State Democratic Party Seeking Input From Voters

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — For the first time, local Democratic and independent voters are being solicited for input into the formulations of the State Democratic Party platform.

"It's aimed directly at local issues," said Joyce Wrend, chairman of the North Adams Democratic City Committee. "It's a chance to voice concerns about what problems we have here that haven't been addressed by the Democratic Party."

The public hearing will be held Monday, March 23, at 7 p.m. at the Richmond Grille in the Holiday Inn. It is one of only three platform hearings being held in Western Mass.; the others are Thursday, March 19, at 6 p.m. at El Pilion in Springfield and Thursday, March 26, at 7:30 in the Lanesborough Town Hall community room on Route 7.

The state Democratic convention will be held in Springfield on June 6 and will update the platform approved in 2005. The purpose of the local meetings being held across the state is to draft local priorities to be presented to the State Committee for inclusion in the platform being drafted for the convention.

The facilitator will be Richard Taskin, a well-known local attorney and political activist, who is currently teaching political science at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. He has hosted several public-access television programs and is current with state politics.

Wrend said it was hoped some of the local legislators would be able to join hearing. Michael Forbes Wilcox of Progressive Democrats for Massachusetts, Lee Harrison of Berkshire Brigades and John Nowak of the Adams Town Democratic Committee are expected to attend.

Democrats and independent, or unenrolled, registered voters are invited to attend, although the meeting is open to all registered voters, who will be expected to provide their affiliation. It is open to voters from Adams, Williamstown, Clarksburg, Savoy, Florida and voters from other areas who are interested in the process.

"Any voters who want to be heard, this is the time to come and be heard," said Wrend. "They can air their views on what's needed in Western Mass."
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North Adams School Finance Panel Reviews Fiscal 2026 Spending Plan

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Finance & Facilities Committee took a deeper dive this week into next year's school spending plan.
 
The draft proposal for fiscal 2026 is $21,636,220, up 3.36 percent that will be offset with $940,008 in school choice funds, bringing the total to $20,696,212, or a 2.17 percent increase. 
 
Business and Finance Director Nancy Rauscher said the district's school choice account would be in relatively good shape at the end of fiscal 2026. 
 
As a practice, the district has been to trying not to exceed the prior year's revenue and to maintain a 5 percent surplus for unexpected special education expenses. However, this year's revenue would be about $500,000 so the amount used would be significantly more. 
 
"But given our current balance, we could absorb that in the net result of what we're anticipating in the way of revenue next year," Rauscher said. "Relative to committing $940,000 to school choice spending next year, that would leave us with a projected balance at the end of FY 26 of a little over $1.2 million, and that's about 6 percent of our operating budget."
 
But committee members expressed concerns about drawing down school choice funds that are projected to decrease in coming years. 
 
"I think mostly we're going to go through this and we're going to see things that this just can't be cut, right? It's just, it is what it is, and if we want to provide, what we can provide," said Richard Alcombright. "How do we prepare for this, this revenue shortfall?"
 
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