REVERE Vol. 34, No.27 -FREEHave a Safe & Happy July 4th! ADVOCATE www.advocatenews.net Free Every Friday Our Lady of Lourdes Faithful Celebrate 20th Anniversary Mass 781-286-8500 Wednesday, July 3, 2024 City Council unanimously approves Mayor’s FY2025 Budget Balanced budget emphasizes fiscal responsibility and investments in core City services Special to The Advocate T his week the Revere City Council unanimously apTOGETHER AGAIN: Shown from left to right are, event co-host John Verrengia, Boston College Philosophy Director Father Ronald Tascelli, Father Thomas Keyes, Father Leonardo Moreira and event co-host Jim Mercurio. See page 10 for photo highlights. (Advocate photo by Tara Vocino) proved the City of Revere’s Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Budget. Prepared and submitted by Mayor Patrick M. Keefe, Jr. and Chief Financial Officer Rich Viscay, the FY25 budget totals $274 million, with nearly 70% of investments focused on Revere Public Schools (RPS) and public safety and infrastructure. No one-time revenues were required to balance the budget. With an eye towards proBUDGET | SEE Page 1 Patrick Keefe, Jr. Mayor MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE PASSES HOME EQUITY LEGISLATION Legislation will protect property owners from “equity theft” BOSTON – The Massachusetts House of Representatives last week passed “An Act relative to municipal tax lien procedures and protections for property owners in the Commonwealth,” which would align current statute with a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. The legislation secures the rights of property owners to reclaim any excess equity to which they are entitled after all taxes and fees are repaid to the municipalities following a tax foreclosure, while substantially increasing notifications and other protections for property owners throughout the foreclosure process. “This legislation is not only an effort to ensure that the Commonwealth’s laws comply with court rulings, it is also about protecting the rights of property owners here in Massachusetts throughout the tax lien foreclosure process,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (DQuincy). “I want to thank Chairman Cusack for his work on this legislation, as well as all my colleagues in the House for voting to advance these important reforms.” "This legislation provides by which property owners lose all of their equity as a result of a small amount of unpaid property taxes," said Rep. Jeffrey Rosario Turco (D. Winthrop). The Supreme Court ruled in Jessica Giannino State Representative much needed consumer protections to property owners and clarity to municipalities on tax lien procedures," said Representative Mark J. Cusack (DBraintree), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Revenue. “Equity will now be returned to its rightful owner while making cities and towns whole. Thank you to Speaker Mariano, Ways and Means Chair Michlewitz and my colleagues for their leadership and diligence on this important legislation that will positively impact Massachusetts." “The tax lien foreclosure process is already a difficult time for Jeffrey Rosario Turco State Representative anyone facing the situation. It is only fair that profits are returned to the rightful owners,” said Representative Jessica Giannino (D-Revere). “I’m grateful to the Speaker, Chairs Michlewitz and Cusack, and my colleagues for their support.” "Cities and towns rely on property tax receipts to fund important government services. This important legislation strikes a balance by allowing struggling taxpayers to work with their communities on workable payment plans. More importantly, this legislation eliminates the abhorrent practice Tyler v. Hennepin County, Minnesota that state laws allowing municipalities to retain equity from a foreclosed property, in excess of any taxes and fees owed by a property owner, were unconstitutional under the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. This ruling had an impact on the municipal tax lien foreclosure process in the Commonwealth, since Massachusetts law also allowed municipalities or third parties that purchased tax liens to keep excess equity following a property foreclosure for unpaid taxes. Underscoring the need for legislative action, a recent ruling by the Massachusetts Superior Court (Ashley M. Mills v. City of Springfield) found that the property foreclosure process in Massachusetts was unconstitutional, a ruling that was supported by legal briefings from the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. This bill ensures that Massachusetts law is constitutional throughout all municipalities in the Commonwealth, and EQUITY | SEE Page 7
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