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< Back Religious Groups Declare Surtax Support Michael P. Norton | State House News Service Jul 18, 2022 ​ Wading into the debate over a proposed income surtax, 15 religious groups announced Monday that they support changing the constitution to impose higher taxes on wealthier households. The Fair Share for Massachusetts campaign said the proposed 4 percent additional state tax on household incomes above $1 million per year is supported by the Black Ministerial Alliance/Boston Ten Point Coalition; Brockton Interfaith Community; Episcopal City Mission; Essex County Community Organization; Greater Framingham Community Church; Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action; Massachusetts Communities Action Network; New England Jewish Labor Committee; Pioneer Valley Project; Prophetic Resistance Boston; Sharon Interfaith Action; Unitarian Universalist Association; United Interfaith Action of Southeastern MA (UIA); UU Mass Action, and Worcester Interfaith. "As an organization, we believe in equal access to opportunity, and this is exactly what the Fair Share Amendment is working towards: more equitable systems of transportation and education to benefit every Massachusetts resident," said Rev. Edwin Johnson of St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Dorchester, a member of Prophetic Resistance Boston and the Massachusetts Communities Action Network. Executive Director of Unitarian Universalist Mass Action Rev. Jo Murphy said, "UU Mass Action, as a faith-based community organization working with frontline partner organizations, has witnessed the growing economic disparities and the impacts on our education and transportation systems. For this reason, and as Unitarian Universalists who see economic justice as a core principle and part of our communal thriving, we support the Fair Share Amendment and truly see it as crucial to our economy and a sustainable way to recover from COVID." Opponents of the surtax say it will harm the state economy, drive wealthier residents and capital out of state, and hurt the retirement plans of small business owners who plan to sell their businesses. Previous Next

< Back Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Teachers Union Leaders Launch Canvass for Question 1 in Dorchester ​ Oct 16, 2022 Congresswoman Pressley Joins Supporters of Fair Share Amendment Tax on Million-Dollar Earners to Invest in Transportation and Public Education BOSTON – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley today joined supporters of the Fair Share Amendment at the Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School in Dorchester to kick off a door-to-door canvass for the proposed state tax on annual incomes above $1 million which would raise billions of dollars that are constitutionally dedicated to transportation and public education. The Fair Share Amendment is Question 1 on the November statewide ballot. “We know what is possible when we invest in our communities,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “Question 1 will generate $2 billion a year in vital revenue to make our education and transportation systems more equitable, accessible, and affordable for everyone. How we choose to invest our resources is a reflection of our values, and I'm proud to stand with the organizers, advocates, and leaders committed to making good schools, affordable colleges, safe roads, and reliable public transportation a reality for every resident of Massachusetts.” At Sunday’s canvass kick-off, Congresswoman Pressley and campaign supporters, including NEA President Becky Pringle, Massachusetts Teachers Association President Max Page, Boston Teachers Union President Jessica Tang, and BPS student Khasim Saeed spoke to volunteers about their support for the Fair Share Amendment and the difference it would make for schools in Boston and throughout Massachusetts. “We all agree that every student deserves a well-resourced public school, where their potential isn’t limited by strained budgets or a shortage of teachers,” said NEA President Becky Pringle. “But while working Bay Staters struggle to make ends meet, the rich are getting richer and multimillionaires aren’t paying their fair share to ensure Massachusetts students realize their dreams. I enthusiastically support ‘Yes on Question 1,’ because it’s time for Massachusetts multimillionaires to support the future of this commonwealth.” Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) President Max Page said educators are the most trusted and respected people in their communities on education issues. “Passing the Fair Share Amendment is the focus of intensifying MTA grassroots efforts, which draws support from our 115,000 members across the state,” said Page. “It’s a visionary and urgent proposal and educators are continuing to have those crucial one-on-one conversations with their colleagues, neighbors, friends and family about how a YES vote will mean a reliable source of funds for our public schools, colleges, and transportation systems.” “When Question 1 passes, we can make Massachusetts’s tax system fairer, create long-term investments that build our communities, and ensure broad prosperity for all,” added Page. “It’s a win-win.” “BTU is proud to endorse the Fair Share Amendment campaign because our students and communities deserve to access the high-quality public education and safe, reliable public transportation that this tax will fund,” said Boston Teachers Union President Jessica Tang. “Investments in our public schools and transportation are imperative to the Commonwealth’s ability to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and a fair share tax will help to give our students the social-emotional supports, modern school buildings, and smaller class sizes they need.” “Without proper funding we can’t have new and safe buildings for students to thrive in, or modern textbooks with proper knowledge and information, or reliable transportation to get to school,” said Khasim Saeed, a senior at Boston Community Leadership Academy. “By voting YES on Question 1, not only are you helping yourself but you’re also helping the future leaders of this country, with new