Brown: Eliminate Suffolk County holidays

By State Senator Scott Brown
Guest Columnist

In the past few years citizens’ confidence in state government has been seriously shaken. With the negative stigma of fraud, pension and ethics abuses and tax increases hanging over an inefficient state government, now is the time for our leaders to earn back the trust of the voters and taxpayers. We the public officials must prove to everyone we are working for and not against them. Though it may seem insignificant, eliminating a paid holiday for one county would be a step in the right direction toward regaining the trust and respect of the people and eliminating the perception, earned and unearned towards Beacon Hill.

The proposal on whether or not the two Suffolk County holidays, Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day, should remain as paid days off for state employees was recently rejected, with a 22-to-17 vote in the Senate and a 78-to-78 tie vote in the House that had to be broken by the Speaker, who happens to represent Suffolk County.

Along with the Senate Republican Caucus, I am helping lead the effort to eliminate the Suffolk County holidays of Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day by filing legislation to curb the costly and unnecessary local holidays.

The Massachusetts state government has been rocked by various scandals in both the House and Senate. The past 3 speakers of the House have resigned under suspicion and 2 were convicted of felonies. Two Senators were forced to step down because of scandals. Pension reform was passed and signed by the Governor this week as a response to these examples of misconduct. Transportation and ethics reform will soon follow. Nevertheless, eliminating these county holidays is an essential part of continuing the mantra of “reform before revenue” without diminishing the vital importance and historical significance of these dates.

The bill repeals Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day, and requires that government offices throughout Suffolk County remain open on March 17 and June 17 so that Massachusetts citizens can pay their bills and conduct other business with the state on those days.

The significance would not be lost by eliminating the paid holiday. Parades for Bunker Hill Day are typically held the following Sunday and the citizens of Massachusetts, especially the residents of Suffolk County, are far too aware of their history to let any bit of it fall away. Having State House employees working and serving the Commonwealth would be an excellent way to celebrate the day instead of favoring Boston’s political elite.

During these economic hard times, it would behoove public officials to take a stand to relieve tax payers who are footing the $5 million bill for these holidays annually. The private sector continues to shed jobs, yet state workers are given a paid day off. Unemployment keeps rising as the legislature continues to show that it is out of touch and content with business as usual.

After all of these unfortunate events in state government, I think it is up to state government to prove to its constituents that there is such thing as honesty and positive progress in state government. I hope that public officials can observe the significance of this holiday in a way that bares no burden upon the taxpaying citizens of the Commonwealth, does not give only a select group of employees a paid day off and makes fiscal sense to the majority. My staff, as well as other supporters who wish to do away with these holidays, have taken an oath to work on Bunker Hill Day.

State Senator Scott Brown (R-Wrentham) represents the Norfolk, Bristol, and Middlesex District, which includes Needham and precincts B, F and G of Wellesley along with several other communities.