THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 Page 15 Beacon Hill Roll Call By Bob Katzen THE HOUSE AND SENATE: There were no roll calls in the House or Senate last week. This week, Beacon Hill Roll Call reports on the number of times in the 2021 session each senator sided with Republican Gov. Charlie Baker and voted to sustain the governor’s 15 vetoes of items, mostly in the fiscal 2022 state budget. A vote to sustain means the senator supports Baker’s veto. A vote to override means the senator voted to fund the item despite the governor’s veto. The current makeup of the Senate is 37 Democrats and three Republicans. A two-thirds vote is required to override a gubernatorial veto in a full 40-member Senate when there are no vacancies. The governor needed the support of 14 senators to sustain a veto if all 40 senators voted—and fewer votes if some members were absent or there were vacancies. Baker fell far short of that goal as six votes was the most support he received on any veto. The Senate easily overrode all 15 vetoes, including three that were overridden unanimously. The vetoes had no support from 30 of the 37 Democrats who never once voted to sustain Baker’s veto. Only seven Democratic senators voted to sustain any of the governor’s vetoes. The Democrat who voted the most times with Baker to sustain his veto is Sen. Walter Timilty (D-Milton) who voted with Baker twice. Sens. Sonia Chang-Díaz (D-Boston), Diana DiZoglio (D-Methuen), Jason Lewis (D-Winchester), Marc Pacheco (D-Taunton) and Mike Rodrigues (D-Westport) each voted with Baker once. None of the three Republicans voted with Baker 100 percent of the time. The Republican senator who voted the greatest number of times with Baker was Sen. Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton) who voted with Baker eleven times (73.3 percent of the time). Sen. Patrick O’Connor (R-Weymouth) voted with Baker only once (6.6 percent), the least number of times among Republicans. Even Republican Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) only supported Baker nine times (60 percent). NUMBER OF TIMES SENATORS SUPPORTED GOV. BAKER’S VETOES THROUGH SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 Here is how your senator fared in his or her support of Baker on the vetoes. The percentage next to the senator’s name represents the percentage of times the senator supported Baker. The number in parentheses represents the actual number of times the senator supported Baker. Sen. Brendan Crighton 0 percent (0) HOW LONG WAS LAST WEEK’S SESSION? Beacon Hill Roll Call tracks the length of time that the House and Senate were in session each week. Many legislators say that legislative sessions are only one aspect of the Legislature’s job and that a lot of important work is done outside of the House and Senate chambers. They note that their jobs also involve committee work, research, constituent work and other matters that are important to their districts. Critics say that the Legislature does not meet regularly or long enough to debate and vote in public view on the thousands of pieces of legislation that have been filed. They note that the infrequency and brief length of sessions are misguided and lead to irresponsible late-night sessions and a mad rush to act on dozens of bills in the days immediately preceding the end of an annual session. During the week of August 30-September 3, the House and Senate each met for a total of 25 minutes. Mon. Aug. 30 House 11:00 a.m. to 11:04 a.m. Senate 11:04 a.m. to 11:11 a.m. Tues. Aug. 31 No House session No Senate session Wed. Sept. 1 No House session No Senate session Thurs. Sept. 2 House 11:01 a.m. to 11:22 a.m. Senate 11:08 a.m. to 11:26 a.m. Fri. Sept. 3 No House session No Senate session Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com THE SOUNDS | FROM PAGE 14 Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906. Online donations can also be made at: https://givebutter. com/HealthySaugus. Find us at Founders Day: Come by our table and say hello! Learn about the organization. Sign up for volunteer opportunities. Donations of nonperishables will be accepted at Founders Day! Items have been carefully chosen for their high vitamin and nutrient content. We ask that donations are not expired and come only from this list: • Macaroni & cheese, 7.5 oz. • Peanut butter, 15 oz. • Jelly (squeeze plastic bottles) • Canned vegetables (i.e., sliced carrots, green beans, peas, corn), 15 oz. • Canned tuna, 5oz. • Canned chicken, 10 oz. • Canned beans • Canned meals (i.e., soups, chili, SpaghettiOs, raviolis) • Fruit cups • Oatmeal packets • Cold cereal • Granola bars • Pasta • Pasta sauce (no glass) OBITUARIES Margaret Elizabeth English Finished her earthly journey on September 4, 2021, after two years of living with cancer. Meg was born November 17, 1950 at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Boston to Mary L. and Lester V. English. She was one of 13 siblings. Meg grew up in Manomet and attended Sacred Heart Elementary and High School. She was a thespian at heart, with a beautiful soprano voice, performing in school plays and the Plymouth