textbooks, modernized buildings for all schools, and quicker and better transportation for all of the people of this city.” Melanie Allen, a Learning Specialist at the Rafael Hernández Dual Language K-8 School in Roxbury, described the many additional personnel her school has been able to hire using federal pandemic relief funds. “When you've been hustling as long as we have, this feels like a luxury. But it' not. It's the basics of what all kids need, but only some kids actually get," said Allen. "When those federal funds run out in two years, then what? Back to triage? No! We need to pass Question 1. No more one-time funding that runs out. No more running out on our kids. No more running out on our future." Then, canvassers headed out to speak to Boston voters about how the Fair Share Amendment would help improve our public schools and colleges and our roads, bridges, and public transportation infrastructure, all by making the very rich pay their fair share. Background on Question 1: the Fair Share Amendment The Fair Share Amendment – Question 1 on the November ballot – will allow Massachusetts to improve our transportation and public education systems by making the very rich pay their fair share. Question 1 would create a 4 percent tax on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million and constitutionally dedicate the funds to be spent on transportation and public education. Only people who earn more than $1 million annually will be impacted; 99% of us won’t pay a penny more. And we’ll all benefit from better schools, roads, bridges, and public transportation. Thousands of educators, workers, small business owners, parents, faith leaders, municipal officials, drivers and transit riders, and more than 350 organizations across the state are working together to pass Question 1. Our campaign has been endorsed by 80 labor unions, 63 community organizing groups, 15 faith-based groups, more than 75 businesses, and more than 100 other social service and not-for-profit organizations focused on housing, education, transportation, public health, and the environment. Learn more and get involved at FairShareMA.com. ### The Fair Share for Massachusetts campaign is led by Raise Up Massachusetts, a coalition of community organizations, faith-based groups, and labor unions committed to building an economy that invests in families, gives everyone the opportunity to succeed, and creates broadly shared prosperity. Since our coalition came together in 2013, we have nearly doubled wages for hundreds of thousands of working people by winning two increases in the state’s minimum wage, won best-in-the-nation earned sick time and paid family and medical leave benefits for workers and their families, and started to build an economy that works for all of us, not just those at the top. Previous Next

< Back Advocates for Massachusetts 'millionaires' tax' launch statewide campaign Paul Tuthill | WAMC Northeast Public Radio May 11, 2022 Advocates formally launched a campaign Wednesday to pass a ballot question in Massachusetts this November that would put a 4 percent surtax on household incomes topping $1 million. Advocates for Massachusetts 'millionaires' tax' launch statewide campaign At press conference they push back on claims by opponents of the ballot question Advocates formally launched a campaign Wednesday to pass a ballot question in Massachusetts this November that would put a 4 percent surtax on household incomes topping $1 million. A coalition of labor unions, social justice advocates, educators, transit advocates, and faith leaders vow to work tirelessly over the next six months to bring over the finish line a campaign that began almost a decade ago to amend the state constitution to permit a higher tax rate on the state’s highest income-earners. Jeron Mariani, the campaign manager for the Fair Share Amendment ballot campaign, said a new website has debuted and he announced plans for grassroots door-knocking. “While the rich got richer during the COVID-19 pandemic, working people and small businesses struggled and for that reason we’re excited to kick off the Fair Share Amendment campaign,” he said. If approved by voters in November, the constitutional amendment would put a 4 percent surtax on income that exceeds $1 million and dedicate the additional revenue to public education and transportation. The campaign now estimates it would bring in $1.3 billion a year. At the campaign kickoff virtual press conference Wednesday, speakers promoted the need for higher spending on schools and public transportation in low-income communities such as Lawrence and Fall River. Rabbi Liza Stern of Congregation Eitz Chayim in Cambridge, said there is a moral case for passing the ballot question. “For people who are blessed with the ability to make more than $1 million, it is an opportunity for them to do this uniquely human thing which is help create a strong community,” Stern said. The press conference also tried to rebut a couple of arguments against the so-called millionaires’ tax. Khrystian King, a City Councilor in Worcester, said the rich will not flee Massachusetts if the question passes. “If they were going to move, they would have moved a long time ago,” he said. "And, Gerly Adrien, owner of Tipping Cow Ice Cream in Somerville and Boston, said small business-owners will not be hit with a higher tax bill if the amendment is approved. “For my fellow small business owners; did you make $1 million last year in income – not your revenue but your income -- your personal income? No,” said Adrien. “The people who did make $1 million in income most likely paid less in taxes than you.” However, in an interview with WAMC in March, Springfield Regional Chamber President Nancy Creed said the amendment would negatively impact small business owners. “Based on how they have created their organizations – sole proprietors, s-corps – those kind of small businesses are the ones that are really going to get it.” Creed said. “They are certainly not millionaires, so this is more of a middle class tax than a wealthy tax.” Business-backed groups, who succeeded four years ago in getting the Fair Share Amendment knocked off the 2018 state ballot, are back in court complaining about the wording approved by the state Attorney General’s office to summarize the question on this year’s ballot. The opponents say the phrase “subject to appropriation by the legislature” is misleading to voters. Andrew Farnitano, a spokesman for the Fair Share campaign said the challenge has no merit. “Dedicating the funding from the Fair Share Amendment in the text of the constitution is the strongest possible way to ensure it goes to transportation and public education,” he said. “It is an iron-clad declaration that the money must be spent on those two areas.” The campaign is also touting endorsements from elected government bodies across Massachusetts including city councils in Springfield and Pittsfield. Previous Next

