Representative Don Humason



TRAFFIC JAM & CASINO SLAM By State Representative Don Humason, Jr. March 22, 2008 Before I begin, Senator Mike Knapik and I would like to congratulate the Westfield High School hockey team for their outstanding victory over Scituate Sunday at the Boston Garden. To the coaches, players, family, and fans, congratulations on your win. You deserve it! Westfield is proud of you. There are many things I enjoy about my job as Westfield’s State Representative. But one thing that routinely tops my list of things I hate is the commute from Westfield to Boston and back. This past Tuesday was the longest single commute to work I’ve ever had, beating even the day before Thanksgiving. Due to a truck rollover on the Mass Pike near Exit 11A, the Route 495 exit, I was stuck in traffic for over 4 hours 15 minutes. I wasn’t alone, of course. At one point it was reported that there was a 15 mile, 3 lane backup of vehicles completely gridlocked. Thank God I had filled my truck with $3.09 per gallon gasoline before I left. And thank goodness I didn’t have to, how to put this delicately, “answer nature’s call.” I listened to talk radio, called my Legislative Aide Sarah Latour in my Westfield office a couple times, and made other calls too. I don’t want to hear it about using a cell phone while driving. Most of the time I was at a dead stand still. I left Westfield at 9:30 AM and arrived on Beacon Hill at 1:45 PM. I missed all 3 of the legislative committee hearings I had been planning to attend, as well as Agriculture Day on the Hill. I ran into DCR Commissioner Rick Sullivan as he was leaving the State House that day and he told me he had been in traffic for over 5 hours! The only thing I’m glad about is that it wasn’t a day when the House of Representatives was in full formal session because I’m certain I would have missed a few roll calls and I wouldn’t want to ruin my 100% voting record for this session. Wednesday was Joint Rule 10 day, the deadline for legislative committees to issue reports on the bills that were filed at the beginning of the session. In every 2 year session there are between 6 and 8 thousand bills filed. Many never make it to the floor of the House or Senate for debate. They are “studied” or reported “ought not to pass.” Some are further referred to other committees. One bill that has been getting plenty of attention is the Governor’s resort casino plan, House bill 4307. There was a marathon public hearing held this week on the bill in Gardner Auditorium at the State House by the Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. Governor Patrick himself testified, as did hundreds of others, both pro-casino and con. Speaker Sal DiMasi showed up for a brief time but did not testify. I do not serve on the committee but I did poke my head in to watch the spectacle. It was hot, crowded, and very tense. A recent poll conducted by Western New England College found 42% opposed to casinos, 41% in favor, and 17% neutral. 26% said they strongly opposed the bill, while only 17% said they strongly favored it. 446 Massachusetts adults participated in the poll, which has a margin of error of plus/minus 5 points. When I conducted my own informal constituent survey a few months ago I got different results. In this column I asked, Do you favor casino gaming (resort-style casinos) in Massachusetts? I had 32 respondents. 21 said YES. 7 said NO. 4 had NO ANSWER. At the time of the writing of this column, it appears fairly certain that the Speaker has the votes to kill the bill. The committee voted 10-8-1 to recommend that it “ought not to pass.” While I have mixed feelings on casinos and have taken no position yet on the bill, I believe the bill ought to go to the floor of the House for an open and public debate. Our constituents have a right to see their legislators debate the bill in the light of day, not kill it by parliamentary procedures. As I conclude, let me wish you a Happy Spring and Happy Easter! Representative Don Humason and his new aide Sarah Latour may be reached at their Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366. Their Boston address is State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us
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TRAFFIC JAM & CASINO SLAM

By State Representative Don Humason, Jr.

March 22, 2008

Before I begin, Senator Mike Knapik and I would like to congratulate the Westfield High School hockey team for their outstanding victory over Scituate Sunday at the Boston Garden. To the coaches, players, family, and fans, congratulations on your win. You deserve it! Westfield is proud of you.

There are many things I enjoy about my job as Westfield’s State Representative. But one thing that routinely tops my list of things I hate is the commute from Westfield to Boston and back. This past Tuesday was the longest single commute to work I’ve ever had, beating even the day before Thanksgiving. Due to a truck rollover on the Mass Pike near Exit 11A, the Route 495 exit, I was stuck in traffic for over 4 hours 15 minutes.

I wasn’t alone, of course. At one point it was reported that there was a 15 mile, 3 lane backup of vehicles completely gridlocked. Thank God I had filled my truck with $3.09 per gallon gasoline before I left. And thank goodness I didn’t have to, how to put this delicately, “answer nature’s call.”

I listened to talk radio, called my Legislative Aide Sarah Latour in my Westfield office a couple times, and made other calls too. I don’t want to hear it about using a cell phone while driving. Most of the time I was at a dead stand still.

I left Westfield at 9:30 AM and arrived on Beacon Hill at 1:45 PM. I missed all 3 of the legislative committee hearings I had been planning to attend, as well as Agriculture Day on the Hill. I ran into DCR Commissioner Rick Sullivan as he was leaving the State House that day and he told me he had been in traffic for over 5 hours!

The only thing I’m glad about is that it wasn’t a day when the House of Representatives was in full formal session because I’m certain I would have missed a few roll calls and I wouldn’t want to ruin my 100% voting record for this session.

Wednesday was Joint Rule 10 day, the deadline for legislative committees to issue reports on the bills that were filed at the beginning of the session. In every 2 year session there are between 6 and 8 thousand bills filed. Many never make it to the floor of the House or Senate for debate. They are “studied” or reported “ought not to pass.” Some are further referred to other committees.

One bill that has been getting plenty of attention is the Governor’s resort casino plan, House bill 4307. There was a marathon public hearing held this week on the bill in Gardner Auditorium at the State House by the Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies.

Governor Patrick himself testified, as did hundreds of others, both pro-casino and con. Speaker Sal DiMasi showed up for a brief time but did not testify. I do not serve on the committee but I did poke my head in to watch the spectacle. It was hot, crowded, and very tense.

A recent poll conducted by Western New England College found 42% opposed to casinos, 41% in favor, and 17% neutral. 26% said they strongly opposed the bill, while only 17% said they strongly favored it. 446 Massachusetts adults participated in the poll, which has a margin of error of plus/minus 5 points.

When I conducted my own informal constituent survey a few months ago I got different results. In this column I asked, Do you favor casino gaming (resort-style casinos) in Massachusetts? I had 32 respondents. 21 said YES. 7 said NO. 4 had NO ANSWER.

At the time of the writing of this column, it appears fairly certain that the Speaker has the votes to kill the bill. The committee voted 10-8-1 to recommend that it “ought not to pass.”

While I have mixed feelings on casinos and have taken no position yet on the bill, I believe the bill ought to go to the floor of the House for an open and public debate. Our constituents have a right to see their legislators debate the bill in the light of day, not kill it by parliamentary procedures.

As I conclude, let me wish you a Happy Spring and Happy Easter!

Representative Don Humason and his new aide Sarah Latour may be reached at their Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366. Their Boston address is State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us

This Site Designed and Maintained by: The Barre Group