“[Losing donations] would mean we would have to not see as many young people,” said Elisabeth Jackson, CEO of Bridge Over Troubled Waters, which supports homeless and at-risk teens and young adults. “It might also mean [we have]to close programs.”
Of Bridge Over Troubled Waters’ $12 million budget last year, $2 million came from individual donors. If the cap takes effect, Jackson fears that segment of funding could decline.
“It’s not just a cap on the deductions given to individuals that give to a nonprofit. It’s the whole ecosystem of how that money gets used to service young people, to pay for staff and their livelihood,” said Jackson. “It would be just a whole ripple effect.”
The concerns are adding to what Jackson called a “double hit,” as many nonprofits face a climate of uncertainty amid the threat of federal funding freezes.
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Healey has acknowledged the “evolving situation” of cutbacks in federal funding for nonprofits since she first filed her budget proposal. The governor said in a budget hearing March 6 she was open to revisiting the proposed cap.
“With what’s happened in the last few weeks, there’s been concern from not-for-profit organizations, which we know are going to probably be facing even greater strain than ever,” said Healey.
A cat named Sonja awaited adoption in Boston this week at the MSPCA, one of many nonprofits that have concerns about a proposed state cap on charitable deductions.David L. Ryan/Globe Staff
The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network, which represents more than 700 of the state’s charities, opposes the cap and worries that it will threaten a substantial income source for vital community organizations, said CEO Jim Klocke.
“The state charitable deduction matters,” said Klocke. “It’s an important, significant, positive tool that promotes giving in Massachusetts, and we should not be cutting back on it in any way right now.”
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Nonprofits’ funding often comes from a few different sources, such as government grants and foundation contributions, Klocke said, but individual donations are something nearly every nonprofit relies on.
“When one type of funding comes under attack, it can have very direct, very significant effects right away,” said Klocke.
In order to hit the maximum deduction, a person would need to donate $5,000 in a year – sothe proposed cap would not impact many middle-class donors, experts said.
The “everyday American” is the target for thecurrentstate deduction, said Ray Madoff, a professor at Boston College Law.
The federal deduction more benefits the ultra wealthy, she said.Under the federal charitable deduction, 90 percent of Americans do not receive any tax benefits for what they donate because they claim the standard deduction,Madoff said.Meanwhile, she said,the wealthiest Americans can deduct up to 74 percent of what they donate in tax savings.
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“For federal purposes, a wealthy donor who makes a well-planned donation can save income taxes, capital gains taxes, and estate and gift taxes. And that’s how it gets to be such a high number,” said Madoff.
Brianna Leon, a community outreach manager with MSPCA, handed free items to a Boston resident at the MSPCA in Jamaica Plain. The MSPCA is among the nonprofits that are concerned about a proposed state cap on charitable deductions.David L. Ryan/Globe Staff
The state charitable deduction was originally approved by 72 percent of voters in 2000, but Massachusetts lawmakers suspended it in 2002 and put its implementation on pause again in 2021 after rejecting a veto from former governor Charlie Baker. Massachusetts taxpayers have been able to claim the deduction in three years since the 2000 vote — 2001, 2023, and 2024.
The cap is a “sensible compromise,” said Phineas Baxandall, policy director at the left-leaning Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, as it would free up a large portion of the state’s budget for other initiatives and make the state tax system more equitable by limiting how much the wealthy can use the deduction to grow their wealth further.
More than half the people who take the state charitable deduction have incomes over $1 million, according to Baxandall. By placing a cap, he said, it allows the deduction to benefit middle-class donors most.
There is also no guarantee that people who take the deduction donated to a Massachusetts charity, a factor Baxandall said makes the costly deduction not directly benefit the state in many cases.
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“For the state, the deduction is really a lose-lose with half the promise of a win,” said Baxandall.
With the heavy reliance on donations for many nonprofits, any loss of income can have long-lasting impacts. The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animalsdependson individual donors to fund many of its programs, said Mike Keiley, vice president of the MSPCA’s Animal Protection Division.
“Anything that runs a potential risk on limiting that is worrisome,” said Keiley.
Allyson Barr, a volunteer, cleaned up the dog pens at the MSPCA, one of many nonprofits concerned about the proposed cap on charitable deductions. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff
In 2023, close to a third of the MSPCA’s budget came from donations, according to a spokesperson.Keiley said he’s optimistic state leaders will consider the stability of nonprofits, as he believes they have in recent years.
“We’re hoping for the best but are preparing for challenges ahead,” said Keiley.
