Page 16 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, JAnuARy 30, 2026 Beacon Hill Roll Call Volume 51 - Report No. 4 January 19-23, 2026 By Bob Katzen THE HOUSE AND SENATE: There were no roll calls in the House and Senate last week. This week, Beacon Hill Roll Call reports on Senate roll calls from recent sessions. EXTEND THE TIME TO FILE FOR AN ABATEMENT (S 2900) Senate 36-1 approved an amendment that would increase from 30 days to 75 days the amount of time a property owner has to fi le for an abatement if they feel that their home evaluation was too high. Amendment sponsor Sen. Nick Collins (D-Boston) said the amendment would help property taxpayers by simply extending the abatement period and giving them more time. He noted that currently we have the bomb drop on January 1 and people who are in the middle class don’t have lawyers and accountants on retainer. He said that when the city increases your property value by 10 percent, you usually put your head down and just eat it, and that’s not fair. “I voted ‘No’ … because tax classifi cation, exceptions and credits, particularly when novel, should be addressed comprehensively and analyzed in bility to the maximum circuit breaker amount; and delays the date on which a foreclosure petition may be fi led until 18 months after their death. Supporters said the meathe context of other new proposals and existing law,” said Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy), the only senator to vote against the amendment. (A Yes” vote is for the amendment. A “No” vote is against it.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes FURTHER EXPAND ELIGIBILITY FOR SENIOR PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION (S 2900) Senate 36-1, approved an amendment to a bill that would give cities and towns the option to create tax rebate programs for residents who already benefi t from a local residential exemption. This new rebate program would allow cities and towns to set income and asset thresholds, tailoring relief to local residents’ needs. Amendment supporters said the amendment, sponsored by Sen. Nick Collins (D-Boston), would boost the existing senior property tax exemption by giving municipalities the option of further expanding eligibility by lowering the age eligibility, raising the income eligibili~ Legal Notice ~ NOTICE OF TERMINATION OF ACTIVITY AND USE LIMITATION State Spring Auto 447 Second Street Everett, MA RELEASE TRACKING NUMBER 3-34900 A release of oil and/or hazardous materials has occurred at this location, which is a disposal site as defined by M.G.L. c. 21E, § 2 and the Massachusetts Contingency Plan, 310 CMR 40.0000. On January 20, 2026, 447 Second Street, LLC, registered with the Middlesex South Registry of Deeds, Termination of a Notice of an Activity and Use Limitation on the disposal site, pursuant to 310 CMR 40.1080 through 40.1084. The Notice of Activity and Use Limitation was originally recorded and/or registered on December 20, 2018. Any person interested in obtaining additional information about the Termination of Notice of Activity and Use Limitation may contact William A. Simmons, LSP, of Simmons Environmental Services, Inc., 213 Elm Street, Salisbury, MA 01952, (978) 463-6669. The Terminated Notice of Activity and Use Limitation and the disposal site file can be can be viewed at MassDEP website using Release Tracking Number, RTN 3-34900 at http://public.dep.state.ma.us/SearchableSites2/Search.aspx or at MassDEP, Regional Office, 150 Presidential Way, Woburn, MA 01801, telephone 978-694-3200. January 30, 2026 ty, raising the asset eligibility and raising the limit of possible exemption from $1,000 to $1,500. “I voted ‘No’ … because tax classifi cation, exceptions and credits, particularly when novel, should be addressed comprehensively and analyzed in the context of other new proposals and existing law,” said Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy), the only senator to vote against the amendment. (A Yes” vote is for the amendment. A “No” vote is against it.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes SENIOR PROPERTY TAX DEFERRAL (S 2901) Senate 37-0, approved a bill that would expand eligibility for the Senior Tax Deferral Program by lowering eligibility to qualify for it from the current 10 years to seven years of required state residency. In addition, the bill allows the homeowner, or their heirs, one-year to pay back the deferral with accrued interest rather than immediately after sale or death; allows municipalities to raise income eligisure will allow seniors to keep more money in their pockets at a time when property values and tax bills are steadily climbing. “Property tax deferral is an important program that can help older adults stay in their homes,” said amendment sponsor Sen. Pat Jehlen (D-Somerville). “It allows older adult homeowners to defer all or part of their property tax bill, which is paid back to the municipality with interest when the property is sold. It can be a better alternative to reverse mortgages, especially if the municipality sets the interest rate lower than the 8 percent cap. It is underutilized, and this legislation will remove one barrier by extending the time a municipality can reduce the interest rate, and the time before foreclosure is allowed. Many cities and towns can do more to inform older homeowners of this option, and this is a chance to do that.” (A Yes” vote is for the amendment. A “No” vote is against it.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes KEEP DARK MONEY OUT OF LOCAL BALLOT QUESTIONS (S 2898 Senate 6-31, rejected an amendment to a bill requiring more frequent public reporting of fundraising and spending by groups supporting or opposing statewide ballot questions. The amendment would apply the state’s campaign finance election laws to political expenditures of more than $1,000, made by persons, corporations, associations, organizations or other groups of people, to infl uence the outcome of local ballot questions in cities and towns. The person or group would be required to fi le disclosure forms and failure to comply would be punishable by a 1-year prison sentence and/or a $1,000 fi ne. Sen. Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), the sponsor of the amendment, did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking him to comment on his amendment. Supporters said that the amendment will close a loophole that allows unlimited amounts of unreported funds by outside individuals and groups to infl uence and sway the local voters’ decision. They noted the fl ow of dark drowns out the vote of the local voters. “[The] amendment promoted the idea of more transparency on the local level for political spending, when it comes to ballot questions,” said Sen. Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton). “These laws already exist on the state level, and I think that residents should be able to understand who is supporting local ballot initiative questions and what their implications are.” “I voted ‘Yes’ on this amendment because it guarantees transparency in local ballot question,” said Sen. Patrick O’Connor (R-Weymouth). “Any individual or entity who is spending a significant amount of money to infl uence decisions on a ballot question should have to publicly disclose where this money is coming from. This would close a disclosure gap in municipal elections, deter outside infl uence and keep consistent with existing campaign finance principles. I think that this would keep democracy in check as oftentimes municipal elections are overlooked. Consistency across the board would be the most beneficial to all.” Amendment opponents said the amendment goes beyond the subject matter of the bill which deals with statewide ballot questions. They argued that the gist of the amendment is already in several separate bills that are pending before the Legislature. They said the Senate should consider this amendment as a separate bill which would be the subject of a public hearing and be vetted through the legislative process. “I voted against the amendment because I believe Sen. Julian Cyr’s [separate] bill … is the more appropriate vehicle for meaningful municipal election funding reform,” said BEACON | SEE PAGE 17
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