THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2025 Page 9 waste diversion to meet the state’s 2030 solid waste master plan goals. As you well know, the state’s landfi lls are fi lling up. In 2022, Massachusetts collectively exported 2,590,000 tons of waste, an increase of 20,000 tons from 2021 to 2022. Exported waste is costly, often being sent to other states as far away as Alabama. Massachusetts exports wood, brick, asphalt and other debris, much of which is banned from our landfi lls. That waste accounted for almost a third of what’s buried in Maine’s state landfi ll. Every year, Bay Staters throw away 6 million tons of garbage. Nearly 25% of that garbage is food. Some of this food is likely to be edible while other food waste is better handled via composting. Meanwhile, a recent U.S. Census survey found that 21.9 percent of Massachusetts households with children do not have access to suffi cient or quality food, despite the abundance produced. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, and while landfi lls such as Chicopee, Crapo Hill, Fitchburg-Westminster, Granby, Plainville, Quarry Hills, Southbridge, and Taunton collect landfi ll gas and use it as an energy source, according to EPA data, landfi lls are one of the largest sources of methane emissions in our state. The environmental and health implications of methane emissions are well-documented, contributing to climate change which disproportionately aff ects our most vulnerable communities. These impacts align closely with our shared commitment to environmental justice, ensuring that all Massachusetts residents have the right to a clean and healthy environment. We urge you to take executive action to spur the diversion of organic waste from landfi lls. By implementing and supporting policies that encourage composting and other organic waste processing methods, we can significantly reduce methane emissions and slow the rate at which landfi lls are fi lling. The benefi ts of such actions extend far beyond environmental protection. Food diversion and composting programs should be considered an environmental justice priority to reduce pollution in vulnerable and over-burdened communities. Diverting organic waste from landfi lls can also unlock numerous benefi cial products, such as compost, which enriches our soil and supports local agriculture. Moreover, this shift can stimulate economic growth by creating new green jobs in composting facilities, waste management, and related sectors. The recent textile ban from landfi lls is a notable example of how policy innovation has created programs and outlets for the successful recovery of materials. These actions are key to achieving your Administration’s greenhouse gas reduction and environmental justice goals. We envision a collaborative eff ort between the state government and local municipalities to develop and implement a comprehensive plan for organics diversion. This plan should include: 1. Increased Funding and Resources: Allocate state funding to support municipal and regional composting programs and food waste diversion, including infrastructure development and public education campaigns. Examples of needed infrastructure include funding for curbside collection programs, drop off programs and compost sites. 2. Regulatory Support: Establish regulatory reforms, including, as funding is put in place to support needed infrastructure, steadily increasing the percentage of organic waste reclaimed and diverted from disposal. 3. Public-Private Partnerships: Foster collaborations between public entities and private companies to create a robust market for compost and other organic products, ensuring that these materials are processed and utilized effectively. By taking these steps, we can position Massachusetts as a leader in sustainable waste management and climate action. Your leadership and commitment to this cause will not only improve the quality of life for our residents but also set a powerful example for other states to follow. We stand ready to work with you and your administration to achieve these critical goals. Together, we can build a healthier, more sustainable, and more equitable future for all Massachusetts residents. GAMBLING LOSS DEDUCTION s part of the big beautiful bill passed by both branches or Congress, and signed by President Trump on July 4, 2025, was a change in the amount of gambling losses that can be claimed as an itemized deduction on your 2026 Federal income tax return. For gambling losses incurred in 2026, only 90 percent of such losses will be able to be deducted on Schedule A as an itemized deduction. Needless to say, the gambling industry is not happy about this provision. If a taxpayer had $10,000 in gambling winnings in 2026 and $10,000 in gambling losses, only $9,000 in gambling losses would be deductible as an itemized deduction. The result is the taxpayer is going to pay income taxes even after not having made any money in gambling for the year. Keep in mind that you can only claim gambling losses as an itemized deduction. Therefore, if you end up claiming the standard deduction due to it being higher than the toA tal of your itemized deductions, you end up not claiming a gambling loss and all of the gambling winnings are taxable income with no off setting losses. With the increase in the SALT (state and local tax) deduction from $10,000 to $40,000, there will be more taxpayers that will end up itemizing their deductions and therefore would then be able to claim 90% of their gambling losses in 2026. For the calendar year 2025, you can still claim 100 percent of your gambling losses if you itemize your deductions. Gambling losses have always been limited to gambling winnings. That has not changed under the new legislation for the calendar year 2025. However, for the fi rst time, only 90% of gambling losses can be utilized to off set gambling winnings in calendar year 2026. This could be a very big deal for professional gamblers. They may have significant winnings yet only get the 90% deduction. This is intended of course to raise tax revenue to help off set loss of revenue due to other tax provisions in this new legislation. On July 7, 2025, Nevada Representative Dina Titus introduced legislation to restore the 100 percent deduction for gamblers. She named the bill “My Fair Bet Act”, which calls for a fair taxation policy with respect to gambling winnings and losses. The American Gaming Association is obviously supporting her bill. I doubt, now that the law has passed, the Republican controlled congress will vote in favor of her bill. Joseph D. Cataldo is an Estate Planning/Elder Law Attorney, Certifi ed Public Accountant, Certifi ed Financial Planner, AICPA Personal Financial Specialist and holds a Master’s Degree in Taxation.
10 Publizr Home