< Back Amesbury, Newburyport School Committees Join 50+ Communities Endorsing Question 1 to Improve Local Schools & Roads with Tax on Million-Dollar Earners ​ Oct 18, 2022 ​ BOSTON – Last night, the Amesbury and Newburyport School Committees each passed resolutions in support of Question 1 on the November ballot, joining dozens of other municipal leaders across the state in supporting the proposed ‘Fair Share Amendment’ that would tax incomes above $1 million and raise billions of dollars that are constitutionally dedicated to transportation and public education. “As a district, Amesbury is struggling to keep up with funding infrastructure projects, as well as to hire staff to help students recover from the effect COVID has had on learning,” said Amesbury School Committee member Mel Webster . “This year, our budget allocation from the city increased by less than 1.7 percent. On top of that, we continue to struggle with unfunded state mandates, an issue recently chronicled by our State Auditor. The hope is Massachusetts voters approve the Fair Share Amendment and additional funds make their way to Amesbury.” “If passed, Question 1 will provide a lasting revenue stream of constitutionally-mandated funds to support the needs of all students and improve the quality of public education,” said Newburyport School Committee Member Sarah Hall . Local volunteers also knocked on hundreds of doors throughout the two cities during canvasses launched by the Newburyport City Democratic Committee and AFT Amesbury Local #1033 . Participants in the Newburyport canvass included City Councillors Jennie Donahue, Ed Cameron and Bruce Vogel, former councilor Charlie Tontar, and school committee member Sara Hall. “As I spoke to voters, they expressed strong support for the improvements to our schools, roads, and transit that Question 1 would help fund,” said volunteer Pam Wool of Newburyport . “Some who answered the door expressed some confusion about how home sales fit into Question 1, and I was able to clarify.” “The only home sales that would be affected are those that generate a capital gain of more than one million dollars after taking deductions into account,” Wool explained. Home sellers can deduct from their taxes the original purchase price, a deduction of $500,00 for married couples or $250,000 for individuals, plus any investments made in the house like a new roof, renovated kitchen, or updated heating. “In Newburyport, only 3 home sales last year sold for enough of a gain to be affected by Question 1 after the deduction for couples is applied. Once I explained this, confusion turned to support.” In recent months, resolutions supporting Question 1 have been passed by 19 city councils, 16 town select boards, and 29 school committees, collectively representing more than 50 communities across Massachusetts. Communities range in size from rural towns such as Windsor (population 831) and New Salem (population 983), to many of the Commonwealth’s largest cities, including Worcester, Springfield, and Boston. City Councils in Amesbury and Newburyport both voted to support Question 1 earlier this year. “Many of us came to and continue to live in Newburyport because of all the assets that the state brings in terms of an educated workforce and other important public infrastructure,” said Newburyport At-Large Councillor Edward Cameron in May, when the Council voted to endorse Question 1. “These proposed Fair Share Amendment revenues going towards education and transportation will definitely be part and parcel to keeping it that way.” Background on Question 1: the Fair Share Amendment The Fair Share Amendment – Question 1 on the November ballot – will allow Massachusetts to improve our transportation and public education systems by making the very rich pay their fair share. Question 1 would create a 4 percent tax on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million and constitutionally dedicate the funds to be spent on transportation and public education. Only people who earn more than $1 million annually will be impacted; 99% of us won’t pay a penny more. And we’ll all benefit from better schools, roads, bridges, and public transportation. Thousands of educators, workers, small business owners, parents, faith leaders, municipal officials, drivers and transit riders, and more than 500 organizations across the state are working together to pass Question 1. Our campaign has been endorsed by 87 labor unions ; 72 community organizing groups ; 18 faith-based groups ; more than 75 businesses ; 64 city councils, select boards, and school committees ; 89 local Democratic town and ward committees ; and 115 other social service and not-for-profit organizations focused on housing, education, transportation, public health, and the environment. Learn more and get involved at FairShareMA.com. ### The Fair Share for Massachusetts campaign is led by Raise Up Massachusetts, a coalition of community organizations, faith-based groups, and labor unions committed to building an economy that invests in families, gives everyone the opportunity to succeed, and creates broadly shared prosperity. Since our coalition came together in 2013, we have nearly doubled wages for hundreds of thousands of working people by winning two increases in the state’s minimum wage, won best-in-the-nation earned sick time and paid family and medical leave benefits for workers and their families, and started to build an economy that works for all of us, not just those at the top. Previous Next

