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< Back Amesbury City Council endorses Fair Share Amendment Jim Sullivan | The Daily News of Newburyport Jul 5, 2022 ​ AMESBURY — The city has been added to the list of Massachusetts municipalities endorsing the Fair Share Amendment ballot initiative. The state ballot question calls for assessing an additional 4% tax on incomes over $1 million if approved at the polls Nov. 8. The money raised from the additional surcharge would then be used to fund schools, roads and other infrastructure needs. Amesbury City Councilors Nicholas Wheeler, Adrienne Lennon, Anthony Rinaldi and Roger Deschenes sponsored a resolution in support of the ballot measure, which was approved unanimously after a first reading June 28. The Newburyport City Council voted 7-4 to endorse the Fair Share Amendment in May. Lennon said the city had gone through a very difficult budget cycle, especially for the public schools, and approval of the amendment could go a long way in relieving the financial pressure. The amendment is an “obvious opportunity” for the state’s wealthy investors to offer some assistance to the rest of the population, according to Lennon. “They do not live on their income, they live on the dividends of their income and it harms them in no way, whatsoever, to be contributing to the opportunities of the rest of the people of the commonwealth,” she said. Cindy Yetman, president of Amesbury Local 1033 of the American Federation of Teachers, appeared before the City Council on June 28 to request the resolution’s approval. Yetman said Friday she is very happy with the resolution and believes most, if not all, Massachusetts labor unions will eventually endorse the Fair Share Amendment. “Faith-based groups are endorsing it, community-based groups are endorsing it, and now municipalities are also endorsing it, one by one,” she said. Municipalities such as Amesbury are relying more on real estate property taxes to fund programs, Yetman said. She pointed out that the School Committee cut $477,589 from its proposed operating budget in the spring. “All the department heads in the city needed to tighten their belts this year, so we need relief. Passing the Fair Share Amendment will bring on approximately $2 billion in additional state revenue,” she said. “This is not going to affect 99.5% of the residents of Massachusetts. It is only going to ask a small group of residents to pay an additional 4% over each dollar earned over $1 million. So, that first $1 million has no additional tax. For each dollar after that, we are asking them to pay four cents.” The social/emotional needs of students have always been important but the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic have made them even more acute, according to Yetman. “We are finding from that experience that this year particularly was very challenging in terms of students adjusting back to face-to-face education,” she said. “We also need to get all of the students back to where they should be so additional resources are certainly needed now to be able to make sure that our students are in a place where they can learn best.” Yetman said Massachusetts residents can expect to see union members canvassing the state to drum up support for the amendment heading into the election. “Our next step will be a very broad campaign,” she said. “We will be knocking on doors and having meetings with community groups to inform our voters of the importance of the passage of the Fair Share Amendment. Because we do have an opposition that spins another tale about what it will bring and do,” she said. Image of Amesbury Town Hall by Fletcher6, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons 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

< Back 15 Faith-Based Groups from Across Massachusetts Endorse Question 1 to Improve Transportation and Public Education ​ Jul 18, 2022 Religious Leaders Join Growing Coalition Supporting Fair Share Amendment Tax on Million-Dollar Earners on November Ballot BOSTON – 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 15 faith-based groups from across the state. The Fair Share Amendment is Question 1 on the November statewide ballot. “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 . “Passing the Fair Share Amendment is the greatest way to guarantee all of our public schools are properly funded and our public transportation system works for everyone, ensuring Massachusetts remains a state that serves in the best interest of us all.” The 15 faith-based groups represent religious congregations and clergy from across Massachusetts, and include statewide organizations as well as groups from Boston, Framingham, Sharon, Worcester, the North Shore, the Pioneer Valley, and Southeastern Massachusetts. “People of faith, who hold that moral and spiritual traditions are fundamental to civil society, believe that sharing what we have is not a choice but a responsibility. Regular giving, whether tithing our income or leaving the corners or our fields free for the taking, lies at the core of Jewish teachings,” said Rabbi Barbara Penzner, a member of the Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action Advisory Committee and Rabbinic Advisory to the New England Jewish