More tax cuts on the way for Mass. residents

Also: A hidden problem at Mass. women's prison; Violence in Boston officially shuts down [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  July 11, 2022  🌞 Sunny, with a high near 86. Good Morning Boston, And happy 7-Eleven Day; lean into your inner child today with [a free gas station Slurpee]( — or [make a healthier smoothie at home](. Whatever helps you beat the heat this Monday! To the news: - Just days after announcing [a short-term plan to send $250 payments to middle-class Massachusetts residents]( State House leaders said Monday morning that the two legislative chambers have agreed to a framework to make "structural changes to our tax code" as well. They're running with several proposals aimed at lower-and middle-income residents [made by Gov. Charlie Baker earlier this year](. - What changes? According to a statement Monday morning, the plan includes increases to [a tax credit for low-income seniors]( [the earned income tax credit]( and [the child and dependent tax credit](. The statement also said the package will include "assistance to renters" — [something Baker also proposed]( — and eliminate "the most punitive and archaic elements" of the state estate tax, which has [taken criticism for its $1 million threshold and "cliff effect."]( - How much? The statement Monday didn't provide specific numerical changes and said the final details still need "ironing out." But legislative leaders estimate the tax breaks could add up to $500 million in relief (that's in addition to the roughly $500 million allocated for the $250 payments this summer). - Overall, the proposal goes further than Baker's $700 million tax break plan (though it doesn't include his capital gains tax cut). But the state has money to spend; the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation [projects the state brought in a "historic" $3.6 billion budget surplus]( in the fiscal year that ended last month. - What's next: Lawmakers have until the end of the month to pass the tax relief package before the legislative session expires. - Make that daily COVID-19 data-checking habit a weekly exercise. Massachusetts health officials announced Friday that they're moving from reporting the state's infection, hospitalization, testing and other numbers from five days a week to just once every Thursday. - Why? The state's medical advisors say "monitoring trends over time is actually the most useful way to apply the COVID-19 data." - The change comes as the state's positive test rate has climbed slightly over the past month, amid the [national rise of the BA.5 omicron subvariant](. However, hospitalizations and deaths [have remained relatively low](. - Boston-area leaders are condemning [vandals who spray-painted hateful messages]( outside a LQBTQ+ senior housing project in Hyde Park. Mayor Michelle Wu tweeted Sunday night that they will move "[even faster]( to finish the project, following the threats of death and arson. - Heads up, commuters: Multiple major construction projects in the Boston area begin this morning — and that could add some time to your trip. - First, [from today through next Friday]( the MBTA is replacing the Green Line's C branch with shuttle buses for all stops west of Kenmore through next Friday, so that crews can accelerate track improvements and install new collision prevention technology. - Second, the portion of Congress Street below the Government Center parking garage in downtown Boston will be closed off through Labor Day, as work to demolish the massive structure moves forward. That means [detours for cars and pedestrians](. P.S.— This might be the craziest thing I saw this weekend: a hiker in the Kyrgyzstan Mountains captured [an incredible video of an avalanche from a glacier]( — and his own narrow escape. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [Report details women's accounts of sexual misconduct by staff in Massachusetts prisons and jails]( The research, from Prisoners' Legal Services of Massachusetts, provides detailed descriptions of the alleged misconduct by correction officers and other staff. [Read more.]( [Report details women's accounts of sexual misconduct by staff in Massachusetts prisons and jails]( The research, from Prisoners' Legal Services of Massachusetts, provides detailed descriptions of the alleged misconduct by correction officers and other staff. [Read more.]( [Privacy advocates fear Google will be used to prosecute abortion seekers]( When law enforcement requests it, Google usually hands over location and search data collected through its smartphone apps. Will that now be used against people seeking abortions in some states? [Read more.]( [Privacy advocates fear Google will be used to prosecute abortion seekers]( When law enforcement requests it, Google usually hands over location and search data collected through its smartphone apps. Will that now be used against people seeking abortions in some states? [Read more.]( [At least 15 were killed and others are trapped after a Russian strike in Ukraine]( A Russian rocket attack hit the town of Chasiv Yar, destroying a five-story apartment building and killing at least 15 people.It wasn't the first Russian strike to hit civilian buildings. [Read more.]( [At least 15 were killed and others are trapped after a Russian strike in Ukraine]( A Russian rocket attack hit the town of Chasiv Yar, destroying a five-story apartment building and killing at least 15 people.It wasn't the first Russian strike to hit civilian buildings. [Read more.]( [Fire rips through historic, 17th-century inn on Nantucket]( Officials say all guests and employees were safely evacuated from the inn. [Read more.]( [Fire rips through historic, 17th-century inn on Nantucket]( Officials say all guests and employees were safely evacuated from the inn. [Read more.]( [Violence In Boston nonprofit shut down by board as leaders face fraud and conspiracy charges]( The charity was run by prominent Boston activist Monica Cannon-Grant and her husband Clark Grant. They have pleaded not guilty to federal fraud and conspiracy charges. [Read more.]( [Violence In Boston nonprofit shut down by board as leaders face fraud and conspiracy charges]( The charity was run by prominent Boston activist Monica Cannon-Grant and her husband Clark Grant. They have pleaded not guilty to federal fraud and conspiracy charges. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - Boundaries are crucial for avoiding stress, both at work and in your social life. But they can look different depending on who sets them. NPR's Life Kit [explains how to make boundary-setting a daily habit](. - Right Whales are on the brink of extinction. But there may be some hope of tightened protections[after a judge ruled on Friday]( that the federal government hasn't done enough to protect the rare species from lethal entanglement in lobster fishing gear. - Yellowstone, the first national park in the world, is celebrating its 150th anniversary, despite a year marked by historic flooding. Here & Now [took a deep dive into what makes the park so special](. - Travelers are feeling the squeeze of a pilot shortage — an issue causing airline delays, cancellations and stranded passengers. Listen in as On Point explores [when — or if — we can expect the situation to improve.](  What We're Reading 📚 - The Chain of Failures That Left 17 Dead in a Bronx Apartment Fire ([The New York Times]( - All the Best Ways to Get to Cape Cod, Ranked ([Boston Magazine]( - Is clean energy the solution to the economy’s woes, or is it to blame? Inside the battle to brand the moment ([The Boston Globe](  Tell Me Something Good [Puppy abandoned near Boston cemetery finds new home (Boston.com)]( A pit bull puppy that was sick and abandoned in a pet crate near Mount Hope Cemetery last month has found his new home in Rhode Island. [Read more.]( [Puppy abandoned near Boston cemetery finds new home (Boston.com)]( A pit bull puppy that was sick and abandoned in a pet crate near Mount Hope Cemetery last month has found his new home in Rhode Island. [Read more.]( Before you go: Is the dog the real hero in this [chipmunk rescue operation?]( 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news   Want to change how you receive these emails? Stop getting this newsletter by [updating your preferences.](  I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. Unsubscribe from all WBUR editorial newsletters [here](.  Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here.]( Copyright © 2022 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved.