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Friday, November 5, 2021
Your guide to holiday shopping during a chip shortage
From the IRS: "Year-end giving reminder"
The Internal Revenue Service today (11/03/21) reminded taxpayers that a special tax provision will allow more Americans to easily deduct up to $600 in donations to qualifying charities on their 2021 federal income tax return.
Ordinarily, people who choose to take the standard deduction cannot claim a deduction for their charitable contributions. But a temporary law change now permits them to claim a limited deduction on their 2021 federal income tax returns for cash contributions made to qualifying charitable organizations. Nearly nine in 10 taxpayers now take the standard deduction and could potentially qualify.
Under this provision, individual tax filers, including married individuals filing separate returns, can claim a deduction of up to $300 for cash contributions made to qualifying charities during 2021. The maximum deduction is increased to $600 for married individuals filing joint returns.
Included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, enacted in March 2020, a more limited version of this temporary tax benefit originally only applied to tax-year 2020. The Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020, enacted last December, generally extended it through the end of 2021.
Cash contributions include those made by check, credit card or debit card as well as amounts incurred by an individual for unreimbursed out-of-pocket expenses in connection with their volunteer services to a qualifying charitable organization. Cash contributions don't include the value of volunteer services, securities, household items or other property.
The IRS reminds taxpayers to make sure they're donating to a recognized charity. To receive a deduction, taxpayers must donate to a qualified charity. To check the status of a charity, they can use the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool (https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/tax-exempt-organization-search).
Cash contributions to most charitable organizations qualify. But contributions made either to supporting organizations or to establish or maintain a donor advised fund do not. Contributions carried forward from prior years do not qualify, nor do contributions to most private foundations and most cash contributions to charitable remainder trusts.
In general, a donor-advised fund is a fund or account maintained by a charity in which a donor can, because of being a donor, advise the fund on how to distribute or invest amounts contributed by the donor and held in the fund. A supporting organization is a charity that carries out its exempt purposes by supporting other exempt organizations, usually other public charities.
Keep good records
Special recordkeeping rules apply to any taxpayer claiming a charitable contribution deduction. Usually, this includes obtaining an acknowledgment letter from the charity before filing a return and retaining a cancelled check or credit card receipt for contributions of cash.
For details on the recordkeeping rules for substantiating gifts to charity, see Publication 526, Charitable Contributions (https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-526), available on IRS.gov.
Remind families about the Child Tax Credit
Besides the special charitable contribution deduction, the IRS also encourages employers to help get the word out about the advance payments of the Child Tax Credit because they have direct access to many employees and individuals who receive this credit. In particular, remind low-income workers, especially those who don't normally file returns, that the deadline for signing up for these payments is now November 15, 2021. More information on the advance Child Tax Credit is available on IRS.gov.
For more information about other coronavirus-related tax relief, visit IRS.gov/coronavirus.
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| From the IRS: "Year-end giving reminder" |
FPAC Gala and Telethon - Nov 6
In-Person tickets are sold out! You may still purchase tickets to view the show from home! Click here to purchase a ticket for the live stream (https://www.showtix4u.com/events/fpac) and then head over to our Online Auction and start bidding!
You don't have to have a ticket to bid !! Participate in our ONLINE AUCTION before and during the Gala (https://event.auctria.com/936c4b2c-648e-4d5c-8f53-e2ceaa3d05e2/a780d600ec2e11e9ae081db830846aa5).
Call in to our GALA TELETHON! 508-528-3370
Thursday, November 4, 2021
New England Chapel schedules Open House at former Ficco's Bowladrome - Nov 13
An historic building in Franklin is now
serving another kind of history:
Former bowling alley transformed into a new kind of church
Open House Set for Saturday, November 13, 2021
At least twice a week, a car will pull into the parking lot at 300 East Central Street in Franklin. Families, former patrons and even former workers want to see what has become of the place they used to spend their weekday nights, birthdays and teenage years. They are always delighted to see that the building remains and that a few of the creatively-repurposed bowling alleys are still on the premises. The transformation will be on full display as New England Chapel hosts a self-guided open house next month.
OPEN HOUSE
Saturday, November 13, 2021
3 to 5 PM
Self-guided tours, refreshments and giveaways.
How does a bowling alley turn into a church?