Players, a local theater group, all through her teen years. After high school graduation, she attended Emerson College for a while, followed by a time when she lived overseas in England and France as many young people were doing those days. She returned home to Boston to work for a number of years as a waitress and at an alternative high school. She was passionate for justice for all people, participated in many events that brought attention to workers' rights, and had powerful voice and wonderful humor which she used for good. You could say that Meg never met a stranger. Her laughter was contagious and came right from her heart. In 1984, Meg was diagnosed with a life threatening illness that she survived, one day at a time. It was a turning point of her life. She had a deep spiritual experience that stayed with her all through her life. She was a power of example to many people. She had a set of spiritual principles that she applied to her life every day that filled her life with purpose and happiness. Meg reached out with a helping hand and tried to be of service wherever she could. She lived an attitude of gratitude. It was at this time purple became her signature color which she encouraged others to wear. In 1998 Meg married the love of her life and partner, Artie Keenan. What a great celebration that was! Best wedding ever! Just like Meg, full of fun, laughter, and sweetness with great music and dancing! They lived in Revere later moving to Saugus. Meg received her undergraduate degree at UMASS, Boston, in Literacy Studies, teaching speakers of various languages. She went on to obtain her MS in Literacy at UMASS of Boston. She then worked in the field of ESOL and Adult Education for 20 years taught job readiness, ESOL/GED, displaced workers, workplace ESOL, and University ESOL. For her last 11 years in the workplace Meg ran a program for ESOL and Civics Instruction in Everett. The Everett Literacy Program, There are 200 students in classes and 300 on a waiting list. She also worked for 2 years at Bunker Hill Community College in the ESOL program there. She was involved with, and worked closely with, the Multicultural Affairs Commission in Everett, TriCity Workforce Development Task Force, MIRA, and La Comunidad, Inc. These community organizations are critical in the serving of the Everett immigrant community. Meg was quoted as saying “I am interested in fixing our broken immigration system one step at a time.” She loved and respected her students very much, advocated for them, and continued to seek justice for all people wherever she worked. The students fondly called her “Teacher” and their, “Purple Angel”, returning her love and respect over and over. Meg retired in 2019. These past two years, she has volunteered, crocheted lots of afghans, crafted multitudes of earrings, necklaces, and bracelets and is known for her yearly Winter Survival Kits that she packaged for family and friends. Baking became a big hobby and we will all be forever grateful and cherish the deliciousness of her chocolate chip cookies, brownies, sweet breads and other delicacies from her kitchen. She was a voracious reader and was constantly trading and borrowing books. Meg was quite the night owl...we all knew not to call before noon! Always thoughtful of the needs of others and ready to give whatever she could, Meg continued being of service wherever possible. And let's not forget her skill at “thrifting” which she shared with a number of sisters. Often a family member would get a package in the mail with some pretty top or scarf and a note from Meg saying “Thought of you”. Meg is predeceased by her parents, Mary L. and Lester V. English, brother, Patrick English, brother, Paco (Frank )English, sister Pauline English, and sister-in-law, Sandy Graca, her father in-law, Thomas Keenan, and her brother-in-law, Thomas E. Keenan Jr. Meg is survived by: her beloved husband, Artie Keenan, of Saugus, and sister-in law, Patricia H. Keenan, Winthrop, and her siblings: sister, Lee English, (Jim Hoag), Grand Isle, VT, sister-in-law, Di English, Fort Meyers, sister, Jane Stiles, (Les Stiles), of Plymouth, her sister, Miriam O'Neal, ( Ken Reback), of Plymouth, sister, Anne English, (Mare Pagel), of Tucson, sister, Colette Kraatz ( Michael Kraatz) of Gunnison, CO, brother Jim English, (Susan English) of Manomet, brother, Nick English, (Brett Mickan) of Surry Hills, NSW, Australia, sister, Rosie English Sampson of Plymouth, and sister, Kathleen English Plante, (Wayne Plante) of Manomet. Meg leaves 20 nieces, nephews, niece-in-laws, and nephew-in-laws, and four grand nieces and nephews. She, leaves as well, a wonderful extended family of cousins and many, many, many friends and students. Please feel free to donate to your favorite charity in Meg's name. We will miss you Sweet Meggie; loving wife, faithful sister, kind friend and our Purple Angel. A memorial service for Margaret E. English (Meg) will be held at 11:00AM on Monday, September 13, 2021 at DAVIS LIFE CELEBRATION AND FUNERAL HOME, 619 State Road, Plymouth (Manomet), MA 02345. Visitation with the family will be from 9:00AM – 11:00AM.
16 Publizr Home