THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 2025 Page 19 budget includes a plan allowing municipalities to raise taxes on meals and hotels through local option taxes, an idea soundly rejected last year; a $164 million tax hike by setting up a cap on the charitable deductions law approved by the voters in 2000; expansion of tobacco taxes to synthetic nicotine products; and extending the sales tax to candy. “She’s literally taking candy from a baby,” said alliance spokesperson Paul Craney. “Massachusetts residents already face some of the highest taxes in the nation, and this proposal exacerbates that burden. Taxpayers will have to spend $25 million more dollars on candy to just pay for this tax. This budget doubles down on the state’s addiction to higher taxes and spending at a time when residents are already feeling squeezed and leaving for more tax friendly states. The governor is taking a giant leap in the wrong direction. The governor has become so desperate for higher taxes that she’s even proposing caps on tax deductions for Massachusetts charities. This tax relief law was approved by the voters in 2000. If that isn’t cruel, I don’t know what is.” “This budget exemplifies the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s disregard for fi scal responsibility,” said MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale. “Relying on one-time revenues while increasing spending is an unsustainable path, particularly given the unchecked fi nancial strain caused by the emergency assistance shelter program and ongoing uncertainty over monthly tax revenues. Instead of charting a path toward stability, this budget doubles down on reckless spending and higher taxes.” The budget now goes to the House which will craft and approve its own version and then it moves to the Senate which will off er a diff erent plan. A House-Senate conference committee will eventually hammer out a compromise version that will be approved by both branches and sent to Gov. Healey who has the power to veto any spending and any other items. The House and Senate can then choose to override any of the governor’s vetoes. HOLD DANGEROUS BONCITIZENS FOR ICE INTERVENTION — Reps. Michael Soter (R-Bellingham) and Kenneth Sweezey (R-Pembroke) have fi led legislation they say will restore power to local and state law enforcement agencies by closing a loophole that prevents court offi cers and law enforcement offi cials from holding dangerous illegal non-citizens with ICE detainers beyond the time that the individual would otherwise be entitled to be released from state custody, allowing these individuals to walk free after committing signifi cant crimes in certain situations. “It’s essential that we equip our law enforcement with the resources, tools and support they need to keep our communities safe,” said Rep. Soter. “Both sides of the aisle are united in the belief that undocumented immigrants who come here to commit crimes should be returned to their home countries. The state and local authorities must be able to detain these criminals and give ICE the opportunity to take action.” “The immigration issue in Massachusetts has gotten completely out of control,” said Rep. Sweezey. “This piece of legislation is a very simple, commonsense first step in rectifying part of the issue. I am always proud to assist our law enforcement partners and am pleased to present this legislation with support from Sheriff Evangelidis and Sheriff McDonald. I look forward to working on gaining additional support and pushing this bill across the fi nish line into law making our communities safer in the process.” “[We are] monitoring reports of activities by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the Greater Boston area,” said Kevin Brown, Executive VicePresident of 32BJ SEIU, the largest property service workers union in the country, with 185,000 members across the East Coast, including 20,000 in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. “We reaffirm our readiness to support our members’ rights and the rights of immigrants--our neighbors, friends, family members and co-workers, whose presence and work enrich our communities and our economies.” Meanwhile, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell joined ten other state attorneys general in issuing a joint statement commenting on a memorandum from a President Trump appointee at the U.S. Department of Justice addressing state and local involvement in federal immigration enforcement. “It is well-established— through longstanding Supreme Court precedent— that the U.S. Constitution prevents the federal government from commandeering states to enforce federal law,” read the statement. “While the federal government may use its own resources for federal immigration enforcement, the court ruled in Printz vs. United States that the federal government cannot ‘impress into its service—and at no cost to itself—the police offi cers of the 50 states.’ This balance of power between the federal government and state governments is a touchstone of our American system of federalism.” $108 MILLION FOR MASSACHUSETTS IN SETTELEMENT WITH PURDUE PHARMA —Attorney General Andrea Campbell announced that she, along with a bipartisan coalition of states and other parties, has reached a $7.4 billion settlement in principle with members of the Sackler family and their company, Purdue Pharma for their instrumental role in creating the opioid crisis. Up to $108 million of the settlement funds will be distributed to Massachusetts. The suit says that under the Sacklers’ leadership, Purdue invented, manufactured and aggressively marketed opioid products for decades, perpetuating waves of addiction and overdose deaths across the commonwealth and country. “The Sackler family will forever be remembered as a symbol of greed, profi ting off pain to BEACON | SEE Page 20 The Surprising Dangers of Earwax Dear Savvy Senior, I’ve heard that excessive earwax can cause serious health problems in elderly seniors. What can you tell me about this? Caregiving Daughter Dear Caregiving, It’s true! Excessive amounts of earwax can indeed cause problems in elderly seniors including hearing loss or ringing in your ears. Some people experience vertigo, which increases the risk of falling. And there’s also a correlation between hearing loss and cognitive decline and depression. Earwax — which is not really wax at all, but a substance called cerumen that binds with dirt, dust and debris — is normally produced by the body as a way to clean and protect the ears. In most people, the self-cleaning process works fi ne. But in others, including more than 30 percent of elderly people, the wax collects to the point where it can completely block or impact the ear canal. Those that are most aff ected are elderly seniors, especially those living in nursing homes or assisted living centers that provide substandard hygiene. And those highest at risk are hearing-aid users because the devices push wax down into the canal. Earwax Removal Usually, earwax moves up and out on its own so the best way to control it is to leave it alone. But that advice can backfi re for those who accumulate excessive amounts of earwax. The symptoms of an earwax problem can include an earache, a feeling of fullness in the ear, hearing loss, tinnitus, dizziness, an ear infection, ear itchiness, or cough due to pressure from the blockage stimulating a nerve in the ear. If you or your elderly loved one’s experience any of these symptoms, try using a softening agent to help the wax leave the ear or to remove it more easily. If you prefer the natural route, try baby oil or mineral oil. Using an eyedropper, apply a drop or two into your ear, tilting your head so that the opening of the ear is pointing up toward the ceiling. Stay in that position for a minute or two to let the fl uid fl ow down to the waxy buildup. Then tilt your head in the opposite direction to let the fl uid and wax drain. Or try an over-the-counter earwax removal solution or kit, which are sold in most pharmacies. Solutions may contain oil or hydrogen peroxide, and some kits include a bulb syringe that you squeeze to fl ush your ear with warm water, if needed. You may need to repeat this wax-softening and irrigation procedure several times before getting rid of the excess earwax. If, however, the symptoms don’t improve after a few treatments, you need to see an audiologist or ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor to have the wax removed. Earwax removal is one of the most common ENT procedures performed. They have a variety of tools that can remove hard, stubborn earwax. It might be tempting to poke a cotton swab, bobby pin, pencil or fi nger into your ear to get the gunk out, but don’t go digging. Yes, it’ll remove some of the wax, but it may also push the rest deeper into the ear canal and increase your risk of injuring your eardrum and making the problem worse. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
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