For more than 75 years, Ficco's Bowladrome served as the entertainment mecca of the small suburban town of Franklin, Massachusetts. It closed its doors in 2015 after an offer was made to demolish the building to make way for a shopping plaza. Hundreds of patrons came to say their goodbyes to the building that was the background for family nights, birthday parties, tournaments and more.
For six years, the iconic Ficco's Bowladrome at 300 East Central Street in Franklin MA stood abandoned. On another side of town, New England Chapel's lease was expiring and they were ready for a place to call home. A sales sign on the property caught the eye of the senior pastor during a ride to the supermarket in 2019 and well, the rest is history.
This unlikely community of buyers were able to purchase the building that would keep the walls standing and even a few bowling alleys on the premises. New England Chapel, established 20 years ago in Franklin, is a church for people who have given up on church but not on God. At a time when church attendance continues to decrease nationwide, hundreds of people attend the weekly services and attendance is growing. Many new attendees have come to 'check it out' due to their Ficco's connection.
A community comes together to make it happen
Much of the construction took place during the pandemic while the three pastors conducted virtual service out of their temporary office space
The community of New England Chapel came together to make this opportunity happen with many volunteering a collective 1,500 hours painting, unpacking and prepping the space
Inside the building (21,450 square feet)
A sanctuary that seats up to 400 people (where 10 lanes were previously)
A cafe-free coffee is served during services (where the party rooms once were)
A space for children from birth through 5th grade during services
A designated youth room
Conference rooms and offices rooms (including a library and prayer room)
About New England Chapel (NEC)
NEC is active in the community via partnerships with the Hockomock YMCA and the Franklin Food Pantry. Every year, they host a community-wide serve day where they end services early and send hundreds of volunteers out to serve local areas. Projects have included weeding a community garden, painting a concession stand at a local field, cleaning library windows and more.
More information available at nechapel.org.
Heather Kempskie, Pastor
New England Chapel
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| New England Chapel schedules Open House at former Ficco's Bowladrome - Nov 13 |
Why the 'sudden' cancelation of the Town Council meeting?
The Town Council meeting scheduled for Nov 3 when scheduled with the agenda published last week, was scheduled in advance of when it 'could' be scheduled per the Town Charter.
The Nov 3 date is the key. While the Council generally meets on the first and third Wednesday of the month, the beginning of the new term (i.e. after an election) is prescribed in the Town Charter. The bold text in section 2-1-4 added for emphasis.
The relevant section of Article Two is shared here:
"Section 1 Composition and Membership
2-1-1 The legislative body of the Town shall be a Town Council whose members shall be elected to meet, deliberate, act and vote in exercise of the corporate powers of the Town.
2-1-2 Nine (9) Council members shall be nominated and elected from the Town at large, all for two-year concurrent terms of office.
2-1-3 Town Council members shall receive no compensation for service but may be allowed expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties.
2-1-4 The term of office of the Town Council shall begin on the second Wednesday following the election and continuing until their successors are qualified."
Note: I shared in 2009 the comparison of our charter preamble with that of the US Constitution (https://www.franklinmatters.org/2009/09/in-news-charter-proposals.html).
"PREAMBLE
We, the people of the Town of Franklin, Massachusetts, in order to form a more perfect community, reaffirm the customary and traditional liberties of the people with respect to the conduct of our local government and take fullest advantage of the Home Rule Amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth, do ordain and adopt this Home Rule Charter for our Town."
You can find the full Town Charter online -> https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/revised_2013_1.pdf
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| Why the 'sudden' cancelation of the Town Council meeting? |
“People with disabilities continue to face barriers to voting"
Picked up on a Twitter thread about voting issues disabled folks on Tuesday. Yes, since it was election day, and voting was in progress, the thread was timely.
- Hi, I’m a disabled voter in Massachusetts - my disability is multifaceted, but one physical presentation is loss of fine motor skill, or the ability to write. I get by in the world thanks to technology. Here are obstacles I and other disabled voters face in Massachusetts
- I’m a busy parent, and I didn’t fill out the application for an absentee ballot by October 13th this year Obstacle 1 - disabled people must be vigilant about dates that are sometimes hard to find in fine print on websites
- Obstacle 2 - disabled people must fill out a form (which can be done electronically, with one exception - more on that in a sec), And get it back to the their local election office on time JUST to receive a ballot.
- Obstacle 3 - that signature. Even though most cities and towns allow for electronic submission and typed answers into the form, MA requires that everyone must provide a “wet” signature (lol ew ). For me, this is the real obstacle.
