Monday, April 29, 2013
Bits of knowledge to help make you the smartest person on the bus.
Here are 5 pieces of information designed to make your Monday feel a lot less like Monday and to help make you the smartest person in the coffee shop. 1. Your 3-Day Local Weather Forecast: 2. It's Happening Today: The Tewksbury Special Education Parent Advisory Council (TSEPAC) will be meeting tonight at 7 p.m. at the Wynn School. For a look at the agenda, click here. 3. Reader Comment of the Day: "Well you people must be masochistic, you like being whipped! You're being whipped everyday by these tyrants that have taken over your government! You let them tax you on everything you do in life! They tax your income , state , fed, ss ,medicare, tax from your pay at a ridiculous rate, then they double the ss, med tax on self employed, on top of…
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Should the state forge ahead with Gov. Deval Patrick's bold plan to invest now? Or should it follow the Legislature leadership's proposal to address the bottom line before embarking on bigger initiatives?
Massachusetts legislators this week answered Gov. Deval Patrick's ambitious plan to raise $1.9 billion for transportation and education with a $500 million plan of their own, which says the governor is asking for too much, too soon as the Bay State shakes off the effects of the Great Recession. Who's right? Should the state forge ahead in a bold plan to invest now? Or should it cautiously address the bottom line before embarking on bigger initiatives? While Patrick's plan includes funding for both the state transportation system and increased education funding from preschool through college, House and Senate lawmakers eschew new revenue for education, focusing solely on closing the transportation budget gap over the next five years. The …
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
The countdown is on for Tax Day!
Friday, November 30, 2012
Massachusetts Democrats in Congress want to avoid cuts in benefits as part of any deal, but proposals such as raising the eligibility age for Medicare are still on the table. What would you do?
As Congress negotiates a deal to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff" on Jan. 1, Massachusetts' congressional representatives have voiced their opposition to any cuts in benefits such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, the Boston Globe reports. However, there are proposals still on the table that would change those benefit programs, including linking Social Security benefits to a more conservative inflation index that would slightly reduce annual increases, or raising the eligibility age for Medicare from 65 to 67. The Globe reported that while the Bay State's legislators were united against changes to Social Security, there's some wiggle room on Medicare. Rep. Ed Markey opposes raising the Medicare eligibility age; Rep. Michael …
Friday, November 23, 2012
Gov. Deval Patrick plans to ask lawmakers to raises taxes to make up for the shortfall in Massachusetts' transportation system. What options should they consider and what's off the table?
Would you be willing to pay more at the pump, have a tracking system on your car that taxes you by the mile, or see tolls on state highways? Those are just some of the possibilities looming as Massachusetts looks to erase the state's transportation system's deficit. The Boston Globe reported that Gov. Deval Patrick will ask lawmakers to raise taxes in order to pay for a transportation system—from the MBTA to roads and bridges—that continues to operate in the red. The administration will present a specific proposal by Jan. 7. One option is raising the gas tax, a route Patrick sought in 2009 only to be rebuffed by the legislature. Patrick sought a 19 cent increase while business groups endorsed a 25 cent increase. Ultimately, the state …
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Mother Jones released a video of Mitt Romney telling a private audience that 47 percent of Americans are dependent on the government and will never vote for him. Was this a ruinous gaffe, or has Romney told a hard political truth?
A secret video obtained by Mother Jones magazine has rocked the political world. In that video, Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney said 47 percent of Americans believe they are victims, are dependent on the government and will never vote for him. He went further, saying he wasn't worried about them. The magazine released a portion of the video Monday. In a late night press conference Monday, Romney said the comments were not "elegantly stated," but were part of a larger conversation about the role of personal responsibility. Romney went on to say the comments were a reflection on "the political process of winning an election, and, of course, I want to help all Americans—all Americans—have a bright and prosperous future." Mother …
Monday, January 23, 2012
Bill keeps unemployment insurance tax in check.
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Monday, January 23, 2012
(Editor's note: The following information was submitted by state Rep. James Miceli.) Rep. James R. Miceli and his colleagues at the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a supplemental spending bill that among other issues will halt a scheduled 25 percent spike in the cost of unemployment insurance. Without legislative action, businesses in the Commonwealth would see an average of $141 per employee increase in their unemployment insurance tax bringing the total cost to $935 per worker which could have resulted in layoffs. It will mark the fourth straight year lawmakers intervened to prevent the increase. The spending bill also includes an increase of $21 million in heating assistance for needy residents. The extra assistance was…
Friday, January 20, 2012
The latest news and events from the Tewksbury Senior Center.
The Silver Tones Band will hold its monthly dance at the Senior Center this Friday, January 20th from 7-10 PM. Tickets will be available at the door at $10 per person. The public is welcomed. The following meetings have been scheduled: Tickets for the Mohegan Sun trip of February 6th are now available. Our AARP Volunteer Tax Assistants will begin helping Senior Citizens with their tax returns next month. To sign up for an appointment, one may drop by the Senior Center or call 978-640-4480 to place his/her name on the sign-up sheet at the front desk. The Director will then call those on the list to arrange an appointment time. Please note that the Tax Assistants DO NOT, however, help prepare Schedule C, Schedule E or complicated/lengthy…
42.612068
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Tewksbury Senior Center
175 Chandler St, Tewksbury, MA
/articles/tax-assistance-available-for-seniors
780863
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Friday, January 6, 2012
It generates tax revenue, to be sure, but is it worth it?
Recently, the Foxboro Board of of Selectmen voted, 3-2, against a proposal to allow construction of a resort casino in their community. Admittedly, such a project would generate millions of dollars in tax revenue each year, helping to lower residential property tax rates. Supporters of casino gambling also say such projects boost other avenues of the local economy and generate local job growth. Opponents in Foxboro argued that the increased tax revenue is moree than offset by increases in crime, addictive activities and overall changing the nature of the community. So our poll question this week asks if a resort casino would be welcomed in Tewksbury.
Friday, December 16, 2011
State announces drop in unemployment and a slight reduction in income tax.
Tewksbury residents are receiving two early Christmas gifts from the state in terms of positive economic data. Officials from the Department of Revenue are announcing that that income tax rate will be lowered on Jan. 1, 2012. The rate, currently at 5.3 percent, will fall to 5.25 because state tax collections rose at a sufficient rate to trigger the reduction. “This is great news for the taxpayers of Massachusetts,” _said state Sen. Barry Finegold._ “Growing revenues have allowed the state to give taxpayers a break, something that is much valued in these tough economic times. Being that this is the first tax cut in 10 years, I think that says a lot about the stability of the Commonwealth at this time.” The second piece of good news comes …
Andrew Sylvia
9:26 pm on Tuesday, April 9, 2013
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