THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, ApRil 11, 2025 Page 19 BEACON | FROM PAGE 18 new law allows the city or town to keep only the amount owed in back taxes and send the remainder to the owner. Last year, the United States Supreme Court ruled that cities and towns that foreclose on properties on which the owner owes back property taxes, cannot keep all of the profits when the city or town sells the property at auction. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, writing a unanimous decision about a similar Minnesota law, said that “a taxpayer who loses her $40,000 house to the state to fulfill a $15,000 tax debt has made a far greater contribution to the public fisc than she owed.” The law’s sponsor, Sen. Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford) says the law is facing a new challenge, proposed as part of a fiscal 2025 supplemental budget filed by Gov. Maura Healey last week, that would make it harder for homeowners to recoup their rightful equity. “The same municipal officials who partnered with private firms to prey upon vulnerable homeowners suffering from immense challenges in their lives are the same special interests who have heavily lobbied the administration to give them another bite at the apple while everyday people continue to lose their life savings,” said Montigny. “There are hundreds of pending cases within the trial court that deserve immediate relief in accordance with the protections provided under the new law, including the reduced interest rate that was previously set at a predatory level.” Montigny continued, “Efforts to weaken these long overdue legal protections will not be tolerated and these elected and appointed municipal officials should be more concerned with helping their residents, not concocting new ways to continue to rob them. It is unacceptable that consumer advocates and the lead legislative sponsor of this measure have been left in the dark while financially driven special interests have been allowed to once again pervade the legislative process. The Healey Administration should immediately rescind its support for these harmful measures that were concocted without consulting the consumer advocates who deal with these difficult cases on behalf of homeowners every day.” NON-LEGISLATIVE REDISTRICTING COMMISSION (S 6) – The Election Laws Committee held a hearing on a proposed constitutional amendment that would create a non-legislative redistricting commission to replace the current commission made up exclusively of state legislators. The commission, like the current commission, would be responsible for creating congressional districts, 160 representative districts, 40 senatorial districts and eight councilor districts every ten years based on the national census. The proposed commission would include a dean or professor of law, political science or government from a Massachusetts college, appointed by the governor; a retired judge, appointed by the atCITY OF EVERETT - LEGAL NOTICE - ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS 484 BROADWAY, ROOM 24 EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS 02149 To Whom It May Concern: This notice is to inform you that a public hearing will be held on Tuesday April 22, 2025 at 6:00 PM, Everett City Hall, 3rd Floor George Keverian Hearing Room. All interested parties may attend and opinions will be heard regarding the following petition. Whereas a petition has been presented by: Property Address: Building Permit: 108 Ferry St [Map/Parcel L0-03-000243] 141 High St [Map/Parcel: L0-03-000244] B-25-216 Person Requesting: Mr. Albert Aversa Trustee (Richard Aversa Trustee) Ferry Street Realty Trust 108 Ferry Street Everett, MA 02149 PROPOSAL: To construct a Four (4) Floor with a Penthouse mixed used Building [Containing 1 Commercial Space and 20 Residential Apartments] in the Business District with provided parking some of which is located in Dwelling District Violation: The proposed parking of Fourteen (14) spaces at 141 High Street which is in the Dwelling District is not a permitted use. Zoning: Section 4 Dwelling District paragraph A REBECCA EDMONDSON KOREM - Chairman ROBERTA SUPPA - Clerk of Board of Appeals April 4, 11, 2025 torney general; and an expert in civil rights law, appointed by the secretary of state. The other four members would be chosen by the above three members from a list of candidates nominated by the House Speaker, House Minority Leader, Senate President and Senate Minority Leader. Supporters of the proposed commission say the Legislature has abused its redistricting power and often gerrymandered districts to protect incumbents. They said this antiquated, partisan system allows the majority party to control the process and permits “legislators to choose their voters.” They noted that the idea of an independent commission has been endorsed in the past by the League of Women Voters, Common Cause and former Govs. Michael Dukakis, Mitt Romney and Deval Patrick. “The measure strengthens transparency and objectivity in the redistricting process by prohibiting recent elected officials from serving and by including public comment periods and reporting requirements,” says amendment sponsor Sen. Jamie Eldridge (D-Marlborough). “By adopting best practices already used in other states, this reform ensures that Massachusetts moves toward a fairer and nonpartisan redistricting process.” Opponents of the commission say elected members of the Legislature, who are accountable to the voters, should be responsible for the important job of redistricting. They said the task should not be undertaken by an appointed commission with unknown BEACON | SEE PAGE 21
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