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Mass. paid out $6.63 billion in pensions last year, with a handful topping $300,000 – The Boston Globe

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Mass. paid out .63 billion in pensions last year, with a handful topping 0,000 – The Boston Globe


“If you’re asking me to answer that question in terms of numbers, yes, we have a huge sustainability problem,” said Charlie Chieppo, a senior fellow at the Boston-based Pioneer Institute. “If you’re asking me to answer it in terms of politics, it seems to me that we’re pretty patient.”

The highest-paid beneficiary last year was Thomas D. Manning, a former deputy chancellor at the UMass Chan Medical School, who earned $349,905, according to data from the state comptroller’s office. Manning worked with UMass for 34 years before his retirement in 2012, according to the school’s website.

The next two highest-paid retirees were also affiliated with UMass Chan. Vivian Budnik, a neuroscientist who retired in 2024, collected $341,804, while Joyce Murphy, vice chancellor of Commonwealth Medicine until 2018, collected $341,061.

One of the highest state pensions goes to William Bulger, who was paid $274,538 last year as the former president of the UMass system. The longtime Senate president resigned from UMass in 2003, after details about his relationship with his then-fugitive brother, James “Whitey” Bulger, came to light.

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Almost all the top recipients were former employees of the University of Massachusetts system; of the top 20, only former Springfield Public Schools superintendent Daniel J. Warwick had no ties to the system. (Warwick retired in 2024 after 48 years in local public education. He collected $239,669 in benefits in 2025.)

Despite the eye-popping pensions received by the state’s former top earners, Shawn Duhamel, chief executive of the Mass. Retirees Association, noted the average pension payment is significantly lower.

Last year, the average annual pension was about $48,700, according to state data. For Massachusetts teachers, the average pension was approximately $51,800, and for other state employees, roughly $45,600.

Massachusetts is one of a handful of states that does not participate in Social Security for its public workforce, Duhamel said. Even public retirees who do qualify for Social Security, through past work in the private sector, often get the “lion’s share” of their retirement income from their public pension.

“The success of the pension system is absolutely critical to someone’s retirement security and peace of mind in retirement,” he said.

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State employees must have completed at least 10 years of service to have their pension vested, meaning they are eligible to receive state benefits. To officially retire and start collecting those benefits, they must be either older than 55 (in some cases, 60) or have completed 20 years of service.

How much they collect depends on their length of service and their highest annual salaries over three consecutive years (in some cases, five years), per state guidelines. Annual pension payments are capped at 80 percent of their three-year (or five-year) average.

David Holway, president of the National Association of Government Employees, said the “vast majority” of state employees are rank-and-file administrators and blue-collar workers who generally pay off most, if not all of their own retirement benefits through their salary contributions. (Different groups of state workers contribute different amounts depending on their pension classification.)

“I‘m not talking about the doctors at UMass Medical and the other high-paid employees at the state universities,” said Holway, whose union represents workers at UMass, MassDOT, and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, among other agencies. “I’m talking about the average person that goes to work for the state and does their job every day under tough circumstances.”

Though beneficiaries in academic, administrative, and medical fields received the highest pension payments, the state agency with the most benefits overall was the Department of Corrections. The state paid roughly $220.8 million to roughly 4,400 DOC beneficiaries last year.

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Next was the Massachusetts State Police, whose beneficiaries received $204.5 million last year. The average benefit totaled $83,810, the highest number for any state agency with more than 1,000 recipients.

The highest-earning State Police beneficiary was John D. Pinkham, a former lieutenant colonel in the Division of Standards and Training who retired last year. He collected $199,736.

Certain quasi-public state agencies are excluded from the state’s pension system, including the MBTA, which has its own pension fund. The City of Boston also operates its own retirement system, which paid $760.6 million in benefits to approximately 15,000 beneficiaries in 2024, the most recent data available.

The state pension system provided benefits to 135,820 people last year, roughly 1,700 more than in 2024, per state data. That number represents an increase of about 5 percent from 2020, and about 14 percent from 2015.

