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Page 8 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, SEpTEmbER 9, 2022 ~ Guest Commentary ~ Campaign Underway to Repeal New Law Allowing Driver’s Licenses for Undocumented/Illegal Immigrants By Salvatore Giarratani A new law (H.4805) that would allow undocumented/illegal immigrants to apply for a Massachusetts driver’s license is scheduled to start July 1, 2023. Voters will be headed to the polls on Election Day, November 8 so taxpayers, not Beacon Hill, can decide whether to repeal it or keep it. I was reminded about this important ballot question on November 8 after reading Beacon Hill Roll Call by Bob Katzen which runs in The Revere Advocate each week. This column is a great way to see just what our legislators up on Beacon Hill are doing in our name. The campaign to repeal the new law was steered by Maureen Maloney, whose son, Matt Denice, was killed by a drunk driver who did not have legal status in this country and illegally drove a motor vehicle. During the period that the petition drive was on, voters lined up in droves to sign the repeal voicing their opposition to the new law not even yet in eff ect. Opponents of the repeal campaign reportedly harassed and tried to prevent voters from signing the petition and in some cases forced local police to shut down volunteers from collecting more signatures. The other side obviously likes the new law that is coming if the voters don’t stop it on Election Day, November 8. One supporter of the new law, Elizabeth Sweet says, “The [law] keeps people safer by ensuring that all drivers, regardless of immigration status, know and follow the rules of the road, take the same driver’s test and have insurance when they need it.” Still trying to fi gure out what she means by “have insurance when they need it.” Isn’t the answer, all motor vehicles on the road need to be insured? I believe it is up to We the People of Massachusetts to decide if this new law is right for us. I do believe this new law could open the door to non-citizens voting. That is a real concern considering just how badly the RMV has performed of late, right? I trust voters will make the correct call in November. While the other side says, “We are disappointed that this unnecessary and divisive repeal question appears to be moving forward, we are more than determined than ever to defend the expansion of permission to apply for a driver’s license.” This ballot question is crystal clear who should or shouldn’t be able to apply for a MA driver’s license. Driving a motor vehicle in Massachusetts is not a right but a privilege. I didn’t say this, the Registry of Motor Vehicles states this. I am tired of those sob stories about illegal immigrants afraid to take their children to the doctor’s offi ce for fear of getting caught by the police. One fi nal question few want to answer. Does this mean that illegal or undocumented immigrants given driver’s licenses means that there will be no longer be unregistered or uninsured cars on the road? I was born at night but not last night. As the grandson of immigrants to this country, I am not anti-immigrant. Never have been. I am all for helping those who come here legally like my grandparents and the grandparents of many who are reading my words right here. We will need to fi nd a way to fi x our immigration policy because the status quo ain’t working out too well. However, driver’s licenses are not yet a top priority for most of us. Vote NO on driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants this November 8! Estate Tax Portability E state tax portability was introduced into law on December 17, 2010 as part of The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act. Massachusetts has not adopted portability. Encourage your elected offi cials to pass legislation authorizing it at the state level. Portability allows the federal unused exemption amount for one spouse to be passed to the surviving spouse. A Federal estate tax return would have to be filed even though no federal estate tax is due. If one spouse dies and leaves $5million to his or her spouse, there is an unlimited marital deduction so no EHS STEM | FROM PAGE 4 2021 to give fi rst- and second-year EPS families the chance to meet pre-K teachers and other members of their school communities. Another event that was held for the second consecutive year was the EPS Back to School Bash. The district-wide event was held on Monday, August 29 in front of Everett High School. There was food from The Chicken and Rice Guys, the Cookie Monstah and Richie’s Slush, as well as games and activities, a photo booth and giveaways. The district’s partners from the Eliot Family Resource Center and the Everett Haitian Community Health Center helped make the festivities a big success with the approximately 1,200 people who attended. federal or Massachusetts estate tax will be paid. If a federal estate tax return is fi led within 5 years from the time of death, you can preserve the DSUE (Deceased Spouse Unused Exemption) for the surviving spouse. The due date for fi ling an estate tax return to avoid any late fi ling or late payment penalties if a tax is actually owed is 9 months from the date of death. Congress has given taxpayers more time to fi le a federal estate tax return in order to preserve the portability election. Revenue Procedure 2022-34 was promulgated this year which extended the due date from 2 years to 5 years. This fi ve year period applies in the situation where an estate tax return would not otherwise be required to be fi led for the decedent’s estate. If the husband were to die in 2022 leaving $5million to his wife, there would be no estate tax to be paid on that $5million. If his wife had $10million in her own name she would then end up with a $15milLETTER | FROM PAGE 6 Lambert, who supported sending a letter to the City Council, said their kids can’t wait. “Our teachers are doing a great job, but they could be doing better if they’re given the resources,” Lambert said. “I know what our young people are capable of.” McLaughlin suggested referring the matter to a property subcommittee since there’s a separation of powers. Marcus said their job was to recommend it to the City Council. Student Representative Riley Avelar said this matter shouldn’t be pushed out any further. “It’s a sea of people,” Avelar said. “We need space now.” DeMaria suggested doing a needs assessment, adding that the former high school along Broadway may be a good space. McLaughlin echoed his sentiment. lion estate. If the wife were to also die in 2022 there still would be no federal estate tax, even though her estate would have been valued at $15million at the time of her death. The 2022 federal estate tax exemption is $12.6million. Therefore, the husband’s DSUE of $12.06million is added to the wife’s $12.06 federal estate tax exemption resulting in a total federal exemption for the wife of $24.12million. Consequently, none of her $15million estate would be subject to federal estate tax. It is therefore important to know when to fi le a federal estate tax return when the fi rst spouse dies. The federal exemption is slated to be RESNEK | FROM PAGE 7 But Resnek’s morals couldn’t sink any lower when he attempted and failed to pass along a manuscript about the Wynn Casino land deal, writing fi ctitiously about the mayor and his wife. Resnek also met with billionaire developer Joseph O’Donnell, claiming to take meetings with the former Everett resident in an attempt to help him with his lawsuit he fi led on behalf of Suff olk Downs against Steve Wynn and the Mass. Gaming Commission over the awarding of the Class A license to Wynn Resorts. O’Donnell reduced to $6.2million beginning on January 1, 2026, unless congress extends the higher exemption amounts. Preserving a $12.06 portability election now might come in very handy several years down the road when a surviving spouse dies at a time when the federal estate tax exemption is much lower. You would want to lock in the higher federal estate tax exemption now. Joseph D. Cataldo is an estate planning/elder law attorney, Certifi ed Public Accountant, registered investment advisor, AICPA Personal Financial Specialist and holds a masters degree in taxation. was part of the group backing Mohegan Sun at Suffolk Downs, which claimed irregularities over the sale of the Everett land to Wynn. Resnek, in a May 4, 2019 email to Pergament about his relationship with O’Donnell, states, “I owe him my life – and I do some work for him.” He states in the email that O’Donnell is his “billionaire buddy from Everett” who got his kid into Harvard and is helping him and a friend get their book sold. Resnek must have been a big help as the Gaming Commission sided with Wynn. Next week: Resnek twists in the wind.

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