人生一定要有的八個朋友：
推手(Builder)、
支柱(Champion)、
同好(Collaborator)、
夥伴(Companion)、
中介(Connector)、
開心果(Energizer)、
開路者(Mind Opener)、
導師(Navigator)。
chutze@bostonorange.com
*******************
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Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, and Connecticut Sign First-Time Agreement
for Multi-State Offshore Wind Procurement
This
agreement creates a pathway for a
potential multistate procurement for offshore wind – the first
of its kind in the United States
BOSTON
蘇格蘭的攤位。
– Massachusetts,
Rhode Island and Connecticut today announced New
England’s first offshore wind multi-state
coordination memorandum of understanding (MOU), which
creates a pathway for a potential coordinated selection of
offshore wind as each state solicits offshore wind energy generation
through their
respective state procurements. This MOU is the first
of its kind in the United States.
Governor Maura Healey announced
the MOU at the American Clean Power Association’s Offshore WINDPOWER
Conference in Boston.
Through this MOU, the
three states will together seek multi-state offshore wind proposals
that would expand benefits for the region, capture
cost reductions by developing projects at scale, and develop
into viable projects. In coordinating, the states will amplify
efforts to foster regional economic
development, create high-paying, in-demand
jobs, and promote environmental justice and equity.
The three states request that
offshore wind developers submit multi-state offshore wind project proposals for
consideration by the soliciting parties through their respective offshore wind
procurements for selection in 2024. Combined, the
states’ solicitations are for up to 6,000 MW of offshore
wind.
Actual project selections will
depend on states’ individual assessments of proposals’
costs and benefits to ratepayers and
other evaluation criteria specified in states’ requests
for proposals. Any two or three states may agree to select
a multi-state proposal(s) up to each states’ procurement
authority and split the anticipated megawatts and renewable
energy certificates from a single project.
“The climate crisis requires us
to act in new and innovative ways. Massachusetts is proud to join with our
neighboring states to continue to grow New England’s offshore wind industry,”
said Governor Maura Healey. “By working together,
we can amplify the many benefits of offshore wind for
all three states, including regional economic
development opportunities, healthier communities, lower energy
bills, and advantages to environmental justice populations and
low-income ratepayers.”
“Offshore wind
is an important resource in meeting our Act on Climate and renewable energy
goals,” said Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee. “Regional
collaboration through this three states MOU will not only help in advancing
offshore wind projects of large scale by securing cost-effective energy prices
for ratepayers – but it also provides a significant opportunity for long-term
economic development that the offshore wind industry will bring to the three
states.”
“We can go further when we work
together, and I’m excited to be collaborating with our neighbors in
Massachusetts and Rhode Island on this MOU, which opens up the potential
for us to procure clean energy from offshore wind together at more competitive
and affordable rates, for the benefit of the residents and businesses in our
respective states,” said Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont.
The multi-state
coordination MOU is an agreement between the Massachusetts Department
of Energy Resources (DOER), the Connecticut Department of Energy &
Environmental Protection (DEEP), and the Rhode Island Office of
Energy Resources (OER). The MOU can be found at the following
respective State Energy Office websites: Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.
Governor
Healey Signs First Tax Cuts in More Than 20 Years
$1
billion in tax cuts includes savings for seniors, businesses, renters, and the
most generous Child and Family Tax Credit in the country
BOSTON – Governor
Maura T. Healey today signed into law Massachusetts' first tax cuts
in more than 20 years. The $1 billion package includes key proposals
that Governor Healey has long championed and introduced in her tax cuts
proposal in March, including an expanded Child and Family Tax
Credit that is now the most generous in the country, increases to the
Rental Deduction, Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit, and Housing
Development Incentive Program (HDIP), and changes to the Estate Tax and Short
Term Capital Gains to address areas of the tax code where Massachusetts is an
outlier.
Governor Healey also announced
that she is launching a Cutting Taxes, Saving You Money tour in
communities across the state to raise awareness about the relief coming
for families, renters, seniors and businesses. The tour kicks off
on Thursday with visits to Gardner and Haverhill to celebrate
the savings coming for families and children.
“We are thrilled to
deliver on our promise to pass tax cuts that will result in real savings for
the people of Massachusetts, including the country’s largest child
and family tax credit that will go back in the pockets of
parents and caregivers. Everywhere we go, we hear about how people are
struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living. This tax
package delivers savings for those who need it most, while
making long overdue changes that will better allow Massachusetts to
compete with other states,” said Governor Healey. “We’re
grateful for the partnership of Speaker Mariano, Senate President Spilka and
the Legislature for seeing this through and securing the state’s first tax
cuts in more than 20 years.”
