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Berkshire state legislative delegation dean Smitty Pignatelli reflects on 2022, looks forward to a year of change

Smitty Pignatelli.
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Smitty Pignatelli.

Smitty Pignatelli, the Democratic state representative from the Southern Berkshires, is the region’s longest-serving politician. In November, he extended his 20-year run in office with a dominant victory in the general election for the 4th Berkshire District seat. 2023 represents a year of major changes to the Massachusetts political landscape: Incoming Democratic Governor-elect Maura Healey will replace Republican Charlie Baker after eight years, and the Berkshire delegation will both lose a seat in the House and see a new State Senator, current Democratic State Representative Paul Mark. WAMC spoke with Pignatelli about 2022, the road ahead for the county, and the end of the Baker era.

PIGNATELLI: I think the Baker-Polito administration really did an excellent job. Clearly, they've left behind some problems that we're going to have to deal with going forward, like the MBTA. But I think they really put a focus on every municipal city in town in Massachusetts. And Karen Polito, who’s a personal friend of mine for 20 years now, she has been the most active Lieutenant Governor I recall in my life. She had visited every single community at least twice in Massachusetts, and I think that spoke volumes about their commitment to every little corner of the commonwealth. And what we talk about all the time, Josh, as you know, is regional equity. Don't forget Western Massachusetts. And I really have to say that I think the Baker-Polito administration did a very good job trying to tackle some of the Berkshire problems that we're dealing with.

WAMC: Now, in just a few days, Governor elect Maura Healey will be sworn in to take over the corner office on Beacon Hill. What are some of those things that you feel like maybe the Baker administration left behind that you would like Maura Healey to address during her tenure?

I think the infrastructure is going to be a huge issue. I mean, we're going to be talking a lot more about west-east rail, where it begins, where it ends. I mean, these are economic opportunities for the next generation or the next 100 years. So, I'm in hopes that the Healey-Driscoll team will kind of pick up the ball from there and get these things done. Roads, bridges, sewer, water, infrastructure, are the issues that I personally believe as a former selectman are the issues that will could bankrupt some of our communities here in the commonwealth if we don't partner with them to try to help alleviate those costs. So, I think there's a lot to do. And I trust that, you know, Healey will pick up on the good things, and try to straighten out the missteps of the previous administration. But I'm personally very excited about the new opportunities that come with the new administration.

It's also the end of the legislative year on Beacon Hill. Smitty, as you look back over 2022, what stands out to you about the issues that were deliberated and voted on in the state legislature?

I think, as you know, the last couple of years have been very challenging with COVID. People lost their jobs, businesses shut down. So, I think we're trying to slowly rebuild some of that. I think people, businesses fared very well that did stay open, the ones that adapted to the pickup and delivery for restaurants. People are finally getting back to work. So, I think we just have to make sure we stay the course and maybe double down on education because I think there's been a little slip with, are you remote? Are you hybrid? Are you in school? Are you out of school? I think the impact on young people mental health-wise has been a challenge and I think we need to pay attention to that going forward. But the last couple years have been a challenge. I think the state really stepped up in a big way to help out individuals and businesses. And hopefully we're over it, and then in ‘23 will be a banner year.

When it comes to regrets or frustrations from the 2022 legislative session- Talk to me about that. What didn't go the way you wanted it to? And what got overlooked in 2022?

That's a great question. I think that's a really hard question to answer, actually, because I think we had so many good successes. Because of COVID, some of the other individual priorities had to take a backseat. I've been really pushing, as you know, opioid addictions and mental health. Those are things that kind of slipped back because we weren't actually in person, in session, and other things had to take precedent. The number of opioid deaths in the Berkshires and the commonwealth have risen, highest numbers since before COVID. So, I think we have to tackle that early on. I actually had some meetings yesterday with the Police Chiefs Association and the Fire Chiefs Association about my Narcan bill that requires every first responder to carry Narcan as a lifesaver of the opioid overdoses and deaths, unfortunately. So, I just hope that we can hit the ground running in January. We get sworn in on the 4th, the new governor comes in on the 5th, and then I think it's time to get to work

In 2023, following redistricting, we'll see a different Berkshire County legislative delegation- Just three state reps: you, Tricia Farley-Bouvier, and John Barrett, with former State Rep. Paul Mark moving to take over the seat of former State Senator Adam Hinds in the house’s higher chamber. Talk to me about that- With this condensed delegation, are you concerned at all about the voice of the Berkshires on Beacon Hill in 2023?

