The Politics of Water

Patrick White for State Representative

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Canoeing up Lily Brook with Sadie.

In This Issue:

The Health Threats of Manganese

Otis feedback: We must fill jobs

Executive Experience

Transfer Fee: Dead on Arrival?

The Points I made at the Housing Listening Session

Student Art at Berkshire Community College

Photos from the Campaign Trail This Past Week

The Health Threats of Manganese

Much of the narrative around Housatonic Water Works revolves around the yellow to brown water that often plagues the system. I've read numerous reports framing this as a cosmetic issue, that it's ok to drink. Not so fast.

In a Notice of Funding Opportunity, Treatment Technology Demonstrations Using Practical and Affordable Manganese Treatment for Small Drinking Water Systems, that closed Nov. 15, 2023, the EPA stated:

"While Manganese (Mn) occurs naturally in groundwater and surface water, higher concentrations, previously considered safe, have been found to potentially lead to negative neurological health impacts in vulnerable populations (World Health Organization, 2021). In addition to health concerns, aesthetic issues such as water color and taste, and Mn accumulation in the distribution systems make Mn treatment a priority for many drinking water utilities."

I've contacted the EPA to determine the status of this research grant. I will keep you posted. I spent some time this week reviewing this grant NOFO and the underlying research. It has motivated me to do even more to help to determine how to proceed with the necessary upgrades at HWW.

There is a great deal of National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientific research, going back years, on this topic. One study from 2020 states in the summary, "There is increasing evidence of neurotoxic effects of oral manganese (Mn) intake, especially in children." If you like, I can provide you with links; just let me know.

A summary of the risks in the Journal Nature contains the following:

"The level of Mn in drinking water that is considered safe, particularly for vulnerable subpopulations like children, remains unknown. Mn is both an essential nutrient and established neurotoxicant. In adults, one study reported an association between exposure to high concentrations of Mn in water with adverse neurological outcomes, including Parkinson-like symptoms. Children, compared to adults, are more vulnerable to excess Mn. Children may also be more susceptible than adults to the adverse effects of Mn, given their underdeveloped homeostatic mechanisms and the complex dynamics underlying brain development in early life. Increasing evidence links Mn in drinking water to decrements in [that means decreased] cognitive function and other neurobehavioral outcomes in children."

Finally, I came across research from Boston University demonstrating this isn't just a Housatonic issue. It is an issue that spans the county and the state. And it is by no means the only water-related issue we have, when you consider the presence of PFAS and the prevalence of lead pipes.

Giving our kids water that decreases cognitive function? That permanently and negatively might impact dopamine levels, inhibiting their ability to enjoy life for the rest of their life? That causes ADHD? What are we doing? The state and, frankly, the local towns impacted, all need to get off our collective butts and figure this out. It's been four years since the Manganese question was first reported in The Berkshire Eagle. No one should be satisfied with the progress we've made as a community.

As a named intervenor, I am more motivated than ever.

This is a statewide problem that calls for a statewide solution. Now. Percent of samples from EEA database in Massachusetts exceeding the secondary maximum manganese contaminant level (SMCL) of 50 parts/L or lifetime health advisory (LHA) of 300 parts/L. Darker shading represents greater percentage of samples above guideline values. Number of samples in each town is labeled in text within town lines. Source: Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology

Otis feedback: We must fill jobs

I had lunch with a supporter in Otis this past week. We sat at the Knox Trail Inn and I asked our server, a nice guy named Mike, what the most pressing issue in Otis was right now. Without missing a beat, he said, "Finding workers."

I have heard this repeatedly from restaurants. There aren't enough folks to fill the jobs. It's not just restaurants: I cannot even count the number of plumbers, electricians, carpenters, landscapers, and other tradespeople I know who are approaching retirement age. Who will replace them in five, ten, or twenty years?