Fair Share in the Press Nov 1, 2022 Boston Globe: Yes on Question 1 The proposed constitutional amendment would make the state’s income tax fairer than it is now. READ MORE Nov 1, 2022 Yes on 1 Launches New TV Ad Featuring Campaign Supporters: Parents, Teachers, Workers, Small Business Owner and Retiree Question 1 on the November 8 Ballot Would Help Improve Schools, Repair Roads and Bridges, and Make Our Tax System Fairer READ MORE Oct 27, 2022 Attleboro Sun Chronicle: A 'Yes' on Question 1 will benefit most ​ READ MORE Oct 26, 2022 100+ Massachusetts Businesses Endorse Question 1 to Improve Transportation and Public Education 100+ Massachusetts Businesses Endorse Question 1 to Improve Transportation and Public Education READ MORE Oct 25, 2022 Yes on 1 Launches New TV Ad Pushing Back on Deceptive Lies About Home Sales ‘No on 1’ Campaign Caught Lying About Home Sales; Less Than 1% Would Be Affected READ MORE Oct 25, 2022 A yes vote on Question 1 will expand opportunities for everyone The state would have more resources to support public schools, make public colleges affordable, and upgrade public transportation systems. READ MORE Oct 24, 2022 Yes on 1 Demands TV Stations to Take Down Deceptive Opposition Ad That Lies About Home Sales Less Than 1% of Home Sales Would Be Affected by Question 1 READ MORE Oct 21, 2022 Berkshire Eagle: Yes on Question 1 ​ READ MORE Oct 21, 2022 Viewpoint: A business leader urges 'yes' on ballot Question 1 ​ READ MORE Oct 20, 2022 Yes on 1 Campaign Responds to New Poll Showing Voters Demand Investments in Transportation Infrastructure 2nd Poll This Week Showing Strong Support for Question 1 Among Voters READ MORE Oct 19, 2022 More Than 500 Organizations Across MA Support Question 1 to Improve Schools & Roads with Tax on Million-Dollar Earners As Voting Begins, New Poll Shows 58% of Voters Supporting Question 1 READ MORE Oct 18, 2022 Amesbury, Newburyport School Committees Join 50+ Communities Endorsing Question 1 to Improve Local Schools & Roads with Tax on Million-Dollar Earners ​ READ MORE Oct 17, 2022 Yes on 1 Campaign Responds to New Report Showing Less Than 1 Percent of Seniors Will Pay Fair Share Tax Analysis of IRS Data Shows Only a Tiny Percentage of Retirees Have Annual Taxable Income of More Than $1 Million READ MORE Oct 16, 2022 Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Teachers Union Leaders Launch Canvass for Question 1 in Dorchester Congresswoman Pressley Joins Supporters of Fair Share Amendment Tax on Million-Dollar Earners to Invest in Transportation and Public Education READ MORE Oct 15, 2022 Congressman Jim McGovern Launches Canvass for Question 1 in Worcester Congressman McGovern Joins Local Supporters of Fair Share Amendment Tax on Million-Dollar Earners to Invest in Transportation and Public Education READ MORE Oct 14, 2022 Fair Share Amendment Ballot Campaign Launches New TV Ad Focused on Retired Homeowner Question 1 on the November Ballot Would Raise $2 Billion for Schools and Roads, Wouldn’t Affect Vast Majority of Home Sales READ MORE Oct 13, 2022 Yes on 1 Campaign: School Counselors’ Plea for Help Highlights Urgent Need for Fair Share Amendment to Fund K-12 Education Question 1 on the November Ballot Would Help Fund Schools, Colleges, Roads, Bridges & Transit READ MORE Oct 12, 2022 Fair Share Amendment Ballot Campaign Launches New TV Ad Focused on Roads & Bridges Question 1 on the November Ballot Would Help Repair State’s Crumbling Transportation Infrastructure READ MORE Oct 6, 2022 City Councils, Select Boards & School Committees in 50+ Communities Endorse Question 1 to Improve Local Roads & Schools with Tax on Million-Dollar Earners From Amesbury and Bridgewater to Windsor and Worcester, Question 1 Gaining Support from Communities Large and Small Across Massachusetts READ MORE Sep 30, 2022 Fair Share Amendment Ballot Campaign Launches Fourth TV Ad Question 1 on the November Ballot Is “Good for All Businesses, Big and Small” READ MORE

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< Back Ahead of Labor Day, 80 Mass. Labor Unions Endorse Question 1 to Improve Transportation and Public Education ​ Sep 1, 2022 Unions Representing Nearly Half a Million Workers Join Growing Coalition Supporting Fair Share Amendment Tax on Million-Dollar Earners on November Ballot BOSTON – Ahead of Labor Day weekend, the campaign working to pass the Fair Share Amendment, the proposed state tax on incomes above $1 million which would raise billions of dollars to invest in transportation and public education, today announced the endorsement of 80 labor unions from across the state. The Fair Share Amendment is Question 1 on the November statewide ballot. “Union members across Massachusetts are voting Yes on Question 1 in November because we work hard and pay our fair share, and it’s time for the very rich to pay their fair share too,” said Steven Tolman, President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. “Question 1 would constitutionally dedicate $2 billion every year to fixing our roads, bridges, schools, colleges, and transit infrastructure, and only those making more than $1 million a year would pay a penny more. That’s a win for working people, and a win for Massachusetts.” The 80 labor unions collectively represent nearly half a million workers across Massachusetts, including teachers, bus and truck drivers, nurses, carpenters, educators, grocery workers, custodians, healthcare workers, paraprofessionals, electricians, property service workers, plumbers, school counselors, human service workers, roofers, and many more. “Tens of thousands of educators all across Massachusetts are voting Yes on Question 1 — and organizing our neighbors to vote Yes — because we know that Question 1 will make our tax system fairer and generate billions of dollars for our public schools and colleges," said Max Page, President of the Massachusetts Teachers Association. "States that invest in basic public goods like transportation and public education have stronger economies, and Question 1 will help us build a healthy economy that works for everyone. As we recover from the pandemic, Massachusetts students need smaller class sizes and more one-on-one instruction