Massachusetts’ pension fund is coming off two successive quarters of record balances, reaching $121.1 billion in the first quarter of 2026, according to a statement from the state Pension Reserves Investment Management board, or MassPRIM. The fund has also outperformed the 7 percent net return target, with a 9.6 percent yearly return in fiscal year 2025.

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A board spokesperson provided comment from MassPRIM chief executive Michael Trotsky, who said at a Dec. 4 meeting that the organization remains “pleased and confident” about the fund’s performance.

The board’s confidence stands in contrast to uncertainty surrounding state pension plans across the country. A report released earlier this month by firm Equable found that most public pension plans in the country are “still distressed or fragile,” though the percentage of nationwide plans that are funded improved slightly.

“The sobering reality is that despite three years of solid returns and record-high contribution rates, public plans have barely recovered the ground lost in 2022’s market downturn,” the report reads. “Public pension funds are surviving, but they are not thriving.”

Chieppo, of the Pioneer Institute, said there are several changes to the pension system that could offer workers more flexibility and lessen the financial burden on the state, though for now that seems unlikely.

“The reality is that the state pension should have changed years and years ago to be made more sustainable, so that the funded level doesn’t go down or continue going down, so that it’s not so volatile, so that people don’t have to stay [in public jobs] when they don’t want to,” he said. “But you know, it’s awfully hard, and that’s a generous way to put it, to actually make any of that happen.”

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But compared with other public retirement funds — namely, the troubled MBTA Retirement Fund — Chieppo said the state pension system “looks like Fidelity.”

Union president Holway said pension plans are one of the few advantages the public sector has when competing with private industry for employees.

“If you didn’t have a pension system, you didn’t have health insurance, if you didn’t have vacation, then why would you go to work for the state?” Holway said. “State employees are paid less than their counterparts in the private sector, so you have to give them a reason to actually take a job.”


Camilo Fonseca can be reached at camilo.fonseca@globe.com. Follow him on X @fonseca_esq and on Instagram @camilo_fonseca.reports. Neena Hagen can be reached at neena.hagen@globe.com.





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Massachusetts

Massachusetts bakery that made signature pizza trays for more than 100 years closes for good

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Massachusetts bakery that made signature pizza trays for more than 100 years closes for good



A Framingham institution that has been in business for more than a century closed its doors for the final time on Sunday.

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Framingham Baking Company, known for its signature pizza trays, has officially shut down permanently. Crowds have been lining up around the block in the shop’s final days, with Sunday serving as their last day in business.

“That’s a wrap! Special thanks to all of our loyal customers! It was a great run. We love you!” Framingham Baking Company posted on Facebook Sunday after selling its final slices of pizza.

Founded in 1917, the bakery on Waverly Street became known for the square pizza slices.

The third-generation owners say they couldn’t find anyone to take over the business.

“We’re closing today after 109 years in business,” owner Joan Thomas said. “My grandparents, my parents, and my siblings – three generations have run this bakery.”

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Customers explained why they were willing to wait in long lines to get their hands on some treats one more time.

“So many years of eating this pizza, and the bread, and the cookies. You had to be there for the end,” one woman said.

“My grandfather was a delivery guy for a long time. My first job was riding around with him in the van delivering to all the local restaurants. It’s tough to see it close, but it’s had an amazing run. Here for my last delivery. Bring some pizza home to my family,” another man added.

One customer waiting in line said it wasn’t just pizza the Framingham Baking Company provided, it was memories.

“Brought it to the cousins’ every birthday party, every gathering. Any time there was family there was pizza,” he said. 

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Massachusetts’ middle-class income range is highest in US., topping out at over $200K

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Massachusetts’ middle-class income range is highest in US., topping out at over 0K


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Your household can earn more than $200,000 a year and still be considered part of the “middle class” in Massachusetts, according to a recent study by SmartAsset.

Massachusetts ranks as the top state with the highest income range for households to be considered middle class, based on SmartAsset’s analysis using 2024 income data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The Pew Research Center defines the middle class as households earning roughly two-thirds to twice the national median household income.