I'm always concerned about the small number of voices we have in all of Western Massachusetts. Sadly, the Berkshires lost a representative voice. The good news is that voice moved over to the Senate. So, I think the nice part about the remaining House seats in the Berkshires is that all three of us only have Berkshire County. So, Rep. Barrett, who had a couple of towns outside of Berkshire County, I had three towns for 20 years outside of Berkshire County- Now we can say all three of us only represent the Berkshires, and I think that's where our collective view of the world should be. Senator, soon-to-be Senator Mark has a much larger district, but the core is still the Berkshires. So, I think we have a lot of work to do. As long as we've worked together and we're all in the same direction, I think we'll be successful.

Now you've spoken about regional equity, education, and infrastructure. But when you and your fellow state reps from the Berkshire sit down to start to lay out your agenda for 2023, what do you think will loom large over that conversation?

I think the regional equity is going to be real, I think what the Berkshire delegation is trying to do is build a larger 413 delegation. So, it's Western Massachusetts. So, when we talk about capital investments, like the west-east rail, that could be a real game changer. I'm a big believer of the live here, work there mindset. We have proven during COVID that people came to the Berkshires, they bought real estate, they moved here, because of the natural social distancing. What are we going to do to keep them here? I think transportation, broadband investments, those are things we’ve really got to focus in on so that a couple of years from now, people say, oh my god, the Berkshires are beautiful, unbelievable natural beauty, world class culture and the arts. But I couldn't complete a Zoom call on my phone. I couldn't even scan a barcode on a restaurant menu. So those are the investments we need to make, and I think we're going to start reversing the decline in population that we've experienced, and hopefully start filling some of the many hundreds of jobs that are still open here in Berkshire County. So those are the opportunities we have with every challenge, and I think we're ready to meet that moment.

There's still frustration in the town of Great Barrington about state funding for the ongoing water crisis in Housatonic. The selectboard at their most recent meeting was voicing some displeasure with how an economic package overly emphasized a shuttle system between Wassaic and the town over efforts to ameliorate the ongoing crisis there. Any words for the folks in Great Barrington who are looking to see more from the state about the Housatonic water situation?

I've been in regular contact with town officials and the DPW. What makes it very difficult is that they’re a privately owned water company. I personally there, again, as a former selectman, think that the town should and needs to get much more aggressive with them. But I'm not sure if there's a role for the state. Their water’s being monitored on a regular basis, it’s being tested. It’s disgusting what's going on down there, but they're currently in a pilot program under the direction of the DEP on this water filtration system. So far, it's working. It's going to be a slower process. But I think at the end of the day, when I look at the capital needs of the Housatonic Water Company, I think the owner has to step up to the plate, or turn it over to the town, or sell it to somebody else is in a better position to do that. The Housatonic Water Company, a privately owned company is eligible for the State Revolving Fund for financing. These are zero loans, 1% interest loans- They have yet to apply to that. So, the state is ready to help. But you know, we can't overtake them without any good town support. So, I understand the frustration from the townspeople of Housatonic. We are doing everything that we can within our legal bounds to do that. I think the town officials need to get far more aggressive than they have in the past.

Josh Landes has been WAMC's Berkshire Bureau Chief since February 2018, following stints at WBGO Newark and WFMU East Orange. A passionate advocate for Western Massachusetts, Landes was raised in Pittsfield and attended Hampshire College in Amherst, receiving his bachelor's in Ethnomusicology and Radio Production. His free time is spent with his cat Harry, experimental electronic music, and exploring the woods.
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