Page 14 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JULY 23, 2021 Beacon Hill Roll Call By Bob Katzen THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records the votes of local representatives and senators from the week of July 12-16. $200 MILLION FOR LOCAL ROADS AND BRIDGES (H 3951) House 150-0, Senate 40-0, approved and Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law a bill that includes authorizing $200 million in onetime funding for the maintenance and repair of local roads and bridges in cities and towns across the state. The $350 million package, a bond bill under which the funding would be borrowed by the state through the sale of bonds, also includes $150 million to pay for bus lanes, improvement of public transit, electric vehicles and other state transportation projects. “Public transportation is a public good,” said Senate Transportation Committee Chair Sen. Joe Boncore (D-Winthrop). “The $350 million investment is among the largest Chapter 90 bond bills to date and represents the Legislature’s commitment to safe roads, reliable bridges and modernized transit infrastructure.” “The long-standing state-municipal partnership established under the Chapter 90 program is critical to helping cities and towns meet their transportation infrastructure needs,” said GOP House Minority Leader Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “Today’s agreement continues the House and Senate’s ongoing commitment to support this important road and bridge program.” “When building a better normal post-pandemic, investment in transportation infrastructure is crucial,” said Sen. Pat Jehlen (D-Somerville). “Our communities should feel that their infrastructure is reliable and making it easier for them to go back to their normal activities.” “This legislation recognizes that in addition to the backlog of local OBITUARIES Eileen L. (Sullivan) Ferraro Vivien A (Covino) Regan ter to Rose Larson, Connie Mustone, Gloria Panarello, Grace Price, Josephine Natale, and Francis (Frank) Covino–the only son of a proud Italian father, and that made him a big deal. Mom and her sisters were aff ectionately known as CBS (the Covino Broadcasting System) based on their timely and effi cient dissemination of local “news” from one sibling to the next, a telephone line Vivien manned with her family and friends for the rest of her life. Vivien is survived by her sons Tim (Deb) Regan, Paul Regan, Matt (Kathy) Regan, Jack (Michaela) ReDied unexpectedly on Thursday, July 15 at her home in Revere, she would have celebrated her 89th birthday on July 31. Eileen was born in Lynn; she was raised and educated in Saugus. She was a proud alumna of Saugus High School Class of 1950. After high school, she worked at New England Tel & Tel until the early 1960s. She and her husband were married and settled in Revere where she raised her children. She stopped working to take care and raise her children. She was a proud mother and wife. She was dedicated to her family & extended family. She is the beloved wife of the late Joseph L. Ferraro. Loving mother of Richard L. Ferraro & wife Sheila of York, PA, Laurie M. Ferraro of East Boston & David A. Ferraro of Rockland. Cherished grandmother of Felicia, Brianna, David & Kyra Ferraro. She is also lovingly survived by several nieces, nephews, grandnieces & grandnephews. In lieu of flowers remembrances may be made to Northeast Elder Services, ATTN: “Meals on Wheels”, 300 Rosewood Dr., Danvers, MA 01923. Of Peabody, formerly of Saugus and Winthrop, passed away peacefully on July 17, 2021, at the Melrose-Wakefi eld Hospital. She was the devoted wife of the late Walter J. Regan, with whom she shared over sixty years of marriage. No doubt Dad was waiting with open arms. Born in Boston, she was the daughter of the late Joseph (Giuseppe) Covino who emigrated from Italy and Eva (Studzinska) who emigrated from Poland. Vivien grew up in Winthrop and was a proud graduate of WHS, Class of 1949 (the 49ers). She was also proud not to be a member of the Naughty Niner’s. Her mom, Eva (pronounced Ev ah) had a green thumb, was an animal whisperer, and was terrifi ed of thunder and lightning. When thunder rumbled through Winthrop, her mom would sit on the table in the middle of the kitchen, clasping Holy Water to her chest. No lightning ever dared strike Eva’s Catholic home. Her dad Joseph was a gentle and well-educated man who once owned a fi sh market in Boston and died in his beloved Italy. Vivien was a dear and dedicated sisgan and her daughter who was her “heart”, the aptly named Joy (Andrew) Wallace; her beloved grandchildren, Chris and TJ (Stephanie) Regan, Alex, Matthew and Nicole Regan, Jill, Katie and Samantha Wallace, and Jack and Caitlyn Regan; and by two great grandchildren, Mason Regan and Brody Walter Regan. She loved her siblings’ children as her own and was the “favorite” Auntie Bib to so many loving and devoted nieces and nephews. Their love for our mom was palpable and kept her heart full as she prepared to move on to heaven. Our mom also had a legion of friends, and