Representative Don Humason



CONSTITUENT SURVEY SEPTEMBER 2009 September 12, 2009 By State Representative Don Humason, Jr. Although there were no formal sessions on Beacon Hill this week, the Massachusetts House and Senate are poised to reconvene after our August recess. By the rules that the Legislature operates under, we will remain in session until the third week of November. Then we take our holiday recess until January, 2010. Next year, a state election year, we have a shortened session with formal sessions wrapping up on July 31. Legislative committees still have hundreds, if not thousands, of bills to process during this current session. Next week, I have the impossible task of trying to atten d 4 of my committee hearings, and they are all scheduled at the same time! Consumer Protection, Transportation, Public Health, and Children & Families are all scheduled to meet Tuesday morning. There are many hot topics that are yet to come before both branches of the Legislature. Some have been receiving a lot of attention in the media, others have been flying below the radar. I wanted to take a reading of the opinions of the people of Westfield whom I represent by running another constituent survey in this weeks Westfield Evening News column. Feel free to drop off or mail your survey responses to my district office at 64 Noble Street, Westfield, or email them to me at Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.State.Ma.Us. We’ll try to compile the responses in a few weeks and let readers know how people answered the questions. Thank you for your input! Humason Constituent Survey September 2009 1) In your opinion, is the state of the economy getting better, getting worse, or staying the same? 2) Has the July 1 increase in Massachusetts sales tax or liquor tax from 5% to 6.25% caused you to go out of state or to the internet to purchase items and avoid paying the higher tax? Yes or No. 3) Has the July 1 increase in meals tax from 5% to 6.25% caused you to cut down on the number of times you and your family dine out? Yes or No. 4) Do you support a total ban on “texting” while driving for all Massachusetts motorists? Yes or No. Do you support a tot al ban on using cell phones while driving for all Massachusetts motorists? Yes or No. 5) Do you favor legislation allowing Massachusetts motorists to use “hands free” cell phones while driving, instead of an outright ban on all cell phones? Yes or No. 6) Should the Legislature change the law to require the Registry of Motor Vehicles to begin re-testing elderly drivers? Yes or No. At what age should that re-testing begin? 7) In 2004, the Legislature changed the law allowing the Governor to appoint a replacement to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate until the next Senate election. Now, the current governor wants the Legislature to change the law again this time to allow him to appoint an interim U.S. Senator until a special election can be held January 19, 2010. Do you support or oppose the change? 8) Despite recent tax increases in the Bay State, some legislative leaders are floating the idea of increasing state revenues by raising additional taxes. Do you support or oppose an increase in the Massachusetts Income Tax rate of 5.3%? 9) Do you support or oppose an increase in the Massachusetts Gasoline Tax? 10) Do you support or oppose resort-style casinos in Massachusetts? Do you support or oppose slot parlors at the current Massachusetts race tracks? * * * 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

CONSTITUENT SURVEY SEPTEMBER 2009

September 12, 2009

By State Representative Don Humason, Jr.

Although there were no formal sessions on Beacon Hill this week, the Massachusetts House and Senate are poised to reconvene after our August recess.

By the rules that the Legislature operates under, we will remain in session until the third week of November. Then we take our holiday recess until January, 2010. Next year, a state election year, we have a shortened session with formal sessions wrapping up on July 31.

Legislative committees still have hundreds, if not thousands, of bills to process during this current session. Next week, I have the impossible task of trying to atten d 4 of my committee hearings, and they are all scheduled at the same time! Consumer Protection, Transportation, Public Health, and Children & Families are all scheduled to meet Tuesday morning.

There are many hot topics that are yet to come before both branches of the Legislature. Some have been receiving a lot of attention in the media, others have been flying below the radar.

I wanted to take a reading of the opinions of the people of Westfield whom I represent by running another constituent survey in this weeks Westfield Evening News column.

Feel free to drop off or mail your survey responses to my district office at 64 Noble Street, Westfield, or email them to me at Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.State.Ma.Us.

We’ll try to compile the responses in a few weeks and let readers know how people answered the questions. Thank you for your input!

Humason Constituent Survey September 2009

1) In your opinion, is the state of the economy getting better, getting worse, or staying the same?

2) Has the July 1 increase in Massachusetts sales tax or liquor tax from 5% to 6.25% caused you to go out of state or to the internet to purchase items and avoid paying the higher tax? Yes or No.

3) Has the July 1 increase in meals tax from 5% to 6.25% caused you to cut down on the number of times you and your family dine out? Yes or No.

4) Do you support a total ban on “texting” while driving for all Massachusetts motorists? Yes or No.

Do you support a tot al ban on using cell phones while driving for all Massachusetts motorists? Yes or No.

5) Do you favor legislation allowing Massachusetts motorists to use “hands free” cell phones while driving, instead of an outright ban on all cell phones? Yes or No.

6) Should the Legislature change the law to require the Registry of Motor Vehicles to begin re-testing elderly drivers? Yes or No.

At what age should that re-testing begin?

7) In 2004, the Legislature changed the law allowing the Governor to appoint a replacement to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate until the next Senate election. Now, the current governor wants the Legislature to change the law again this time to allow him to appoint an interim U.S. Senator until a special election can be held January 19, 2010.

Do you support or oppose the change?

8) Despite recent tax increases in the Bay State, some legislative leaders are floating the idea of increasing state revenues by raising additional taxes. Do you support or oppose an increase in the Massachusetts Income Tax rate of 5.3%?

9) Do you support or oppose an increase in the Massachusetts Gasoline Tax?

10) Do you support or oppose resort-style casinos in Massachusetts?

Do you support or oppose slot parlors at the current Massachusetts race tracks?

* * *

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