DiMasi: Legislature lends hand in Lynn

By David Liscio / The Daily Item
Wednesday, May 31, 2006

LYNN -- When the Speaker speaks, people listen.

Salvatore F. DiMasi, Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, delivered the keynote address Tuesday at the Lynn Area Chamber of Commerce's 94th annual meeting at the Knights of Columbus Hall.

The former Suffolk County district attorney offered up a laundry list of what the Legislature has done for Lynn, including the recent uncapping of state Lottery funds that resulted in a $3.2 million increase in revenue for the city.

Lynn is also benefiting from a three-percent increase in school funding, which amounts to just over $3 million.

"Obviously, those are pretty good numbers," said DiMasi, 60, a Boston native, father and lawyer. "We've responded.We're making an investment in local government."

According to DiMasi, improvements to the state's educational system are imperative."Extra money lets kids participate in new programs, ones that will leave them more well-rounded," he said, noting that test scores in math and English among forth- and eighth-graders in Massachusetts were tops nationwide.

The Legislature has also come through for Lynn in helping to rebuild Manning Bowl, a Depression-era sports facility.

"We found $2 million for Manning Bowl and more than $1 million more went to Lynn to deal with gang violence. We must stop violence in the inner cities and to make that happen we have to make sure police and prosecutors have what they need to put these kids behind bars," he said.

Health care reform was also on DiMasi's list of accomplishments. He described the new law as landmark legislation, explaining he has been to the nation's capital to talk about its merits.

"Everybody in the country is looking at it," he said."I'm proud of the Legislature, proud that we passed it because it benefits all of us in the state."

DiMasi, who represents the Third Suffolk District, assumed the role of House Speaker in 2004, having served as House Majority Leader from 2001-2004. He has been opposed to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Silver Line project and claims scrapping it could save taxpayers $700 million.

"If I could save that money, I'd gladly give it to the Blue Line," he said, referring to another plan that would extend that rapid-transit corridor from its terminus in Revere to Lynn.

"The (Romney Administration) has put the Blue Line on the back burner because there's no political gain in it," he said.

A Democrat of Italian heritage, DiMasi was first elected to public office in 1978. A 1967 Boston College graduate with a law degree from Suffolk University School of Law, he has also served as Majority Whip and Assistant Majority Whip.