Representative Don Humason



BUDGET DEADLINE By Representative Don Humason, Jr. June 23, 2007 The annual deadline for the state budget, July 1, the start of Fiscal Year 2008, is rapidly approaching and we don’t have a consensus from the Conference Committee members yet. You could say the deadline to have the budget finished on time has already passed. You see, the Governor gets 10 days to review the budget once we in the House and Senate pass it. In order for Governor Patrick to have had his 10 days and still get the budget signed before July 1 the Legislature would have had to pass it on Wednesday. The Governor and his staff review the budget and can veto parts of it or propose changes and sign the balance into law. This down-to-the-wire scenario repeats itself every year. Legislators hold their breath and wait, impatiently, for the 6 Conference Committee members to conclude their negotiations in crafting the compromise between the House and Senate versions. And we hope that the money or language for priorities, programs, and projects in our districts makes the cut. Westfield’s own Senator Mike Knapik is one of the lucky conferees. His work is cut out for him. He needs to constantly remind the others that we in Western Mass exist and deserve our fair share of the Commonwealth’s taxpayer, ratepayer, fee payer, and toll payer-funded pie. That pie is estimated to be roughly $26.7 billion. Meanwhile, legislative committees continue to meet and hold public hearings on all sorts of legislation filed by the members. An estimated 6,000 bills are filed each 2-year session with fewer than 10 percent ever hoping to become laws. I serve on several busy committees that met this week, including the Transportation Committee and the Public Health Committee. Next week, I’ve got a meeting of the Higher Education Committee, the Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee, and the Transportation Committee again. The first meeting of the Identity Theft Conference Committee that I was named to is Monday. I’ve had a constant flow of lobbyists through my door to give me their take on the language of the proposed law. I’ve also heard from my colleagues and constituents. I got an email in Boston this week asking me to help get the word out that Saturday, June 23, Wal-Mart, Waste Management, and the state Department of Environmental Protection will have a kiosk set up in the Wal-Mart parking lot so people can dispose of their compact fluorescent light bulbs and fluorescent tubes. These tubes contain small amounts of mercury which can be dangerous if it gets into the waste stream through landfills. Wal-Mart will collect and recycle these items for free if you bring them to the store. It’s a great way of getting rid of these things safely and responsibly. I’ve driven by Municipal Field a couple times since Monday and it looks like our newly remodeled field and the new Spray Park are getting lots of action. It’s great to observe so many children and families hanging out in the park, playing tennis or basketball and enjoying the water features of the Spray Park. I’d like to offer my congratulations to all the graduating seniors from Westfield High School, St. Mary’s, and Westfield Vocational Technical High School. As of last Monday school’s out for summer and I know a lot of students, faculty, and staff who breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Congratulations, as well, go to the many teachers and administrators who are retiring from the Westfield Public Schools this year. Next Friday, my Legislative Aide Sarah Latour and I are going to the zoo – Forest Park Zoo in Springfield to tape the next installment of my cable show on Channel 15, the Community Programming Channel. The head animal keeper, if I’m getting the title right, is from Westfield so I want to feature him and all the animals at the zoo. It should be a fun show to watch over the summer so please stay tuned! 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

BUDGET DEADLINE

By Representative Don Humason, Jr.

June 23, 2007

The annual deadline for the state budget, July 1, the start of Fiscal Year 2008, is rapidly approaching and we don’t have a consensus from the Conference Committee members yet. You could say the deadline to have the budget finished on time has already passed.

You see, the Governor gets 10 days to review the budget once we in the House and Senate pass it. In order for Governor Patrick to have had his 10 days and still get the budget signed before July 1 the Legislature would have had to pass it on Wednesday. The Governor and his staff review the budget and can veto parts of it or propose changes and sign the balance into law.

This down-to-the-wire scenario repeats itself every year. Legislators hold their breath and wait, impatiently, for the 6 Conference Committee members to conclude their negotiations in crafting the compromise between the House and Senate versions. And we hope that the money or language for priorities, programs, and projects in our districts makes the cut.

Westfield’s own Senator Mike Knapik is one of the lucky conferees. His work is cut out for him. He needs to constantly remind the others that we in Western Mass exist and deserve our fair share of the Commonwealth’s taxpayer, ratepayer, fee payer, and toll payer-funded pie. That pie is estimated to be roughly $26.7 billion.

Meanwhile, legislative committees continue to meet and hold public hearings on all sorts of legislation filed by the members. An estimated 6,000 bills are filed each 2-year session with fewer than 10 percent ever hoping to become laws.

I serve on several busy committees that met this week, including the Transportation Committee and the Public Health Committee. Next week, I’ve got a meeting of the Higher Education Committee, the Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee, and the Transportation Committee again.

The first meeting of the Identity Theft Conference Committee that I was named to is Monday. I’ve had a constant flow of lobbyists through my door to give me their take on the language of the proposed law. I’ve also heard from my colleagues and constituents.

I got an email in Boston this week asking me to help get the word out that Saturday, June 23, Wal-Mart, Waste Management, and the state Department of Environmental Protection will have a kiosk set up in the Wal-Mart parking lot so people can dispose of their compact fluorescent light bulbs and fluorescent tubes.

These tubes contain small amounts of mercury which can be dangerous if it gets into the waste stream through landfills. Wal-Mart will collect and recycle these items for free if you bring them to the store. It’s a great way of getting rid of these things safely and responsibly.

I’ve driven by Municipal Field a couple times since Monday and it looks like our newly remodeled field and the new Spray Park are getting lots of action. It’s great to observe so many children and families hanging out in the park, playing tennis or basketball and enjoying the water features of the Spray Park.

I’d like to offer my congratulations to all the graduating seniors from Westfield High School, St. Mary’s, and Westfield Vocational Technical High School. As of last Monday school’s out for summer and I know a lot of students, faculty, and staff who breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

Congratulations, as well, go to the many teachers and administrators who are retiring from the Westfield Public Schools this year.

Next Friday, my Legislative Aide Sarah Latour and I are going to the zoo – Forest Park Zoo in Springfield to tape the next installment of my cable show on Channel 15, the Community Programming Channel. The head animal keeper, if I’m getting the title right, is from Westfield so I want to feature him and all the animals at the zoo. It should be a fun show to watch over the summer so please stay tuned!

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