There are three business days this week before Thanksgiving. That gives the Legislature three chances to come back into session and work on important legislation.
Sadly, that isn’t about to happen. The Legislature is out of formal sessions until January.
There are two interesting pieces in the papers today on this subject, and they’re both worth a look.
Kevin Cullen has a column in the Boston Globe that starts out as a priceless tongue-in-cheek satire of legislative work ethic. But the column ends on a sobering note, talking about the state’s failure to debate legislation about elder drivers.
Cullen’s column reminds us that Beacon Hill’s hiatus is more than just another example of politicians being politicians. It’s an avoidance of responsibility that has real costs for real people across Massachusetts.
Another editorial in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette talks about the importance of passing charter school legislation. As the paper mentions, uncapping charter schools in Massachusetts could free up as much as $250 million in federal funding, money our state could desperately use right now to support education. There’s no excuse for delay on this bill.
I believe it’s inexcusable for the Legislature to suspend its formal work for a whole month this year. We should come back into session after Thanksgiving to work more on these bills and others that need immediate attention. Massachusetts residents simply can’t afford to wait any longer.
What do you think? Should the Legislature come back into session. Please let me know your thoughts. Post a comment below and join the conversation.
