And then... they defend their inaction with this:

Acton —

Tuesday's editorial, "A do-nothing Legislature," implied that because there aren't a lot of outward signs of progress from the Legislature, that we aren't doing anything of value with our time.
It is true that legislators have only recently received committee assignments and have met infrequently for formal session - but that doesn't mean we aren't working.
Over the past few weeks, legislators have been digging into the details of the state's fiscal crisis and communicating that information to local elected officials and constituents; helping more and more constituents who need help finding a job, securing healthcare, or keeping their housing during these tough economic times; meeting with advocates about budget priorities and reviewing the 6,000+ bills that have been filed; and attending community meetings to keep in touch with the priorities of the district.
My daily schedule frequently begins at 8 a.m. in the morning with breakfast meetings, and often goes till 9 p.m. - or later - at night. And I know I'm not the only one - I run into MetroWest legislators at events every day of the week, morning, day and night.
To assume that attending formal session is the only work a legislator does is a gross oversimplification of the daily job. And while the frustration the editorial expresses is valid and well-taken, in the end it only serves to undermine public confidence in area legislators, many of whom are working extremely hard for this region.

JAMIE ELDRIDGE, Acton

The writer is state senator, representing the Middlesex & Worcester District.