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Page 14 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MAY 7, 2021 SAUGUS GARDENS IN THE PANDEMIC Here’s what’s blooming in town this week to make your walks more enjoyable By Laura Eisener M any of the fl owering dogwoods blooming around town were very likely Mother’s Day gifts from years past. Because it typically blooms in early May, it was a popular gift, until a fungus disease made it diffi cult to maintain. Now there are some disease-resistant hybrids available, but there are also other trees and plants that would be appropriate since so many trees, shrubs and perennials are bursting into bloom this week. Like the flowering dogwoods (Cornus fl orida), eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) is a lovely small woodland tree which is sometimes planted in sun or part shade for its attractive fl owers. Redbud usually grows in areas south and west of Massachusetts, but it thrives in gardens here. Deep pinkish purple buds bloom before the leaves. A member of the pea family (Fabaceae), you can see the resemblance of the blossom to sweet peas and other members of this family. The leaves which will develop as the fl owers fade later this month are heart shaped. A few redbuds are planted at the entrance to Breakheart, next to the stone pillars which mark the start of the paved road. The only two plants named after fi sh that I can think of are both blooming this time of year. Shadblow (Amelanchier canadensis) got its name because when it blooms this indicates that the shad, an important small local fish, is swimming upstream to spawn. Settlers gave the shrub this name, but it has been called a few other names as well – serviceberry, sometimes spelled sarvisberry or just plain sarvis, and saskatoon. It is also known as Juneberry because of the early ripening fruit. Some say the name serviceberry came from the fact that the weather was fi nally mild enough for itinerant preachers to travel to rural areas to conduct church services. Saskatoon comes from the Cree word for Pacifi c serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia). There are several species of Amelanchier in North America with similar fl owers. American shad (Alosa sapidissima) is a type of herring highly valued as a food by local Native Americans and by Beacon Hill Roll Call By Bob Katzen A note from Bob Katzen, Publisher of Beacon Hill Roll Call: Join me this Sunday night and every Sunday night in our new time slot between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. for my talk show “The Bob Katzen Baby Boomer and Gen X Show.” Jump in my time capsule and come back to the simpler days of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Upcoming guests: Sunday, May 9: Tony Dow, best AMERICAN TROUT LILY: From a North American bulb grows one of the earliest local wildfl owers. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) known for playing Wally Cleaver on the iconic television series “Leave it to Beaver.” Sunday, May 16: Susan Olsen best known for her role as Cindy Brady on the classic television series “The Brady Bunch.” Listeners are always invited to call in and talk with our popular guests. There are many ways you can listen to the show from anywhere in the world: If you have a smart speaker, simply say, “Play WMEX on Audacy.com” Download the free www.Audacy.com app on your phone or tablet Listen online at www.wmexboston.com Or tune into 1510 AM if you have an AM radio. THE HOUSE AND SENATE. BeaPAPER BIRCH CATKINS: at Breakheart Reservation. Not all the fl owers blooming now have showy, colorful petals. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) con Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of April 26-30. All the House roll calls are on the House version of a $47.7 billion fi scal 2022 state budget for the fi scal year that begins on July 1, 2021. A LOOK BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE BUDGET “DEBATE” Most of the decisions on which A CLOSEUP VIEW: shadblow blossoms at Birch Pond. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) European settlers. Saugus Ironworks Park Ranger Paul Kenworthy says the small fi sh can often be seen from the bridge just outside the ironworks fence as they jump the rocks there in a shallow part of the river at this time of year. The fish can also be seen someGARDENS | SEE PAGE 16 representatives’ amendments are included or not included in the budget are made “behind closed doors.” Or in the COVID-19 era, “behind closed Zoom meetings.” Of the 1,157 budget amendments proposed, most of them were bundled into consolidated “mega” amendments. This year there were seven mega amendments and all but one, which had just one vote against it, were approved unanimously. There is no real “debate” on the House fl oor. Everyone who spoke on any of the consolidated amendments spoke in favor of them. The system works as follows: Individual representatives fi le amendments on various topics. All members then pitch their amendments to Democratic leaders who draft consolidated amendments that include some of the individual representatives’ amendments while excluding others. The categories of consolidated amendments include some 16 subjects including programs relating to public safety, judiciary energy, environmental aff airs, housing, labor and economic development. Supporters of the system say that any representative who sponsored an excluded amendment can bring it to the fl oor and ask for an up or down vote on the amendment itself. They say this system has worked well for many years. Opponents say that rarely, if ever, does a member bring his or her amendment to the fl oor for an upor-down vote because that is not the way the game is played. It is an “expected tradition” that you accept the fate of your amendment as determined by Democratic leaders. Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven (D-Somerville) was the only member who voted against one of the consolidated amendments. “It is worth noting that [my] ‘no’ vote is the only non-unanimous vote taken for the entire House budget, showing how little transparency, public debate and public accountability there is in the House budget process,” she said. HOUSE APPROVES $47.7 BILLION FISCAL 2022 BUDGET (H 4000) House 160-0, approved and sent to the Senate a $47.7 billion fiscal 2022 state budget for the fi scal year that begins on July 1, 2021. The House, over three days, added $59.8 million to the bill. The House version now goes to the Senate which will approve a diff erent version. A House-Senate conference committee will eventually craft a plan that will be presented to the House and Senate for consideration and sent to the governor. “This budget meets the needs of our residents who have endured an unprecedented level of health and economic challenges over the past year,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy). “The House continues to support the services and programs that have proven to be essential for so many, while making targeted investments to grow the Massachusetts economy.” Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante (D-Gloucester), vice chair of the House Ways & Means Committee said, “The economic development measures and strong social service supports position Massachusetts to recover from the pandemic and continue growing.” “Budgets are more than line items and spreadsheets” said Rep. Jack Lewis (D-Framingham), co-chair of the House Progressive Caucus which hailed the budget. “Budgets are promises to support all the residents of the commonwealth and invest in our shared future. This House budget embodies the deepest commitments of our commonwealth by raising the Conservation Land Tax Credit, increasing support for families living in deep poverty and expanding funding to civil legal aid, emergency housing assistance and public education.” (A “Yes” vote is for the budget). Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Donald Wong Yes CONTINUE THE FILM TAX CREDIT (H 4000) House 160-0, approved an amendment that would indefi nitely extend the fi lm tax credit which is due to expire at the end of 2022. According to the Massachusetts Film Offi ce, the state provides filmmakers with a package of tax incentives including a 25 percent production credit, a 25 percent payroll credit and a sales tax exemption. Any project that spends more than $50,000 in Massachusetts qualifi es for the payroll credit. Spending more than 50 percent of the total budget or fi lming at least 50 percent of the principal photography days in the Bay State makes the project eligible for the production credit and the sales tax exemption. “Since the inception of the fi lm tax credit in 2006, $2.8 billion in economic development has fl owed into Massachusetts, stimulating many businesses that previously were not here, and creating new employment opportunities for thousands of people,” said the amendment’s sponsor Rep. Tackey Chan (D-Quincy). “It is essential, especially in light of the pandemic, that the commonwealth continues to champion job preservation, growth and continued investments in our local businesses.” (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment). Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Donald Wong Yes EXPAND CONSERVATION LAND TAX CREDIT (H 4000) House 160-0, approved an amendment that would expand the existing Conservation Land Tax Credit by raising the annual cap for this program from $2 million to $5 million over a three-year period, beginning on January 1, 2022. The increase would remain in place until December 31, 2031. This state tax credit provides an incentive for land with signifi cant conservation value to be donated to public and private conservation agencies. The tax credit is equal to 50 percent of the fair market value of the donated property, up to a maximum credit of $75,000. Supporters explained that the tax credit has already resulted in the permanent protection of some 14,000 acres of land valued at over $76.5 million. They noted that for 2021, the maximum $2 million in tax credits has already been committed to 33 projects that will protect about 1,954 additional acres. They said that leaves 83 additional projects representing another 1,482 acres of land on a waiting list with some of the projects expected to be waiting until at least 2024 to receive the tax credit. “The recent passage of the 2050 Roadmap bill recognized that naturally occurring carbon sequestration is a very important component of the state’s ability to reach its short and long-term goals for reducing carbon emissions,” said House Minority Leader Brad Jones (R-North Reading), the sponsor of the amendment. “Increasing the tax credit program’s annual cap will help to clear up the backlog of projects that are currently pending and will reap sigBHRC | SEE PAGE 15

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