Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.

Listening Tour reveals constituents' hardships

Date: 3/31/2009

By Katelyn Gendron

Reminder Assistant Editor



WESTFIELD -- Republican legislators across the state are making it known they actually welcome constituents' complaints and concerns.

State Rep. Donald Humason Jr. and City Councilor Peter Miller, also chief of staff for State Sen. Michael Knapik, fielded questions and concerns regarding the proposed gas tax hike, increased tolls on the Massachusetts Turnpike and other issues from over 70 constituents on March 24 during the Hardship Listening Tour.

"We've got to go directly to the people [to hear what they need from government]," Humason told Reminder Publications. "This forum exceeded my expectations...people were really fired up [about the issues]."

He explained that during the Hardship Listening Tours, legislators are compiling information that will help them to lobby for causes on the floor during budget debates.

"We won't use our words, we'll use their words [to lobby for funding]," Humason said.

Rob Fortier, a father of two from Westfield, voiced his concern of exorbitant property taxes and the redistribution of schools within the city's school district.

"Westfield property tax is assessed seven to 12 percent higher [than other communities in Western Massachusetts]," he said. "I'll gladly pay my share [but] $103 per week in property tax?"

Fortier explained that he is paying $103 each week in property taxes and questioned Humason and Miller about the possibility of tax relief for homeowners.

"For every dollar [Boston] cut in local aid all that much is raised in property tax," Humason said. "What does that mean back home? A lot of problems."

Other constituents voiced their concerns about the proposed gas tax increase, the meals tax, the toll hike, cuts to human services and elevated salaries of University of Massachusetts (UMass) administrative personnel.

"I get a little bitter when a chancellor at UMass is talking to me about how much money he needs [for his university] when is making $600,000 per year and I m making $60,000 per year," Humason said.

Miller noted that there is a possibility that tolls will be reinstated on the western portion of the Massachusetts Turnpike but that tolls are usually created on "high-volume bridges and roads."

Other constituents voiced concerns about cuts to human services such as those proposed at veterans' hospitals.

Humason explained that hospitals in the greater Boston area receive adequate funding; however, the Holyoke Soldiers Home has upwards of 10 empty beds because the facility lacks the funding for medical personnel to care for the patients.

"We all believe there are priorities in government...for me, public safety, higher education, services for the disabled and veterans [should be government's highest priority]," he said.

Agawam resident Corinne Wingard told others at the forum that as a retired woman she is living on a fixed income but that she believes a meal tax would help everyone across the state.

"We're all hurting financially," she said. "We don't want to pay more than we have to but a one percent meals tax state wide we're going to get so much money from all the people eating in Boston. You have to look at all sides [of these proposed taxes]."

Humason reminded constituents that the Hardship Listening Tour is not the only time they can voice their concerns to legislators -- they can attend open office hours, write letters or e-mails or make calls to legislators' district or Boston offices.