Representative Don Humason



MINORITY FRUSTRATION By State Representative Don Humason, Jr. September 1, 2006 The bill making the Garter Snake the official reptile of the Commonwealth passed the House and Senate this week and is on Governor Romney's desk. Like every piece of legislation he has 10 days to review the language before deciding whether to sign it, veto it, or return it to the Legislature with amendments. Just thought I would keep you posted on the important matters your state government is working on. In other news, the Legislative Leadership still can't decide when to reconvene us to pass the bond bill that everyone agrees needs to be passed and nobody opposes. There seems to be a little spitting contest between the branches. As a rank and file member of the House I can only sit and wait to see who blinks first, the Speaker or the Senate President. Seriously, it's a little ridiculous and pretty darn frustrating to observe these two men, both members of the Majority Party (so both, presumably, on the same side) as they preen and posture and try to show who has the bigger...stubborn streak. This is just one more reason why I humbly believe Massachusetts needs to elect Kerry Healey and Reed Hillman to be our next Governor and Lt. Governor. Clearly, common sense and balance are needed on Beacon Hill to prevent this Democrat-induced gridlock from getting even more out of hand. I try not to get too political in this column each week but I do work in a political arena and sometimes my level of frustration with the democratic process reaches a boiling point. My being a member of the Minority Party in the House, and therefore at the mercy of the Democrat Leadership, certainly adds to that. As a reminder (and an answer to one of my Massachusetts Trivia questions from 2 weeks ago) there are only 21 Republicans in the House out of 160 members. There are only 6 Republican Senators out of 40. According to a recent article in State House News Service, "In October of 2004, there were 4,098,634 voters registered for that fall's Massachusetts election. Of that total, 1,526,711 were Democrats, 532,319 were Republicans, and 2,000,062 were unenrolled." If you share my frustration for the shenanigans in state government and want to do something about it, I encourage you to get out and vote. The state Primary Election Day will be Tuesday, September 19. The last day to register to vote in the Primary Elections was this past Wednesday. The General Election Day is Tuesday, November 7. There's still time to register to vote on that day. Or you can change your party affiliation or request an absentee ballot. Give my office a call at 568-1366 or call the Westfield City Clerk's office at 572-6266 for more information. This Saturday and Sunday will be busy days on the Green in downtown Westfield. Westfield on Weekends is sponsoring Westfield Arts on the Green Saturday and Westfield Community Fest Sunday. I plan on being there for both events (as long as the weather cooperates and no tropical storms try to rain on our fun). Next Saturday is the Westfield Fire Department open house at the WFD Headquarters on Broad Street. My dad is a Westfield firefighter and I'm proud of what he and the men and women of the department do for our city. The kid in me always comes out at those open houses when we all get to climb around the apparatus and explore the bays of the firehouse. Come downtown and support your local fire department, learn how to be fire safe, and have fun doing it. A constituent of mine called to ask me to support the annual Walk for Autism Research, which will be held this year on Saturday, September 16 at Stanley Park. For more information, or to register to walk or sponsor someone who is walking, call 1-888-627-6227. You can also go to www.autismwalk.org/wne. Monday is Labor Day. My thanks to all of you who work to make this country, state, and city such a wonderful place. Enjoy the long weekend! 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

MINORITY FRUSTRATION

By State Representative Don Humason, Jr.

September 1, 2006

The bill making the Garter Snake the official reptile of the Commonwealth passed the House and Senate this week and is on Governor Romney's desk. Like every piece of legislation he has 10 days to review the language before deciding whether to sign it, veto it, or return it to the Legislature with amendments. Just thought I would keep you posted on the important matters your state government is working on.

In other news, the Legislative Leadership still can't decide when to reconvene us to pass the bond bill that everyone agrees needs to be passed and nobody opposes. There seems to be a little spitting contest between the branches. As a rank and file member of the House I can only sit and wait to see who blinks first, the Speaker or the Senate President.

Seriously, it's a little ridiculous and pretty darn frustrating to observe these two men, both members of the Majority Party (so both, presumably, on the same side) as they preen and posture and try to show who has the bigger...stubborn streak.

This is just one more reason why I humbly believe Massachusetts needs to elect Kerry Healey and Reed Hillman to be our next Governor and Lt. Governor. Clearly, common sense and balance are needed on Beacon Hill to prevent this Democrat-induced gridlock from getting even more out of hand.

I try not to get too political in this column each week but I do work in a political arena and sometimes my level of frustration with the democratic process reaches a boiling point. My being a member of the Minority Party in the House, and therefore at the mercy of the Democrat Leadership, certainly adds to that.

As a reminder (and an answer to one of my Massachusetts Trivia questions from 2 weeks ago) there are only 21 Republicans in the House out of 160 members. There are only 6 Republican Senators out of 40.

According to a recent article in State House News Service, "In October of 2004, there were 4,098,634 voters registered for that fall's Massachusetts election. Of that total, 1,526,711 were Democrats, 532,319 were Republicans, and 2,000,062 were unenrolled."

If you share my frustration for the shenanigans in state government and want to do something about it, I encourage you to get out and vote.

The state Primary Election Day will be Tuesday, September 19. The last day to register to vote in the Primary Elections was this past Wednesday. The General Election Day is Tuesday, November 7. There's still time to register to vote on that day. Or you can change your party affiliation or request an absentee ballot. Give my office a call at 568-1366 or call the Westfield City Clerk's office at 572-6266 for more information.

This Saturday and Sunday will be busy days on the Green in downtown Westfield. Westfield on Weekends is sponsoring Westfield Arts on the Green Saturday and Westfield Community Fest Sunday. I plan on being there for both events (as long as the weather cooperates and no tropical storms try to rain on our fun).

Next Saturday is the Westfield Fire Department open house at the WFD Headquarters on Broad Street. My dad is a Westfield firefighter and I'm proud of what he and the men and women of the department do for our city. The kid in me always comes out at those open houses when we all get to climb around the apparatus and explore the bays of the firehouse. Come downtown and support your local fire department, learn how to be fire safe, and have fun doing it.

A constituent of mine called to ask me to support the annual Walk for Autism Research, which will be held this year on Saturday, September 16 at Stanley Park. For more information, or to register to walk or sponsor someone who is walking, call 1-888-627-6227. You can also go to www.autismwalk.org/wne.

Monday is Labor Day. My thanks to all of you who work to make this country, state, and city such a wonderful place. Enjoy the long weekend!

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