Massachusetts
Many people in Massachusetts will pay less in taxes in 2024. Here’s a look at new laws this year. – The Boston Globe
For now, here are the new laws — and expiring ones — to watch:
More money (to come)
Come 2024 tax season, residents can start taking advantage of many of the cuts and beefed-up tax credits included in the state’s $1 billion tax package. That includes a bigger tax credit for low-income workers, a sizable tax cut for day traders who made short-term capital gains, and a bigger deduction for renters that translates into modest (about $50) savings.
But some parts of the law technically didn’t take effect until Monday, meaning residents can’t realize their full benefits until they file their 2024 taxes, likely in spring 2025. That includes an enhanced tax credit for parents of children or caretakers for disabled adults or seniors.
The law increased credits for child and dependent care from $180 to $310 per dependent claimed on an individual’s 2023 taxes, while also lifting the cap on how many dependents a caretaker can claim. In 2024, the tax credit then jumps $440 per dependent. That means a family with four children could eventually claim $1,760; before the changes, that same family would have been able to claim $360.
Another change going into effect will require all married couples who file joint federal returns to also file jointly at the state level, rather than individually. Some business leaders opposed the measure, but the goal, proponents say, is to prevent wealthy couples from avoiding the so-called millionaires tax, a 4 percent surtax on annual incomes over $1 million, by filing separately.
With the new year, the cap on credits awarded to developers through the Housing Development Incentive Program, or HDIP, also resets to $30 million — up from the $10 million allowed before the bill passed but a drop from the temporary $57 million cap the law set for 2023.
The credit aims to spur more market-rate housing in midsize and smaller cities, and the changes marked one of the first times state House and Senate leaders were in alignment on a major housing policy initiative in 2023. The increase chafed some Democratic lawmakers, who argued that the program’s focus on creating more market-rate housing does little to address a desperate need for more affordable units, too.
Pandemic policies
COVID-19 has not gone away. In some cases, neither have the laws it inspired, at least until early 2024.
The Legislature last March extended several pandemic-era policies, passing language allowing restaurants to sell cocktails to go with takeout meals and for expanded outdoor dining. But those laws — first passed during the depths of the public health emergency as a lifeline to restaurants — are currently slated to end April 1.
That is, of course, unless lawmakers move to extend them again. In the case of cocktails to go, an extension would be the fourth in as many years.
That measure was at a center of a fight between restaurant owners and liquor stores in 2023. Some lawmakers also hesitated, at least initially, to keep the law in place, particularly in the Senate, which greeted the prospect of another extension coolly before the chamber’s leaders ultimately agreed to it.
Steve Clark, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, said his group is already lobbying to extend both policies. Some restaurants, as well as the cities and towns where they operate, need more time to make permanent their plans to create outdoor dining spaces, particularly those in public spaces, such as sidewalks, he said.
Some restaurants, typically ones serving Asian or Mexican food, have also embedded specialty to-go drinks into their offerings, Clark said, arguing that an extension to the rule — or a permanent change — would benefit many establishments still struggling to catch up to pre-pandemic sales.
“If there was more of a sign that it’s going to last forever, people would be more inclined to utilize it,” he said.
Package stores, however, are likely to push back hard on any effort. Rob Mellion, executive director of the Massachusetts Package Stores Association, said that the advantage of selling to-go alcohol “must end” and argued that third-party delivery services are ripe for abuse by underage drinkers.
He pointed to the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission’s most recent annual report from 2021, which said in December of that year alone, every one of the more than two dozens deliveries it investigated went to someone underage.
Sticking with the minimum
One of the more notable developments of the calendar flip is what’s not happening: Those earning the minimum wage in Massachusetts won’t see a pay raise in January.
For years, hundreds of thousands low-income workers — who made $8 an hour a decade ago — could bank on earning more in the new year thanks to legislative changes, including a 2018 law known as the grand bargain. Under that measure, the state’s minimum wage rose each year starting in 2019, gradually increasing to $15 from $11. Minimum wages for tipped employees also steadily rose to $6.75 from $3.75, and the law also gradually phased out mandatory time-and-a-half pay on Sundays and holidays.