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Capping the state deduction could cause changes in how people plan out their giving. Financial planners often advise their clients on how to best time donations to claim maximum deductions, often leading to larger sums being shelled out to nonprofits. With the cap, this strategy would only go so far, lessening an incentive to donate big, said Jack Heintzelman, a financial planner at Boston Wealth Strategies.
“We might not need to accelerate or make a large, significant contribution, and we can just do it over several years if there’s not really much benefit in doing either,” said Heintzelman, who added his clients are passionate about their charitable causes and want to make donations in the most beneficial manner for both the organizations and themselves.
The Legislature will review the budget and vote on a final version that will take effect July 1. The Senate Ways and Means committee is reviewing the governor’s proposal now, said a spokesman for committee chair and Senator Michael J. Rodrigues, a Fall River Democrat,who added the budget should be one that “uplifts residents and increases opportunity while maintaining our fiscal discipline.”
Maren Halpin can be reached at maren.halpin@globe.com.
Good morning! We’ve got snow on tap for today, which will linger most of the day and night across southeastern Massachusetts. We’ll dry out in the early evening for most of the rest of eastern Massachusetts, with north central Massachusetts drying out the quickest.
Snow will be widespread throughout the morning and into the early afternoon. As we get to the late afternoon, snow becomes more isolated over central Massachusetts but is still hanging around the coast, southeast Mass. and the Cape and islands.
Into the evening, the snow will become ocean-enhanced over southeast Mass. and the Cape/islands.
That’s where totals will be the highest.
4 to 6 inches of snow is expected there by late Sunday night.
For the rest of us, just a chance for a few inches.
After this storm it’s all about the cold wind. Monday’s lows will drop to the teens with highs in the mid 20s. But a biting wind will make it feel only like the negative single digits in the morning and the teens in the afternoon. Bundle up! At least the sun will be out.
Tuesday is looking mostly sunny and not windy. Lows will drop to the teens with highs in the low 30s. Wednesday, breezy again with a start in the 20s and afternoon temperatures mild in the low 40s. Thursday will be downright warm! We’ll hit the upper 40s with chances for rain in the evening. Friday we’ll reach the low 50s with chances of rain in the morning. Saturday looks dry, partly sunny with highs back to near normal in the mid 30s.
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FILE – A man is using a special electric saw to cut a granite counter in a residential kitchen in preparation for installing a new range top. Getty Images
A Massachusetts man has been diagnosed with a life-altering lung disease linked to popular kitchen countertops.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed this week that its first case of silicosis had been diagnosed in a Hispanic man in his 40s who, for the past 14 years, worked for stone countertop fabrication and installation companies.
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What is silicosis?
Big picture view:
Silicosis is a serious, incurable lung disease caused by inhalation of crystalline silica, which is found naturally in granite and other stones. Silicosis can become progressively disabling and sometimes prove fatal. It almost always results from work-related exposures.
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Dig deeper:
Silica dust particles become trapped in lung tissue, causing inflammation and scarring and reducing the lungs’ ability to take in oxygen, according to OSHA.
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Symptoms:
Symptoms of silicosis can include shortness of breath, cough and fatigue. Workers exposed to airborne crystalline silica also are at increased risk for lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and kidney disease.
What they’re saying:
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“Silicosis is a devastating, life-altering disease – and one that is also absolutely preventable,” said Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD. “Massachusetts employers in industries where workers are exposed to silica dust have a responsibility to protect their workforce, including from harmful airborne dust. No worker should have to suffer from a chronic and insidious lung disease or possibly die because of a preventable exposure at work.”
Tanning beds could triple melanoma risk, new study finds
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Countertop disease
Big picture view:
Crystalline silica commonly occurs in nature as the mineral quartz, and is found in granite, sandstone, quartzite, various other rocks and sand. Cutting, grinding, chipping, sanding, drilling and polishing these natural and manufactured stones can release various levels of crystalline silica dust particles that can be inhaled if proper protections aren’t in place.
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Dig deeper:
Engineered or manufactured stone, also commonly called quartz, is particularly problematic since it has more crystalline silica than natural stone.
By the numbers:
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For example, the average percent of crystalline silica in engineered stone is at least 90% in quartz and engineered stone, vs. a 10-45% makeup in granite, according to an OSHA hazard alert.
What you can do:
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Certain engineering controls, such as water spraying systems or remote-controlled tools, can be used to mitigate risk, as well as by wearing proper respiratory protection.
