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Dimasi Is New House Majority Leader |
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MARCH 2002
- Championed 1997 COLA Reform - Old friend Representative Sal DiMasi, of Boston's North End, was
recently named House Majority Leader by Speaker Thomas Finneran. The
slot, the second highest office in the House, had been open for several
months after the resignation of Bill Nagle, who was appointed
clerk-magistrate of the Ware District Court.Members
will remember that it was DiMasi who led the 1997 charge on the House
floor to win COLA reform legislation (Ch.17), in the face of tremendous
opposition by mayors and municipal officials.
"It
was the evening of May 22, 1997, a monumental House session," recalled
Association President Ralph White. "It was a make-or-break night for
our COLA legislation and just when things were looking bleakest, our
friends in the House, led by Sal, turned things around. After 22 years
in the House, he's paid his dues many times over and most certainly
deserves the appointment."
Representative
Lida Harkins of Needham, a twelve-year House veteran, moved up one
notch in being named to fill DiMasi's old job as majority whip. Tom
Petrolati of Ludlow was promoted to Harkins' former slot of assistant
whip. Petrolati was in charge of House redistricting last year and once
chaired the Public Service Committee.
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Legislation 
