District Attorney’s Office Renews Call For Information About Homicide

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire District Attorney's Office is renewing a call for information about the 2014 murder of Joshua S. Bressette.
 
"This weekend, on June 6, his loving family should be celebrating Joshua's 33rd birthday but instead mourn their loss. They deserve closure and justice," District Attorney Andrea Harrington said.
 
Bressette was last seen at the former Price Chopper on Route 2 in North Adams on May 5, 2014. He was reported missing on May 7, 2014 and on May 8, 2014, New York Police discovered his body on a rooftop in Bronx, N.Y. He died from multiple gunshot wounds.
 
The Berkshire State Police Detective Unit and the North Adams Police are assisting New York authorities in the investigation with connections and potential crimes occurring in Massachusetts.
 
"The State Police and North Adams Police continue to work this case diligently to hold the perpetrator accountable and we ask the public to help us. We hope people who may now remember additional information or those who were unwilling to be forthcoming will break their silence, do the right thing, and help give this family closure," Harrington said. 
 
The Berkshire State Police Detective Unit is asking for anyone with information to call troopers at 413-499-1112 or the North Adams Police Department at 413-664-4944.
 
Bressette was born in North Adams in 1988. He is the son of Kevin Bressette and Kenna Waterman. He attended North Adams Schools and worked last as a bicycle mechanic at The Spoke Shop in Williamstown. He enjoyed drawing, motorcycles, art, tattoo art, music, animals and the outdoors.
 
Bressette's family is carrying his memory on through the Josh Bressette Commit to Save a Life Foundation. The foundation provides financial support to people who seek recovery from substance use disorder.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Pittsfield Tax Rate May Drop But Bills Rise

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mayor Peter Marchetti has proposed a decrease in the city's tax rate but because of rising property values, the average homeowner will see an annual increase of more than $350.

There will be a tax classification hearing during Tuesday's City Council meeting, which begins at 6 p.m.

For fiscal year 2025, the first-year mayor has put forward a residential tax rate of $17.94 per $1,000 of valuation and a commercial, industrial and personal property tax rate of $37.96 per $1,000 of valuation.  
The rates use a residential factor of 0.827103 at a shift of 1.75 to the commercial side.

The $114,615,097 levy limit for fiscal 2025 includes $2,726,686 in new growth, a 4.72 percent increase from the previous year. Pittsfield's real and personal property valuation is $5,270,539,121.

In one year, the average residential property value has increased by $27,377, the median residential property by $22,850, and the median commercial property by $12,750.

The proposed residential rate is 51 cents lower than FY24 and the proposed commercial rate decreased by $1.65. In FY25, the average single-family home is valued at $295,291 for a tax bill of $5,297.52 annually, compared to the average FY24 home valued at $267,914, which paid $4,943.01.

The 7.17 percent increase would shake up to about $30 additional dollars per month for homeowners.  The bill hike is less than FY24, which raised annual taxes by $397.82 for the average homeowner.

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