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According to a 2022 Gallup survey, about half of U.S. adults consider themselves middle class, with 38% identifying as “middle class” and 14% as “upper-middle class.” Higher-income Americans and college graduates were most likely to identify with the “middle class” or “upper-middle class,” while lower-income Americans and those without a college education generally identified as “working class” or “lower class.”

Here’s how much money your household would need to bring in annually to be considered middle class in Massachusetts.

How much money would you need to make to be considered middle class in MA?

In Massachusetts, households would need to earn between $69,900 and $209,656 annually to be considered middle class, according to SmartAsset. The Bay State has the highest income range in the country for middle-class households. The state’s median household income is $104,828.

In Boston, the range is slightly lower. Households need to earn between $65,194 and $195,582 annually to qualify as middle class, giving the city the 19th-highest income range among the 100 largest U.S. cities. Boston’s median household income is $97,791.

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How do other New England states compare?

Massachusetts has the highest income range for middle-class households in New England. Here’s what households would have to earn in neighboring states:

  1. Massachusetts (#1 nationally) – $69,885 to $209,656 annually; median household income of $104,828
  2. New Hampshire (#6 nationally) – $66,521 to $199,564 annually; median household income of $99,782
  3. Connecticut (#10 nationally) – $64,033 to $192,098 annually; median household income of $96,049
  4. Rhode Island (#17 nationally) – $55,669 to $167,008 annually; median household income of $83,504
  5. Vermont (#19 nationally) – $55,153 to $165,460 annually; median household income of $82,730
  6. Maine (#30 nationally) – $50,961 to $152,884 annually; median household income of $76,442

Which state has the lowest middle-class income range?

Mississippi ranks last for the income range needed to be considered middle class, according to SmartAsset. Households there would need to earn between $39,418 and $118,254 annually. The state’s median household income is $59,127.



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‘No Kings’ protests draw thousands against the Trump administration who are ‘fed up, pissed off, and also hopeful’ – The Boston Globe

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‘No Kings’ protests draw thousands against the Trump administration who are ‘fed up, pissed off, and also hopeful’ – The Boston Globe


Dropkick Murphys frontman Ken Casey altered the lyrics of some songs to criticize Trump and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“Let’s ship them out of Boston,” he told the crowd, referring to ICE agents and echoing lyrics from “I’m Shipping Up to Boston.” “Are you with us?”

Pressley followed, telling demonstrators the “world is on fire.”

“It is going to take every single one of us doing everything we can to put this fascist, white nationalist fire out,” Pressley said. “The only way to beat a dictator is with defiance.”

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Some of the faces in the crowd at the “No Kings” protest on Boston Common.Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff
The Dropkick Murphys perform during the protest.Finn Gomez for the Boston Globe

The flagship national demonstration was held in Minneapolis, where US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti were killed in January during a massive federal immigration crackdown that ended last month.

Bruce Springsteen performed “Streets of Minneapolis,” the protest song released after the killing of Pretti with lyrics describing the city as “aflame” under “King Trump’s private army.”

In Massachusetts, organizers staged 169 demonstrations, said Rahsaan D. Hall, president and chief executive of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts and emcee for the Boston Common event.

Saturday’s gatherings marked the third time protesters have mobilized under the “No Kings” banner since the first protest last June. Another round of protests took place in October.

Demonstrators gathered as the US war in Iran entered its second month with oil prices surging and Trump declaring victory is at hand even as thousands of additional American troops head to the Middle East.

Within the GOP, congressional leaders are at odds over funding the US Department of Homeland Security, which has been partially shut down since mid-February and has a new leader, Markwayne Mullin. Trump fired his predecessor, Kristi Noem, earlier this month following controversies over her leadership.

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Mihika Gogate, 24, who recently moved to Boston from North Carolina, said she was demonstrating for “absolutely everyone in this world that is suffering at the hands of the decisions of our fascist leader at the moment.”

She carried a sign depicting a Joker playing card featuring Trump with a crown on his head.

“I think, especially now, it’s such a scary time to be an adult in this world,” Gogate said. “It’s not just something that is affecting one of us. It’s affecting all our futures and our current realities.”

