Day: October 13, 2023

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I Spy…

OCTOBER 11, 2023 ~ SAWYER FREE LIBRARY

Join Sawyer Free Library and Backyard Growers on Saturday, October 14 from 10 to 11 a.m. to hear pumpkin stories while decorating your own pumpkin. All supplies and pumpkins will be provided.

Best suited for school aged children ages 4 and up. Registration required.

This event will be held at Backyard Growers (107 Rear Maplewood Avenue.) Questions? visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or call 978-325-5500.

Pumpkin Decorating with SFL & Backyard Growers

OCTOBER 10, 2023 ~ CMANEY27 

At Seaside Cemetery on Saturday, October 14th, from 2 to 4PM the free cemetery event, “Bad Choices, Bad Luck”, will give you the opportunity to meet a group of people who died in Gloucester between 1905-1933 and were buried in the City Home Lot of Seaside Cemetery.

In appearance the City Home Lot is a grassy, open field with slight undulations that shelters the bodies of 118 individuals.  Only 5 individual burial markers currently exist. The stories you will hear involve those individuals that died in the Gloucester almshouse or were unclaimed at the time of death or died as unknowns.

Present day Gloucester locals will assume the persona of those interred in the City Home Lot so that their individual stories can be shared with you.

The stories told come from extensive research by Sharron Cohen who unearthed the details of those buried in the City Home Lot.

To enter Seaside Cemetery (88R Langsford Street, Gloucester, MA 01930) from Lanesville, take the second left off Langsford Street or to enter from Rockport, take the second right off Langsford Street. Attendants will direct you to a parking spot. The cemetery’s roads are narrow and uneven so please be patient and drive slowly. The terrain in the cemetery is irregular, so be cautious when walking. Rain date Sunday, October 15, 2023, at 2PM.

For more details and registration go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bad-choices-bad-luck-tickets-726363772597?aff=oddtdtcreator

See you on the 14th!

BAD CHOICES, BAD LUCK

team volunteering at the Gloucester 400th Cultural Heritage Festival this past weekend.

News from the office of Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante

Dear Joey, With the goal of providing financial relief to families across the Commonwealth while making Massachusetts more competitive with other states, the Massachusetts Legislature overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan tax relief package supporting residents across all income levels, which was signed into law last week by Governor Maura Healey.The bill includes the following tax changes: Child and Dependent Tax Credit The bill increases the refundable tax credit for a dependent child, disabled adult, or senior from $180 to $310 per dependent in taxable year 2023, and then to $440 in taxable year 2024 and beyond, while eliminating the child/dependent cap. This expanded credit, which will benefit more than 565,000 families, will be the most generous universal child and dependent tax credit in the country.Estate TaxMassachusetts’ current estate tax, which has not been updated in many years, has become an outlier in several ways.  The changes made in this bill update the tax to bring it more in line with other states and eliminate punitive elements of the tax for those with incomes just high enough to trigger it. The bill reduces the estate tax for all taxpayers and eliminates the tax for all estates under $2 million by allowing a uniform credit of $99,600.Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)This bill increases the refundable Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) from 30 percent to 40 percent of the federal credit. This increase will provide crucial support to working individuals and families, benefitting nearly 400,000 taxpayers with incomes under $60,000.Single Sales Factor Apportionment Currently, most businesses in Massachusetts are subject to a three-factor apportionment based on location, payroll, and receipts. To support companies headquartered in Massachusetts, this bill establishes a single sales factor apportionment in the Commonwealth based solely on receipts, matching what 39 other states currently do. Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit This bill doubles the refundable senior circuit breaker tax credit, which supports limited-income seniors facing high rents or real estate taxes, from $1,200 to $2,400. This change is expected to impact over 100,000 seniors across Massachusetts. Rental Deduction Cap This bill increases the rental deduction cap from $3,000 to $4,000. This is expected to impact about 800,000 Massachusetts taxpayers.Short-Term Capital Gains TaxAt 12 percent, Massachusetts is among the states with the highest short-term capital gains tax rate, and taxes short-term capital gains at a higher rate than long-term capital gains. The bill lowers the short-term capital gains tax rate to 8.5 per cent. Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP)The bill increases the statewide cap from $10 million to $57 million for 2023, and subsequently to $30 million annually, which will provide Gateway Cities with an expanded tool to develop market rate housing. This increase is estimated to create 12,500 new homes in Gateway Cities and spur over $4 billion of private investment in these communities.Low Income Housing Tax CreditThis bill raises the annual authorization from $40 million to $60 million. This increased authorization cap provides enough funding to spur the creation of thousands of new units of affordable housing annually while also bolstering economic development.Local Option Property Tax Exemption for Affordable HousingThis new policy will permit municipalities to adopt a local property tax exemption for affordable real estate that is rented by a person whose income is less than a certain level set by the community.Title V Cesspool or Septic System Tax CreditThis bill will triple the maximum credit from $6,000 to $18,000 and increases the amount claimable to $4,000 per year, easing the burden on homeowners facing the high cost of septic tank replacement or repair. Additional Tax Changes Lead Paint Abatement: Doubles the credit to $3,000 for full abatement and $1,000 for partial abatement, to support families with older homes.Dairy Tax Credit: Increases the statewide cap from $6 million to $8 million, to provide more assistance for local farmers during downturns in milk prices.Student Loan Repayment Exemption: Ensures that employer student loan payments are not treated as taxable compensation.Commuter Transit Benefits: Makes public transit fares, as well as ferry and regional transit passes and bike commuter expenses, eligible for the commuter expense tax deduction.Apprenticeship Tax Credit Reforms: Expands the occupations for which this workforce development credit is available.Cider Tax: Raises the maximum amount of alcohol for these classes of drinks to 8.5 per cent, allowing more locally produced hard cider and still wines to be taxed at a lower rate.Senior Property Tax Volunteer Program: Increases from $1,500 to $2,000 the maximum that municipalities may allow for certain seniors to reduce from their property tax by participating in the senior work-off program.Additional Reforms In addition to tax relief, the bill updates Chapter 62F of the Massachusetts General Laws, which triggered nearly $3 billion in taxpayer refunds in 2022. This law requires that excess revenue be returned to taxpayers when tax revenue collections in a given fiscal year exceed an annual tax revenue cap. This bill ensures that each credit is applied equally to every taxpayer.The bill also adjusts the Stabilization Fund cap, allowing the Commonwealth’s savings account to retain more funding. In addition, the bill requires married taxpayers who file a joint return with the federal government to file a joint state return, subject to exemptions or adjustments promulgated by the Department of Revenue (DOR).

$15.95 Lobster Roll

Half off Large Cheese & One Topping Pizzas! excludes slices & gluten free crusts

978-281-1700

Yesterday was one of those fall days that makes it my favorite season, especially here in Gloucester. I was driving around and just a little bit inland, the skies were turning grey and threatening. But near the water, the sky was spectacular especially when reflected in the water. These are from Lily Pond where the colors haven’t quite turned yet but there were enough bursts of red and yellow to make it glorious.

CAPE ANN CLASSIC CARS ON THE GREEN

This is the best little autumn classic car show in New England! More info at: http://www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org