“These tax cuts translate to real
money back in the pockets of the people of Massachusetts every single
year,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “Families, seniors,
renters, businesses and commuters will see hundreds of dollars in savings
each year. Governor Healey and I look forward to spreading the word across
the state that savings are here for the people of Massachusetts.”
“This tax relief package strikes
the critically important balance of providing permanent financial relief to
residents and businesses across Massachusetts, without compromising the
long-term financial security of the Commonwealth,” said Speaker of the
House Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “I’m confident that this tax reform
legislation will help to make Massachusetts more affordable for all residents,
while also helping to make the Commonwealth more competitive with other states.
I want to thank Chairman Michlewitz, the members of the conference
committee and my colleagues in the House, as well as the Governor Healey and
her entire Administration, along with Senate President Spilka and our partners
in the Senate, for working diligently to get this done.”
“When Massachusetts’ middle-class
families succeed, we all succeed—and that is exactly what this tax relief bill
will help us do,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland).
“This legislation answers the calls that we have heard from people around the
state, saying that their costs are rising, they cannot find housing, and it’s
becoming hard to operate a business. It puts real dollars back into the bank
accounts of working families, relieves financial strains for our young
professionals, puts meaningful incentives into developing affordable housing,
and will keep our state competitive for businesses who will invest in our
workforce. I’m deeply grateful to the Governor for signing this legislation
into law, to Chair Rodrigues and the Senate for their tireless work and
support, and to Speaker Mariano and our colleagues in the House.”
Provisions
of the tax cuts package include:
·Child
and Family Tax Credit – Eliminates two-dependent
cap and increases credit from $180 per dependent child, disabled adult, or
senior to $310 for 2023 and to $440 on a permanent basis, starting in
2024. An estimated 565,000 families will benefit, and this will be the most
generous universal child and dependent tax credit in the county.
·Earned
Income Tax Credit (EITC) – increases credit from 30% to 40% of
the federal credit
·Estate
Tax – increases threshold from $1 million to
$2 million with a credit that mitigates cliff effect
·Short-Term
Capital Gains – reduces rate from 12% to 8.5%
·Rental
Deduction – increases cap from $3,000 to $4,000
·Senior
Circuit Breaker Tax Credit – doubles credit, indexed to
inflation, which equates to an increase from $1,200 to
$2,400
·Single
Sales Factor – shifts from three-factor apportionment system based on
business’s share of sales, payroll, and property to apportionment based solely
on sales
·Low-Income
Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) – increases annual program cap from
$40 million to $60 million
·Housing
Development Incentive Program (HDIP) – increases annual program
cap from $10 million to $57 million in 2023, and thereafter
to $30 million annually
·Student
Loan Repayment Assistance – exempts employer assistance for
student loan repayment from taxable income
·Dairy Tax
Credit – increases annual program cap from
$6 million to $8 million
·Cider Tax
Rate – applies lower tax rates to a broadened class of
beverages
·Lead
Paint Abatement Credit – doubles credit to $3,000 for
full abatement and $1,000 for partial abatement
·Title V
(Septic) Tax Credit – triples maximum credit to $18,000, increases percentage
of eligible expenses from 40% to 60%; and allows taxpayers to claim up to
$4,000 in any year, versus $1,500 in current law
·Deductible
Commuter Transit Benefits – adds public transit fares, RTA fares
and bicycle expenses to deductible commuter expenses
·Municipal
Affordable Housing Property Tax Exemption – permits
municipalities to adopt local property tax exemption for affordable real
estate
·Property
Tax Liability Reduction for Senior Volunteer Services –
permits municipalities to increase the maximum property tax abatement available
to seniors who perform volunteer services from $1,500 to $2,000
·Stabilization
Fund Cap – increases the cap on Stabilization Fund deposit from 15%
to 25.5% of budgeted revenues
‘Cutting Taxes, Saving You
Money’ Statewide Tour
In the weeks ahead,
Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll will be visiting
communities across the state to make sure Massachusetts residents know that
savings are coming their way. On Thursday, they will be visiting
Gardner and Haverhill to celebrate tax cuts for children
and families. Additional visits will be announced in the near
future to celebrate relief for seniors, businesses, residents, and more.
Who: Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor
Driscoll
What: Celebrating tax cuts for
Massachusetts children and families
When: Thursday, October 5, 2023, at 11:30 am
Where: Gardner Elementary School, 278 Pearl St,
Gardner, MA 01440
Press: Open
Who: Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor
Driscoll
What: Celebrating tax cuts for
Massachusetts children and families
When: Thursday, October 5, 2023, at 2:00 pm
Where: Haverhill YMCA, 81 Winter Street,
Haverhill (please use Portland Street entrance)
