Restaurant owners have sought financial help from the state for months as they struggle through the COVID-19 pandemic. On Friday, the lifeline came into view.
The Massachusetts House is proposing to create a new “Distressed Restaurant Trust Fund,” financed in part from proceeds from legalized sports betting. The measure was included in an economic development bill that emerged from a budget-writing committee on Friday. The measure also would legalize sports betting, estimating it would yield $50 million in new gaming revenues.
So that's why $ports have to be put back on to TV!
State government needs revenue!
That's what they expect you to do with your UBI, gamble it on the games you are watching back home as tech geniuses game the $y$tem.
It's not for us and our mental health.
This stinking COVID drill and fraud has become so obscene it is an abomination!
BOYCOTT $PORT$!
The bill provides for directing 30 percent of new sports-betting revenue to the restaurant fund. That translates to $15 million a year, assuming the Senate approves this language. The money would be doled out in one-time grants, up to $15,000 per restaurant, to address the financial impact of COVID-19, and could be used to cover rent, payroll, and insurance, among other expenses.
In March, restaurants were told, almost overnight, to close operations except for takeout and delivery. They were allowed to reopen in June but with limits on seating capacity.
The creation of a distressed restaurant fund has been championed by the Massachusetts Restaurant Association as well as Massachusetts Restaurants United, a new organization formed by independent owners in the early days of the pandemic. Both groups said they welcomed the assistance but also hope that the funding sources aren’t limited to sports-betting taxes.
Why should we prop up a dying industry?
“We certainly appreciate the Legislature understands that there is one industry … that really has been harmed the most and they feel the need to assist us,” said Bob Luz, chief executive of the MRA; however, he questioned whether sports betting would generate enough money to make a significant difference in keeping many restaurants from closing.
It won't be enough, and I was told time is of the essence a month ago.
Spokespeople for the MRU, meanwhile, said they are asking the Legislature to keep the door open for some federal assistance to be directed to the new fund, too.
MRU member Jody Adams, a local chef and a partner in seven restaurants, said paying rent is the most pressing issue for many establishments, even with the state’s current moratorium on evictions extended through Oct. 17.
“It’s this huge nut, and it doesn’t go away,” Adams said. “If you don’t pay your rent, you can lose your business.”
Luz has predicted that 3,600 of the state’s 16,000 restaurants won’t survive the pandemic, based on reports from two large food distributors, but Adams said she expects far more restaurants to close than that, without significant state or federal assistance.
The days of "hey, you wanna go get something to eat?" are OVER!
The Legislature has taken other steps to help. Early in the spring, lawmakers allowed restaurants to sell beer and wine to go, and expanded that to mixed drinks this month. The House has approved a cap on delivery fees charged by third parties such as Grubhub and Uber Eats, as well as a waiver on charging interest on any delayed meals taxes during the pandemic. The Senate still needs to act on those changes.
That's a chump change tip there.
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Related:
"The New Hampshire Supreme Court ruled Friday that a judge was wrong to dismiss a cafe owner’s complaint against Facebook that said his social media account was shut down without warning. Emmett Soldati had marketed his Teatotaller cafe in Somersworth on Instagram, which is owned by Facebook. He has used the cafe and its social media accounts to support LGTBQ rights and acceptance, describing the business as a “queer hipster oasis.” The Instagram account was shut down in 2018; Facebook did not offer an explanation and argued for a dismissal of Soldati’s complaint, which sought restoration of the account. Facebook said it was immune from such claims under the federal Communications Decency Act. A judge in small claims court had found in favor of Facebook. He appealed to the state supreme court. Soldati, who doesn’t have a law degree but is the the son of a former prosecutor, represented himself during oral arguments before the court earlier this year. “Facebook does not have absolute immunity,” Soldati said in a statement. “Today is a win for all those people who have felt helpless against the abuse of power of Big Tech.” A spokesperson for Facebook said in an e-mail the company wasn’t commenting on the case (AP)."
The Trump people, too?
State lawmakers are making a renewed effort to pass a bill authorizing sports betting in Massachusetts in the waning, hectic days of the legislative session.
A key House committee on Friday unveiled a measure that would legalize such wagering in person and online. Authorized bookmakers would include the state’s three casinos, established daily fantasy sports operators such as DraftKings, and horse racing tracks, which would not be able to take remote wagers.
The proposal is part of a wide-ranging economic development bill that lawmakers would have to pass before July 31, unless they vote to extend their formal session.
Though the contours — and the prospects — of the proposal could change dramatically in coming days, the action in the House is the first public movement in months on what had been a hot issue before the emergence of COVID-19 and the resulting economic crisis.
“This is something that we think can provide funding to some of the issues that we’re confronted with, even involving COVID,” said state Representative Aaron Michlewitz, a Boston Democrat who is chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.
The measure is expected to generate $50 million in annual revenue, of which significant portions would initially go to relief for hard-hit restaurants and to support jobs and education for low-income and vulnerable young people.
We're $aved!
