Hillcrest Dental Care Receives Generous Support

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Hillcrest Dental Care, a division of Hillcrest Educational Centers, has received generous financial support from two Berkshire County financial institutions. The donations boosted Hillcrest towards its fundraising goal of $130,000 needed to construct and equip two new treatment operatories.

Greylock Federal Credit Union and Berkshire Bank, through the Berkshire Bank Foundation, have each donated $10,000 to the ‘Special Smiles for the Berkshires’ campaign.

Greylock President Angelo C. Stracuzzi said, “Greylock looks for opportunities to collaborate with local organizations and support community-based programs. We strongly believe in the good work Hillcrest Dental Care performs in our community.”

Peter J. Lafayette Executive Director of the Berkshire Bank Foundation said, “One of our priorities is to build strong communities that provide for all of its citizens. Hillcrest’s Dental Care program helps meets the needs of the most vulnerable in our community and we applaud its expansion plans and commitment to the broader community. Supporting such a great cause is something we are proud to do.”

Hillcrest President Gerard Burke said, “Attaining these sizable donations moves Hillcrest Dental Care towards our goal of expanding oral health preventive and treatment services for people most in need.”

Hillcrest Dental Care is the largest provider of oral health services to the low income and special needs community in Western Massachusetts. Hillcrest Dental Care is the exclusive or primary provider to Soldier On, Berkshire County Arc, Riverbrook Residence for Women, Berkshire Meadows, Hillcrest, Kolburne and Eagleton schools and others. Nearly 2,000 of their patients are children under the age of 16.

Hillcrest Dental Care has raised nearly $90,000 in gifts and pledges. Reaching the $130,000 goal will enable Hillcrest Dental Care to meet the growing need for oral health services by adding two new treatment rooms to their six existing treatment rooms. It will also allow Hillcrest Dental Care to serve 2,000 additional patients and will create four new full time jobs, including two dentists.

Anyone interested in donating gifts can mail them to Hillcrest Dental Care, 788 South Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201 or contact Steve Conroy at 499 7924 ext 133.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Pittsfield Reviews Financial Condition Before FY27 Budget

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The average single-family home in Pittsfield has increased by more than 40 percent since 2022. 

This was reported during a joint meeting of the City Council and School Committee on March 19, when the city's financial condition was reviewed ahead of the fiscal year 2027 budget process.

Mayor Peter Marchetti said the administration is getting "granular" with line items to find cost savings in the budget.  At the time, they had spoken to a handful of departments, asking tough questions and identifying vacancies and retirements. 

Last fiscal year’s $226,246,942 spending plan was a nearly 4.8 percent increase from FY24. 

In the last five years, the average single-family home in Pittsfield has increased 42 percent, from $222,073 in 2022 to $315,335 in 2026. 

"Your tax bill is your property value times the tax rate," the mayor explained. 

"When the tax rate goes up, it's usually because property values have gone down. When the property values go up, the tax rate comes down." 

Tax bills have increased on average by $280 per year over the last five years; the average home costs $5,518 annually in 2026. In 2022, the residential tax rate was $18.56 per thousand dollars of valuation, and the tax rate is $17.50 in 2026. 

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