Representative Don Humason



LAWRENCE UPDATE Westfield Evening News column By State Representative Don Humason, Jr. February 20, 2010 I typically write my weekly Westfield Evening News column on Thursdays and submit them to the paper via email so they can be published in the Saturday edition. In my column last week I wrote about the newly-elected mayor of the city of Lawrence, William “Willie” Lantigua, who was also the sitting State Representative for that city. Willie had stated that he intended to keep both positions and serve them concurrently. I related that his fellow Merrimac Valley legislators and even some members of his own party were getting uncomfortable. The Governor and Republican legislators, unlikely political allies indeed, had publicly called upon the mayor/state representative to choose one position or the other. My fellow Republicans on Beacon Hill and I had stated that if the mayor/state representative was seeking public support from state taxpayers to bail out Lawrence then he should pick one position or the other. Well, after this column had literally “gone to press” last Friday afternoon, Willie Lantigua submitted his letter of resignation to the Massachusetts House of Representatives, effectively ending this chapter of the controversy surrounding his holding of two public political offices for Lawrence. I’m happy to report Willie Lantigua is now just Mayor Lantigua. Personally, I think he did the right thing. Even though it doesn’t appear that he broke any rules or laws about holding the two posts at the same time, and even though he had been upfront with the voters of his city that he intended to remain as the state representative even after winning the mayor’s office, it was sending the wrong signal to taxpayers across the Commonwealth. He was collecting two salaries and two pensions even as his city was facing insolvency and bankruptcy and seeking a taxpayer-funded bailout. Sometimes perception is as important as reality. I think it is vitally important that public officials avoid conflicts that give the impression of impropriety. The Massachusetts Legislature has been a hotbed of scandal in the past few years and I believe it is important that at all elected officials do their duties ethically and morally, in keeping with their respective oaths of office. When individual members have a bad reputation the institution’s reputation is tarnished as well. It was school vacation week this week and so things were fairly quiet on Beacon Hill. There were no formal sessions and few committee meetings. I only went to the State House once. I had to renew my Fast Lane pass and decided I would go to the Fast Lane Service Center on the Mass Pike at the Natick plaza. Natick is out of the way for most of us in Western Mass but since I had to drive past it to get to Boston anyway I decided to go there instead of using the Auburn Fast Lane office. I still think it is wrong for the Massachusetts Turnpike not to have a service center in Western Mass for all of us out here in the four Western counties of our state. But I have to confess the experience at the Natick Plaza was pleasantly surprising. It was fast, efficient, and easy to get in and out and back on the road. Have you been watching the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada? I have. I’ve always enjoyed watching the downhill skiers, the biathlon, the bobsledders, the snowboarders, and now, the women’s ice hockey. Westfield’s own Kacey Bellamy is playing for the women’s ice hockey team. She is doing her hometown proud. My congratulations and best wishes to Kacey and her family. The men and women of the 104th Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard up at Barnes have recently assumed the awesome responsibility of protecting the airspace of the entire Northeastern United States from Canada to New Jersey. The F-15 pilots and the crews that support them are now standing ready to deploy into the skies at a moment’s notice to become the tip of the spear in the constant vigilance of protecting America. I applaud them. Westfield is proud of them. Next week, I will tape a new edition of my cable show, “From the State House to Your House.” My guest will be Colonel Robert “L.A.” Brooks, Commander of the 104th up at Barnes. It’s going to be a great show. More on that soon. Have a good week. * * * Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not the staff, editor, or publisher of the Westfield Evening News. 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. Representative Don Humason may be reached at his Boston office, State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us Website: www.donhumason.org
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LAWRENCE UPDATE

Westfield Evening News column

By State Representative Don Humason, Jr.

February 20, 2010

I typically write my weekly Westfield Evening News column on Thursdays and submit them to the paper via email so they can be published in the Saturday edition. In my column last week I wrote about the newly-elected mayor of the city of Lawrence, William “Willie” Lantigua, who was also the sitting State Representative for that city.

Willie had stated that he intended to keep both positions and serve them concurrently. I related that his fellow Merrimac Valley legislators and even some members of his own party were getting uncomfortable. The Governor and Republican legislators, unlikely political allies indeed, had publicly called upon the mayor/state representative to choose one position or the other.

My fellow Republicans on Beacon Hill and I had stated that if the mayor/state representative was seeking public support from state taxpayers to bail out Lawrence then he should pick one position or the other.

Well, after this column had literally “gone to press” last Friday afternoon, Willie Lantigua submitted his letter of resignation to the Massachusetts House of Representatives, effectively ending this chapter of the controversy surrounding his holding of two public political offices for Lawrence. I’m happy to report Willie Lantigua is now just Mayor Lantigua.

Personally, I think he did the right thing. Even though it doesn’t appear that he broke any rules or laws about holding the two posts at the same time, and even though he had been upfront with the voters of his city that he intended to remain as the state representative even after winning the mayor’s office, it was sending the wrong signal to taxpayers across the Commonwealth. He was collecting two salaries and two pensions even as his city was facing insolvency and bankruptcy and seeking a taxpayer-funded bailout.

Sometimes perception is as important as reality. I think it is vitally important that public officials avoid conflicts that give the impression of impropriety. The Massachusetts Legislature has been a hotbed of scandal in the past few years and I believe it is important that at all elected officials do their duties ethically and morally, in keeping with their respective oaths of office. When individual members have a bad reputation the institution’s reputation is tarnished as well.

It was school vacation week this week and so things were fairly quiet on Beacon Hill. There were no formal sessions and few committee meetings. I only went to the State House once.

I had to renew my Fast Lane pass and decided I would go to the Fast Lane Service Center on the Mass Pike at the Natick plaza. Natick is out of the way for most of us in Western Mass but since I had to drive past it to get to Boston anyway I decided to go there instead of using the Auburn Fast Lane office.

I still think it is wrong for the Massachusetts Turnpike not to have a service center in Western Mass for all of us out here in the four Western counties of our state. But I have to confess the experience at the Natick Plaza was pleasantly surprising. It was fast, efficient, and easy to get in and out and back on the road.

Have you been watching the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada? I have. I’ve always enjoyed watching the downhill skiers, the biathlon, the bobsledders, the snowboarders, and now, the women’s ice hockey. Westfield’s own Kacey Bellamy is playing for the women’s ice hockey team. She is doing her hometown proud. My congratulations and best wishes to Kacey and her family.

The men and women of the 104th Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard up at Barnes have recently assumed the awesome responsibility of protecting the airspace of the entire Northeastern United States from Canada to New Jersey. The F-15 pilots and the crews that support them are now standing ready to deploy into the skies at a moment’s notice to become the tip of the spear in the constant vigilance of protecting America. I applaud them. Westfield is proud of them.

Next week, I will tape a new edition of my cable show, “From the State House to Your House.” My guest will be Colonel Robert “L.A.” Brooks, Commander of the 104th up at Barnes. It’s going to be a great show. More on that soon. Have a good week.

* * *

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not the staff, editor, or publisher of the Westfield Evening News.

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. Representative Don Humason may be reached at his Boston office, State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us Website: www.donhumason.org

This Site Designed and Maintained by: The Barre Group