The state Senate has not yet begun to advance its own version of the measure, and lawmakers in that chamber have been more circumspect about sports betting. Senators on a joint panel that has been studying the topic declined to sign onto an earlier proposal endorsed by their House colleagues. Governor Charlie Baker previously proposed a different sports betting bill.
State Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante, a Gloucester Democrat who is House chairwoman of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, said in a statement that the measure would “bring sports betting into the light and out of the illegal market, to support the Massachusetts innovative gaming community and to protect the investments the Commonwealth has made in our gaming sector.”
Yet they still make it difficult for pot shops!
These people are $cum!
The bill would place a 15 percent tax on operators’ income from sports betting.
A representative for Senate President Karen E. Spilka said her chamber was eager to see the House proposal. Her office did not say whether she’d support the plan.
If a sports betting bill were to pass before the end of the session, Massachusetts could conceivably have a sports betting program up and running during the early part of the upcoming NFL season, if it begins a regular schedule. Operators would have to be licensed by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.
Oh, yaaaaaaaaay!
The state would join more than a dozen others that already have sports betting programs as part of a national expansion following a 2018 US Supreme Court decision that cleared the way for more states to legalize the practice. New Hampshire and Rhode Island are among the states that have legal sports betting.
Bets on college sports would be allowed under the House proposal, but gamblers would not be able to put money on the performance of individual athletes, nor could they bet once a game had begun.
The measure also contains some provisions that have been sought by the sports industry.
It would require sports books to buy official data from US leagues to resolve wagers other than advance bets on the outcome of a game. The proposal would also put an additional 1 percent fee on revenue from bets on games played in Massachusetts. Proceeds would go to sports venues to protect against corruption or security issues having to do with gambling.
The state’s gambling and sports industries have not always been in alignment on betting, but they have recently sought action to help boost their businesses after months of shutdowns and canceled games.
In a joint statement, the management of DraftKings, its competitor FanDuel, MGM Springfield casino, and the Boston Red Sox described the proposal as “comprehensive, consumer-focused sports betting legislation.”
What is taking that meal so long?
Brian Gullbrants, president of Encore Boston Harbor casino, said in a recent interview that online gaming could help soften the blow if casinos are forced to close their doors again.
“This would only enhance our business, and if there was another shutdown — let’s pray it doesn’t happen — we would love to have the opportunity to stay connected to our people and have the ability to generate some revenue,” he said.
The House economic development bill includes $372 million in bond authorizations for state programs that help businesses and stimulate the economy. It also includes other policy changes, most notably Baker’s Housing Choice legislation to lower the requirement at the local level for a range of land-use approvals, from a two-thirds majority to a simple majority.
Do readers and citizens really understand what a bond is?
It's something the monied cla$$ buys that will pay them interest for the period until the bond matures, when they get the principal back -- all taxpayer funds. That's the kind of fiscal mismanagement that prevails among our leaders.
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That is why with much work left to be done legislators must stay on the job.
"Mass. tax revenue falls $3 billion short of forecast due to extended deadlines; The Department of Revenue said revised results would be released in September after delayed payments are tallied" by Larry Edelman Globe Staff, July 24, 2020
Massachusetts brought in tax revenue of $27.3 billion in the just-ended fiscal year, $3 billion, or 10 percent, less than the Baker administration had forecasted, largely because the state delayed income-tax payment deadlines to provide relief during the coronavirus shutdown.
$50 million won't cover much of that, and
The Department of Revenue said Friday the tax tally, which was 8.1 percent below the previous year, was preliminary and would be updated in September.
Following the lead of the federal government, Massachusetts in late March extended the April 15 deadline for filing and paying personal income taxes to July 15. Deadlines for April and June estimated tax payments were similarly pushed back.
Department of Revenue commissioner Geoffrey Snyder said some 80 percent of the revenue shortfall for the year that ended June 30 resulted from payment deferrals. June is typically the second-biggest month for incoming revenue, after April, because it includes quarterly estimated tax payments from businesses and individuals.
What makes them think people have that money now?
The state received $2.5 billion in tax revenue for June, down 22 percent from a year earlier and 23 percent below forecast. The month and year-end numbers reflect collections through July 24.
“Until we have a complete picture, it’s hard to know what to make of these numbers,” said Eileen McAnneny, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. The group previously forecast a shortfall of $600 million to $800 million in tax revenue for the year just ended.
Here’s a breakdown of the major tax categories with comparisons to the state’s benchmark forecast, which was made in January, and actual results for fiscal 2019.....
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The “problem is— we don’t have any money,” and I don't know if it is worth it, but maybe the DoR can make some cuts (no one wants to say it because of the threat).
Also see:
"Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont on Friday signed an executive order that state union leaders predict will provide hundreds, possibly thousands, of front-line workers “presumptive eligibility” for workers compensation benefits if they contracted the coronavirus while on the job during the early days of the pandemic. The Democrat’s order came after weeks of demands by workers, union officials, and some state legislators who were concerned that workers deemed as essential and who get infected had no guarantee they’d qualify for compensation to cover lost wages and their medical care. Fewer than one-third of states have enacted such a policy, which shifts the burden of proof for coverage. He said the state’s Workers’ Compensation Commission has continued to operate during the pandemic (AP)."
