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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, DECEmbEr 22, 2023 Page 13 Raising Cane’s wins approval on permit to open two-lane drive-through on Route 1 South By Mark E. Vogler R aising Cane’s, a fastfood chicken tender restaurant that originated in Baton Rouge, La., hopes to be operating a fastfood drive-through restaurant on Route 1 South late next fall. Selectmen voted 5-0 to grant the company a Special Permit (S-2) under town zoning so it can operate at 799 and 799R Broadway. “Raising Cane’s is a hot spot for Saugus kids,” Selectman Anthony Cogliano said Tuesday as he praised the company. “They flock to the Commonwealth Ave. store in BosBEACON HILL | FROM PAGE 12 sonal freedom to make their own decisions. They express concern that primary enforcement will result in racial profi ling and more minorities being pulled over for suspected violations of the law. MASSACHUSETTS LAW ENFORCEMENT MEMORIAL FUND (H 2417) – Would establish the Massachusetts Law Enforcement Memorial Fund to maintain the Massachusetts Law Enforcement Memorial in Ashburton Park outside of the Statehouse. The memorial honors Massachusetts law enforcement personnel killed in the line of duty. “I sponsored [this bill] to provide for the sale of specialty license plates with the proceeds directed towards the stewardship and upkeep of the memorial,” said sponsor Rep. Tom Walsh (D-Peabody). “Having attended the annual Massachusetts Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation ceremony for fallen officers, I can attest to the deep appreciation the commonwealth has for our law enforcement families as well as the need for this legislation to provide a stable, off-budget funding source to properly maintain this monument to our police offi cers.” QUOTABLE QUOTES “Farmers are on the front lines of an increasingly volatile climate. When the farming community is hurting, we are hurting. Our administration has been committed to helping these farms in their time of need. The agricultural industry is instrumental in our food system and the overall economy. We hope this funding will go a long way towards ensuring this ton. It would be a welcome addition to Saugus,” he said. Cane’s still must obtain approval from the Planning Board and Conservation Commission before it is able to proceed with the project. Selectmen approved operating hours of 10 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. on Monday through Thursday and Sunday; 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Cane’s was seeking a 3:30 a.m. closing time for Friday-Saturday. The company specializes in chicken fi ngers, French fries, Texas toast and coleslaw, prepared in what its owners call “a unique concept.” “We’ve been looking for a sector remains resilient.” ---Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll announcing $20 million in grants to Massachusetts farms that experienced significant crop losses due to a deep February freeze, a late May frost event and catastrophic flooding in July. “The disruption of the pandemic hurt students in every corner of the Commonwealth, and the data is clear: if we do not act with urgency to mitigate that learning loss, its negative impacts will be with us for years and generations to come.” --- Jay Ash, president and CEO of Massachusetts Competitive Partnership, on recent data that has found signifi cant learning loss since the start of the pandemic, with Massachusetts student achievement scores falling by 12 percent in reading and 8 percent in math. “Every year, vehicle emissions are linked to thousands of deaths in the Northeast. Large bus companies must be held accountable for ignoring idling laws designed to limit toxic emissions and protect public health.” --- Heather Govern, Director of Conservation Law Foundation’s Clean Air and Water program. “Cash has to be accepted everywhere.” ---Attorney General Andrea Campbell on reports that some businesses have refused to accept cash for payment for services or items. 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 asBob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com Bob founded Beacon Hill Roll Call in 1975 and was inducted Mon. Dec. 11 House 11:02 a.m. to 11:16 a.m. Senate 11:18 a.m. to 11:22 a.m. Tues. Dec. 12 No House session No Senate session Wed. Dec. 13 No House session No Senate session Thurs. Dec. 14 House 11:01 a.m. to 11:53 a.m. Senate 11:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Fri. Dec. 15 No House session No Senate session location in Saugus for about three years,” Adam Acaracci, Cane’s, if approved by the Planning Board and the Conservation Commission, a 3,300 Square foot single story building with a two-lane drive-through. The property is located near the Hilltop