Election 2009: Bianchi Challenges Ruberto to Debate on Economic Development

11:04AM / Wednesday, October 28, 2009Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mayoral candidate Dan Bianchi has announced that he will challenge the mayor to a roundtable debate on Friday, Oct. 30, at 5 p.m. The roundtable will take place on WBRK 1340-AM on "Talk Berkshires" and PCTV and will include topics on economic development, jobs, crime and education or any topic the mayor would like to discuss.

"We assumed for the past month the chamber debate was off. We offered numerous alternatives but none were accepted. We invited the Chamber to participate in an Oct. 13 debate on WBRK and they declined. I am frustrated by the fact that Berkshire County Chamber showed no flexibility changing the date of their debate to accommodate our scheduling conflict, nor there willingness to participate in a previously scheduled debate," said Bianchi.

"It is important for the voters of Pittsfield to hear from ALL candidates and here each of our messages for moving Pittsfield forward. When my campaign informed the chamber of my schedule, the chamber and Sherman Baldwin of WBRK said that they could not switch the date because of scheduling with PCTV. I received confirmation from PCTV last evening that they were never contacted with any alternative dates to switch the chamber debate even though these dates were presented to the chamber a month in advance. I think this purposeful attempt to mislead the citizens of Pittsfield is inexcusable and I suggest the mayor debates me this Friday," he continued.

"I suggest the mayor debates me on Friday as well as the previously scheduled debate this Thursday. That will make three debates in five days. I believe this whole scheduling issue is just a device to give the mayor yet another opportunity to send this campaign in a negative direction. I am more than happy to discuss my message and my vision for the future of this city with the voters of Pittsfield and the mayor."

Submitted by the Campaign to Elect Dan Bianchi

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Williamstown Homeowners Facing 7 Percent Hike in Tax Rate

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
02:03PM / Sunday, August 23, 2026

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Property owners will pay nearly a dollar more per $1,000 of assessed value in the current fiscal year under a tax classification proposal that goes to the Select Board on Monday evening.

According to a memo prepared by town Assessor Christopher Lamarre, the FY27 tax rate will be $15.16 per $1,000 of property value, an increase of 96 cents, or 6.8 percent, from the $14.20 per $1,000 property owners paid in the fiscal year that ended on June 30.

The increase is because of a 9.12 percent hike in the levy based on the budget and fiscal articles approved for FY27 at May's annual town meeting.

In FY26, the town collected $21.9 million from property taxes; this year, it needs to collect $24.1 million to pay its bills, a rise of $2.2 million.

That is by far the largest hike in the last 10 years — the period covered by data readily available on the town's website. In FY26, levy grew by 5.8 percent, following an eight-year period where the largest jump was 5.52 percent in 2018.

At the same time, the town continued to see growth rate in the tax base that does not keep up with rising costs. In FY27, "new growth" is pegged at $18.2 million, yielding just $258,004 in new tax revenue — far below the $2.2 million in needed revenue.

The total of taxable property in town in FY27 is $1.6 billion.

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