Last weekends’ Memorial Day events were incredibly moving. From the school visits, to the Circle of Honor ceremony on Saturday, as well as the parade and ceremonies on Monday, it was moving to see how the community of Westfield honored those who gave their lives fighting for us. It makes me even prouder to represent this great city.
I had the honor of presenting a citation this past Wednesday to Saint Mary’s Baseball team for their incredible work raising money for the Wounded Warrior Project. In two years, the team raised $10,000 for this great cause. This is an amazing accomplishment! I also attended the Westfield High School National Honor Society banquet this past week and got to meet some great students. I want to congratulate all of the students in the graduating class of 2015, best of luck with your journeys ahead!
Friday, the Western Mass Sports Division of the Greater Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau gave an informational briefing on the role Western Massachusetts could be asked to play in the 2024 Olympics, should Boston win the bid. If the games are to come here, we had better be prepared to plan and organize for the events and for the amount of people that will be coming to the State. It’s good to get a head start on something of this magnitude, and it really sounds like the Visitors Bureau and the other entities that presented are on the right track to be prepared.
We are moving along with the budget process as well. With the House and Senate versions of the budgets passed in their respective bodies, it is time for the two budgets to go to conference committee and be worked on. The conference committee is comprised of six members: three members from the House, one of them being the Chair of the House Ways and Means committee, and three from the Senate, one of them being the Chair of the Senate Ways and Means committee. The House and Senate budgets are not far off in dollar amount, but there are quite a few differences in which programs and services are funded. The mission of the conference committee is to hash out those differences and create one budget to be sent to the Governor’s desk for approval.
While this is going on, there is another event of significance surrounding the FY2016 budget. Question over whether or not budget is a “money bill” has brought this year’s budget debate to a new level, and the House has asked the Supreme Judicial Court to weigh in on this issue.
This may be confusing, as one would think that the $38 million budget would be a “money bill” no questions asked. However, the budget is actually an appropriation bill, which designates funds for certain projects, programs, agencies and services. A “money bill” involves raising taxes, and constitutionally can only originate from the House of Representatives.
The House did not raise taxes or fees in the budget we passed back in April. When the Senate was debating its version of the budget, it raised taxes on flavored cigars and tobacco, increased the state’s earned income tax credit, and froze the income tax at 5.15 percent, rather than lowering it as scheduled. It is now in the hands of the Supreme Judicial Court to decide whether or not the FY2016 budget is a “money bill” and if the tax increases included in the Senate version are constitutional. The budget debate continues in conference committee for the time being.
I will keep you posted on the status of the Court’s decision, as well as the status of the budget process. I hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend! I know I have a busy one ahead of me. Today is the Motorcycle Run to benefit the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home. It is also the grand opening of the Roots Aquatics and Fitness Center on Root Road, which looks like a really cool facility. Tonight is the YMCA’s annual event at Westfield State, I hope to see some of you there! As always, feel free to contact me with any issues or concerns at [email protected].
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not the staff, editor, or publisher of this publication.