Restaurant site. Board of Selectmen Chair Debra Panetta expressed concerns about residents who live near the planned business might be aff ected by late-hour light emanating from the area. But the company said the lights would be shielded and be facing in toward the restaurant rather than topect 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 December 11-15, the House met for a total of one hour and six minutes and the Senate met for a total of 34 minutes. ward area homes. The sound level would be only slightly louder than the noise level of area traffi c, Acaracci told selectmen. Attorney Richard Magnan, who is representing Raising Sa Cane’s, said he was optimistic about getting a favorable review from the Planning Board at a meeting set for Jan. 4. Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree noted “it’s a big lot with some challenges with it.” Sa nr nior What Is the y Senior Seni by Jim Miller Retirement Saver’s Credit and How Does It Work? Dear Savvy Senior, Can you explain to me how the retirement saver’s tax credit works? My wife and I are in our fi fties and are looking for creative ways to boost our retirement savings beyond our 401(k). Is this something we may be eligible for? Struggling to Save Dear Struggling, If your income is low to moderate and you participate in your employer-sponsored retirement plan or an IRA, the Retirement Savings Contribution Credit (aka “Saver’s Credit”) is a frequently overlooked tool that can help boost your retirement savings even more. Here’s how it works. If you contribute to a retirement-savings account like a traditional or Roth IRA, 401(k), 403(b), 457, Thrift Savings Plan, Simplifi ed Employee Pension or SIMPLE plan, the Saver’s Credit will allow you to claim 10, 20 or 50 percent of your contribution of up to $4,000 per year for couples or $2,000 for singles. Keep in mind that a credit is not the same as a tax deduction – it’s better: While a tax deduction just reduces the amount of your income that is subject to taxes, a tax credit reduces your actual tax bill dollar-for-dollar. To qualify, you must also be at least 18 years old and not a full-time student and were not claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return. And your adjusted gross income (AGI) in 2023 must be below $73,000 or less as a married couple fi ling jointly, $54,750 or less if fi ling as head of household, or $36,500 or less if you’re a single fi ler. These income limits are adjusted annually to keep pace with infl ation. To get the 50 percent credit, you’ll need to have an income below $43,500 for married couples fi ling jointly; $32,625 if you’re fi ling as head of household; and $21,750 if you’re a single fi ler in 2023. The 20 percent credit rate applies to couples earning between $43,501 to $47,500; for head of household fi lers it’s $32,626 to $35,625; and for individuals it’s $21,751 to $23,750. And the 10 percent rate is for couples with an adjusted gross income between $47,501 and $73,000; for head of household fi lers $35,626 to $54,750; and individuals it’s between $23,751 and $36,500. Here’s an example of how this works. Let’s say that you and your wife earned $75,000 in 2023. Over the course of the year, you contributed $4,000 to your employer’s 401(k) plan. After deducting your 401(k) contribution, your adjusted gross income (AGI) on your joint return is now $71,000. Since your AGI puts you in the 10 percent credit bracket, and you’ve contributed the $4,000 maximum that can be considered for the credit, you are entitled to a $400 Saver’s Credit on your tax return. It’s also worth mentioning that the Saver’s Credit is in addition to any other tax benefi ts you get for your retirement contributions. So, in the previous example, not only would you be entitled to a $400 credit, but you would also be able to exclude the $4,000 401(k) contribution from your taxable income. So, if you’re in the 12 percent tax bracket, this translates to an additional $480 in savings, for a total of $880. How to Claim To claim the Saver’s Credit, you will need to fi ll out Form 8880 (see IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8880. pdf) and attach it to your Form 1040 or 1040NR when you fi le your tax return. For more information on the Saver’s Credit, see IRS Publication 590-A “Contributions to Individual Retirement Arrangements” (IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p590a.pdf). The IRS also off ers an online quiz you can take to help you determine if you qualify for the Saver’s Credit. To access it go to IRS.gov/Help/ITA – click on “Do I Qualify for the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit?” under the “Credits” tab. 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. ior

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