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Page 18 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, April 11, 2025 BEACON | FROM PAGE 16 cy regulations protect this information and it is not possible to obtain records about which plans individual legislators have purchased. The out-of-pocket monthly premiums paid by senators for family plans range from $369.98 to $655.62 per month. For individual plans, they pay from $149.82 to $300.64 per month. LIFE INSURANCE – Senators who purchase a health insurance policy from the state are also required to buy the state’s basic $5,000 life insurance policy. The costs for employees are based on age and whether the employee is a smoker or non-smoker. They range from 4 cents to $2.49 per month. The same 20/80 25/75 formula used for health insurance also applies to this life insurance. Senators also have the option to buy additional life insurance with a value of up to eight times their salary – up to a maximum of $1.5 million. The entire premium for the optional insurance is paid by the senator. LONG-TERM DISABILITY AND HEALTH CARE SPENDING ACCOUNT – Senators also have the option to open a Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) and Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP), and to buy long-term disability insurance. The HCSA allows senators to set aside funds to pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses with before-tax dollars while the DCAP allows them to set aside funds to pay for certain dependent care expenses with before-tax dollars. This participation reduces their federal and state income taxes. The entire premium for long-term disability is paid by senators. DENTAL AND VISION INSURANCE – Senators are eligible to choose one of two dental/vision insurance plans. Current monthly employee premium costs paid by senators for family plans range from $15.16 to $20.52, while individual plans range from $4.91 to $6.64. All senators pay 15 percent of the premium and the state pays 85 percent. SENATORS WHO LIVE 50 MILES FROM THE STATEHOUSE ARE NO LONGER ELIGIBLE TO PAY A REDUCED OR NO FEDERAL INCOME TAX ON THEIR LEGISLATIVE SALARY – For many years until recently, senators who live more than 50 miles from the Statehouse were eligible for a special federal tax break. A 1981 federal law allowed them to write off a daily expense allowance when filing their federal income tax return. The complicated system determined a daily amount, ostensibly for meals, lodging and other expenses incurred in the course of their jobs, which can be deducted for every “legislative day.” Under the Massachusetts Legislature’s system and schedule, every day of the year qualifies as a legislative day. The Legislature does not formally “prorogue” (end an annual session) until the next annual session begins. This allowed senators to take the deduction for all 365 days regardless of whether the Legislature is actually meeting or not. Senators did not even have to travel to the Statehouse to qualify for the daily deduction. The amount of the deduction was based on the federal per diem for Massachusetts. It varied from year to year. The daily per diem for senators for fiscal year 2023, the last year this deduction was allowed, varied in different parts of the state and was seasonal. It ranged from $98 per day to $459 per day or between $35,770 and $167,535 annually. Beacon Hill Roll Call’s research indicated that in fiscal year 2023, 11 of the state’s 40 senators lived more than 50 miles from the Statehouse, qualified for this deduction and were eligible to pay a reduced or no federal income tax on their legislative salaries. SENATORS ARE NO LONGER ELIGIBLE FOR PER DIEMS - Legislators are no longer entitled to collect “per diems” to reimburse them for mileage, meals and lodging expenses for travel from their home to the Statehouse. These reimbursements were discontinued in 2017. They were not taxable income and ranged from $10 per day for legislators who reside in the greater Boston area to $82 for Western Massachusetts lawmakers and $100 for those in Nantucket. TOTAL SALARY FOR SENATORS Here is the total annual salary for local senators, including the three categories of base pay, stipends and general expense pay allowance. Sen. Brendan Crighton $171,768.17 ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL AFFORDABLE HOMES COMMISSIONS – The Accessible Housing Commission, Extremely Low-Income Housing Commission and Senior Housing Commission, all created by the Affordable Homes Act recently signed into law by Gov. Maura Healey, have begun working to address the housing challenges of people with accessibility needs, extremely low-income residents and people with accessibility needs. Massachusetts’ first comprehensive statewide housing plan, A Home for Everyone, has identified 222,000 homes that need to be built in order to end the housing crisis in Massachusetts. “The housing crisis has impacted everyone in one way or another, but for some, finding housing that fits their needs is exceptionally challenging,” said Ed Augustus, secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. “These commissions are tasked with identifying those challenges and providing concrete recommendations and strategies to ensure everyone in Massachusetts – particularly seniors, residents on extremely low incomes and people with accessibility needs – can access the safe, affordable and dignified housing they need.” $850,000 FOR LOCALLY GROWN, NUTRITIOUS FOOD IN SCHOOLS - The Healey Administration announced it is awarding $850,000 in state-funded, competitive Massachusetts Farming Reinforces Education and Student Health (FRESH) grants to 26 school districts and 11 early education and care programs. This funding supports the National School Lunch Program and the Child and Adult Care Food Program sponsors to start or expand their capacity to grow or procure local food and educate students, teachers, school nutrition professionals and staff about the local food system. “While the Trump Administration continues to take away food from children and families, and hurt local businesses and farmers, Massachusetts is continuing to prioritize programs like these,” said Gov. Healey. “We know that our students succeed when they have access to healthy food, and we can create partnerships that support local businesses and farms in the process.” “It’s important for students to understand where food comes from and how it is produced and prepared,” said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. “The MA FRESH grants are an important tool that connect students to their local food system and produce, while also providing STEM educational opportunities focused on food literacy, nutrition, plant science and agriculture.” HOME EQUITY THEFT LAW – Last year, the House and Senate approved and the governor signed a law, as part of the state budget, that prohibits cities and towns that foreclose on properties on which the owner owes back property taxes, from keeping all of the profits when the city or town sells the property at auction. Prior to passage of this law Massachusetts law allowed this practice. The new law allows the city or town to keep only the amount owed in back taxes and send the remainder to the owner. Last year, the United States Supreme Court ruled that cities and towns that foreclose on properties on which the owner owes back property taxes, cannot keep all of the profits when the city or town sells the property at auction. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, writing a unanimous decision about a similar Minnesota law, said that “a taxpayer who loses her $40,000 house to the state to fulfill a $15,000 BEACON | SEE PAGE 19

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