Those changes, however, took their final steps in January 2023. When the law passed more than five years ago, the eventual $15 wage floor matched the highest in the country. It still ranks among them, but Connecticut ($15.69), California and parts of New York ($16), Washington state ($16.28), and Washington, D.C., (which hit $17 in July) all have higher minimums.
All told, workers in nearly half of US states were slated to see some type of increase in the new year.
That Massachusetts isn’t among them has prompted calls from labor leaders and advocates to pursue another increase to keep up with the state’s escalating living and housing costs.
“We have an affordability crisis in Massachusetts, and it’s hitting low-wage workers the hardest,” said Chrissy Lynch, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO.
Whether Beacon Hill is prepared to pursue another increase is a different matter. Democratic lawmakers have filed legislation that would gradually raise the wage floor to $20 and then tie future increases to inflation.
But legislative leaders have not signaled they have an appetite to pursue it. In a statement, a spokesperson for Senate President Karen Spilka noted she would review any proposals to increase the wage floor “should they move forward in the legislative process.” Aides to House Speaker Ronald Mariano did not respond to a request for comment.
Healey has said the wage floor should be adjusted “over time” to keep up with the cost of living, but she did not advocate for raising it before the legislative session ends in July.
“Governor Healey is a strong supporter of paying workers a fair wage and will review any legislation that reaches her desk,” said Karissa Hand, a Healey spokesperson.
Matt Stout can be reached at matt.stout@globe.com. Follow him @mattpstout.
GLENS FALLS, NY (WRGB) — A Massachusetts man is facing federal charges after prosecutors say he robbed two banks in separate states and tried to evade investigators by switching license plates—before evidence gathered in New York’s Capital Region helped lead authorities to him.
Joseph Sawyer is accused of stealing thousands of dollars from St. Mary’s Bank in New Hampshire and a Chase Bank in New Jersey last month. In both robberies, prosecutors say Sawyer fled in a Honda Odyssey minivan.
Prosecutors say the minivan originally had Massachusetts license plates, but Sawyer swapped them out with stolen New Jersey plates in an attempt to cover his tracks.
After the second robbery, highway cameras in Albany County captured the minivan as it tried to flee the tri-state area, prosecutors said. The FBI later tracked the vehicle to a motel near Glens Falls, where Sawyer was staying.
Prosecutors also say Sawyer’s own family helped identify him through surveillance photos, linking him to the robberies.
Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR’s Saturday morning newsletter, The Weekender. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
Antique hunters from far and wide are about to descend on a little town in Massachusetts for the return of the Brimfield Antique Flea Market.
Brimfield — a western Massachusetts town of less than 4,000 — has hosted New England’s largest outdoor antiques market for more than 60 years. And the upcoming July 14-19 run marks the second of the market’s three yearly runs. The event boasts “thousands” of vendors and attracts more shoppers than organizers can even count, according to Lori Faxon, owner of the Brimfield Antiques Center.
“For those three weeks, we pretty much overtake the town,” Faxon told me.
Over the course of the six-day stretch, there will be more than 20 different antique shows set up on fields in the town for customers to peruse. “Different fields can have more than 400 dealers. Some will have fewer than that. It varies from show to show,” Faxon said. (Faxon is also the owner of two of those field shows: Dealer’s Choice, which is open one day only, and Midway Antiques, which is open for the length of Brimfield’s run.)
As the years have gone on, it’s not just antique housewares and furniture on display. Vintage clothing and jewelry have become hot commodities at the flea market among the younger crowd, Faxon added.
In other words, there are a lot of hidden treasures to discover. But the search can be daunting if you’re a first-time visitor. So I chatted with Faxon to get a few insider tips on navigating the expansive offerings at Brimfield and how to make the most out of your time:
Editor’s note: This conversation has been lightly edited for clarity.
Hanna Ali: Vendors are scattered, usually, over different fields. Where should a visitor start?
Lori Faxon: “When you come to town, it’s important to know where you’re parking because it’s like a mile-long strip. There’s going to be parking signs everywhere you go. You can park at the [First Congregational Church] for $20. As you go in [to Brimfield] you might find other spots that are charging $10, $15. From Wednesday through Sunday, we offer $5 parking at the Dealer’s Choice. So if people’s budgets are tight, that’s always a good option for them. You might want to park your car more on the west end, because a lot of stuff’s going on on that end of town at the beginning of the week, and maybe on the east end later in the week.”
