Representative Don Humason



NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS Westfield News column By State Representative Don Humason, Jr. Saturday, January 7, 2012 Happy New Year! On behalf of my family and the members of the Great and General Court of the Commonwealth, I want to wish you a safe, successful, prosperous, healthy, and happy 2012. The House of Representatives and the Massachusetts State Senate resumed their formal sessions this past Wednesday. The Legislature is beginning the second year of our two-year session. Because 2012 is a state election year, as well as a federal and presidential election year, the General Court will adjourn from formal sessions on July 31 at midnight. The session on Wednesday turned out to be completely ceremonial. No formal votes were taken. Some non-controversial, routine matters passed both branches informally on voice votes. Ceremonial delegations of House members were named by Speaker Bob DeLeo and assembled to go and notify Governor Patrick and the Senate that the House had reconvened and was ready to resume its work. We literally met in the well of the House, and then marched out the center doors of the House Chamber, down the State House halls, and into the Senate Chamber and Governor's office. The Senate did the same thing. It's a little silly, perhaps, but by the same token, it is routed in long and historic tradition. Since few things of note happened at the state level in the Legislature this week, I was struggling to come up with an acceptable topic for my weekly Westfield News column. Then it occurred to me that I should write about New Year's Resolutions, the promises we all make at the beginning of a new year that we intend to pursue as a way of bettering ourselves in some way. Personally, I make many of the same resolutions that many Americans make: I want to lose weight, find more time to exercise, keep my house and office better organized, spend more quality time with my family and friends, be a better person, etc. But what should we, in Massachusetts state government, resolve to do in 2012? I was quick to come up with a list of things I wish we would do in Boston for the benefit of all the residents of Massachusetts this year but I will limit myself to just 3 simple resolutions. Maybe you will have other suggestions when you are done reading this. I would love to hear them. Go to my website at www.DonHumason.org to get my contact information then share your ideas with me. I would be happy to pass them down the Pike. 1. The Legislature and the Governor should resolve to decrease the crushing tax burden on the residents and businesses of the Commonwealth. Every tax increase is a pay cut for the workers of our state. Therefore every tax cut is a pay increase. More money in the pocketbooks of Massachusetts citizens and businesses means more money spent on goods and services. What a quick way to jumpstart the sputtering Bay State economy. We could start with fulfilling our promise to the people of the state to roll back the state's income tax from 5.3% to 5%. Then we should immediately follow that up with returning the state sales tax to 5% from 6.25%. We could use the publicity surrounding our lottery and the new casino gaming to promote ourselves as a lower tax alternative to nearly every other New England state next to New Hampshire. We should actively resolve to hang a "Massachusetts Welcomes You" sign out there and pursue companies and industries in other states by offering to help them relocate to "tax-friendly" Massachusetts. We should offer expedited permitting assistance. There would be no reason for the state to try to pick winners by offering risky targeted tax incentives since everyone would enjoy the same low sales and income taxes. 2. Massachusetts should resolve to get serious about its spending by prioritizing the services we provide to just those vital, important, and essential services that state government should be involved in. Targeted cuts in state spending would help us to pay for the reductions in income and sales taxes. But the activity generated by those tax cuts will also help fuel our state budget. It is high time for us to get serious about entitlement programs and eliminating the waste, fraud, and abuse in every aspect of government services and programs that we all know is there because most of us have seen it personally or read about it in newspapers. By cracking down, once and for all, on welfare benefits, public housing, benefits for illegal immigrants, EBT card fraud, and a myriad of other areas we preserve the resources necessary to take care of our truly worthy citizens like our children, seniors, the disabled, and our veterans. I would love to see us resolve to do that in 2012. 3. And last, but by no means least, we government officials should resolve to perform our duties morally and ethically. We need to restore the public trust in the government institutions of the Commonwealth. Three indicted and convicted Democrat Speakers of the House in a row. Numerous stories of Representatives and Senators caught driving drunk or enriching themselves at the expense of the public. "Politicians Behaving Badly" has got to stop. At the state level, at the national level, at all levels of government. The people have a right and an expectation that their public officials will simply, honestly, and ethically do their jobs to the best of their abilities and abide by the oaths they swore to uphold to the Constitutions of the Commonwealth and the United States of America. You, the voter, the taxpayer, must also resolve to take action and vote so as to hold your elected officials to the highest standards you deserve. Remember, character counts. Morals matter. Without these things as a foundation to our government nothing else we try to build upon it will last. Good luck with your resolutions! * * * 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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NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

Westfield News column
By State Representative Don Humason, Jr.
Saturday, January 7, 2012

Happy New Year! On behalf of my family and the members of the Great and General Court of the Commonwealth, I want to wish you a safe, successful, prosperous, healthy, and happy 2012.