many would say that she was the glue that kept them together all these years. It is impossible to refl ect upon our mom’s life without thinking of all her Pals. Before she died, she told me to “tell my Pals I love them”. And that she did. To our Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Sister, Aunt, and Friend, we are so lucky to call you ours. Ninety years on earth is quite the accomplishment. What an honor it was to share our time with you. In lieu of fl owers, donations may be made in her name to Saint Jude at www.stjude.org. roads in need of repair, there is an unmet need for local projects that benefi t all modes of transportation,” said Rep. Bill Straus (D-Mattapoisett) House chair of the Committee on Transportation. “I am pleased that the Legislature was able to provide municipal assistance for road work and expanded funding for towns and cities to advance public transit and reduce congestion.” Sen. Paul Feeney (D-Foxborough) said the bill is a smart investment for the commonwealth. “There is no question our local infrastructure is in dire need of repairs and upgrades,” said Feeney. “As we recover from the pandemic and businesses and offi ces reopen, more people are hitting the roads and commuting once again. This comprehensive investment in our transportation infrastructure will put people to work and allow our city and town offi cials to forge ahead with the critical projects necessary to keep our communities moving along safely.” BHRC | SEE PAGE 16 S y Senior Why You Should Create a “My Sa e a BY JIM MILLER Social Security Account” Y Shld C Dear Planning, Checking your offi cial Social Security statement every year is smart move to make sure your posted earnings are correct, which will ensure you get the benefi ts you’re entitled to. But most Americans don’t do it. In fact, most U.S workers have never even created a digital “my Social Security account” so they can access their statement information. Here’s what you should know. Online Statements In 2017, as a cost cutting measure, the Social Security Administration stopped mailing paper Social Security statements to everyone under age 60. The only people who still get statements in the mail are those over age 60 who aren’t yet getting benefi ts and who haven’t set up an online account. (Paper statements, however, are still available to anyone on request by submitting form SSA-7004.) If you haven’t done so, you should create a “my Social Security account” which will give you instant access to your personal Social Security statement so you can check your earning record and get estimates of your future retirement benefi ts at full retirement age, as well as at age 62 and age 70. Your statement will also let you know how much you would qualify for if you become disabled, and how much your family members will receive in survivors’ benefi ts if you die. How to Create an Account? To create a “my Social Security account,” go to SSA. gov/myaccount. When you open the account, you’ll be asked to enter your Social Security number and birth date, and you’ll also be prompted to answer a series of multiple-choice questions that might include inquiries about fi nancial products you Senio nior t nir ior “M Dear Savvy Senior, I’m 58 years old and working on a plan for my retirement. I’ve read that I need to check my Social Security statement every year to validate its accuracy. How do I go about doing this? Planning Ahead own and previous addresses to confi rm your identity. Then you’ll receive a code by either email or text, which you will enter online to complete the process. If you have a problem creating an online account, call 800-772-1213. After you establish an account, you’ll get an annual email reminder to log on and review your statement. If you have a security freeze on your credit report to help ward off fraud, you must lift it temporarily to set up your online Social Security account. Specifically, you’ll need to thaw the freeze at Equifax, the company the administration currently uses to help verify users’ identities. Creating an online account is also a good idea to prevent someone else from fraudulently creating one fi rst and using it to steal benefi t payments in the future. Given the number of security breaches in recent years, it’s possible someone may be able to illegally obtain your sensitive personal information, like your Social Security number, and use it to set up an account in your name. Once you get access to your statement, compare the earnings listed on your statement with your own tax records or W-2 statements. You have to correct errors within 3 years, 3 months and 15 days following the year of the mistake. If you happen to spot a discrepancy within that time limit, call 800772-1213 to report the error. Some corrections can be made over the phone, or you may need to schedule an appointment and go in with copies of your W-2 forms or tax returns to prove the mistake, or you can mail it in. 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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