Representative Don Humason



NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE Westfield Evening News column By State Representative Don Humason, Jr. June 5, 2010 Now that both the Massachusetts House of Representatives and State Senate have completed their respective debates and passed their versions of a spending plan for the next fiscal year beginning July 1, it is time for a Conference Committee to be appointed to negotiate a compromise of the two different, complex budget documents. The six members of the budget Conference Committee are always made up of the House and Senate Chairs of the Ways and Means Committee, the House and Senate vice Chairs of that Committee, and the ranking Republican member of the House and Senate W&M Committee. Senator Mike Knapik is the ranking Senate Republican member and has served on the W&M Committee and the budget Conference Committee for many years. Their first meeting was Friday. They have a long way to go to hammer out a compromise between the two versions. The Senate included several issues that I have supported as a House member but that have failed to gain enough votes in the overwhelmingly Democrat-controlled House. The first issue is the elimination of the Suffolk-County-only state holidays of Bunker Hill Day (June 16) and Evacuation Day (March 17). These holidays are only celebrated by people in Boston and state employees across Massachusetts. At a time when state budgets are stretched thin and the Governor and Legislature has raised taxes and fees on taxpayers while cutting aid to cities and towns and many important programs it doesn’t make sense to give public employees a holiday that the average citizen who doesn’t work in government doesn’t get. The second issue is near and dear to me as I was one of the original co-sponsors of the bill and budget amendment that would have made state agencies require proof of United States residency before granting non-emergency entitlements like public housing, welfare assistance, and in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants living in Massachusetts. A recent Suffolk University poll suggests that 84% of Massachusetts residents favor this. I think that is why we came close to passing it in the House for the first time ever and why the Senate did approve it in their budget. As I’ve stated before, I think politicians on Beacon Hill are running scared of an awakening electorate that is tired of public waste, fraud, and corruption and sick of legislators who refuse to abide by the will of the voters. I think the statistic is that nearly 25% of the legislature has chosen not to run for re-election. Many more legislators have opposition in the November 2 election. Regarding corruption, this week former State Senator Dianne Wilkerson was convicted of multiple counts of corruption by the Feds. She was one of several prominent politicians who made recent headlines for their bad behavior and flaunting of state and federal laws. Other names that come to mind include former Speaker Sal DiMasi, former Senator Anthony Galluccio, and former Senator Jim Marzilli. Despite a session calendar that is rapidly running out of days (House and Senate rules say that in the second year of our two-year session we must adjourn from formal sessions by July 31) the House met only once this week, on Wednesday, and took up a bill that, in my humble opinion, is unnecessary and of very low priority. Especially when compared with other issues like high unemployment and a likely $3 billion budget deficit for next year, House bill 4516, an act relative to the agreement among states to elect the President by National Popular Vote, is a waste of time at best, and an attempt to do an end run around the US Constitution at worst. Proponents of the bill claim that a national popular vote will make all states more competitive in a presidential election and ensure that every vote will be equal and representative of the electorate. Opponents, like me, argue that the Constitution already addresses this issue through the Electoral College and any changes should be done through the amendment process and not via an interstate compact. Although the bill passed the House, I voted against it. This issue is arcane and hardly relevant or necessary in light of greater challenges facing the Commonwealth right now. Furthermore, the House leadership once again employed shenanigans and shirked normal legislative process by going into a second legislative day, then a third legislative day (all on Wednesday) to force this bill through the House more quickly than is normally allowed. My question to the leadership is “Why the rush?” Experience tells me that whenever the Legislature rushes a bill it is almost always either a flawed piece of legislation or a way of passing something before it can come under scrutiny by the public and the media. I would like to extend my congratulations and best wishes to all the graduates of the Class of 2010 from Westfield Vocational Technical High School, Westfield High, and St. Mary’s High School and their families. * * * 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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NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE

Westfield Evening News column
By State Representative Don Humason, Jr.
June 5, 2010

Now that both the Massachusetts House of Representatives and State Senate have completed their respective debates and passed their versions of a spending plan for the next fiscal year beginning July 1, it is time for a Conference Committee to be appointed to negotiate a compromise of the two different, complex budget documents.

The six members of the budget Conference Committee are always made up of the House and Senate Chairs of the Ways and Means Committee, the House and Senate vice Chairs of that Committee, and the ranking Republican member of the House and Senate W&M Committee. Senator Mike Knapik is the ranking Senate Republican member and has served on the W&M Committee and the budget Conference Committee for many years.

Their first meeting was Friday. They have a long way to go to hammer out a compromise between the two versions. The Senate included several issues that I have supported as a House member but that have failed to gain enough votes in the overwhelmingly Democrat-controlled House.

The first issue is the elimination of the Suffolk-County-only state holidays of Bunker Hill Day (June 16) and Evacuation Day (March 17). These holidays are only celebrated by people in Boston and state employees across Massachusetts. At a time when state budgets are stretched thin and the Governor and Legislature has raised taxes and fees on taxpayers while cutting aid to cities and towns and many important programs it doesn’t make sense to give public employees a holiday that the average citizen who doesn’t work in government doesn’t get.

The second issue is near and dear to me as I was one of the original co-sponsors of the bill and budget amendment that would have made state agencies require proof of United States residency before granting non-emergency entitlements like public housing, welfare assistance, and in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants living in Massachusetts. A recent Suffolk University poll suggests that 84% of Massachusetts residents favor this. I think that is why we came close to passing it in the House for the first time ever and why the Senate did approve it in their budget.

As I’ve stated before, I think politicians on Beacon Hill are running scared of an awakening electorate that is tired of public waste, fraud, and corruption and sick of legislators who refuse to abide by the will of the voters. I think the statistic is that nearly 25% of the legislature has chosen not to run for re-election. Many more legislators have opposition in the November 2 election.

Regarding corruption, this week former State Senator Dianne Wilkerson was convicted of multiple counts of corruption by the Feds. She was one of several prominent politicians who made recent headlines for their bad behavior and flaunting of state and federal laws. Other names that come to mind include former Speaker Sal DiMasi, former Senator Anthony Galluccio, and former Senator Jim Marzilli.

Despite a session calendar that is rapidly running out of days (House and Senate rules say that in the second year of our two-year session we must adjourn from formal sessions by July 31) the House met only once this week, on Wednesday, and took up a bill that, in my humble opinion, is unnecessary and of very low priority.

Especially when compared with other issues like high unemployment and a likely $3 billion budget deficit for next year, House bill 4516, an act relative to the agreement among states to elect the President by National Popular Vote, is a waste of time at best, and an attempt to do an end run around the US Constitution at worst.

Proponents of the bill claim that a national popular vote will make all states more competitive in a presidential election and ensure that every vote will be equal and representative of the electorate. Opponents, like me, argue that the Constitution already addresses this issue through the Electoral College and any changes should be done through the amendment process and not via an interstate compact.

Although the bill passed the House, I voted against it. This issue is arcane and hardly relevant or necessary in light of greater challenges facing the Commonwealth right now. Furthermore, the House leadership once again employed shenanigans and shirked normal legislative process by going into a second legislative day, then a third legislative day (all on Wednesday) to force this bill through the House more quickly than is normally allowed. My question to the leadership is “Why the rush?” Experience tells me that whenever the Legislature rushes a bill it is almost always either a flawed piece of legislation or a way of passing something before it can come under scrutiny by the public and the media.

I would like to extend my congratulations and best wishes to all the graduates of the Class of 2010 from Westfield Vocational Technical High School, Westfield High, and St. Mary’s High School and their families.

* * *

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