HA: Are there admission fees?
LF: “So some of the shows do charge admission, but generally they only charge admission either their first day or the first few hours they’re open. And there’s plenty of fields every day that are open that don’t charge at all. But if you want to be a part of that excitement of getting onto the field the moment it opens on a paid admission field, then you pay your $5 or $10 admission. It varies between fields. But if your budget’s tight, you don’t have to do that.”
HA: Do you think it’s really worth it to come as early as possible?
LF: “ It depends on why you’re there. We run the Dealer’s Choice and that field, although we do have a retail crowd, it’s on opening day of Brimfield. And the reason it’s so popular is because sometimes those antique dealers will [come to] my show on Tuesday and they may do another show later in the week.
“Say, for example, you’re a camera dealer. And I am a furniture dealer, and I went in and I bought a house full of furniture, and in the back corner there was a box of old cameras. And the guy says, ‘Do you mind just getting rid of those?’ So I say, ‘All right, I’ll take those.’ So when I set up at the show, I’m basically a furniture dealer, but I’ll throw that box of cameras out for 25 bucks. Well, unbeknownst to me, there’s a $2,000 camera in that box. Well, the first camera guy that spots it, he just made himself a cool about 2,000 bucks. And that’s why they’re willing to pay that extra money to go in early — because they want to get to it before someone else does.”
HA: In that case, is it worth it for the average retail shopper to come early?
LF: “If you have specific things in mind and you’re able to come earlier, it’s the better thing to do because you’ll get a better selection. I don’t want to say it’s picked over, because some of the dealers bring out new merchandise throughout the week, but it dwindles as the week goes on and it’s to your advantage to come early. Also, it’s less crowded.”
HA: Are there any food vendors you’d suggest?
LF: ”There’s a ton of food to be had there. Every field has multiple offerings in the food department. We have a woman that’s from Worcester, her name’s Teri, she’s been on my field for years, and she sells the best grilled cheese sandwiches you’ve ever had in your life. They’re to die for. And people come to Brimfield just to eat her grilled cheese sandwich.
“But you know, once again, if the budget’s tight, they can pack a lunch, go back to their car, and enjoy a meal there. They can bring their own drinks and snacks or whatever. But if they have a few extra dollars, there are so many food options to choose from. It’s great.”
HA: Is there anything else people can or should bring?
LF: “Especially in the summer, I tell people to bring drinks, stay hydrated, because we do have issues, especially with the elderly, the heat gets to them a little bit.
“And to wear good walking shoes. These are actual fields, so you don’t want to be wearing your flip-flops. This is a good day to put on a good pair of sneakers, and sometimes there’s a little bit of mud if it’s rained the day before. And also — because I don’t know that there’s anywhere in town that sells sunscreen — bring your sunscreen with you.”
HA: If you’ve got a whole day versus a few hours, or you’re staying in the area for the whole week, what would you recommend doing?
LF: “I would say it really doesn’t matter. Like, deep down, it’s wherever you end up, wherever you park your car, just you basically start hoofing it in one direction. When you reach the end, you turn around, you start in the other direction. If you have a few hours, then you’ll just see what you see. And if you’re there for the whole week, you’ll see more of it. You don’t want to rush it because there’s so much there to see — you could spend a whole day in one booth.”
P.S. — Before you hit the road for Brimfield, check out these tips from two Boston vintage store owners on what sorts of labels and quality markers to keep an eye out for as you search for secondhand treasure.
A vehicle crashed into a hair salon in Danvers, Massachusetts, leaving three people injured on Thursday.
Police said the crash happened shortly before 3:30 p.m. at Beijo Beauty on Newbury Street.
Three people inside the business suffered injuries that are believed to be non-life-threatening, police said. All three were taken by ambulance to local hospitals.
A fire official at the scene said the three patients’ injuries are considered minor. The building was evacuated after the crash.
One customer told NBC10 Boston she stood with an injured person while someone called 911, adding that her own car had been damaged.
“I was done, I was just about to get up. If I had been in my car, I would have gotten really hurt,” she said. “My car got totaled.”
Police did not say whether the driver would face any charges.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
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