Representative Don Humason



CALM BEFORE STORM Westfield Evening News column By State Representative Don Humason, Jr. April 24, 2010 It will be a short column this week because there’s not much to report. The House of Representatives was not in formal session this week due to school vacation. I only went to the State House one day, Wednesday, because of a Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure hearing I had to attend. I’m the Ranking Republican member on that committee. The House Ways and Means Committee released its version of the Fiscal Year 2011 state budget last week. The House budget debate is next week and I plan to be at the State House every day from Monday until the debate is done on Friday. It is a long and tiring week. This week before budget debate is typically quiet; the calm before the storm. Most likely I will write next week’s Westfield Evening News column from my laptop at my desk, seat 152, in the House Chamber. I’ll try to give readers an update on the fiscal picture of the state and the process and status of debate on the nearly 860 amendments filed by representatives to try to change the version of the budget proposed by the Ways and Means Committee. If you know of any amendments to the budget that you support or oppose, please call my District Office at 568-1366 and let my Chief of Staff, Sarah Latour, know. She will make sure to communicate that to me in Boston. Every year Sarah does up a huge spread sheet of amendments that are important to me and my constituents and I use it as a tracking tool in the Chamber while we debate the different amendments. I was happy to be home in the district this week. Last weekend I was with 3,000 Republican delegates and activists from around Massachusetts at the 2010 Republican State Convention in Worcester. On Tuesday, I joined with Mayor Dan Knapik, Senator Mike Knapik, the Westfield Volunteer Network and others in City Council Chambers as we recognized and honored citizens who had been nominated for Volunteer of the Year for their volunteerism in town. Dr. Bob Brown and Patience O’Connor received the award this year. Bob has been very active at the Westfield Athenaeum and specifically the Edwin Smith Historical Museum, and Patience has devoted so much of her time to the children of Abner Gibbs Elementary School. Congratulations to them! Thursday was the annual Senior Care Options 2010 health and information fair sponsored by the Westfield Council on Aging at the South Middle School cafeteria. Hundreds of local seniors came by to meet, greet, and obtain information on all types of services. I commend Tina Gorman and the staff and volunteers from the Council on Aging for an outstanding event. I enjoyed being a part of it. This Sunday is the annual Free Youth Fishing Derby at Westfield Sportsman’s Club up on Furrowtown Road near Westfield High School. The cannon goes off at 9 AM and hooks go into the water. Prizes will be awarded for first fish taken, biggest fish, tagged fish, and more. This is open to children of Westfield and the surrounding communities and is free for the kids. It’s a great way to try fishing. Club memberships will be on sale too. The Massachusetts Bar Association asked legislators to help spread the word that in conjunction with the Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services they would be holding a free Dial-A-Lawyer program for veterans and their families on Thursday, April 29, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. The number to call is (617) 338-0610. The program offers free legal advice to veterans and families of veterans who have legal questions involving access to veterans’ benefits, family issues, employment concerns, landlord, tenant matters and other legal issues. Please tell a veteran. Help spread the word. Lastly, I would like to congratulate my friend and Westfield resident Patrick Healy. Pat was recently hired to work in the Boston office of newly-elected United States Senator Scott Brown. Pat is a super guy and a really hard worker. He is a former intern in my State House office, and left me to do field work for the Brown for US Senate campaign on Cape Cod. Now he will be serving the people of Massachusetts as an aide to our junior senator. Congratulations Pat! See you when the budget’s done. Have a great 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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CALM BEFORE STORM

Westfield Evening News column
By State Representative Don Humason, Jr.
April 24, 2010

It will be a short column this week because there’s not much to report. The House of Representatives was not in formal session this week due to school vacation.

I only went to the State House one day, Wednesday, because of a Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure hearing I had to attend. I’m the Ranking Republican member on that committee.

The House Ways and Means Committee released its version of the Fiscal Year 2011 state budget last week. The House budget debate is next week and I plan to be at the State House every day from Monday until the debate is done on Friday. It is a long and tiring week. This week before budget debate is typically quiet; the calm before the storm.

Most likely I will write next week’s Westfield Evening News column from my laptop at my desk, seat 152, in the House Chamber. I’ll try to give readers an update on the fiscal picture of the state and the process and status of debate on the nearly 860 amendments filed by representatives to try to change the version of the budget proposed by the Ways and Means Committee.

If you know of any amendments to the budget that you support or oppose, please call my District Office at 568-1366 and let my Chief of Staff, Sarah Latour, know. She will make sure to communicate that to me in Boston. Every year Sarah does up a huge spread sheet of amendments that are important to me and my constituents and I use it as a tracking tool in the Chamber while we debate the different amendments.

I was happy to be home in the district this week. Last weekend I was with 3,000 Republican delegates and activists from around Massachusetts at the 2010 Republican State Convention in Worcester.

On Tuesday, I joined with Mayor Dan Knapik, Senator Mike Knapik, the Westfield Volunteer Network and others in City Council Chambers as we recognized and honored citizens who had been nominated for Volunteer of the Year for their volunteerism in town. Dr. Bob Brown and Patience O’Connor received the award this year. Bob has been very active at the Westfield Athenaeum and specifically the Edwin Smith Historical Museum, and Patience has devoted so much of her time to the children of Abner Gibbs Elementary School. Congratulations to them!

Thursday was the annual Senior Care Options 2010 health and information fair sponsored by the Westfield Council on Aging at the South Middle School cafeteria. Hundreds of local seniors came by to meet, greet, and obtain information on all types of services. I commend Tina Gorman and the staff and volunteers from the Council on Aging for an outstanding event. I enjoyed being a part of it.

This Sunday is the annual Free Youth Fishing Derby at Westfield Sportsman’s Club up on Furrowtown Road near Westfield High School. The cannon goes off at 9 AM and hooks go into the water. Prizes will be awarded for first fish taken, biggest fish, tagged fish, and more. This is open to children of Westfield and the surrounding communities and is free for the kids. It’s a great way to try fishing. Club memberships will be on sale too.

The Massachusetts Bar Association asked legislators to help spread the word that in conjunction with the Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services they would be holding a free Dial-A-Lawyer program for veterans and their families on Thursday, April 29, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. The number to call is (617) 338-0610.

The program offers free legal advice to veterans and families of veterans who have legal questions involving access to veterans’ benefits, family issues, employment concerns, landlord, tenant matters and other legal issues. Please tell a veteran. Help spread the word.

Lastly, I would like to congratulate my friend and Westfield resident Patrick Healy. Pat was recently hired to work in the Boston office of newly-elected United States Senator Scott Brown. Pat is a super guy and a really hard worker. He is a former intern in my State House office, and left me to do field work for the Brown for US Senate campaign on Cape Cod. Now he will be serving the people of Massachusetts as an aide to our junior senator. Congratulations Pat!

See you when the budget’s done. Have a great 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