- Alt text for above image: Picture of a text heavy form with the following highlighted: sign your application with a “wet” signature. Application signed with a mouse, stylus, or finger are also acceptable; typed signatures are not.
- My signature today is legible, however it is wildly different than it looked 18 months ago. The loss of my writing is something I’ve had to grieve, and the state of MA tells me: “Typed Signatures are not acceptable,” right there on the website! Not. Acceptable.
- Obstacle 4 - We, the disabled voters of MA, must then fill out our paper ballots, sign them, get them into envelopes (no easy task), and send back in time for them to be counted. We are expressly prohibited from returning a ballot to our polling place on Election Day.
- Text for this image: another text heavy document with the following highlighted: Once you receive your ballot, please return as soon as possible to ensure that it arrives in time to be counted. Ballots CANNOT be returned to the polling location on Election Day.
- OK so there are the big four obstacles outlined by the state - for me, it’s something I can overcome; I will go to the polls, and I’ll cast a ballot. I am extremely lucky, and one more MS relapse could take these options away from me.
- But I did some more research, and it looks like The city of Boston has amazing accessibility tools! https://www.boston.gov/news/accessible-voting-announced-ahead-november-2-municipal-election
- Everything can be completed online, even down to the vote itself, including that pesky signature! In Boston the language is changed to, voters may sign electronically. I was so thrilled to see this happening in Boston!
- But something was confusing on the website. Why are these accessibility tools only Valid through 2025? And then it hit me. The city of Boston provides excellent accessibility for voting because it was sued by several disability rights groups for violating article 2 of the ADA.
- None of these wonderful tools were given to disabled voters; disabled voters fought, and won, the right to vote without the significant obstacles I outlined above.
- So, we have a lot of work to do Massachusetts. When you head to the polls today, try to notice how many obstacles you encounter along the way. And when you get home, check out the amazing work of @BostonCIL and @ACBofMA and @DLCMA, Who fought and won.
- Sorry adding the place where you can find all the legal info about voting in Boston. Photo is of text heavy legal document that is also available on the link attached. thank you for reading! https://www.dlc-ma.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BAV-Settlement-Agreement-9.8.2021-fully-executed.pdf
Coincidentally, I found in my inbox on Tuesday that NIST is looking for input and comment to address this disability issue nationally: "NIST Draft Publication Addresses Removing Barriers for Voters With Disabilities" https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2021/10/nist-draft-publication-addresses-removing-barriers-voters-disabilities
Direct link to draft out for comment -> https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/SpecialPublications/NIST.SP.1273-draft.pdf
The chapter headings for the draft are shown as follows:
2. SYSTEMIC BARRIERS TO AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR VOTING ACCESSIBILITY
3. VOTER REGISTRATION AND THE NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION FORM
4. VOTING BY MAIL
5. VOTER TECHNOLOGY
6. POLLING LOCATIONS
7. POLL WORKER TRAINING
I heartily encourage reading and submitting comments as appropriate. Together the process needs to work for all of us.
Full twitter thread can be found here (I copied the text and links but not the emoticons...) https://twitter.com/Moms4Markey/status/1455612963327459329
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| “People with disabilities continue to face barriers to voting" |
Heard the buzz about Franklin High School Theatre Company's production of Mamma Mia!?
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Franklin Food Pantry: Donation do's and don'ts
This time of year we have a lot of questions about donating food to The Pantry. We put together a quick guide to help.
Please be sure to check our current needs list to see what we need the most and donate in our newly painted (thank you Kim Bruner DiMarino) purple bin!
Thanks for your support. https://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/give-help/donate-food/current-needs-list/
Shared from Facebook:
https://facebook.com/FranklinFoodPantry/photos/a.636893026345315/4892200214147887/?type=3
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| Franklin Food Pantry: Donation do's and don'ts |
Voices of Franklin: Colin Cass proud of the diverse election results
Franklin should be proud of the election that just concluded. The townspeople chose an admirably diverse field of officials.
Why should the average Franklin resident care about diversity? What does it say about a town if it elects an openly gay man to the Town Council, a black man and a trans woman to the School Committee, and 10 women out of the 32 candidates?
I think it says that the town is NOT lots of things it should not be.
As an old straight white male, I had no favorite horse in this race, but personally I’m glad to see success in residents who are not just like me. Their success suggests that democracy is working as it should. And I do have a horse in that race.
Colin Cass
Franklin resident
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