Representative Don Humason



A STRONGER ECONOMY By Representative Don Humason, Jr. May 19, 2007 Remember last week’s column where I related my colleague’s editorial on tax loopholes versus business incentives? Well, this week in Boston “the Big Three,” Governor Patrick, Speaker DiMasi, and Senate President Murray held a press conference to announce new incentives aimed at getting Hollywood film makers to come to Massachusetts and produce films here. In fact, the goal of the proposal is to get one dollar return on every 15 cents of state money spent. I predict a huge increase in film tourism coming to the Baystate if this is successful, as well as a bump in people employed in all the aspects of movie making. And as we know, more people employed means more income taxes generated and more people buying goods and services. That means a stronger economy for the Commonwealth. The bad news is that we suffered a loss of about 1,900 jobs in the month of April. Our unemployment rate increased from 4.4% to 4.6%, which is higher than the national unemployment average. Although I haven’t seen numbers to validate this, it stands to reason that we are losing not only jobs but people. Citizens are fleeing the state, especially the young and college educated. They’re going South and West where there are more jobs that pay better and where the cost of living is lower and the weather is nicer. Further exacerbating the matter, Massachusetts Organized Labor took another step this Wednesday to consolidate its already vast control over public agencies with a measure that passed the House of Representatives along party line votes. The legislation largely eliminates the provision that in order to organize a public employee labor union groups needed to hold a secret ballot to determine the will of a majority of the public employees at a group. Under this legislation rammed through in an unusually expedited way, organizers will need only to gather written cards with the signatures of 50% plus one of a given employee unit. As an elected official myself, I am shocked that labor would seek to do away with the secret ballot. We rely on secret ballot to elect our public officials. If it’s good enough for a State Representative, Mayor, or President of the United States, why wouldn’t it be good enough for organized labor? Oh well. Just one more impediment in Massachusetts, in my humble opinion. This week is Nursing Home Week in Massachusetts and I would like to thank the staff and residents at Governor’s Center Nursing Home for inviting me to join them last Monday for a celebration. Westfield State College Commencement is this weekend. Congratulations to all the graduates. It’s been 18 years since I wore the mortar board and robe but I can still remember the day very clearly. I’d especially like to congratulate a couple of special graduates who work in my office, Valerie Dearing and Sarah Latour. This Thursday, Senator Knapik and I hosted a great group of students from Westfield High School who came down to Beacon Hill for a tour of the State House. They also watched the above mentioned press conference on film industry tax incentives and a Transportation Committee hearing I was involved with. Speaking of the Transportation Committee, we held a hearing dealing with several bills that would assist airports across the state (like Barnes Municipal Airport) and the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission. Barnes Airport Manager Chris Willenborg made the trip to testify before my committee, as did Bob Bacon from Westfield who owns the Northampton Airport, a privately-owned public-use airport. Last Friday we cut the ribbon on a brand new, state of the art, $6 million airport administration and terminal building that will put our airport at a competitive advantage over its peers when it comes to attracting, recruiting, and retaining highly skilled and high paying businesses to Westfield. That’s good news. It’s been a busy week, but at least things are moving. I hope you have a good week too. Representative Don Humason and his new aide Sarah Latour may be reached at their Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366. Their Boston address is State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us
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A STRONGER ECONOMY

By Representative Don Humason, Jr.

May 19, 2007

Remember last week’s column where I related my colleague’s editorial on tax loopholes versus business incentives?

Well, this week in Boston “the Big Three,” Governor Patrick, Speaker DiMasi, and Senate President Murray held a press conference to announce new incentives aimed at getting Hollywood film makers to come to Massachusetts and produce films here. In fact, the goal of the proposal is to get one dollar return on every 15 cents of state money spent.

I predict a huge increase in film tourism coming to the Baystate if this is successful, as well as a bump in people employed in all the aspects of movie making. And as we know, more people employed means more income taxes generated and more people buying goods and services. That means a stronger economy for the Commonwealth.

The bad news is that we suffered a loss of about 1,900 jobs in the month of April. Our unemployment rate increased from 4.4% to 4.6%, which is higher than the national unemployment average. Although I haven’t seen numbers to validate this, it stands to reason that we are losing not only jobs but people. Citizens are fleeing the state, especially the young and college educated. They’re going South and West where there are more jobs that pay better and where the cost of living is lower and the weather is nicer.

Further exacerbating the matter, Massachusetts Organized Labor took another step this Wednesday to consolidate its already vast control over public agencies with a measure that passed the House of Representatives along party line votes. The legislation largely eliminates the provision that in order to organize a public employee labor union groups needed to hold a secret ballot to determine the will of a majority of the public employees at a group. Under this legislation rammed through in an unusually expedited way, organizers will need only to gather written cards with the signatures of 50% plus one of a given employee unit.

As an elected official myself, I am shocked that labor would seek to do away with the secret ballot. We rely on secret ballot to elect our public officials. If it’s good enough for a State Representative, Mayor, or President of the United States, why wouldn’t it be good enough for organized labor? Oh well. Just one more impediment in Massachusetts, in my humble opinion.

This week is Nursing Home Week in Massachusetts and I would like to thank the staff and residents at Governor’s Center Nursing Home for inviting me to join them last Monday for a celebration.

Westfield State College Commencement is this weekend. Congratulations to all the graduates. It’s been 18 years since I wore the mortar board and robe but I can still remember the day very clearly. I’d especially like to congratulate a couple of special graduates who work in my office, Valerie Dearing and Sarah Latour.

This Thursday, Senator Knapik and I hosted a great group of students from Westfield High School who came down to Beacon Hill for a tour of the State House. They also watched the above mentioned press conference on film industry tax incentives and a Transportation Committee hearing I was involved with.

Speaking of the Transportation Committee, we held a hearing dealing with several bills that would assist airports across the state (like Barnes Municipal Airport) and the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission. Barnes Airport Manager Chris Willenborg made the trip to testify before my committee, as did Bob Bacon from Westfield who owns the Northampton Airport, a privately-owned public-use airport.

Last Friday we cut the ribbon on a brand new, state of the art, $6 million airport administration and terminal building that will put our airport at a competitive advantage over its peers when it comes to attracting, recruiting, and retaining highly skilled and high paying businesses to Westfield. That’s good news.

It’s been a busy week, but at least things are moving. I hope you have a good week too.

Representative Don Humason and his new aide Sarah Latour may be reached at their Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366. Their Boston address is State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us

This Site Designed and Maintained by: The Barre Group