Tisei Leading The Charge To Nix Hack Holidays

If ever there was a time to get rid of these ridiculous holidays, it’s now. Thankfully, there is one party on Beacon Hill willing to get it done.

A Senate push to repeal two controversial Suffolk County holidays – which went down to defeat in a close vote last month – could get new life thanks to a top Republican who has vowed to refile the bill, the Herald has learned.

A budget amendment to eliminate Bunker Hill Day and Evacuation Day drew widespread support from Senate Republicans and liberal Democrats alike – including Hub state Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz – but the measure ultimately fell short by a 21-17 vote.

“We got more support than ever this year,” Senate Minority Leader Richard Tisei said yesterday. “We’re picking up a lot of momentum and, given the fact that this has so much support, I’ll be filing it as a piece of legislation.”

That’ll give lawmakers such as Sen. Michael Knapik another chance to skewer the much-maligned holidays, which the Westfield Republican says cost the state more than $5 million at a time of likely steep tax hikes and deep budget cuts.

“It’s hard to justify these days off any more,” Knapik said. “I’m heartened by the 17 votes. Hopefully they’ll bring some sanity to everyone else.”

All schools and other nonemergency government agencies are closed in Suffolk County on Bunker Hill Day on June 17 and Evacuation Day on March 17. State employees also are allowed to take the days off or use them as floating holidays.

Outside of Suffolk County, these holidays are a joke. Let’s face it, government agencies don’t need two more days a year to be earning holiday pay when most of these people are serving positions that have little to no purpose.

Senators took the first vote on a Republican budget amendment aimed at axing the holidays two weeks ago, sparking a roughly 15-minute debate laced with sarcasm and old-fashioned Boston tribalism.

“If they want to debate the merits of the Suffolk County holidays I’m happy to defend them,” said Sen. Jack Hart (D-Dorchester). “It’s not a frivolous tradition. We hold it to be important, and I wonder if we get rid of it does that open the Pandora’s box to perhaps over time get rid of other holidays.”

Senator Jack Hart, you are a fool. Yeah, can you imagine nixing holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving? Of course not. It is absolutely a frivolous tradition. In a day and age where I’d be willing to be most children attending public school can’t tell you the real meaning of “religious” holidays like Easter or Christmas (besides the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus), an even smaller percentage are likely to be able to tell you what Bunker Hill Day or Evacuation Day are. How many of the hacks who take those days off know what those days are all about?

You know that in the private sector, employees are being treated to less paid holidays now than they were even just last year–it’s a sign of the times. When the rest of us are being forced to make sacrifices, we expect the government to do the same–especially considering it’s our money they are flushing down the toilet so a bunch of do-nothing hacks can go enjoy a spring or summer day while the rest of us work to pay for their days off.

Aaron Margolis is a life long resident of the Bay State, and works at an architectural firm north of Boston. Aaron has a Master of Architecture Degree from Boston Architectural College and is currently in the process of becoming of a Registered Architect.