from fairly-paid educators. Our public colleges need to be more affordable, so that future generations aren't forced to take on debt to receive a degree. Question 1 will deliver better schools and more affordable public colleges, and only the very rich who earn more than a million dollars a year will pay for it.” “As a caregiver, I have seen firsthand how COVID has created more barriers for working families to get ahead, while the super-rich get richer,” said Paulena Bergeron, a 1199SEIU member and personal care attendant from Springfield. “To change this inequity, our vision for the future must be greater than the past. And that starts with the Fair Share Amendment. Question 1 invests in us and the communities we live in and care for. I’m voting Yes on 1 to help create a Massachusetts that works for all.” “Our students are facing incredible challenges right now, and Question 1 is a once-in-a- generation chance to make our schools better," said AFT Massachusetts President Beth Kontos. "Teachers and students have worked incredibly hard over the last few years, while the super rich kept getting richer and richer. With Question 1, those who earn more than a million dollars annually will finally pay their fair share, and our students will have better-funded schools from K-12, and access to affordable public college when they graduate.” “As nurses, whether it be those working in school health offices, hospital emergency departments, community health centers or mental health facilities, we see the impacts of growing economic inequality on the health and wellbeing of the most vulnerable in our society, and as such, we believe it is time for the super rich in our society to bear an equal burden and to pay their fair share for the good of all, which is why we have endorsed this initiative,” said Katie Murphy, RN, a frontline critical care nurse and president of the Massachusetts Nurses Association. “Massachusetts Building Trades Unions are proud to endorse the Fair Share Amendment to ensure all Massachusetts residents pay their Fair Share and in the process, create jobs and development in transportation and education across the Commonwealth,” said Frank Callahan, President of the Massachusetts Building Trades Unions. “Working people know that better schools and reliable roads and bridges are the best way to grow our economy and make it work for everyone – that’s why we’re supporting Question 1,” said Peter MacKinnon, President of SEIU Local 509. “99 percent of us won’t pay anything more, but we’ll all benefit when our kids have more teachers, our roads have fewer potholes, and our tax system is fairer.” The labor unions join more than 300 organizations and thousands of activists across the state who are working together to pass Question 1 on the ballot. The campaign previously announced support from 63 community organizing groups, 26 housing and community development organizations, 28 social service providers, 15 faith-based groups, 7 public health organizations, 7 environmental and climate organizations, and 10 transportation advocacy organizations, as well as more than 50 businesses across the state. After years of grassroots advocacy, the state Legislature voted in June 2021 to place the Fair Share Amendment on the November 2022 statewide ballot, where it is now set to be decided on by the voters as Question 1. The full list of endorsing labor unions is below, and a full list of organizations that have endorsed Question 1 is available at fairsharema.com/endorsements. 1199SEIU 32BJ SEIU AFGE Local 3258 AFT Amesbury Local 1033 AFT Local 1340 Chelsea Teachers Union AFT Maintainers Local 6350 AFT Massachusetts American Postal Workers Union Andover Education Association Arlington Education Association ATU Local 1037 Ayer Shirley Regional Education Association, Inc. Berkshire Labor Assembly WMALF Boston Carmen’s Union Local 589 Boston Teachers Union Cambridge Education Association Central Massachusetts AFL-CIO Central Labor Council CWA D1 Eastern Millwright Regional Council Fall River Educators Association Greater Boston Labor Council Greater Southeastern Massachusetts Labor Council Groton Dunstable Educators Association Harvard Teachers Association Hatfield Teaching Association Haverhill Education Association IBEW Local 103 IBEW Local 223 International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers International Union of Operating Engineers Local 4 IUE-CWA 201 IUPAT DC35 LiUNA! Local 175 Lynn Teachers Union, Local 1037 Malden Education Association Massachusetts AFL-CIO Massachusetts Building Trades Unions Massachusetts Library Staff Association Massachusetts Nurses Association Massachusetts Society of Professors Massachusetts Teachers Association Mendon Upton Regional Teachers Association Merrimack Valley Central Labor Council Merrimack Valley Educators Bargaining Council New Bedford Educators Association Norfolk County Central Labor Council North Adams Teachers Association North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters Local 339 North Shore Labor Council Pittsfield Educational Administrators' Association Plasterers & Cement Masons Local 534 Plumbers & Gasfitters Local 12 Plymouth Bristol Central Labor Council Professional Staff Union/MTA/NEA Rockland Education Association Roofers and Slaters Local 248 Roofers Local 33 Salem Teachers Union SEIU CIR SEIU Community Action SEIU Local 509 SEIU Local 888 SEIU Massachusetts State Council Sheet Metal Air Rail Transportation Union Sheet Metal Workers Local 17 Somerville Educators Union Southeastern Massachusetts Building Trades Council Springfield Federation of Paraprofessionals Teamsters Local 122 Tewksbury Teachers Association UAW Region 9A UFCW Local 1459 Union 38 Educators Association United Educators of Pittsfield United Steelworkers District 4 United Teachers of Lowell Wakefield Education Association Westborough Education Association Western Mass Area Labor Federation Previous Next

