By Bob Katzen
“Massachusetts has some of the most beautiful state parks in the country, and it takes all of us to preserve them for generations to come. In honor of Earth Day, it’s nice to get outside and celebrate our natural spaces.”
—Gov. Maura Healey who along with First Lady Joanna Lydgate, visited Torbert MacDonald State Park in Medford to celebrate Earth Day.
Continue reading This Week’s QUOTABLE QUOTES On Beacon Hill
By Bob Katzen
Would create a process for handling the care of incapacitated patients who don’t have a health care proxy. The measure would allow attending physicians to appoint surrogate decision makers and identifies several candidates for that role, including the incapacitated patient’s spouse, unless legally separated, parent, adult child or adult sibling.
Continue reading HEALTH CARE SURROGATE (S 1047)
By Bob Katzen
Would establish regulations over what happens to a decedent’s digital assets including social media, e-mail and online accounts.
By Bob Katzen
Would prevent a parent’s disability to be considered a negative factor in determining custody or parenting time with a child unless there is specific evidence that there is a link with the parent’s disability and a child’s alleged harm. It must also show that this harm cannot be prevented or alleviated by accommodation.
Continue reading DISABLED ADULTS AND CHILD CUSTODY (S 1164)
By Bob Katzen
Would give the courts the authority to terminate alimony payments and deny future alimony petitions if the spouse receiving the payments has been convicted of spousal abuse.
Continue reading PROTECT SURVIVORS OF SPOUSAL ABUSE FROM ALIMONY PAYMENTS (S 1236)
By Bob Katzen
Here is the total annual salary for local representatives including the three categories of base pay, stipends and general expense pay allowance.
Continue reading TOTAL SALARY FOR REPRESENTATIVES
By Bob Katzen
Legislators are no longer entitled to collect “per diems” to reimburse them for mileage, meals and lodging expenses for travel from their home to the Statehouse. These reimbursements were discontinued in 2017. Continue reading REPRESENTATIVES ARE NO LONGER ELIGIBLE FOR PER DIEMS
By Bob Katzen
For many years until recently, representatives who live more than 50 miles from the Statehouse were eligible for a special federal tax break. A 1981 federal law allowed them to write off a daily expense allowance when filing their federal income tax return. The complicated system determined a daily amount, ostensibly for meals, lodging and other expenses incurred in the course of their jobs, which can be deducted for every “legislative day.” Continue reading REPRESENTATIVES WHO LIVE 50 MILES FROM THE STATEHOUSE ARE NO LONGER ELIGIBLE TO PAY A REDUCED OR NO FEDERAL INCOME TAX ON THEIR LEGISLATIVE SALARY
By Bob Katzen
HEALTH INSURANCE – Representatives are eligible to choose from 11 health insurance plans offered by the state’s Group Insurance Commission, which manages the plans for 259,929 individuals—current and retired state workers, as well as certain municipal workers and their dependents.
Continue reading Insurance for Representatives
By Bob Katzen
Legislators are entitled to a parking space inside the Statehouse garage or at the nearby McCormack State Office Building. Continue reading PARKING SPACES
By Bob Katzen
One hundred and eight of the state’s 160 representatives receive an additional stipend, ranging from $7,776.07 to $119,631.81, above the $82,044.31 base salary, for their positions in the Democratic and Republican leadership, as committee chairs, vice chairs and the ranking Republican on some committees. The stipend is increased or decreased every two years based on data from the BEA that measures the quarterly change in salaries and wages. Continue reading EXTRA PAY FOR 108 REPRESENTATIVES
By Bob Katzen
The base salary for the state’s 160 state representatives rose from $73,655 for the 2023-2024 session to $82,044 for the 2025-2026 session. That’s an 11.39 percent hike which means an additional $8,389 per representative. The estimated price tag for the hikes is $1,342,240.
Continue reading NEW HIGHER $82,044 BASE SALARY FOR REPRESENTATIVES
Virtual meeting scheduled for Wednesday, May 14, will give residents opportunity
to learn what to expect during upcoming construction, review the new street design, and ask City staff questions. Continue reading Somerville Community Invited to Tufts Street Reconstruction Kick-off Meeting
The Somerville Police Department completed a RAD Women’s Self Defense class on April 14, 2025 at the police department. Continue reading Somerville Police Department Completes RAD Women’s Self Defense Class
Billy Goodspeed, of Somerville, passed away in the early hours of Monday, April 28, 2025. Born October 22, 1980, Billy was a lifelong sports fan, especially of wrestling. Continue reading Somerville/Medford Remembering Billy Goodspeed
Obituary
Mario Medeiros, of Somerville, passed away surrounded by his loving family on April 25th, 2025. He was 45 years old. Continue reading Somerville/Medford Remembering Mario Medeiros
Obituary
Jane M. (Ward) Doherty, of Medford, passed away surrounded by the love of her family on Easter Sunday, she was 72.
Continue reading Somerville/Medford Remembering Jane M. (Ward) Doherty
The Somerville Police Department collected $1,400.00 along with seven dresses from members of the Police Department. Continue reading Congratulations to the Somerville Police Department and thank you for a job well done!
Dear Billy T and Somerville/Medford News Weekly Speakup Line,
Talk about singling out certain groups of individuals. Continue reading Somerville Singling Out Certain Groups
Arrest
25020761: On 4/16/25 at approximately 6:28 PM, Somerville Police responded to YMCA for a weapons call. Upon arrival, officers spoke with the victim who stated he got into a physical altercation with another male. After the altercation, the male suspect pointed a firearm at the victim’s door. Officers then conducted a search of the suspects room and located a semi-auto handgun with a defaced serial number and .45 caliber ammo. The suspect was then placed under arrest.
Shots Fired Continue reading Somerville Police Department Weekly Crime Log
It’s now on YouTube as well so enjoy! As always the truth with no filter! Follow Us On Facebook https://www.facebook.com/william.tauro.54
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Episode #16 “On Air with Billy Tauro” 04/28/2025 discussing multiple anonymous letters, inboxes and weird stuff I’m getting in the mail. Today celebrating Trump‘s first 100 days in office with 100 overnight arrests of your illegal immigrants at a nightclub which involved drugs, prostitution and green-cards!
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