Representative Don Humason



MORE REFORMS! June 20, 2009 By State Representative Don Humason, Jr. Let me begin my column this week by congratulating the graduates of the Class of 2009 from St. Mary’s High School, Westfield High, and Westfield Vocational Technical High School. I didn’t get the chance to do that last week, and school is almost done for the summer. Although I’m not in the position of giving a graduation address to these high school students, I did have the opportunity to offer a few words of greetings and encouragement to the senior class at Westfield State College’s commencement exercises a few weeks ago. Here, in abridged version, is my message to all graduates: Today, we all face challenging, unprecedented times: Swine flu, North Korean missile tests, illegal immigration, bailouts, record high Federal deficits, high unemployment, staggering costs of living, increasing gas prices, and a statewide recession, to name a few. While the news sounds discouraging, I have faith in America and the American people. As an amateur student of history, I read a great deal and take comfort from the past. Winston Churchill said, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else.” Churchill also said, “I have no fear of the future. Let us go forward into its mysteries, let us tear aside the veils which hide it from our eyes and let us move onward with confidence and courage.” Let me conclude with another quote I am fond of using attributed to many American Presidents from Eisenhower to Reagan to Clinton: “There is nothing wrong with America that what’s right with America can’t fix.” Congratulations, again, to all graduates. Now go, and strive to be what’s right with America! The State House News Service reported last week that “State retirement officials have suspended former House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi’s pension while DiMasi awaits trial on federal corruption charges. The State Retirement Board sent DiMasi a letter Tuesday notifying him that it had suspended his gross monthly allowance of $4,952. “Under a state law authorizing the board to launch administrative proceedings against pensioners charged with misappropriation of public funds, DiMasi could lose the pension benefits he accrued based on 33 years of creditable service.” Last Thursday, the House and Senate voted in favor of a state Pension Reform Bill that will begin to put an end to some of the many abuses inherent in the state employee pension system. The legislation aims to reform various aspects of the Commonwealth’s pension system for public employees, which has been under review due to the many media reports of abuse and overly generous pensions for certain public employees. I think the bill is a positive first step towards meaningful reform. But it is not the full reform that is needed and demanded by the people. We can and must do more soon in order to get our fiscal house in order and restore the public’s confidence in state government. I am hopeful that legislation will be filed and debated soon and that the public and the Legislature continues to scrutinize the state pension system while awaiting the pending release of a report by the Commission on Pension Reform. My colleagues and I in the House Republican Caucus have been staunch advocates for pension reform for the past several years, and I look forward to revisiting this important issue later in the legislative session to complete the positive steps taken today. We have also supported an effort first proposed by Republican Governors to reform the state’s disjointed, duplicative, and inefficient transportation system. This week, I am happy to report that the House and Senate voted to approve the Transportation Reform bill released by the Conference Committee. At the time of the writing of this column, Legislators are still awaiting the release of the Ethics Reform bill and the FY 2010 state budget from their respective Conference Committees. More on these reforms and budget next week. I invite you to watch the newest installment of my cable show, "From the State House to Your House." My guest this month is Jim Wiggs, Director of the Westfield Emergency Management Agency. The show focuses on the mission of the Westfield Emergency Management Agency and how residents can be prepared in the event of an emergency. The half hour program airs on Westfield's Community Programming Channel, Channel 15, on Sundays at 4:30 PM, Wednesdays at 8:30 PM, and Thursdays at 10:30 AM & 10:30 PM. * * * Representative Don Humason and his Chief of Staff Sarah Latour may be reached at their Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us Website: www.donhumason.org
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MORE REFORMS!

June 20, 2009

By State Representative Don Humason, Jr.

Let me begin my column this week by congratulating the graduates of the Class of 2009 from St. Mary’s High School, Westfield High, and Westfield Vocational Technical High School. I didn’t get the chance to do that last week, and school is almost done for the summer.

Although I’m not in the position of giving a graduation address to these high school students, I did have the opportunity to offer a few words of greetings and encouragement to the senior class at Westfield State College’s commencement exercises a few weeks ago. Here, in abridged version, is my message to all graduates:

Today, we all face challenging, unprecedented times: Swine flu, North Korean missile tests, illegal immigration, bailouts, record high Federal deficits, high unemployment, staggering costs of living, increasing gas prices, and a statewide recession, to name a few.

While the news sounds discouraging, I have faith in America and the American people. As an amateur student of history, I read a great deal and take comfort from the past.

Winston Churchill said, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else.”

Churchill also said, “I have no fear of the future. Let us go forward into its mysteries, let us tear aside the veils which hide it from our eyes and let us move onward with confidence and courage.”

Let me conclude with another quote I am fond of using attributed to many American Presidents from Eisenhower to Reagan to Clinton: “There is nothing wrong with America that what’s right with America can’t fix.”

Congratulations, again, to all graduates. Now go, and strive to be what’s right with America!

The State House News Service reported last week that “State retirement officials have suspended former House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi’s pension while DiMasi awaits trial on federal corruption charges. The State Retirement Board sent DiMasi a letter Tuesday notifying him that it had suspended his gross monthly allowance of $4,952.

“Under a state law authorizing the board to launch administrative proceedings against pensioners charged with misappropriation of public funds, DiMasi could lose the pension benefits he accrued based on 33 years of creditable service.”

Last Thursday, the House and Senate voted in favor of a state Pension Reform Bill that will begin to put an end to some of the many abuses inherent in the state employee pension system. The legislation aims to reform various aspects of the Commonwealth’s pension system for public employees, which has been under review due to the many media reports of abuse and overly generous pensions for certain public employees.

I think the bill is a positive first step towards meaningful reform. But it is not the full reform that is needed and demanded by the people. We can and must do more soon in order to get our fiscal house in order and restore the public’s confidence in state government.

I am hopeful that legislation will be filed and debated soon and that the public and the Legislature continues to scrutinize the state pension system while awaiting the pending release of a report by the Commission on Pension Reform.

My colleagues and I in the House Republican Caucus have been staunch advocates for pension reform for the past several years, and I look forward to revisiting this important issue later in the legislative session to complete the positive steps taken today.

We have also supported an effort first proposed by Republican Governors to reform the state’s disjointed, duplicative, and inefficient transportation system. This week, I am happy to report that the House and Senate voted to approve the Transportation Reform bill released by the Conference Committee.

At the time of the writing of this column, Legislators are still awaiting the release of the Ethics Reform bill and the FY 2010 state budget from their respective Conference Committees. More on these reforms and budget next week.

I invite you to watch the newest installment of my cable show, "From the State House to Your House." My guest this month is Jim Wiggs, Director of the Westfield Emergency Management Agency. The show focuses on the mission of the Westfield Emergency Management Agency and how residents can be prepared in the event of an emergency.

The half hour program airs on Westfield's Community Programming Channel, Channel 15, on Sundays at 4:30 PM, Wednesdays at 8:30 PM, and Thursdays at 10:30 AM & 10:30 PM.

* * *

Representative Don Humason and his Chief of Staff Sarah Latour may be reached at their Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us Website: www.donhumason.org

This Site Designed and Maintained by: The Barre Group