Michael Payne, Jean Carroon, and Maxie Chambliss were at the “No Kings” protest on Boston Common.Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff
The crowd on Boston Common was reflected in the horns of the performers.Finn Gomez for the Boston Globe

In Quincy, demonstrators gathered outside City Hall were encouraged to remain politically active.

“We hate what Donald Trump is doing. I’m tired of being in a state of exhaustion, and he’s bombarding us every day,” said Donna Cunningham, 51, a Quincy resident. “We need events like this to remind ourselves that we’re not alone in our little islands of our homes.”

On Boston Common, Sara Welch filmed the bustle as she walked through the park en route to Cheers. A resident of Hastings, Minn., Welch said she’s in the area for work.

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“It means a lot, especially with everything that went on in our state with ICE,” Welch said.

Yet some questioned whether large demonstrations are generating the changes they seek.

Warren May, a demonstrator from Watertown, said the Women’s March held the day after Trump’s first inauguration in 2017 was the last time he participated in such a large protest.

“That was really kind of great and inspiring and wonderful, but look where we are now,” May said. “It’s just gotten worse.”

John Cluverius, who teaches political science at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell, said the mass demonstrations signal to elected Democrats that the opposition to Trump “is real and is tangible.” His popularity has slipped since the last “No Kings” demonstrations in October, he said.

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“Being the party out of power has a very isolating effect on both individuals and voters — the sense that they’re out of control of the destiny of the country,” Cluverius said. “There is almost an affirming effect for people to gather in these places and get the sense that even though they’re opposed to so many things that are happening, they’re not alone.”

There are also signs that the protests are pushing elected officials to answer demonstrators’ demands, Cluverius said.

On Friday, Senate Republicans abandoned vows to resist any deal for Department of Homeland Security funding that did not include money for ICE and US Customs and Border Protection, by voting to do just that.

“Senate Democrats … did not defect in any way, and I think that speaks to the fact that these rallies were today,” Cluverius said.

Several exhibitions on Boston Common brought attention to the impact of Trump’s policies.

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An installation called “Eyes Wide Open — The Cost of War” featured rows of shoes, backpacks, and toys symbolizing the more than 160 children killed at an Iranian school during the opening day of US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

“We hope that this will cause people to pause and consider the humanitarian impact of this war,” said Ziba Cranmer, 54, who belongs to the Massachusetts chapter of the National Iranian American Council.

An ice sculpture reading “END ICE” was carved by artist Kat Carves.

“It’s a very powerful message,” said Lisa Mahoney, 66, of Beverly.

Most Americans disapprove of Trump’s performance as president, according to YouGov polling on behalf of The Economist, which found this month that his net approval rating is at -18 percentage points.

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His deportation agenda, attacks on higher education, and efforts to nationalize elections are deeply unpopular in Massachusetts, which backed his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris, in the 2024 election.

A February poll by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center found 72 percent of Massachusetts residents disapprove of Trump’s overall job performance, driven largely by fears that he threatens democracy.

Dave Beyna, portraying George Washington, arrived at the protest on Boston Common before it started.Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff
Protesters sit at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument at the “No Kings” Boston rally.Andrew Burke-Stevenson/for The Boston Globe

Changes to the childhood vaccination schedule paused for now by a federal judge in Boston, new eligibility limits to public safety net programs under Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, and research funding cuts have also drawn opposition here.

Sonya Shropshire-Friel of Dover, N.H., said her parents protested during the civil rights movement and were arrested as college students in Elizabeth City, N.C.

“I thought if they can do that, I can show up here today,” she said.

Trump’s rhetoric and the actions of his immigration enforcement agents “really make America unsafe,” Shropshire-Friel said.

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“He has made people more inclined to be unkind and cruel toward one another,” she said. “I need to be out here with people who are also fed up, pissed off, and also hopeful.”


Laura Crimaldi can be reached at laura.crimaldi@globe.com. Follow her @lauracrimaldi. Anjali Huynh can be reached at anjali.huynh@globe.com. Aayushi Datta can be reached at aayushi.datta@globe.com.





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