CDC of South Berkshire offers tax credits and savings
Great Barrington — The Community Development Corporation of South Berkshire (CDCSB), a certified CDC with the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, has been awarded $125,000 in state tax credits through the Massachusetts State Tax Credit Program. The CDCSB is making these credits available to donors who support the CDC’s mission of creating affordable housing and jobs in the Berkshires and opening the door to significant tax savings.
Donors who give gifts of $1,000 or more will receive a 50 percent credit toward their Massachusetts state taxes. In addition, donors will receive a federal tax deduction while supporting the important work of creating much-needed workforce housing. Donors who have no Massachusetts state tax liability will receive a cash refund of $500 on every $1,000 gift they give.
The tax credits are available to individuals, businesses, and nonprofit organizations as well as non-Massachusetts residents. The deadline for donations is December 31.
On Thursday, October 22 from 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., the CDCSB will hold a free wine and cheese party at the Triplex Cinema to present the Massachusetts State Tax Program, outlining the significant tax benefits and tax savings. Free Triplex movie passes will be given to the first 20 attendees.
To RSVP to the event or to make a donation, email Allison@cdcsb.org or call 413-528-7788. Online donations and pledges are also gratefully accepted.
–E.E.
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Downing town hall forum at Morningside School
Pittsfield — State Senator Benjamin B. Downing (D-Pittsfield) will convene a town hall forum from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. in the gymnasium of Morningside Community School on Wednesday, October 21. The event is free and open to all residents of his Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, & Hampden District. Light refreshments will be provided.
Capitalizing on the popularity of his monthly Coffee & Conversation event series that features open office hours and visits with constituents in the small towns he represents, Downing hopes this public forum will provide additional access for constituents wishing to see their State Senator in an informal setting, ask questions, and submit ideas. Those who do not wish to speak are also encouraged to attend and learn more about what is going on in their communities and in state government.
Those who are unable to attend in person can watch a rebroadcast of the town hall forum via Pittsfield Community Television’s CityLink Channel 18.
–E.E.
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Students applaud Affordable College Textbook Act
Washington, D.C. — Senators Dick Durbin (Ill.), Al Franken (Minn.), and Angus King (Maine) and Congressmen Ruben Hinojosa (Tex.) and Jared Polis (Col.) introduced new legislation last week to help tackle the rising cost of college textbooks. The bill, titled “The Affordable College Textbook Act,” would create a competitive grant program supporting the expansion of open textbooks – an innovative alternative to traditional publishing methods that could save students thousands of dollars.
In the Berkshires, students with MASSPIRG at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and Berkshire Community College (BCC) have been advocating for professors to switch to open textbooks and for the administration to adopt open textbook pilot programs. BCC is already moving forward with a program to incentivize faculty to switch to an open textbook. This national bill is a testament to the on-the-ground organizing that has been done by students here in Massachusetts and all across the country.
It’s no secret that the cost of a higher education is skyrocketing, but one often overlooked cost is that of college textbooks. The College Board recommends students budget $1200 a year for textbooks and supplies – and while that may not seem like a lot versus other expenses – textbook prices can be as high as 40% of tuition for a community college students, and are high enough that 65% of all students have skipped buying or renting the some of textbooks they need.
More information on the bill and open textbooks is available online.
–E.E.
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Berkshire Taconic Foundation awards $1.4 million
Sheffield — The board of directors of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation announced the recipients of the third round of grantmaking for 2015. The foundation distributed a total of $101,948 in grants to individuals and nonprofits and grants from donors with charitable funds at the foundation totaled $1.4 million.
In Berkshire County, the foundation awarded grants from the Adams Cheshire Educational Partnership, the Gateway Fund, the Pauline Young Music Fund, and the Martha Boschen Porter Fund.
Grants to regional schools, school districts and students in Berkshire County totaled $29,898. Grants include: $1,750 for “Track My Progress,” an online assessment that measures student learning against the Common Core; $2,000 to support Drury High School’s arts management course; and $2,000 to purchase iPads for the students and teachers of the North Adams public schools to create multi-media presentations.
Grants to artists in Berkshire County totaled $27,150. Grant recipients include: Mary-Ellen Beattie of Clarksburg, who received $3,000 for an installation that reuses natural and manmade materials; Heather Fisch of Housatonic, who received $4,000 to direct a production “Tarot Show”; and Brendan Mathews of Lenox, who received $3,650 to draft his novel “The World of Tomorrow.”
A full list of regional grants can be found online.
–E.E.
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WBEC mayoral debate, candidate interview schedule
Pittsfield — WBEC AM 1420 in Pittsfield and WNAW 1230 AM in North Adams will present live on air debates among the candidates for mayor in both cities. The Pittsfield mayor’s debate, between incumbent Mayor Daniel Bianchi and current Pittsfield City Clerk Linda Tyer will air on Thursday, October 22 at 11 a.m. on WBEC AM 142 in Pittsfield. The North Adams mayor’s debate, between incumbent Dick Alcombright and former Mayor John Barrett III will air on Tuesday, October 27 at 10 a.m. on WNAW 1230 AM.
Both WBEC AM and WNAW will also feature candidates running for City Counselor seats in both cities. The half-hour meet-the-candidates programs will air beginning Monday, October 19 at 11 a.m. and continue Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday on WBEC AM with ward-by-ward and at-large programs featuring the candidates running for City Councilor seats in Pittsfield. WNAW will also feature a half-hour meet-the-candidates program beginning the week of October 26 with candidates running for City Councilor in North Adams.
Complete Election coverage of all these races will air live on both WBEC AM & WNAW the night of Tuesday, November 3.
WBEC 1420 AM 2015 political candidate interview schedule
Monday, October 19:
11:00 a.m. – Ward 2 candidate Michael Merriam
11:30 a.m. – Ward 2 incumbent Kevin Morandi
Tuesday, October 20:
11:30 a.m. – Ward 1 candidate Tammy Ives
Wednesday, October 21:
11:00 a.m. – Ward 7 candidate Katherine Lloyd
11:30 a.m. – Ward 7 incumbent Anthony Simonelli
Thursday, October 22:
11:00 a.m. – noon – mayoral debate with incumbent Dan Bianchi and candidate Linda Tyer
Friday, October 23:
11:00 a.m. – Ward 5 candidate Donna Todd Rivers
11:30 a.m. – Ward 5 candidate Richard Scapin
Monday, October 26:
11:00 a.m. – At-large candidate Joseph Nichols
11:30 a.m. – At-large incumbent Melissa Mazzeo
Wednesday, October 28:
11:00 a.m. – At-large incumbent Kathleen Amuso
11:30 a.m. – At-large candidate Peter Marchetti
Thursday, October 29:
11:00 a.m. – Ward 1 incumbent Lisa Tully
11:30 a.m. – At-large incumbent Churchill Cotton
Friday, October 30:
11:00 a.m. – At-large candidate Taylor DiSantis
11:30 a.m. – At-large candidate Peter White
–E.E.
