Linsky named House Committee Chairman

New House Speaker Robert DeLeo has shaken up the committee assignments of veteran legislators, and Dover-Sherborn’s representatives have felt the ground shift beneath their feet.

Rep. Lida Harkins, who represents Dover and who supported Rep. John Rogers in his failed bid for House Speaker, lost her powerful position as the House’s Majority Whip, as well as the chairmanship of the House Education Committee. DeLeo supporter Rep. David Linsky, who represents Sherborn, won a spot as chairman of the House Committee on Post Audit and Oversight.

“Those top jobs are the ones that each speaker appoints and gives to his top advisers,” said Harkins. “He needs his closest advisors to be with him on this because he will be talking with them all the time.”

Harkins, a former teacher, will continue to serve on the Education Committee as a regular member. She said she hopes to pass legislation ensuring Dover and other communities get their proper share of Chapter 70 education funding. Her bill would ensure that this funding represents at least 17.5 percent of the local school budget.

Harkins will also serve as vice chairman of the House Ethics Committee, which is currently working on a “comprehensive ethics package.” After the much-publicized legislative scandals of 2008, many believe that ethical rules and penalties should be tougher.

According to Harkins, the law itself needs be more consistent and easier to understand. She said many legislators simply do not know whether they can write a letter of recommendation to help a student get into a state-run university, or if they can eat a snack provided by a group that may have some interest in the legislature’s activities.

“The rules sometimes change and are applied differently in different cases,” said Harkins. “We have no training, so even when there are set rules, not everyone knows what they are.”

Harkins will also be working the relatively new Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development. She said tourism is the state’s second largest industry, and many legislators are beginning to recognize the importance of supporting it.

“As long as I have opportunities to work on things I think are meaningful, I am happy,” said Harkins. “I have been in the legislature for 21 years, and I have friends on both sides of the speaker’s race, so I think I will still have adequate access to get things done for my district.”

Linsky was happy to spread the news about his newfound chairmanship of the Post Audit and Oversight Committee. The committee is responsible for examining spending and investigating waste in wide-ranging legislation.

Linsky said he believed his background as a Middlesex Assistant district attorney and white-collar crime investigator led Deleo to assign him to the committee. He said many of these investigative skills will help him in his new role.

“I led investigations into embezzlements, public corruption, computer crimes, identity fraud, you name it,” said Linsky. “It teaches you to be thorough and go over every single document that you can get your hands on.”

Representatives who serve on the oversight committee are not allowed to hold any other permanent committee assignments, but Linsky did secure one other temporary post. As chairman of the Oversight Committee, he is automatically assigned as co-chairman of the Joint Committee on Federal Stimulus Oversight, a temporary entity that will oversee the state’s $11.9 billion share of stimulus money.

“It is very exciting, obviously,” said Linsky. “I am very honored and humbled the speaker has entrusted my with this awesome responsibility.”