The House of Representatives and the Massachusetts State Senate resumed their formal sessions this past Wednesday. The Legislature is beginning the second year of our two-year session. Because 2012 is a state election year, as well as a federal and presidential election year, the General Court will adjourn from formal sessions on July 31 at midnight.

The session on Wednesday turned out to be completely ceremonial. No formal votes were taken. Some non-controversial, routine matters passed both branches informally on voice votes.

Ceremonial delegations of House members were named by Speaker Bob DeLeo and assembled to go and notify Governor Patrick and the Senate that the House had reconvened and was ready to resume its work. We literally met in the well of the House, and then marched out the center doors of the House Chamber, down the State House halls, and into the Senate Chamber and Governor's office. The Senate did the same thing. It's a little silly, perhaps, but by the same token, it is routed in long and historic tradition.

Since few things of note happened at the state level in the Legislature this week, I was struggling to come up with an acceptable topic for my weekly Westfield News column. Then it occurred to me that I should write about New Year's Resolutions, the promises we all make at the beginning of a new year that we intend to pursue as a way of bettering ourselves in some way.

Personally, I make many of the same resolutions that many Americans make: I want to lose weight, find more time to exercise, keep my house and office better organized, spend more quality time with my family and friends, be a better person, etc.

But what should we, in Massachusetts state government, resolve to do in 2012?

I was quick to come up with a list of things I wish we would do in Boston for the benefit of all the residents of Massachusetts this year but I will limit myself to just 3 simple resolutions. Maybe you will have other suggestions when you are done reading this. I would love to hear them. Go to my website at www.DonHumason.org to get my contact information then share your ideas with me. I would be happy to pass them down the Pike.

1. The Legislature and the Governor should resolve to decrease the crushing tax burden on the residents and businesses of the Commonwealth. Every tax increase is a pay cut for the workers of our state. Therefore every tax cut is a pay increase. More money in the pocketbooks of Massachusetts citizens and businesses means more money spent on goods and services. What a quick way to jumpstart the sputtering Bay State economy.

We could start with fulfilling our promise to the people of the state to roll back the state's income tax from 5.3% to 5%. Then we should immediately follow that up with returning the state sales tax to 5% from 6.25%. We could use the publicity surrounding our lottery and the new casino gaming to promote ourselves as a lower tax alternative to nearly every other New England state next to New Hampshire.

We should actively resolve to hang a "Massachusetts Welcomes You" sign out there and pursue companies and industries in other states by offering to help them relocate to "tax-friendly" Massachusetts. We should offer expedited permitting assistance. There would be no reason for the state to try to pick winners by offering risky targeted tax incentives since everyone would enjoy the same low sales and income taxes.

2. Massachusetts should resolve to get serious about its spending by prioritizing the services we provide to just those vital, important, and essential services that state government should be involved in. Targeted cuts in state spending would help us to pay for the reductions in income and sales taxes. But the activity generated by those tax cuts will also help fuel our state budget.

It is high time for us to get serious about entitlement programs and eliminating the waste, fraud, and abuse in every aspect of government services and programs that we all know is there because most of us have seen it personally or read about it in newspapers. By cracking down, once and for all, on welfare benefits, public housing, benefits for illegal immigrants, EBT card fraud, and a myriad of other areas we preserve the resources necessary to take care of our truly worthy citizens like our children, seniors, the disabled, and our veterans. I would love to see us resolve to do that in 2012.

3. And last, but by no means least, we government officials should resolve to perform our duties morally and ethically. We need to restore the public trust in the government institutions of the Commonwealth.

Three indicted and convicted Democrat Speakers of the House in a row. Numerous stories of Representatives and Senators caught driving drunk or enriching themselves at the expense of the public. "Politicians Behaving Badly" has got to stop. At the state level, at the national level, at all levels of government. The people have a right and an expectation that their public officials will simply, honestly, and ethically do their jobs to the best of their abilities and abide by the oaths they swore to uphold to the Constitutions of the Commonwealth and the United States of America.

You, the voter, the taxpayer, must also resolve to take action and vote so as to hold your elected officials to the highest standards you deserve. Remember, character counts. Morals matter. Without these things as a foundation to our government nothing else we try to build upon it will last.

Good luck with your resolutions!

* * *

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