< Back Fair Share Amendment Ballot Campaign Launches First TV Ad ​ Aug 17, 2022 Win-Win” Highlights How Question 1 on the November Ballot Will Mean “Better Schools and Roads, and a Tax System That’s Fairer” BOSTON – The campaign working to pass the Fair Share Amendment today announced the launch of its first television ad , part of an eight-figure TV ad campaign that will run through Election Day. The Fair Share Amendment, the proposed state tax on incomes above $1 million, would raise billions of dollars to invest in transportation and public education. It is Question 1 on the November statewide ballot. “We began running TV ads this week, but our campaign supporters – educators, parents, and neighbors all across the state – have already reached out to more than half a million voters going door-to-door and by phone,” said Fair Share for Massachusetts Campaign Manager Jeron Mariani . “Through an expansive campaign over the airwaves, online, and on the ground, we're telling voters about the facts of Question 1: that only the super-rich who earn more than $1 million a year will pay more, and we'll all benefit from the $2 billion a year that is constitutionally dedicated to our schools, colleges, roads, bridges, and transit infrastructure.” Titled ‘ Win-Win ,’ the ad begins by explaining how Massachusetts working people pay a higher share in taxes than the wealthiest one percent. Research from the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center shows that while most people in Massachusetts pay between 8 and 10 percent of our personal income in state and local taxes, the highest-income 1 percent of taxpayers pay just 6.8 percent. “Question 1 changes that, so those making over $1 million a year pay their fair share,” the ad continues. “Ninety-nine percent of us won’t pay a penny more. And Question 1 raises $2 billion a year that the constitution dedicates to public schools, colleges and roads and bridges.” Question 1, which voters will decide on the November ballot, would amend the Massachusetts constitution to create a 4 percent tax on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million and constitutionally dedicate the funds to be spent on transportation and public education. Less than 1 percent of Massachusetts taxpayers earn over $1 million in a single year and would pay the new tax, but we would all benefit from the improved schools and transportation infrastructure Question 1 will help fund. The ad ends by summing up the benefits of Question 1 for Massachusetts: “Better schools and roads, and a tax system that’s fairer. Question 1 is a win-win for Massachusetts.” Thousands of educators, workers, small business owners, parents, faith leaders, municipal officials, drivers and transit riders, and more than 280 organizations across the state are working together on the Fair Share for Massachusetts campaign to pass Question 1. After years of grassroots advocacy, the state Legislature voted in June 2021 to place the Fair Share Amendment on the November 2022 statewide ballot, where it is now set to be decided on by the voters as Question 1. The ad can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8NjwlAZhG4 . Background on Question 1: the Fair Share Amendment The Fair Share Amendment – Question 1 on the November ballot – will allow Massachusetts to improve our transportation and public education systems by making the very rich pay their fair share. Question 1 would create a 4 percent tax on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million and require – in the state constitution – that the funds be spent only on transportation and public education. Only people who earn more than $1 million annually will be impacted; 99% of us won’t pay a penny more. And we’ll all benefit from better schools, colleges, roads, bridges, and public transportation. Learn more and get involved at FairShareMA.com. ### The Fair Share for Massachusetts campaign is led by Raise Up Massachusetts, a coalition of community organizations, faith-based groups, and labor unions committed to building an economy that invests in families, gives everyone the opportunity to succeed, and creates broadly shared prosperity. Since our coalition came together in 2013, we have nearly doubled wages for hundreds of thousands of working people by winning two increases in the state’s minimum wage, won best-in-the-nation earned sick time and paid family and medical leave benefits for workers and their families, and started to build an economy that works for all of us, not just those at the top. Previous Next

< Back A yes vote on Question 1 will expand opportunities for everyone By Elizabeth Warren and Ayanna Pressley Oct 25, 2022 The state would have more resources to support public schools, make public colleges affordable, and upgrade public transportation systems. When we think about the future of Massachusetts, we dream of a state where families can thrive. The Commonwealth is filled with resources and opportunities, but for far too long, deep inequities and disparities have persisted. For years, the wealthiest 1 percent have paid a smaller share of their income in local and state taxes than everyone else, preventing the state from making the investments needed to build opportunity for everyone in all of our communities. But this November we have the opportunity to change the status quo. Question 1 on the November ballot is the Fair Share Amendment, a chance to make sure everyone pays their fair share in taxes. And when everyone chips in equitably, the state will have more resources to support public schools, make public colleges affordable, and upgrade public transportation infrastructure. We encourage everyone to vote yes on Question 1. Students and their families are still reeling from the coronavirus pandemic. Schools are finally open, but students, parents, and teachers need more opportunities for individualized support systems, better school buildings, and more wraparound services, especially for mental and emotional health. The Fair Share Amendment will mean more funding for public schools to address long-standing barriers to learning. Our transportation systems, from roads and bridges to the woeful MBTA, are suffering from years of neglect. Road congestion and outdated, diesel-powered buses are literally choking our Commonwealth, and public transit remains unreliable, unaffordable, and inaccessible for too many residents. Voting yes on Question 1 will allow us to repair and replace crumbling physical infrastructure and move