This is indicative of how much the Berkshires have changed since I was growing up here. In my youth, many of us teenagers competed for jobs at places like the Knox Trail Inn. During the summer between my senior year at MMRHS and freshman year at Boston College, I worked at the Candlelight Inn in Lenox and the Stockbridge Golf Club and mowed lawns around the Stockbridge Bowl. Now, there are fewer kids in South County and jobs are harder to fill.

In Stockbridge, we had nearly 350 kids from town my senior year. Today, we have around 100. All of us must be committed to solve this issue, whether young or old, seasonal or full-time residents. The Berkshires stop working if there aren't people here to work.

We need better jobs for parents, jobs that keep people here locally. We need affordable housing options, which aren't just what the home costs, but what the taxes are on the home, regardless of whether it's home ownership or rental. We need more funding for South County vocational training options for good paying careers, to train the graduates who do not plan on attending college.

These are complex challenges. I plan to examine them in their larger context and marshal the resources we need to implement specific solutions.

Thanks for the insight, Mike!

Executive Experience

My career demonstrates a level of achievement that has made me comfortable in leadership roles. In my personal life, I've also been tested by adversity. Here is a quick run-down of my resume.

At Monument Mountain Regional High School in Great Barrington, I was elected Editor-in-Chief of Maroon Reflections, the school newspaper.

At Boston College, I was the first sophomore elected as Editor-in-Chief of The Heights in 75 years. I also received the Finneran Commencement Award, given to two seniors in a class of 2,000.

I founded a graphic design studio at 21, with clients that included the BSO, Boston Ballet, and the John F. Kennedy Library. This, despite being partially color blind.

I then founded three Internet start-ups where I served as Founder/CEO, raising over $35 million in venture capital to do so.

It was going great, and then I faced two life-threatening bouts of cancer over a span of four years. It was like erasing the blackboard and I had to start over. This life lesson was as impactful as the successes. Specifically, I stopped focusing on making money and started focusing on doing work I found rewarding and hoped would be impactful on my community.

In the Berkshires, I served as Treasurer and Vice President of the Laurel Hill Association, a wonderful little quasi-land trust in Stockbridge. I currently serve as the Chief Financial Officer of the Berkshire Waldorf High School and serve as a member and past Chair of the Stockbridge Select Board and serve on a new state-level Climate Advisory Board.

I see opportunities and pursue solutions. I can apply these skills to solve the problems we face as a community. Executive leadership doesn't faze me: I've been doing it my entire life.

Photo from the day I graduated from Monument Mountain. That's the same Lilac tree behind me as the photo below.

Transfer Fee: Dead on Arrival?

Just as many of us were attending Housing and Liveable Communities Secretary Augustus' event at Berkshire Community College last Wednesday, The Boston Globe ran a piece suggesting that the real estate transfer fee may be dead on arrival due to opposition by House Speaker Ron Mariano, writing:

"Massachusetts House Speaker Ron Mariano suggested Wednesday that lawmakers are reluctant to embrace a proposal that would allow cities and towns to tax high-dollar real estate sales, saying he's unsure 'if it's a solution' to the state's raging housing crisis."

Speaker Mariano said, "It's not as popular as I thought it might be." He suggested a local tax option could deliver "real benefits to rich communities" while not providing nearly the same benefit to lower- or middle-income cities and towns that don't have as many high-dollar home sales.

A few takeaways

This creates even more urgency to consider alternative funding options that make sense for tourist counties, including the ones I have proposed. For example, a fee on discretionary tourism-related services would be paid mostly by out-of-region visitors, rather than the homeowners who would need to approve a local-options tax.

That's where regional trusts might come into play. In the 3rd district, some towns have more high-dollar sales than others. Had I been in the room during this debate, I would have suggested pooling the benefits by assigning them to a regional trust. These benefits should accrue regionally, not just to the town where the venue is.

The best advocacy must be rooted in a deep understanding of tax policy and the ability to perform the financial analysis to make the case. This is why I am running to be your next representative from Berkshire 3rd in the State House.

