local governments.

My preference would be to grow the local economy by attracting businesses and development to increase the tax base. This is the only way to slow the reliance on property tax and our ever increasing dependency on state aid. 


Until we are able to achieve those goals, property taxes are likely to increase, as they have every year, unless local services are cut. Unfortunately, for the last several years of the current administration property taxes have not only increased, but local services have decreased. I do not consider that to be an acceptable solution. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions on my position. I will be happy to discuss it with you in detail.

Together We Will Succeed

Contact Alcombright at info@AlcombrightForMayor.com, 413-663-5057 or AlcombrightForMayor.com.

Submitted by the Campaign to Elect Dick Alcombright for Mayor
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Clarksburg Sees Race for Select Board Seat

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The town will see a three-way race for a seat on the Select Board in May. 
 
Colton Andrews, Seth Alexander and Bryana Malloy returned papers by Wednesday's deadline to run for the three-year term vacated by Jeffrey Levanos. 
 
Andrews ran unsuccessfully for School Committee and is former chairman of the North Adams Housing Authority, on which he was a union representative. He is also president of the Pioneer Valley Building Trades Council.
 
Malloy and Alexander are both newcomers to campaigning. Malloy is manager of industrial relations for the Berkshire Workforce Board and Alexander is a resident of Gates Avenue. 
 
Alexander also returned papers for several other offices, including School Committee, moderator, library trustee and the five-year seat on the Planning Board. He took out papers for War Memorial trustee and tree warden but did not return them and withdrew a run for Board of Health. 
 
He will face off in the three-year School Committee seat against incumbent Cynthia Brule, who is running for her third term, and fellow newcomer Bonnie Cunningham for library trustee. 
 
Incumbent Ronald Boucher took out papers for a one-year term as moderator but did not return them. He was appointed by affirmation in 2021 when no won ran and accepted the post again last year as a write-in.
 
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