16

Page 16 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, May 30, 2025 BHRC | FROM PAGE 15 Yes Rep. Steven Ultrino Yes SENATE APPROVES $61.4 BILLION FISCAL 2026 STATE BUDGET (S 3) Senate 38-2, approved a $61.4 billion fiscal 2026 state budget after three days of debate. The House has already approved a different version, and a House-Senate conference committee will eventually craft a compromise plan that will be presented to the House and Senate for consideration and then sent to Gov. Maura Healey. “This budget reflects the Senate’s commitment to a commonwealth that carefully balances investing in our people with responsible money management so we can protect our residents, communities and economy for years to come,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). “The Senate’s statewide approach to investment delivers resources to every part of the state and protects our most vulnerable residents, while our continued focus on education and mental health ensures that residents have the keys to unlock the doors of opportunity.” “This budget is a testament to the Senate's collective values and our shared responsibility to invest in every community and every person in the commonwealth—from the Connecticut River Valley to Cape Cod,”said Sen. Jo Comerford vote is against it.) Rep. Paul Donato (D-Northampton), Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “By prioritizing education, transportation, health care and support for municipalities, we are not only addressing immediate needs but also laying the foundation for a more equitable and resilient commonwealth amid a time of great national turbulence and strife.” “Constituents and businesses from across my district are exhausted by Gov. Healey’s budget priorities that underfund core local services, overfund benefits for non-residents with billions of tax dollar and burden them with ever-increasing taxes and energy costs,” said Sen. Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton), one of only two senators to vote against the budget. “Massachusetts residents are going to keep voting with their feet as they move out-of-state if we continue with the status quo – it’s unsustainable and must end.” (A “Yes” vote is for the budget. A “No” vote is against it.) Sen. Jason Lewis Yes PRESCRIPTION DRUGS (S 3) Senate 34-5, approved an amendment that would allow Health Policy Commission regulators to place a maximum price limit on some medications, capping what patients, providers, pharmacies and others in Massachusetts would pay. “I was supportive of this amendment because of the impact high prescription drug prices have had on the most vulnerable in my community" said Sen. Pavel Payano (D-Lawrence). "Nobody should have to make a choice between paying their bills and paying for their prescriptions.” "While I agree with the intention behind this amendment, I believe that the subject matter needs to be addressed. I voted no … because I believe, given its magnitude, that it should go through the regular committee-review process,” said Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy). “While versions of the legislation that this amendment reflect have been filed in previous sessions, this amendment includes new language that deserves a committee hearing and additional committee review.” "If this doesn't belong in a budget, I'm not sure where else it belongs,” said amendment sponsor Sen. Cindy Friedman (D-Arlington). “This is having a profound effect on how we use our resources in the commonwealth, and if we don't address this issue sooner rather than later, we will be in major trouble. Our hospitals are in major trouble because of this, our insurers are in major trouble, our state is in major trouble, so this, in my mind, is absolutely the right place for this." (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment. A “No” vote is against it.) Sen. Jason Lewis Yes HUMAN TRAFFICKING (S 3) Senate 12-28, rejected an amendment that would mandate human trafficking training for all hotel, motel, lodging house or bed and breakfast establishment employees in the Bay State, from the front desk to housekeeping and food service, in order to equip them to recognize and respond to trafficking situations. The measure also requires these establishments to post in plain view, in the lobby and in any public restroom in their establishment, a written notice developed by the attorney general, which must include the national human trafficking hotline telephone number. Amendment sponsor Sen. Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford) said the passage of the amendment will send a message to survivors that we support them. He noted that almost no one trafficking people is in jail in Massachusetts and said that when people call him and ask him why, he doesn’t have an answer. Training front-line people in hotels to recognize trafficking and posting a hotline number might give a victim a chance. He said he has worked with hundreds of survivors and advocates on this and they always stress why is there so much inaction on Beacon Hill. Sen. Mike Rodrigues (D-Westport), who voted against the amendment, said the goals are laudable, but this is a situation where you really don't create a mandate that every hotel employee, no matter their job, is required to be trained to recognize human trafficking without extensive discussions with the labor unions that represent the employees. He noted this mandate could arguably involve tens of thousands of individuals. (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment. A “No” vote is against it.) Sen. Jason Lewis No CAPITAL GAINS TAX DISTRIBUTION (S 3) Senate 5-34, rejected an amendment that would require any excess revenue in capital gains revenue over $1 billion to annually automatically be transferred as follows: 80 percent to the Rainy Day Fund; 10 percent to the state’s Pension Liability Fund; and 10 percent to the State Retiree Benefits Trust Fund. The amendment would replace a section that distributes 5 percent to the Rainy Day Fund; 90 percent to the state’s Pension Liability Fund; and 5 percent to the State Retiree Benefits Trust Fund. Sen. Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), the amendment sponsor, said that putting only 5 percent into the stabilization fund at a time when we recognize there's a possibility of a downturn in federal support for our budget is not a good idea. He noted we have a stabilization fund to ensure we have those resources when we need them. Sen. Mike Rodrigues (D-Westport), who voted against the amendment, said the Rainy Day Fund is currently already funded at an impressive gold standard of $8.1 billion. He argued that putting the majority of the funds into the Pension Liability Fund would be wiser and would REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS BUYER1 BALEKJIAN, GEORGE BUJISIC, BOJAN MACINNIS, DREW PARAJULI, BHESRAJ TSAI, CHIEHJEN BUYER2 BUJISIC, BRANKA PARAJULI, SREEJANA N COLA, ANNMARIE SELLER1 150 OAKLAND STREET LLC RYAN, ANNMARIE CORRIGAN, ZACHARY MOREIRA, WEGHY O PEMA, ADA ZABEL, MOIRA OLIVEIRA, ADRIELLY M SELLER2 boost the state’s bond rating. (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment. A “No” vote is against it.) Sen. Jason Lewis No INCREASE ESTATE/DEATH TAX EXEMPTION (S 3) Senate 5-34, rejected an amendment that would increase from $2 million to $5 million the amount of money that is tax exempt from the value of a person’s estate when calculating the state’s estate/ death tax that a person is required to pay following their death before distribution to any beneficiary. The increase to $5 million would be implemented over three years. Most Republicans are against any such tax and coined the name “death tax” to imply that the government taxes you even after you die. Most Democrats support the tax and call it an “estate tax” to imply that this tax is mostly paid by the wealthy. Amendment supporters said that Massachusetts is one of only 12 states that have an estate/death tax and that the Bay State’s is the most aggressive of the 12. They said that in light of the high value of houses, with the average home price more than $500,000, the $1 million threshold of this “unfair and regressive” tax is too low and noted the federal tax exempts the first $12 million. They noted that Massachusetts is losing many residents who move to Florida and other states where this tax does not even exist. Sen. Jamie Eldridge (D-Marlborough) Senate Chair of the Committee on Revenue, said he voted against the increased exemption because the Legislature in a bipartisan manner already raised the threshold last session from $1 million to $2 million, providing tax relief to many middle class and working families. “Further raising the threshold would not only further reduce state revenue at a time when federal budget cuts are looming, but such a change would only make our tax system more regressive, disproportionately benefiting Massachusetts' wealthiest families," said Eldridge. (A “Yes” vote is for increasing the exemption to $5 million. A “No” vote is against increasing it.) Sen. Jason Lewis No ALLOW GOLD STAR MOTHERS TO RECEIVE ANNUITY EVEN OIF THEY REMARRY (S 3) Senate 39-0, approved an amendment that would repeal a current law that restricts a surviving spouse from receiving the Gold Star annuity if they remarry. "As we near Memorial Day, a day where we remember and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation, we can never forget those they left behind,” said amendment sponsor Sen. John Velis (D-Westfield). “It is truly so cruel to me that these husbands and wives, who lost their loved BHRC| SEE PAGE 17 Copyrighted material previously published in Banker & Tradesman/The Commercial Record, a weekly trade newspaper. It is reprinted with permission from the publisher, The Warren Group. For a searchable database of real estate transactions and property information visit: www.thewarrengroup.com. ADDRESS 150 OAKLAND ST 3 GOODWIN AVE 72 LAS CASAS ST 51-1/2 WILLARD ST 31 LODGEN CT #1D CITY MALDEN MALDEN MALDEN MALDEN MALDEN DATE 05.05.25 05.08.25 05.06.25 05.08.25 05.07.25 PRICE 1065000 751500 1075000 955000 420000

17 Publizr Home