Page 16 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, MARCH 27, 2026 Beacon Hill Roll Call Volume 51 - Report No. 12 March 16-20, 2026 By Bob Katzen THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call reports on local representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of March 16-20. $1.8 BILLION SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET PARTIALLY FUNDED BY MILLIONAIRE’S TAX (H 5264) House 150-5, approved and sent to the Senate a $1.8 billion supplemental budget that funds $885 million in public - LEGAL NOTICE - COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS THE TRIAL COURT PROBATE AND FAMILY COURT Middlesex Probate and Family Court 10-U Commerce Way Woburn, MA 01801 (781) 865-4000 Docket No. MI26P1381EA Estate of: SHEILA LUBELL POMPEO Also known as: SHEILA LUBELL Date of Death: 10/17/2014 CITATION ON PETITION FOR FORMAL ADJUDICATION To all interested persons: A petition for Late and Limited Formal Testacy and/or Appointment has been filed by: Lisa Corkum of Ipswich, MA requesting that the Court enter a formal Decree and Order and for such other relief as requested in the Petition. The Petitioner requests that: Lisa Corkum of Ipswich, MA be appointed as Personal Representative(s) of said estate to serve Without Surety on the bond in unsupervised administration. IMPORTANT NOTICE You have the right to obtain a copy of the Petition from the Petitioner or at the Court. You have a right to object to this proceeding. To do so, you or your attorney must file a written appearance and objection at this Court before: 10:00 a.m. on the return day of 04/21/2026. This is NOT a hearing date, but a deadline by which you must file a written appearance and objection if you object to this proceeding. If you fail to file a timely written appearance and objection followed by an affidavit of objections within thirty (30) days of the return day, action may be taken without further notice to you. UNSUPERVISED ADMINISTRATION UNDER THE MASSACHUSETTS UNIFORM PROBATE CODE (MUPC) A Personal Representative appointed under the MUPC in an unsupervised administration is not required to file an inventory or annual accounts with the Court. Persons interested in the estate are entitled to notice regarding the administration directly from the Personal Representative and may petition the Court in any matter relating to the estate, including the distribution of assets and expenses of administration. WITNESS, Hon. Terri L. Klug Cafazzo, First Justice of this Court. Date: March 23, 2026 TARA E. DeCRISTOFARO REGISTER OF PROBATE March 27, 2026 transportation including $740 million for the MBTA; $417 million for public education; and millions for several fi scal year 2026 defi ciencies. The $1.8 billion bill is funded in part by $1.3 billion from the 2022 voter-approved constitutional amendment, known by supporters as the Millionaire’s Tax and the Fair Share Amendment, which imposes a surtax of an additional 4 percent income tax, in addition to the current fl at 5 percent one, on taxpayers’ earnings of more than $1 million annually. Language in the constitutional amendment requires that “subject to appropriation, the revenue will go to fund quality public education, aff ordable public colleges and universities, and for the repair and maintenance of roads, bridges and public transportation.” MBTA funding in the supplemental budget includes $525 million for the Deficiency Reserve; $125 million for the Workforce and Safety Reserve; $60 million for physical infrastructure with a focus on the core subway system; and $20 million for low-income reduced fares. Education funding includes $150 million for Special Education Circuit Breaker costs; $150 million to fund Early Education Child Care costs; $8 million for childcare providers; $7.5 million for the loan forgiveness program for these providers; a $20 million endowment Match for UMass and other state colleges and universities; and $5.1 million for Tomorrow’s Teachers Loan Forgiveness program. Another provision would permanently decouple Massachusetts from recently approved federal tax provisions that reduce federal taxes if voters approve a possible November 2026 state ballot question that would lower the state income tax rate from 5 percent to 4 percent. Other provisions include $10 million for FIFA Boston for World Cup related expenses; establishment of a food donation tax credit of up to $5,000 per individual for farm businesses based on the amount of food donated to a nonprofi t food distribution organization; and ratification of eight Collective Bargaining Agreements. “From signifi cant investments in public transportation and public education, to support for Department of Transitional Assistance caseworkers and expenses related to the World Cup, to fi scally prudent tax conformity measures – this legislation is representative of the responsible approach that the House will continue to take as we navigate a period of signifi cant economic uncertainty,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy). “The use of these one-time surplus funds provides us with a unique opportunity to better strengthen the commonwealth in numerous ways,” said Rep. Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston), Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means. “By further improving our educational and transportation sectors, we will build off the work we have done in the last several budget cycles with a judicious use of the Fair Share funds. The tax changes contained in this bill will help support the state’s economic competitiveness, while giving us time to absorb the expected loss in revenue.” “I voted against … the supplemental [budget] simply because there is too much unnecessary spending in this bill,” said Rep. John Gaskey (R-Carver). “This was essentially an earmark bill. If it had been narrowly focused on public safety, it would’ve been a good bill. Unfortunately, it becomes a freefor-all bill to hand out cash driving further spending.” Some opponents criticized the language in the bill that would permanently decouple Massachusetts from key federal tax provisions if voters approve a possible November 2026 ballot question to lower the state income tax rate from 5 percent to 4 percent. They said this would tie the hands of future policymakers and denies Massachusetts taxpayers the benefi t of federal tax relief. “This is not fiscal responsibility,” said Paul Craney, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance. “This is political retaliation against taxpayers. Beacon Hill leadership is telling voters that if they choose to lower their own taxes, the Legislature will step in and make sure they don’t see the full benefit. It’s petty, and an outrageous abuse of power. They cannot help themselves. Even before the ink is dry on federal tax changes, Beacon Hill politicians are already scheming ways to block relief and keep more money in government hands. That’s exactly why voters are demanding change, change that actually delivers transparency with legislative audits, openness in public records and policies that prioritize taxpayers over seemingly limitless growth in state government spending.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Joseph McGonagle Yes $100 MILLION FOR CITIES AND TOWNS (H 5264) House 25-128, rejected an amendment that would provide a minimum of $100 million annually from the surtax surplus to cities and towns which must use 50 percent of the funds for the repair, maintenance, construction or reconstruction of roads and bridges and 50 percent for public school facilities and equipment. Each city and town would receive a proportional share of the $100 million based on its population as a percentage of the state’s total population as determined by the most recent federal decennial census or the most recent annual municipal census certifi ed by the secretary of state, whichever is more recent. Amendment supporters said this would average roughly $14 per person based on 7.2 million Massachusetts residents broken up into legislative districts each comprised of some 44,000 residents. They noted this would guarantee each district more than $600,000 per year. Each district would be required to spend $300,000 for roads and bridges and $300,000 for education. They said that the state currently has allocated the majority of these surplus surtax funds to programs such as $867 million for the MBTA, $419 million for free school meals, $287 million for free community college tuition and $422 million for regional transit. Directing funds toward these priorities has come at the expense of greater local BEACON | SEE PAGE 17
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