A lilac tree in my front yard. I've known just about every tree in my yard my entire life. They are like old souls to me. Those tall spruces in the background are part of a perfect line of trees that were planted circa 1900 by Countess de Heredia of the Wheatleigh Estate.

The Points I made at the Housing Listening Session

The BCC housing event included break-out sessions. The one I was assigned to included Carolyn Valli, the head of Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity, and CEO of Greylock Federal Credit Union John Bissell. Here are the points I made in the session:

1. We need to eliminate the MassHealth housing liens placed on any homeowner 55+ years of age who uses the health insurance, thus impacting the opportunity for intergenerational home ownership.
2. We must ensure that if we adopt Accessory Dwelling Units by right, that there is a prohibition to renting both the primary residence and the ADU as a short-term rental. If we do not, the state will exacerbate, not improve, the local housing crisis. Absentee investors will be even more motivated to buy what little housing we have. Lee wisely chose this course at their recent town meeting.
3. We must not fund local housing initiatives with new taxes on middle-class homeowners, for example, by lowering the transfer fee to apply to homes selling for less than $1.5 million. This may be moot (see Speaker Mariano's quote above).
4. We must find ways to lower our reliance on local property taxes to fund town government generally and create housing specifically. As I have proposed, one way to do so is to look for ways to replace property tax revenues with new fees on tourism-related services.
5. We should expand and and adopt Massachusetts' version of Homestead laws, the Residential Exemption. This existing law provides the biggest break to homeowners of modest means, including significant reductions on the burden on first-time homeowners. It is already on the books, and every town votes to adopt it (or not) at the annual Select Board tax classification hearing. I am the only candidate in the race who has voted for it as a Selectman.
6. We must not pass legislation that would gut local zoning that protects the Berkshires and its rural character as we address the housing crisis. I will never support bills overruling your local control of your town's destiny.

Student Art at Berkshire Community College

There were well over a hundred folks in attendance at that Housing Workshop I referenced above. In a glass room adjacent to where we all were meeting, student artwork was on display. It was a moment of quiet enjoyment; when I entered it I was completely alone, looking inward at the art and outward at the crowd. Here are a few favorites from the show.

Photos from the Campaign Trail This Past Week

Standing by the Alford sign.

A peek into the Richmond Town Meeting to say hello to Danielle, the Richmond Town Administrator. Danielle served in the same role in Stockbridge when I was first elected to the Select Board.

A wonderful weathervane atop a steeple in Otis.

Want to Learn More?

Please consider supporting my candidacy to represent you in the State House. To learn more, visit https://www.patrickwhiteberkshires.com

You can donate by clicking here:
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/patrick-3rd

Or you can mail a check to:

Patrick Thomas White Committee
81 Hawthorne Street
Lenox, MA 01240

I've reached about 35% of my goal. Thanks for any help you can provide. I am in it to win it and am running to effect real change. I'd love to have your support.

Warmly,

Patrick White

PS: You can find detailed positions on my campaign website:

https://www.patrickwhiteberkshires.com

Previous Notes

Week ending 5/10/2024
Paul Revere and Smitty Pignatelli. read more

Week ending 5/3/2024
Fixing Assessments, Aging in Place, EMS. read more

Week ending 4/26/2024
Swinging for the Fences. read more

Week ending 4/19/2024
Housing - Trails - Internet - Healthcare - Singing Praise. read more

Week ending 4/12/2024
Dog Day Afternoons. read more

Week ending 4/5/2024
Remembering Searles Middle School. read more

Week ending 3/29/2024
It's all about the jobs. read more

Week ending 3/22/2024
Snow - Taxes - Childcare - Grants - School Play read more

Week ending 3/15/2024
Economic development, family farms, why just water? read more

Week ending 3/8/2024
Affordable housing, Climate Advisory Board, Multicultural Bridge, economic development, ROR filing. read more

Week ending 3/1/2024
West Stockbridge rent control brief, PCB radio interview, cancer and the river, reducing property taxes. read more