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THE REVERE ADVOCATE – WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2020 Page 15 BEACON | SEE Page 14 (S 4) Senate 4-35, rejected an amendment that would change the current law under which credit card companies process transactions and send the money from the sale price and the sales tax directly to the merchant. The merchant then has up to 50 days to send the sales tax portion to the state. Under the amendment, the sales tax portion of the charge would be segregated so that when the charge is settled, that portion would go directly from the credit card company to the state and the sales price would go to the merchant, giving the state the time value of that money. Amendment supporters said the change would increase revenue to the state by an estimated $770 million annually without raising taxes. They noted the increased revenue would come from sales tax revenues that the state would now receive immediately instead of waiting up to 50 days at which point that it often loses money when a merchant is unable to pay the sales tax after bankruptcies, delinquencies and fraud. “The words ‘unprecedented times’ are an understatement,” said amendment sponsor Sen. Diana DiZoglio (DMethuen). “Needs are skyrocketing and businesses are closing their doors for good. Educations gaps are widening and we are facing dwindling tax revenues. We have a responsibility to maximize existing sources of revenue. This measure increases revenue to the commonwealth without raising taxes.” Amendment opponents said no other state has done this and it is questionable whether it would work well. They argued that banks and credit card processing companies say this system could be very costly and diffi cult to manage. (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment changing the system. A “No” vote is against it.) Sen. Joseph Boncore No ALLOW STATE TO EXPEDITE FOOD LICENSES (S 4) Senate 7-32, rejected an amendment that would allow bars and pubs to apply for food service establishment permits in order to be designated as restaurants for purposes of the phased reopening. It also directs local licensing authorities to expedite review and processing of these applications. “This amendment allows bars and pubs to apply for categorization as restaurants,” said amendment sponsor Sen. Diana DiZoglio (D-Methuen). “One of my constituents owns a pub in another district. She has faced challenges obtaining a food permit to try to avoid fi nancial ruin. She’s in danger of losing everything because she still can’t open her doors. This amendment does not disregard the health and safety of customers. It simply provides an option for bars and pubs. This doesn’t get rid of the licensing process. It just expedites it and makes it more equitable. It costs the state nothing and creates another avenue to potential economic recovery. Our residents are begging us to take action right now. The livelihoods of our constituents, of our bar and pub owners is at stake.” Amendment opponents said the amendment points yet again to the failure of the federal government to step in and provide adequate relief. They said they understand that businesses are struggling but argued that it is not the time for the state to overstep its bounds and take the unprecedented step of controlling local boards of health which are doing their best to keep people safe. (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment. A “No” vote is against it.) Sen. Joseph Boncore No CAP FOOD DELIVERY CHARGES (S 4) Senate 12-27, rejected an amendment that would cap delivery fees charged by third parties like GrubHub, DoorDash and Uber Eats at 15 percent of the order price until 45 days after the COVID-19 state of emergency ends. When the pandemic struck, many restaurants were not equipped to off er online ordering or delivery and are forced to rely heavily on these delivery companies. “Hundreds of thousands of restaurants have closed across America,” said amendment sponsor Sen. Diana DiZoglio (D-Methuen). “For the restaurants that have reopened, delivery has increased. Delivery companies charge a minimum 25 to 30 percent to restaurants. Delivery companies took two to three percent of restaurant revenue before and now they take 18 to 20 percent. This is not sustainable or acceptable. Delivery is proving to be a money-losing proposition for restaurants.” Amendment opponents said a cap is already being considered as part of an economic development bill that is being drafted by a conference committee after the House and Senate approved diff erent versions of the bill. They noted the issue should be left up to that committee. Amendment supporters said that conference committee has been deliberating since July 30 and no one knows whether they will reach an agreement before the end of the session. They said putting the cap in the budget gives it an additional chance for passage. (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment. A “No vote is against it.) Sen. Joseph Boncore No HOW LONG WAS LAST WEEK’S SESSION? Beacon Hill Roll Call tracks the length of time that the House and Senate were in session each week. Many legislators say that legislative sessions are only one aspect of the Legislature’s job and that a lot of important work is done outside of the House and Senate chambers. They note that their jobs also involve committee work, research, constituent work and other matters that are important to their districts. Critics say that the Legislature does not meet regularly or long enough to debate and vote in public view on the thousands of pieces of legislation that have been fi led. They note that the infrequency and brief length of sessions are misguided and lead to irresponsible late-night sessions and a mad rush to act on dozens of bills in the days immediately preceding the end of an annual session. During the week of November 16-20, the House met for a total of 15 minutes while the Senate met for a total of 23 hours and four minutes. Mon. Nov. 16 House 11:08 a.m. to 11:14 a.m. Senate 11:08 a.m. to 11:14 a.m. Tues. Nov. 17 No House session Senate 10:24 a.m. to 8:42 p.m. Wed. Nov. 18 No House session Senate 10:12 a.m. to 10:27 p.m. Thurs. Nov. 19 House 11:01 a.m. to 11:10 a.m. Senate 11:08 a.m. to 11:33 a.m. Fri. Nov. 20 No House session No Senate session Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com Like us on Facebook advocate newspaper Facebook.com/Advocate.news.ma How to Apply? The easiest and most convenient way to apply for your Social Security benefi ts during the pandemic is to do it yourself online at SocialSecurity.gov. It usually takes around 15 minutes to complete the application, as long as you’ve gathered all of the required information and documentation (more on that at the bottom of the column). You can also save your application as you go, so you can take a break at any time. If your situation is complicated or you’re uncomfortable using the Internet to apply, you can have a Social Security employee assist with the process via telephone. To make an appointment call 800-772-1213. (If you’re hearing impaired, you can call 800-325-0778.) The phones are monitored Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. At the time of your appointment, the representative will call you. If you start to complete the online application form but fi nd that it’s too confusing or complicated, call the agency and set up a phone appointment. Once you have submitted your application, a representative may contact you with updates or questions about your application. You can also check the status of your application by signing in to your “my Social Security” account at SSA.gov/myaccount. When to Apply? You should fi le one or two months before you want benefi ts to begin, but if you’re the worrying type, you can do it up to three or four months before. It takes a little time to process the paperwork, so by putting in your application a few months early, you can fi x avyavy niiorenioroavvy Senior avvyy vy ennioorniiori How to Claim Social Security Benefits During the Pandemic Dear Savvy Senior, With my local Social Security offices being closed due to COVID-19, what is the best way to apply for my Social Security retirement benefi ts? Approaching 62 any problems that come up without it interfering with your starting date. It’s also worth noting that if you start receiving your Social Security retirement benefi ts before age 65, you will automatically be enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B, and you’ll receive your Medicare card about three months before your 65th birthday. It will include instructions to return it if you have work coverage that qualifi es you for late enrollment. But if you decide to delay your retirement benefi ts, you’ll need to sign up just for Medicare at age 65, which you can also do at SocialSecurity.gov or over the phone at 800-772-1213. Need Information In order to apply for Social Security benefits online or over the phone, you’ll need to be able to document some information about your identity and work history. So before applying, have the following information handy: • Your Social Security number. • Your birth certifi cate (original or certifi ed). • Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status if you were not born in the United States. • A copy of your U.S. military service papers if you had military service before 1968. • A copy of your W-2 forms and/or self-employment tax return for last year. • Your bank information (including your account number and the bank routing number) where you want your benefi ts direct deposited to. For a complete checklist of what you’ll need to complete your application, see SSA.gov/hlp/isba/10/isbachecklist.pdf. 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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