Representative Don Humason



BUDGET BEGINNINGS Westfield News column By State Representative Don Humason, Jr. Saturday, January 28, 2012 By the time some of you read this in the Saturday Westfield News I will most likely already have thrown myself into the chilly waters of Hampton Ponds along with dozens of my fellow Plungers to raise money for the Amelia Park Children's Museum. This museum is one of the many jewels of our city, and a terrific resource for people in the area who have young children. Al Ferst used to tell me that if you include the Children's Museum, Ice Arena, Skate Park, Boys & Girls Club, and South Middle School you would have one of the largest campuses in the United States dedicated to young children. I believe him. It's quite an impressive cluster. One thing that differentiates me from all the other Penguin Plungers I believe is that I am the only one plunging who has done it every year since the Penguin Plunge started without missing a year. Some politicians are known for their great speeches; others for the laws they wrote. Around Western Massachusetts, I'm best known as "the Rep who jumps in the icy water every year for his constituents." I'm happy with that. On Monday evening the Governor gave his annual State of the State Address at the State House in Boston. I was there, along with a bipartisan mix of Representatives and Senators. On Tuesday evening, President Barack Obama gave his State of the Union speech before Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. The Patrick Administration released their version of the FY'13 state budget on Wednesday. Maura Cassin and I are still going through the large document to see what Governor Patrick's spending priorities are. I can tell you right now that I don't think he will have an easy time getting his more than $250 million worth of proposed tax increases through the Legislature. People I speak to at home in Westfield and across the state are not convinced that the government spends all the money it takes in from taxpayers wisely, efficiently, and prudently. They are skeptical when they hear the governor or legislative leaders talk about the need to raise taxes and fees even as they propose creating new programs or increasing agency line items over last years appropriation. The Governor in his budget says little about addressing the waste, fraud, and abuse in some state programs. He fails to address how the Commonwealth should handle the thousands upon thousands of illegal immigrants who receive taxpayer-funded benefits and public subsidies for everything from MassHealth and welfare to public housing and in-state tuition to our public colleges and universities. He does little to take on the rampant EBT card crimes and fraud. In the Patrick/Murray budget plan Westfield's Chapter 70 appropriation for education and school spending increases by about $400,000 to $32,903,265. Our unrestricted local aid remains level funded at $4,939,735. I spoke with the Mayor about these numbers in person at an event we both attended this week. There was a nice piece of good news this week in the form of a $1 million grant awarded to the city of Westfield by Secretary Rick Sullivan of the Executive Office of Energy and the Environment. That money will go towards the construction of the first part of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail at the Southern end of the line where Westfield meets Southwick. I was at a huge meeting of neighbors, bicycle enthusiasts, and rail trail supporters Thursday evening at Shaker Farms Country Club and there was a great deal of excitement and enthusiasm for the project that will compliment the other public works projects in Westfield. Now that the annual budget process has begun, Fridays are filling up with legislative meetings as groups and organizations begin to lobby the delegation to support their causes in the budget. This Friday I had meetings with the libraries in the Senate district, the Western Mass Homebuilders, and the Hampden County District Attorney Mark Mastroianni. There are plenty more to come. Countdown one week until the New England Patriots meet the New York Giants for a chance at redemption from the outcome of Super Bowl 42. The game will be played by few but watched by millions across Massachusetts and around the world. Go Patriots! 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 Legislative Aide Maura Cassin may be reached at their Westfield District Office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, (413) 568-1366. Representative Don Humason may be reached at his Boston office, State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803. Email address: Donald.Humason@MAHouse.gov Website: www.DonHumason.org
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BUDGET BEGINNINGS

Westfield News column
By State Representative Don Humason, Jr.
Saturday, January 28, 2012

By the time some of you read this in the Saturday Westfield News I will most likely already have thrown myself into the chilly waters of Hampton Ponds along with dozens of my fellow Plungers to raise money for the Amelia Park Children's Museum. This museum is one of the many jewels of our city, and a terrific resource for people in the area who have young children.

Al Ferst used to tell me that if you include the Children's Museum, Ice Arena, Skate Park, Boys & Girls Club, and South Middle School you would have one of the largest campuses in the United States dedicated to young children. I believe him. It's quite an impressive cluster.

One thing that differentiates me from all the other Penguin Plungers I believe is that I am the only one plunging who has done it every year since the Penguin Plunge started without missing a year. Some politicians are known for their great speeches; others for the laws they wrote. Around Western Massachusetts, I'm best known as "the Rep who jumps in the icy water every year for his constituents." I'm happy with that.

On Monday evening the Governor gave his annual State of the State Address at the State House in Boston. I was there, along with a bipartisan mix of Representatives and Senators. On Tuesday evening, President Barack Obama gave his State of the Union speech before Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC.

The Patrick Administration released their version of the FY'13 state budget on Wednesday. Maura Cassin and I are still going through the large document to see what Governor Patrick's spending priorities are. I can tell you right now that I don't think he will have an easy time getting his more than $250 million worth of proposed tax increases through the Legislature.

People I speak to at home in Westfield and across the state are not convinced that the government spends all the money it takes in from taxpayers wisely, efficiently, and prudently. They are skeptical when they hear the governor or legislative leaders talk about the need to raise taxes and fees even as they propose creating new programs or increasing agency line items over last years appropriation.

The Governor in his budget says little about addressing the waste, fraud, and abuse in some state programs. He fails to address how the Commonwealth should handle the thousands upon thousands of illegal immigrants who receive taxpayer-funded benefits and public subsidies for everything from MassHealth and welfare to public housing and in-state tuition to our public colleges and universities. He does little to take on the rampant EBT card crimes and fraud.

In the Patrick/Murray budget plan Westfield's Chapter 70 appropriation for education and school spending increases by about $400,000 to $32,903,265. Our unrestricted local aid remains level funded at $4,939,735. I spoke with the Mayor about these numbers in person at an event we both attended this week.

There was a nice piece of good news this week in the form of a $1 million grant awarded to the city of Westfield by Secretary Rick Sullivan of the Executive Office of Energy and the Environment. That money will go towards the construction of the first part of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail at the Southern end of the line where Westfield meets Southwick. I was at a huge meeting of neighbors, bicycle enthusiasts, and rail trail supporters Thursday evening at Shaker Farms Country Club and there was a great deal of excitement and enthusiasm for the project that will compliment the other public works projects in Westfield.

Now that the annual budget process has begun, Fridays are filling up with legislative meetings as groups and organizations begin to lobby the delegation to support their causes in the budget. This Friday I had meetings with the libraries in the Senate district, the Western Mass Homebuilders, and the Hampden County District Attorney Mark Mastroianni. There are plenty more to come.

Countdown one week until the New England Patriots meet the New York Giants for a chance at redemption from the outcome of Super Bowl 42. The game will be played by few but watched by millions across Massachusetts and around the world. Go Patriots!

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 Legislative Aide Maura Cassin may be reached at their Westfield District Office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, (413) 568-1366. Representative Don Humason may be reached at his Boston office, State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803. Email address: Donald.Humason@MAHouse.gov Website: www.DonHumason.org

This Site Designed and Maintained by: The Barre Group