Representative Don Humason



HAPPY BUNKER HILL DAY Westfield Evening News column By State Representative Don Humason, Jr. June 19, 2010 So, how many of you had Thursday off from work to celebrate Bunker Hill Day? What? What do you mean you’ve never heard of it? Bunker Hill Day, that day set aside for Suffolk County residents and state employees everywhere to celebrate the first victory of Continental Army forces over the British Army at Bunker Hill. OK, technically the fight wasn’t on Bunker Hill. It was on Breeds Hill. And technically we didn’t really win the battle. We just killed more of the Red Coats then they killed of us. So we called it a win. Regardless, it was a pretty big deal at the time over two hundred years ago and helped rally troops to the cause of this young upstart nation. Now I’m all for remembering our nation’s history. But I contend that if it was such a big deal that it’s worthy of a special holiday why doesn’t everyone in the Commonwealth get to celebrate it? Why is it that the regular folks have to go to work to make money to pay taxes to the state so some Suffolk County residents and all state employees get to take a day off? Members of the Republican caucus and I have fought for years to eliminate these Boston- only holidays of Bunker Hill Day (June 17) and Evacuation Day (March 17). We’ve always argued that either everyone should celebrate them or no one should. There’s something a bit perverse about a taxpayer-funded holiday for public servants only, especially during a recession where the Governor and Legislature have had to dramatically cut programs like services for the mentally and developmentally disabled, the blind and deaf, education and higher education, and aid to cities and towns. According to the State House News Service, “there's been growing levels of support for eliminating Bunker Hill Day, a Suffolk County holiday that honors the Revolutionary War battle, but the holiday has survived. Public employees who work Thursday will get another day off. The House held one light formal session this week and the Senate didn't hold any formals, with Senate President Therese Murray traveling in Ireland. House Speaker Robert DeLeo is also on the road, traveling to Maryland for a conference with his counterparts from other states. Next week marks the start of the final six weeks of formal sessions. Major bills, including the state budget, expanded gambling, health care cost control, criminal record, and economic development proposals to name just a few.” The good news is that the state Senate passed a provision in their version of the state budget to end these two so-called “hack” holidays. Now the six member Conference Committee is wrestling with this issue and so many others as they attempt to reach a compromise budget before the start of the new fiscal year on July 1. Time is running out as the calendar winds down to July 31, the last day of formal sessions for the House and Senate for this year. But despite that, the House was only in formal session one day this week and the Senate not at all. The House heard final “farewell” speeches from two members. One who resigned to take a job with the Mayor Menino administration in Boston and the other who ran in a special election for an open state Senate seat and won. I would like to extend my appreciation to the nearly 70 folks who came out on Monday after work to stand on the Great River Bridge waving American flags for Flag Day. We had a terrific turn out for the first time we’ve done the event and we’re already planning on doubling the group for next Flag Day, June 14, 2011. Thank you for showing your patriotism and support for our flag and the country it represents. Greetings to the members of Boy Scout Troop 820 and their leaders up at the Westfield Sportsman’s Club. I was invited to come to their meeting Wednesday night and speak to the boys about citizenship and what it takes to be a good citizen. As you may know from past columns, I typically write this on Thursday evenings and email it to the Westfield Evening News in order to make my deadline. As I write this I just got home from Stanley Park and the Church of the Atonement’s 147th annual Strawberry Festival Dinner. It was a beautiful night and a great event, as always. Soon, I will email this off to the paper and go and watch the Boston Celtics play the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 7 of the championship series. The series is tied 3 games each so tonight is the big night. Boston police are on high alert regardless of whether the Celtics win or lose. Go Celts! * * * 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

HAPPY BUNKER HILL DAY

Westfield Evening News column
By State Representative Don Humason, Jr.
June 19, 2010

So, how many of you had Thursday off from work to celebrate Bunker Hill Day?

What? What do you mean you’ve never heard of it? Bunker Hill Day, that day set aside for Suffolk County residents and state employees everywhere to celebrate the first victory of Continental Army forces over the British Army at Bunker Hill.

OK, technically the fight wasn’t on Bunker Hill. It was on Breeds Hill. And technically we didn’t really win the battle. We just killed more of the Red Coats then they killed of us. So we called it a win.

Regardless, it was a pretty big deal at the time over two hundred years ago and helped rally troops to the cause of this young upstart nation. Now I’m all for remembering our nation’s history. But I contend that if it was such a big deal that it’s worthy of a special holiday why doesn’t everyone in the Commonwealth get to celebrate it? Why is it that the regular folks have to go to work to make money to pay taxes to the state so some Suffolk County residents and all state employees get to take a day off?

Members of the Republican caucus and I have fought for years to eliminate these Boston- only holidays of Bunker Hill Day (June 17) and Evacuation Day (March 17). We’ve always argued that either everyone should celebrate them or no one should. There’s something a bit perverse about a taxpayer-funded holiday for public servants only, especially during a recession where the Governor and Legislature have had to dramatically cut programs like services for the mentally and developmentally disabled, the blind and deaf, education and higher education, and aid to cities and towns.

According to the State House News Service, “there's been growing levels of support for eliminating Bunker Hill Day, a Suffolk County holiday that honors the Revolutionary War battle, but the holiday has survived. Public employees who work Thursday will get another day off. The House held one light formal session this week and the Senate didn't hold any formals, with Senate President Therese Murray traveling in Ireland. House Speaker Robert DeLeo is also on the road, traveling to Maryland for a conference with his counterparts from other states. Next week marks the start of the final six weeks of formal sessions. Major bills, including the state budget, expanded gambling, health care cost control, criminal record, and economic development proposals to name just a few.”

The good news is that the state Senate passed a provision in their version of the state budget to end these two so-called “hack” holidays. Now the six member Conference Committee is wrestling with this issue and so many others as they attempt to reach a compromise budget before the start of the new fiscal year on July 1.

Time is running out as the calendar winds down to July 31, the last day of formal sessions for the House and Senate for this year. But despite that, the House was only in formal session one day this week and the Senate not at all. The House heard final “farewell” speeches from two members. One who resigned to take a job with the Mayor Menino administration in Boston and the other who ran in a special election for an open state Senate seat and won.

I would like to extend my appreciation to the nearly 70 folks who came out on Monday after work to stand on the Great River Bridge waving American flags for Flag Day. We had a terrific turn out for the first time we’ve done the event and we’re already planning on doubling the group for next Flag Day, June 14, 2011. Thank you for showing your patriotism and support for our flag and the country it represents.

Greetings to the members of Boy Scout Troop 820 and their leaders up at the Westfield Sportsman’s Club. I was invited to come to their meeting Wednesday night and speak to the boys about citizenship and what it takes to be a good citizen.

As you may know from past columns, I typically write this on Thursday evenings and email it to the Westfield Evening News in order to make my deadline. As I write this I just got home from Stanley Park and the Church of the Atonement’s 147th annual Strawberry Festival Dinner. It was a beautiful night and a great event, as always.

Soon, I will email this off to the paper and go and watch the Boston Celtics play the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 7 of the championship series. The series is tied 3 games each so tonight is the big night. Boston police are on high alert regardless of whether the Celtics win or lose. Go Celts!

* * *

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