Representative Don Humason



LOST LUGGAGE By State Representative Don Humason, Jr. March 25, 2006 I spent some time in our nation's capitol last week. The House Republican caucus went to Washington, DC for a series of meetings and to listen to speakers on a variety of timely issues like homeland security, Medicaid, and eminent domain abuses. We also did some political things like hear analysis from the Republican National Committee on the upcoming mid-term elections. Some senior deputies in the White House also briefed us. The best part was the tours of the US Capitol and the west wing of the White House. I've now been to Washington three times in the three and a half years I've been an elected state representative. My perspective has changed considerably in that time and I now look at DC with different eyes than I did when I was simply a school kid visiting the city on a bus tour. As I read more history and live through history myself I become more impressed with the ideals upon which Washington, DC was founded. Our forefathers were truly visionary when they established the frameworks of the government. Unfortunately, being away from home means I invariably miss out on something. I wasn't able to attend the Westfield Chamber of Commerce breakfast or march in the Holyoke St. Patrick's Day Parade. Congratulations are in order to the Sons of Erin Float Committee for their Grand Prize winning entry "St. Patrick Driving the Snakes out of Ireland" and to the Westfield High School Marching Band for being awarded the Most Outstanding Marching Unit in the parade. Congratulations everybody! The Massachusetts House of Representatives met in formal session this week to take up a couple of bills including one dealing with access to student records and one regarding the filling of vacancies for United States Senator should such a vacancy occur mid-term. Senior US Senator Edward Kennedy made a guest appearance in the State House this week and addressed legislators about the health insurance issue. The House and Senate will finally take up the long-awaited Health Care Access bill next week. Debate and voting were put off until the bill could be reviewed with federal officials to be sure it meets the conditions for Massachusetts to continue to receive a $385 million Medicaid waiver. Although I have yet to receive any of the details on the legislation, I have some serious concerns with a mandate that businesses pay a new tax to fund this health insurance for all. On top of that some of my well-intentioned but misguided colleagues want to pass a law increasing the minimum wage in our state. They say they want wage earners to make a "living wage." But that was never the intent of minimum wage in the first place. New workers need to gain experience and skills and learn the ropes so they can move up the career ladder and get jobs with more responsibility and higher pay. You might have seen the news story recently that for the first time in eleven years the Massachusetts unemployment rate rose above the national average. If we in government keep assaulting our businesses with expensive mandates and increasing regulations there will be no one to blame but ourselves when businesses move out of state and our constituents have no place to work. I've said it during floor debates before: we are going to kill the goose that lays the golden egg if we continue to go after our employers and businesses. I'm afraid that by the time the legislature realizes it it will be too late. Finally, there was a story in the news this week about the airline industry and the number of passengers who have their bags lost or stolen. It happened to me first hand coming back from Washington, DC. I arrived in Boston at Logan Airport on Monday evening. My suitcase did not. It was purely coincidental that it happened to me the day the story broke in the news. But mine has a happy ending. Jet Blue found my lost luggage and delivered my bag to me at the State House the next day. Thank goodness I got mine back but what a hassle it was! It certainly left a bad taste about the airlines. Representative Don Humason and his aide Joe Wynn may be reached at their NEW Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA01085, 568-1366. Their Boston address is State House Room 443, Boston, MA02133, (617) 722-2460. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us * * * Please feel free to forward this column to your family, friends, and associates. If you do not wish to receive an email copy of my column from the Saturday Westfield Evening News, please reply and let me know. I will then take you off the list. Sorry for any inconvenience.
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LOST LUGGAGE

By State Representative Don Humason, Jr.

March 25, 2006

I spent some time in our nation's capitol last week. The House Republican caucus went to Washington, DC for a series of meetings and to listen to speakers on a variety of timely issues like homeland security, Medicaid, and eminent domain abuses.

We also did some political things like hear analysis from the Republican National Committee on the upcoming mid-term elections. Some senior deputies in the White House also briefed us. The best part was the tours of the US Capitol and the west wing of the White House.

I've now been to Washington three times in the three and a half years I've been an elected state representative. My perspective has changed considerably in that time and I now look at DC with different eyes than I did when I was simply a school kid visiting the city on a bus tour.

As I read more history and live through history myself I become more impressed with the ideals upon which Washington, DC was founded. Our forefathers were truly visionary when they established the frameworks of the government.

Unfortunately, being away from home means I invariably miss out on something.
I wasn't able to attend the Westfield Chamber of Commerce breakfast or march in the Holyoke St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Congratulations are in order to the Sons of Erin Float Committee for their Grand Prize winning entry "St. Patrick Driving the Snakes out of Ireland" and to the Westfield High School Marching Band for being awarded the Most Outstanding Marching Unit in the parade. Congratulations everybody!

The Massachusetts House of Representatives met in formal session this week to take up a couple of bills including one dealing with access to student records and one regarding the filling of vacancies for United States Senator should such a vacancy occur mid-term.

Senior US Senator Edward Kennedy made a guest appearance in the State House this week and addressed legislators about the health insurance issue. The House and Senate will finally take up the long-awaited Health Care Access bill next week. Debate and voting were put off until the bill could be reviewed with federal officials to be sure it meets the conditions for Massachusetts to continue to receive a $385 million Medicaid waiver.

Although I have yet to receive any of the details on the legislation, I have some serious concerns with a mandate that businesses pay a new tax to fund this health insurance for all. On top of that some of my well-intentioned but misguided colleagues want to pass a law increasing the minimum wage in our state. They say they want wage earners to make a "living wage." But that was never the intent of minimum wage in the first place. New workers need to gain experience and skills and learn the ropes so they can move up the career ladder and get jobs with more responsibility and higher pay.

You might have seen the news story recently that for the first time in eleven years the Massachusetts unemployment rate rose above the national average. If we in government keep assaulting our businesses with expensive mandates and increasing regulations there will be no one to blame but ourselves when businesses move out of state and our constituents have no place to work.

I've said it during floor debates before: we are going to kill the goose that lays the golden egg if we continue to go after our employers and businesses. I'm afraid that by the time the legislature realizes it it will be too late.

Finally, there was a story in the news this week about the airline industry and the number of passengers who have their bags lost or stolen. It happened to me first hand coming back from Washington, DC. I arrived in Boston at Logan Airport on Monday evening. My suitcase did not. It was purely coincidental that it happened to me the day the story broke in the news. But mine has a happy ending. Jet Blue found my lost luggage and delivered my bag to me at the State House the next day. Thank goodness I got mine back but what a hassle it was! It certainly left a bad taste about the airlines.

Representative Don Humason and his aide Joe Wynn may be reached at their NEW Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA01085, 568-1366.

Their Boston address is State House Room 443, Boston, MA02133, (617) 722-2460.
Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us

* * * Please feel free to forward this column to your family, friends, and associates. If you do not wish to receive an email copy of my column from the Saturday Westfield Evening News, please reply and let me know. I will then take you off the list. Sorry for any inconvenience.

This Site Designed and Maintained by: The Barre Group