Letter: Support Voting Rights on MLK Jr. Day

To the Editor:

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s family has requested that there be "no celebration" on the upcoming weekend in his honor until the federal voting rights legislation is enacted.

A group of concerned citizens, in an effort to honor Dr. King's memory, met to discuss what to do. We represent a number of organizations across Berkshire County.

As a collective, we are sincerely concerned about the recent attack on the rights of citizens to vote. Voting rights are the cornerstone of Dr. King's legacy. To truly honor that legacy, we agreed that it is time to rise up to "make some good noise" to protect and strengthen our democracy by doing all we can to support and protect free and fair elections in both parties, for all people.

As reported by the Brennan Center, 19 states passed over 33 discriminatory laws in 2021 that will make it harder for Americans, especially Americans of color, to vote. Moreover, more than 440 state legislative bills in 49 states offered provisions to restrict voting access. It is up to Congress and President Biden to reverse this ominous trend.

The Freedom to Vote Act, currently before the Senate, is a comprehensive package of voting, redistricting, and campaign finance reforms that would strengthen our democracy and promote racial equity for all Americans. The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which has passed in the House, would complement the Freedom to Vote Act. It would largely prevent the implementation of changes to voting rules that discriminate on the basis of race or language minority status, and it would restore voters' robust ability to challenge discriminatory laws as established by the Voting Rights Act of 1965 but gutted in the Supreme Court decision Shelby County v. Holder.

We ask that citizens across the county join us by taking at least ONE SPECIFIC ACTION in support of voting rights to honor the memory of the Rev. Dr. King this month, and continue your support throughout this critical election year.

What to do? Telephone, text and email your legislative representatives, encouraging them to work enthusiastically at their level of government for open, fair and accessible elections. Additionally, please reach out with care to friends and family in other states to enlist their help. We have compiled resources here. We have also compiled a statement of support for election workers, to ask local leaders to adopt in action.

We also encourage everyone to attend Berkshire Community College's virtual Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service, which will focus on voting rights in accordance with the wishes of the King family; Monday, Jan. 17, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

In this way, we envision a surge of public support for these national initiatives to maintain integrity in the voting process and the enriched support and awareness of all elections in all the United States.

Berkshire County Chapter NAACP, Dennis Powell, Pittsfield

Berkshire Democratic Brigades, Michael Wise, Great Barrington

First Congregational Church, North Adams, Lynn Rhoads

First Congregational Church, Williamstown,  Lynn Chick, moderator

Four Freedoms Coalition, Sherwood Guernsey, Williamstown

Great Barrington Democratic Committee, Michael Wise, Great Barrington

Greylock Together, Alexander Davis, Jessica Dils, Wendy Penner, Williamstown

League of Women Voters Central Berkshire, Ramelle Pulitzer, Stockbridge

Left Field, Alyson Slutzky, Great Barrington

Rural Freedom Network, Sherwood Guernsey, Williamstown

Williamstown Democratic Town Committee, Arlene Kirsch, Hugh L Guilderson

Williamstown League of Women Voters, Anne Skinner

Concerned citizens: Paula Consolini and Jim Mahon, Williamstown

Pittsfield Schools See 'Very Modest' Chapter 70 Increase

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
06:01AM / Friday, January 30, 2026

The School Committee is expected to vote on a budget in April. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield Public Schools will see a "very modest" increase in Chapter 70 funding for fiscal year 2027, and administrators are working to calculate exactly what that will mean. 

Gov. Maura Healey filed a nearly $63 billion budget on Wednesday that increases the city's school funding by $404,000. The Pittsfield schools dropped into a lower Chapter 70 funding category because it has fewer students considered low income. 

This year's expected Chapter 70 aid is just over $68.8 million. In FY26, the district received $68,450,361.

"While the FY27 budget reflects a modest increase over last year's budget, anticipated rising costs such as any current and potential contractual obligations, insurance increases, fuel increases, etc., will result in a budgetary shortfall," Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Bonnie Howland reported on Wednesday. 

"The foundation budget also reflects that decrease in overall student enrollment, and this shapes the critical next phase of our work." 

In 2024, the discovery of 11 students meeting those income guidelines put the district in the higher funding category and added $2.4 million in Chapter 70 funds to the school budget. 

The district will review prior year spending trends and confirm district priorities before drafting the budget, which is about 80 percent contractual obligations for teachers, aides, administrators, and support staff. Embedded into the process is engagement with staff, the community, and the City Council. 

Interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips said that in some cases, the district may be able to reduce a current vacancy, but in other cases, there will be a significant effort to hire. 

"For example, for core subject classrooms, we have to fill those positions, and so we are taking a look at every position, every role, how it's being utilized to make recommendations for how we will balance this budget," she explained.