us toward a clean, efficient, accessible future. Passing the Fair Share Amendment will also help create more pathways for young people to realize good-paying jobs and success in life, from vocational and technical education to affordable public college that doesn’t bury them in debt. Question 1 is simple: It would create an additional 4 percent tax on the portion of an individual’s annual income above $1 million, and constitutionally dedicate the funds to transportation and public education.The first $1 million of a person’s earnings wouldn’t be affected by this measure. Only the million-and-first dollar is taxed, and then at just an additional four cents on every dollar over a million. Who will pay the most? A full 70 percent of the funds raised would come from those earning more than $5 million a year. Expanding opportunities for people to learn, grow, and thrive is essential to the future of our Commonwealth. That means boosting the chances for children in small towns with small tax bases to get a first-rate education. That means reducing air pollution from cars and bus fumes that are concentrated in communities of color. That means telling every person — not just the wealthy ones — that we’ll invest in their education after high school so that they can develop skills and certifications to build a prosperous future. Even though 99 percent of people in Massachusetts won’t pay a penny more under Question 1, a few billionaires are spending a lot of money to confuse voters. So let’s clear up a few things: Small-business owners wouldn’t be affected by this tax unless their business generates more than $1 million in profit. Last year, less than 1 percent of homes in Massachusetts sold for enough of a gain to be affected by Question 1. Since Question 1 would be written into the state constitution, the state would be constitutionally required to spend this new money on transportation and public education. That spending requirement would be constitutionally protected and could only be undone by the people of Massachusetts, not lawmakers. By funding public schools, colleges, and transportation systems, the Fair Share Amendment will help build greater opportunity in every community in Massachusetts. Our current tax system is unjust and inequitable; those at the very top can afford to pay a little more to help build an economy and a Commonwealth that is safer, more sustainable, and works better for everyone. This November, the choice belongs to voters. We have the chance to say, loud and clear, that we value our young people, we support all of our communities, and that everyone — including the multimillionaires and billionaires — should pay their fair share. Elizabeth Warren is a US senator from Massachusetts, and US Representative Ayanna Pressley represents the Massachusetts Seventh Congressional District. Previous Next

< Back More community groups join coalition backing millionaires tax Benjamin Kail | Boston Business Journal Jun 28, 2022 Over 60 progressive groups have now endorsed the 4% surtax on income surpassing $1 million More than 60 progressive groups have now endorsed the 4% surtax on income surpassing $1 million, a proposed constitutional amendment that supporters say will level Massachusetts’ tax burden, even as critics argue it could undercut the middle class and hurt small businesses. The Fair Share for Massachusetts campaign announced the new backing for the so-called “millionaires tax” on Monday, a day before Sen. Elizabeth Warren plans to kick off a canvassing effort on the measure in Malden and a week after Massachusetts’ high court cleared the proposal to appear as proposed on November ballots. Fair Share said the 63 regional and statewide community organizers — which included groups like the Black Economic Justice Institute, Cambridge Residents Alliance, and Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness — are focused on economic opportunity, immigrant rights and racial justice. Group leaders said the potential $1.3 billion–plus that reportedly would be generated by the surtax would lead to significant investments in education and transportation. “The Fair Share Amendment will help improve our schools, colleges, roads, bridges and transit, and only the very rich will pay more,” said Lily Huang , co-director of Mass. Jobs with Justice. “Massachusetts communities desperately need a steady investment in this vital infrastructure so that families can live and work — not just surviving day by day, but flourishing as we invest in ourselves.” Dax Crocker , a program coordinator for the Coalition for Social Justice, said the state’s economy is “working great for those at the top, but in the South Coast, working people are really struggling.” The tax, he said, should lead to “ fewer potholes on our roads, more resources for our public schools, better bus service in our communities, and lower tuitions at our public colleges.” Previous Next

< Back Berkshire Eagle: People gather in support of the Fair Share Amendment Gillian Jones | The Berkshire Eagle Apr 4, 2022 ​ For a full photo recap, visit; The Berkshire Eagle | People gather in support of the Fair Share Amendment Previous Next

< Back 28 Social Service Providers from Across Massachusetts Endorse Fair Share Amendment to Invest in Transportation and Public Education ​ Jul 11, 2022 Financial Empowerment, Anti-Poverty, & Immigrant Assistance Nonprofits Join Growing Coalition Supporting Tax on Million-Dollar Earners on November Ballot BOSTON – Fair Share for Massachusetts, the campaign working to pass the Fair Share Amendment, the proposed state tax on incomes above $1 million which would raise billions of dollars to invest in transportation and public education, today announced the endorsement of 28 social service providers from across the state. “The CEDC has served as a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site for 19 years now,” said Corinn Williams, executive director of the Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern Massachusetts . “Each year, we help working families, immigrants and elders pay their taxes, and we see firsthand how working-class people are paying more of their income in taxes than the very rich do. The people we