Silica cases in the U.S.
Big picture view:
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Most engineered stone workers with silicosis in the U.S. were exposed to silica at their jobs for over ten years, although some were exposed for less time.
The backstory:
The first reported case of silicosis in the U.S. associated with exposure to silica dust from engineered stone was identified in Texas in 2014, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Since then, other states have reported hundreds of cases, and dozens of deaths, particularly in California.
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Dig deeper:
In the U.S., most engineered stone workers with silicosis are relatively young, male, and Hispanic/Latino. This largely reflects the demographic composition of this industry’s workforce.
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In 2023, over half of workers in this industry were under 45 years old, nearly three-quarters were men, and more than 1 in 3 were Hispanic/Latino, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Source: Information in this article was taken from a Dec. 9, 2025, alert from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Background information was taken from OSHA. This story was reported from Detroit.
Outdoor dining is out, and igloo dining is officially in.
While winter makes it difficult for diners to enjoy meals outside, several restaurants across Massachusetts break out heated igloos to give guests a chance to still have an outdoor dining experience.
Here’s where you can get that experience for yourself.
206 North Spencer Road
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Black & White Grille has heated igloos for outdoor dining from now until the spring of 2026. The igloos are available daily for lunch and dinner. The igloos fit up to six people, and dining is limited to an hour and 45 minutes. At least two people are required to reserve an igloo, which also comes with a $30 deposit. Reservations can be made online via OpenTable or by calling the business at 508-885-5018.
2 Mercantile St.
Worcester’s first rooftop bar has heated igloos that offer views of downtown. The igloos fit up to six people and can be reserved for up to two hours. Each one costs $50 per party and is available from 4 to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Reservations, which are required, can be made via OpenTable or by calling The Mercantile at 774-389-5180.
2027 Massachusetts Ave.
From November to April, the Inn at Hastings Park in Lexington offers an igloo dining experience called the “INNgloo Wonderland.” The igloos fit up to six people and are available for lunch Monday through Friday, dinner Monday through Saturday, Saturday High Tea from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday Champagne Brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Each INNgloo features a faux fireplace heater, mini speaker and twinkly lights. It costs $120 to rent. Reservations can be made online or by calling the Inn at 781-301-6655.
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160 Merrimack St.
Take in views of the Merrimack River from Haverhill’s coastal Italian restaurant, BOSA Coastal Italian. Guests can order from BOSA’s full menu while hanging out in the heated igloos, decorated with LED lights and blankets. The igloos will be open until spring. The igloos fit 6 to 8 people and can be reserved Monday through Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m., Friday from 4 p.m. to midnight, Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Reservations can be made by calling BOSA at 978-641-3149.
70 Sleeper St.
Boston’s popular rooftop igloos and iceboxes are back at the Rooftop at The Envoy Hotel in Seaport. The igloos, which offer views of Boston’s harbor and skyline, can fit groups of up to six people. The heated igloos also come with blankets for extra warmth. Guests can try one of the rooftop’s seasonal cocktails, such as the Gin-gle Bell Hot Toddy or Winter Garden Spritz, as well. Reservations can be made online for two hours at a time. The phone number is 617-530-1538.
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2261 Dorchester Ave.
The Bowery Bar in Dorchester has three heated yurts on its private patio available in the winter. The yurts can be reserved for lunch Monday through Friday, for dinner any day of the week and for brunch on weekends. Depending on the experience, the yurts have a food and beverage minimum of $100, $150 or $200 for a two-hour booking. Reservations can be made online, and any changes should be made by calling The Bowery Bar at 617-698-2261.
973 Providence Highway
Mick Morgan’s in Sharon has eight igloos available during the winter. The restaurant does not take reservations, so all igloos are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The igloos can fit six people and have no time limit. People can call Mick Morgans at 781-806-0066 for more information.
260 W Water St.
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The igloos at Riverhouse Weir Village in Taunton have returned for the winter season, along with the restaurants’ popular Igloo Gingerbread Nights. The igloos fit up to eight people and cost $50 to reserve. Reservations must be made by calling the restaurant at 774-501-2003.
75 Ferry St.
For $5 a person, you can reserve an igloo at The Tipsy Toboggan in Fall River. The restaurant offers igloos for 5 to 8 people and an igloo cabin with tables for up to 4 people. The winter garden can be booked for brunch, lunch or dinner. Reservations last up to two hours and can be made online. The phone number is 508-567-0550.
Did we miss any? Please let us know at dcifarelli@masslive.com.