We are becoming a two-tiered society that imitates the Soviet Union.
Are you a member of the Party, or are you not?
It's also the end of our culture:
"Cultural institutions in Boston continue to scramble for money as they reopen; The COVID-19 pandemic has had profound impacts on fund-raising efforts in the city" by Jon Chesto Globe Staff, July 24, 2020
One by one, many of Boston’s cultural institutions are reopening this month after a painful four-month shutdown.
They’re happy to see visitors again, but these institutions have plenty of lost ground to make up after seeing at least one-third of their annual revenues wiped from the books, their major spring fund-raisers canceled or moved online.
Compounding their fiscal woes: attendance limits for safety reasons, which will result in further declines in revenue going forward.
Normally I wouldn't care, but nothing is normal anymore. We are in the age of the COVID LIE and the GREAT RESET!
Even though I rarely frequented such places, what I see here is the loss of our culture the same as toppling statues.
Some started fund drives to plug the budget gaps, or turned to the federal Paycheck Protection Program for temporary help. Others reoriented their pitches for money as donors shifted priorities during the COVID-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests. Some, such as the Museum of Fine Arts, haven’t even reopened yet. The one common theme: the coronavirus has altered fund-raising efforts among the city’s cultural institutions significantly, if not permanently.
It's always about the money in the Globe. Forget the loss of sheer accomplishment and beauty inherent in the institutions.
“The loss of ticket revenue is going to cause some serious hardships for most of these organizations,” said Martha Sheridan, chief executive of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau. “I would imagine that the competition [for donations] is pretty fierce right now given that every major corporation is impacted by COVID-19.”
Better turn to Bezos, Gates, and the banks then because "we are all in this together."
Few institutions took a bigger hit than the New England Aquarium, which lost an estimated $16 million during the four-month closure. The aquarium cut, furloughed, or reduced hours for about half of its full-time staff. It has brought back about 40 for the reopening. The board has launched the “Mission Forward Fund,” which has raised more than $3.5 million to date.
They are drowning over there.
The Museum of Science, which reopens to the general public on Sunday, also relies heavily on ticket sales; the four-month closure cost it an estimated $10 million. Nearly two-thirds of the 450-person staff were furloughed or laid off, although 50 have since returned. The museum has brought back its Pixar-themed exhibit with the anticipation it will draw crowds, though hopefully not too many people: to start, attendance will be capped at 500 at any one time.
New chief executive Tim Ritchie said donors are focused on the coronavirus right now, so he is trying to raise money in part to expand the museum’s digital offerings. “They want us to focus on how we’ll respond to the situation and be better,” Ritchie said.
Like they are extorting you for certain masking and distance measures!
How EVIL!
The Children’s Museum reopened to the general public on Wednesday, after losing an estimated $2 million during the closure. The museum avoided layoffs, according to a spokeswoman, but did launch an emergency campaign to address the shortfall.
Zoo New England, operator of the Franklin Park and Stone zoos, saw a similar-size shortfall, but was able to open both zoos in early June as they are primarily outside. The organization now offers virtual learning for schools, as well as virtual birthday celebrations.
Don't pet the animals!
Zoo New England launched an “All for Our Animals Fund” in late March to pay for animal care, particularly during the shutdown. So far, it has raised $142,000.
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum estimates it lost $3 million during the shutdown. It has been a cautious reopening this month, with daily attendance capped at 350, or 10 percent of regular capacity. Rebecca Ehrhardt, the museum’s new chief development officer, said the Gardner is focused on showing patrons how it can be involved in the conversation around social justice issues as well as arts education during the pandemic.
The Boch Center, the nonprofit operator of the Wang and Shubert theaters, faces a more dire situation. Chief executive Joe Spaulding said he has no idea when the theaters will reopen; it could be as far away as late 2021.
The word from Bill Gates is that the lockdown will continue until then, yeah.
The Center laid off most of its 200-person team in March, while Spaulding himself was afflicted with COVID-19. It’s launched a fund-raising campaign, “Arts Heal,” which includes selling naming rights to individual seats in the Wang. He said he is fortunate the center can fall back on its $14 million in endowments. Spaulding has joined other independent operators in a national push, dubbed Save Our Stages, to persuade Congress for federal aid.
Some help for the cultural sector could soon be coming from the State House. The Massachusetts House leadership included $10 million for improvements at tourism attractions, and $5 million for grants to help artists and museums in an economic development bill unveiled Friday. Zoo New England would also receive $10 million. The bill also calls for a special task force to recommend ways to help the sector recover.
“It’s not a lot of money considering it has to be spread out across the Commonwealth,” said Sheridan, the head of Boston’s tourism bureau. “In the circumstances we’re currently in, I think every little bit helps.”
Yeah, be happy with your chump change and crumbs!
That's the new culture we are heading into, proud Americans!
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