Letter: Alex Blumin for City Council

Letter to the Editor02:00PM / Wednesday, September 13, 2023Print Story | Email Story

To the Editor: I am excited to endorse Mr. Alex Blumin for Ward 2 City Council. When we elect Mr. Blumin, we continue Ward 2's tradition of self-governance. We consistently choose the independent voice to represent our interests. We have a tradition of preserving a philosophy of reasonable inquiry of elected officials, and we demand responsible financial governance.

Ward 2 awaits the city's fulfillment of its promises to complete roadwork and fix abandoned homes. Mr. Blumin will push the city to achieve these promises. The mayor aggressively hiked water and sewer rates twice in the last two years, and she promised more increases. Ward 2 residents worry about the ever-expanding city budget they are forced to fund. Alex Blumin shares your worries and will fight for responsible budgets. Mr. Blumin will continue to promote reducing your taxes and reducing water rates by using your tax dollars locked in free cash and the cannabis reserves.

City Hall spending lacks transparency. The next councilor will see the $41 million in ARPA funds spent down. The ARPA Advisory Committee meets in secret and spends money on projects that do not appear to benefit Ward 2. The City Council has not had any input on a single dollar spent. Mr. Blumin would dare to ask the hard questions: What did the ARPA Committee discuss in their secret meetings? Pittsfield Economic Development Authority (PEDA) has new funding coming up. Will it support the destitute business environment in Pittsfield and Ward 2? Mr. Blumin will insist that it does.

When Mr. Blumin whispered "corruption" in his debate, he dared to state a fact of our government that many councilors privately discuss. I saw a man display his love and admiration for our legal traditions and institutions. You saw his courage to hold our leaders to high standards and principles.

Mr. Blumin has a long involvement in city politics, and the time is now for him to lead. He has the intelligence and courage to do the job. Ward 2, you must turn out on Sept. 19, and I strongly urge you to vote for Alex Blumin for your councilor.

Charles Kronick
Pittsfield, Mass.

Charles Kronick is the current Ward 2 councilor and is not running for re-election.

Tags: election 2023, endorsement, municipal election,

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John Rubinstein on 'Eisenhower,' Trump, Fosse, Sondheim & Williamstown Theatre Festival

By Alan PetrucelliSpecial to iBerkshires
12:10PM / Thursday, September 17, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It's a rainy Saturday afternoon in Columbus, Ohio, and John Rubinstein is driving to the Berkshires. He left his Los Angeles home a few days ago, and his next stop is Cleveland. Once he gets to Pittsfield, he readies for his return appearance as Dwight D. Eisenhower in "Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground," a one-man show Rubinstein first did at the Barrington Stage Company last summer.

The show has been brought back by rave reviews and popular demand; it opens Sept. 16 and runs through Sept. 26.

Rubinstein, who turns 80 in December, has been crisscrossing the country, doing the show for the past four years: "I can't wait to do it again and again and again," he said. "It's one of the great crowning pieces of luck of my career."

And what a career: "Crazy Like a Fox," "Family," numerous Broadway plays and musicals and TV movies and feature films and two Tony awards for "Pippin" (1972) and "Children of a Lesser God" (1980). A surprise many fans don't know: Rubinstein has scored the music to several films and TV shows, including "Jeremiah Johnson," "The Candidate," "The Dollmaker" and "China Beach."

During an exclusive interview over a 75-minute phone call, Rubinstein talks about liking Ike and loving "Eisenhower," as well as Donald Trump, Stephen Sondheim, Bob Fosse and the Williamstown Theatre Festival.

How did you hook up with 'Eisenhower?'

Director Peter Ellenstein sent me an email that said, "I have a play about Eisenhower, and I'd like to send it to you to consider." I read it. It was 40 pages long and single-spaced, one guy talking. I thought. "Jesus Christ, I don't know if anybody's gonna want to hear that, a two-hour monologue." But I liked it. I respected it. I found it fascinating but (a) I wasn't sure it would work as a play, (b) if I could memorize it and (c) if I could memorize it and it was a good play would anyone want to go see it? So I didn't commit myself at first. But Peter said, "Why don't you come and meet with me and the playwright, Richard Hellesson, and read the play out loud?"

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