By Carol Britton Meyer

State Rep. Joan Meschino and state Sen. Patrick O’Connor presented their biannual update to the Hull select board this week during an 1-1/2-hour discussion, noting that Hull’s share of the $58 billion fiscal 2025 state budget is $8.5 million.

Other budget benefits to the town include Chapter 70 (public school) funding totaling $4.08 million and unrestricted general government aid (UGGA) of $2.6 million as compared with $3.996 million and $2.53 million for fiscal 2024, respectively.

This amounts to a 1.97% increase in Chapter 70 funding and a 3% increase in general government funding over last year’s.

Directed local funding to Hull includes $241,683 for free school meals; $273,736 in Chapter 90 funding for transportation-related improvements, including road and bridge repairs; circuit breaker (to offset special education costs), $357,068; and $53,649 for special education transportation.

Also benefitting from the Fiscal 2025 state budget are the Anchor of Hull, $25,000 for expanded programming; an estimated $100,000 partial earmark for staffing and operation of nine Department of Conservation & Recreation beaches, including Nantasket Beach; Hull Lifesaving Museum, $25,000; $30,000 to Hull Police Department to purchase advanced technology equipment; and $15,000 for a fiscal 2024 Hull animal-control vehicle.

Hull home-rule petitions seek to authorize the town to lease, and to extend leases on, town properties such as Nantasket Pier and the Mezzo Mare restaurant building to promote economic development (signed by the governor last January), and to authorize the town to issue pension obligation bonds to cover the unfunded liability of its pension plan (passed in the House last November and currently in the Senate for a third reading).

New recognitions for military service

Other legislation that passed this year relates to the HERO Act that includes new recognitions for military service and other benefits; the Affordable Homes Act that includes provisions for tax credits and incentives, funding for rehabilitation of public housing, housing choice programs, and MBTA Communities as well as to allow accessory dwelling units by right; and Wage Equity and Transparency Act, which requires employers with more than 25 employees to publish salary ranges for all job postings.

Pending legislation of interest explained by O’Connor includes an MBTA Communities appeals process versus a blanket mandate for communities served by transit service to change zoning to accommodate multi-family units in response to the state’s housing crisis (the one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work, O’Connor said); and a municipal building assistance program and creation of an authority to assist municipalities in maintaining existing, and developing new, municipal projects with the added goals of financial sustainability, community development, smart growth, and accessibility.

Financial education initiative

Other legislation would require all Massachusetts public schools to teach financial literacy.

Topics would include, debt, saving, investing, banking, and credit cards, among others.

The goal of this legislation is to provide high school students with an education that prepares them for the financial situations they will face as an adult.

Meschino explained legislation that she is involved with, including a flex pool fund for supportive housing (combination of affordable housing and services); a drought management bill; and creating a continuing revenue stream for local public, educational, and government access television (PEG) facilities.

Other legislation highlights include the long-term care and assisted-living bill and tax relief for Massachusetts residents, including increasing the tax credit for a dependent child, disabled adult, or senior; doubling the maximum senior circuit breaker credit from $1,200 to $2,400; reducing the tax rate on short-term capital gains from 12% to 8.5%; and reducing the estate tax for all taxpayers and eliminating the tax for all estates under $2 million.

The long-term care and assisted living bill limits MassHealth’s estate recovery to the minimum required by federal law and removes estate recovery for residents receiving assistance under CommonHealth and Personal Care Attendant services.

This bill also requires MassHealth to study the cost and feasibility of changes to the eligibility requirements for Medicaid long-term care services with the goal of reducing the time applicants spend awaiting discharge from acute care.

Meschino also provided “special projects” updates, including that ferry ridership hit an “all-time high in July 2024” and that investments are being made in Hingham dock renovations. Select Board Chair Irwin Nesoff noted that a number of Hull residents catch the ferry in Hingham for a better chance to find a space and not be left on the dock. Meschino said people still are being left on the docks in Hingham, and Boston as well.

Both legislators are on board with supporting better communication between the town of Hull and the DCR, and that the old unused hockey rink and dilapidated buildings under the department’s purview should be addressed soon.

“This is our community,” board member Brian McCarthy said.

Town Manager Jennifer Constable said it is important to focus on current progress under the new DCR commissioner.

Both Meschino and O’Connor encouraged Hull residents to contact their offices for constituent services. These could include housing, food insecurity, unemployment, health insurance, and other considerations.

“We’ll listen to concerns and do everything we can,” O’Connor agreed.

For assistance, call Meschino’s office, 617-722-2092, or visit www.JoanMeschino.com; or contact O’Connor’s office, 617-722-1646, www.SenatorOConnor.com.

Upcoming office hours at the Hull Council on Aging for Meschino include Monday, November 18, at 10 a.m., and for O’Connor (same location), Tuesday, November 26, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

“Constituent services is the bread and butter of our work – people come first,” Meschino said.

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