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,

iBerkshires.com Text Ads

rk MILES Blding Materials

Are You Ready to Update Your Home? Start With rk MILES. 4 Locations (800)670-7433

www.rkmiles.com

Now's the time...

to harvest value from your home. Click for more details about a HELOC. Insured by NCUA.

www.greylock.org

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Rev Tor Band Celebrating 30 Years

10:08AM / Saturday, September 19, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Theatre Group presents Rev Tor's 30th anniversary Jam on Friday, Sept. 25, at 7:30 p.m. at The Colonial Theatre.

Featuring current and former band members, longtime collaborators, musical friends and special guests, the concert will celebrate three decades of music, friendship and community.

General admission tickets are $30 in advance; $40 on the day of the show. A portion of the proceeds from the concert will benefit The Jake Galliher Foundation.

Since 1996, guitarist and bandleader Tor Krautter, known throughout the Northeast as Rev Tor, has been a consistent presence on the East Coast club and festival circuit, performing from Maine to Key West. Over the course of three decades, he has evolved from performer and bandleader to producer, collaborator and community builder, creating concerts and events that have connected generations of musicians, artists, venues and audiences.

Tor and his band have shared stages with members of The Grateful Dead, Dead & Company, Phish and The Allman Brothers. Throughout his career, he has become known not only for his soulful playing, but also for his collaborative spirit and commitment to creating opportunities for musicians and audiences to come together.

When considering whom to invite to participate in the anniversary concert, Krautter looked to the relationships that have shaped his career: "I wanted to extend an invitation to friends and colleagues with whom I've shared long-standing, mutual collaborations, as well as former members of the band who have performed with me throughout the years."

The Rev Tor Band will be joined by special guests Mark Mercier of Max Creek; Jen Durkin and Fuzz of Deep Banana Blackout; Gary Backstrom of Jiggle the Handle; Brett Connors and Glen Nelson of Flipper Dave; Dan Broad of Moondance and the Rev Tor Band; and Mike Wartella of BTG's productions "Pink Floyd's The Wall: A

Theatrical Experience" and "Rhapsody: The Music of Queen."

View Full Story