work with are paying their fair share. Now more than ever, it’s time to make our tax system fairer so that multi-millionaires pay their proper fair share, too.” The 28 social service providers include financial empowerment nonprofits, anti-poverty agencies, immigrant assistance groups, food banks and homeless shelters from communities including Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, Fall River, Greenfield, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, New Bedford, Quincy, Somerville, and Worcester. “Regardless of district or zip code, Massachusetts' students deserve access to science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) programming that is proven to result in long term student success,” said Juan Maldonado, Associate Director of Sociedad Latina in Boston . “With the additional funding raised by the Fair Share Amendment, we can take a meaningful step towards educational and racial equity.” “I am proud to support this important work to bring Massachusetts the revenues needed to support and sustain critical infrastructure,” said Justin Pasquariello, Executive Director of East Boston Social Centers . “To continue to lead in education, we must invest more in early education and care and in all districts. To continue to support families of all incomes, our economy, and our environment, we desperately need investments in our transit infrastructure. Currently, our residents with lower incomes have the highest effective tax rates because more of their income goes to sales taxes and property taxes. The Fair Share amendment will bring all Massachusetts taxpayers closer to giving the same percentage of their income to make critical investments in the commonwealth.” “It’s no secret there is a correlation between zip code and the quality of housing, transportation and education resources available in any given area,” said David Gibbs, executive director of the Community Action Agency of Somerville . “The Fair Share Amendment will help low-income families in communities like Somerville, and others throughout the state, by creating additional resources for the creation and preservation of affordable housing, improving public transportation, and enhancing public education opportunities. By addressing these infrastructure and education issues now, we will ensure working families receive the best access to resources they can get in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, regardless of what municipality they live in.” “Preparing students for a diverse and multicultural world is a large part of what it means to receive a strong public education in Massachusetts,” said Mei Hung, executive director of the Chinese Culture Connection, Inc. in Malden . “If the Fair Share Amendment is passed this November, not only will the wealthy have the opportunity to share some of their extra funds for a good cause, but schools will be able to better prepare our children for life in Massachusetts and beyond.” “PACE sees first-hand the need for increased investment at all levels of our education system,” said Pam Kuechler, Executive Director of People Acting in Community Endeavors (PACE) in New Bedford . “Recruiting, retaining, and valuing our early education teachers is critical, and with the mental health of our children impacted by the pandemic, we must find the additional resources our next generation deserves.” The social service providers join more than 215 organizations and thousands of activists across the state who are working together to win the Fair Share Amendment on the ballot. The campaign previously announced support from 63 community organizing groups and 26 housing and community development organizations . After years of grassroots advocacy, the state Legislature voted in June 2021 to place the Fair Share Amendment on the November 2022 statewide ballot, where it is now set to be decided on by the voters. The full list of endorsing social service providers is below, and a full list of organizations that have endorsed the Fair Share Amendment is available at fairsharema.com/endorsements . Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee Center for Living & Working, Inc. Chinese Culture Connection, Inc. Citizens for Citizens Community Action Agency of Somerville, Inc. Community Action Program Inner City Community Economic Development Center of SE MA East Boston Social Center Economic Mobility Pathways (EMPath) Greater Boston Legal Services Greater Lawrence Community Action Council Immigrants' Assistance Center, Inc. (IAC) Just A Start Latinx Community Center for Empowerment LEO Inc LifePath National Association of Social Workers, MA Chapter People Acting in Community Endeavors (PACE) Project Bread Quincy Asian Resources, Inc. Rosie's Place Sociedad Latina South Boston En Accion The Midas Collaborative True Alliance Center Union Capital Boston Worcester Community Action Council Worcester County Food Bank Background on the Fair Share Amendment The Fair Share Amendment on the November ballot will allow Massachusetts to improve our transportation and public education systems by making the very rich pay their fair share. The ballot question would create a 4 percent tax on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million and dedicate the funds raised to transportation and public education. Only people who earn more than $1 million annually will be impacted; 99% of us won’t pay a penny more. And we’ll all benefit from better schools, roads, bridges, and public transportation. ### The Fair Share for Massachusetts campaign is led by Raise Up Massachusetts, a coalition of community organizations, faith-based groups, and labor unions committed to building an economy that invests in families, gives everyone the opportunity to succeed, and creates broadly shared prosperity. Since our coalition came together in 2013, we have nearly doubled wages for hundreds of thousands of working people by winning two increases in the state’s minimum wage, won best-in-the-nation earned sick time and paid family and medical leave benefits for workers and their families, and started to build an economy that works for all of us, not just those at the top. Learn more at FairShareMA.com. Image by Peter Lewitt Previous Next