Mayor James M. Ruberto garnered 70 percent of the primary election vote.
PITTSFIELD - Mayoral candidate Donna Walto has got her work cut out for her.
Garnering only 21 percent of the vote in the primary election Tuesday, Walto will face off against Mayor James M. Ruberto, who secured a strong 70 percent of the 3,089 total votes.
"I’m pleased with the results and I’m looking forward to a revolution," Walto said on Tuesday night.
As the Nov. 6 general election approaches, Ruberto said he plans to continue to serve the city.
"The most important issue for me is just getting back to work," said Ruberto at an election night gathering at Mazzeo’s Ristorante. "I’m going back to work in City Hall, I’m going back to work on the economic development front, I'm going back to work to make sure we’re doing the right things for our city, and I’m certainly going back to work to make sure we don’t miss a step this year."
With weeks of campaigning ahead, Walto said she wishes to host a public debate with the mayor, but she believes he will not accept her offer.
"I’m willing to debate the mayor, but he doesn’t want to debate me," she said.
Ruberto, who is seeking a third two-year term, received 2,170 votes and Walto received 656.
A third candidate, Stephen Fillio, received only 9 percent of the vote with 263 votes.
William Hines, Ruberto’s former campaign manager, estimated that 11 percent of the registered voters in the city turned out for the election.
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Central Berkshire Eyes 4.13% Increase for FY26
By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Central Berkshire Regional School District is anticipating a 4.13 percent increase to its gross initial budget for fiscal 2026, translating to an increase of $1,473,826.
This year's gross budget was $35,679,791, and next year's is forecast at $37,153,617.
Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis emphasized that these initial projections may change because there are still a lot of unknowns surrounding it, such as Chapter 70 funding and insurance rates.
The budget was developed through a collaborative process involving principals, teachers, the union, and the Finance Subcommittee, Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis said.
The district relies heavily on its principles to provide the administration with the information needed to develop the budget. This year, part of that process was requesting the principals fill out a form.
On the form, the principals were asked to prioritize their requests, justify them with data, show how they aligned to district plans, explain the student impact, and identify funding sources.
"One other thing to know also is that we do ask principals to talk to their teachers and to talk to staff about this budget, so that it's not just principals that have input into the budget, but it's also teachers that have input into this budget," Blake-Davis said.
Mayor Peter Marchetti's first State of the City address emphasized housing, one of the greatest struggles Pittsfield and the nation face.
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Despite a snowstorm that filled the Berkshires with nearly 8 inches of snow, community members turned out for a "day of service" in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. — and a reminder that the work against injustice is ongoing.
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A research project of Westfield State University made several recommendations to enhance emergency medical services within Berkshire County, including more regionalization and stable funding sources. click for more
Abigail Allard wears many hats within the Berkshire County community, which gained her the recognition of our January Community Hero of the Month.
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