Labor Committee . “The Fair Share Amendment creates the opportunity to fulfill that obligation in a simple and just framework. It is based on this incontestable truth: for any one of us to thrive, we must ensure that everyone thrives.” “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,” said Rev. Jo Murphy, Executive Director of Unitarian Universalist Mass Action . “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.” “We believe that God wants a world with liberation for all. Yet, that is not the world we live in,” said Rev. Arrington Chambliss, Executive Director of Episcopal City Mission . “Our current tax system privileges the wealthy at the expense of the rest of us. This unfair tax system has exacerbated the racial wealth gap in Massachusetts throughout the pandemic. Now is the time to take action and bring forth a more just tax system. Please join Episcopal City Mission in voting Yes on 1.” The faith-based groups join more than 215 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 , and 28 social service providers . 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 faith-based groups is below, and a full list of organizations that have endorsed Question 1 is available at fairsharema.com/endorsements . 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 Worcester Interfaith 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 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 John Phelan, CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons 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

< 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 City Councils, Select Boards & School Committees in 50+ Communities Endorse Question 1 to Improve Local Roads & Schools with Tax on Million-Dollar Earners ​ Oct 6, 2022 From Amesbury and Bridgewater to Windsor and Worcester, Question 1 Gaining Support from Communities Large and Small Across Massachusetts BOSTON – The ‘Fair Share for Massachusetts’ campaign today announced that city councils, select boards, and school committees representing more than 50 communities across the state have endorsed Question 1, 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. “The Springfield City Council voted to support Question 1 because it will mean more money to fix potholes, hire teachers, and repair aging bridges and school buildings,” said Springfield City Council President Jesse Lederman . “Question 1 will mean Springfield finally gets our fair share when it comes to education and transportation infrastructure to support the next generation. I’m voting YES on Question 1 for a better future.” In recent months, resolutions supporting the Fair Share Amendment, Question 1 on the November ballot, have been passed by 19 city councils, 16 town select boards, and 27 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. “I, along with many in the Town of Arlington, realize that providing better transportation and education for everyone will benefit all cities and towns and boost the growth of our entire Commonwealth,” said Len Diggins, Chair of the Arlington Select Board . “Those with little wealth will have more opportunities to realize their potential, and the increase in economic activity will even benefit those with more wealth! The pie will get bigger; we will all win!” At city council, select board, and school committees over the past few months, municipal supporters of Question 1 have spoken about how the constitutional amendment would help their communities by making our tax system fairer and providing substantial resources for education and transportation investments. “Súper emocionada de ver presentado está resolución en apoyo en la Enmienda De Parte Justa, junto a mis colegas del concilio nosotros estamos comprometidos en crear mejores oportunidades para nuestras comunidades y esta propuesta de ley trae los recursos para invertir en educación, y la infraestructura de transportación para todos en Massachusetts,” said Lawrence City Councilor Celina Reyes in August. (Translation: “I’m super excited to see this resolution presented in support of the Fair Share Amendment, together with my council colleagues. We are committed to creating better opportunities for our communities and this bill brings the resources to invest in education and transportation infrastructure for all in Massachusetts.” “I am proud to sponsor this resolution in support of the Fair Share Amendment, a statewide tax on millionaires that will then bring millions in funding to the very school district I was raised in,” said Salem School Committee Vice Chair Manny Cruz in June. “With the dollars raised we can uplift our school communities through providing the smaller class sizes, social-emotional supports, extra tutoring, and additional counselors, nurses, and social workers that our students deserve.” “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. “These proposed Fair Share Amendment revenues going towards education and transportation will definitely be part and parallel to keeping it that way.” The full list of endorsing city/town councils and school committees is below: Amesbury City Council Amherst City Council Arlington Select Board Ashfield Select Board Becket Select Board Boston City Council Bridgewater City Council Cambridge City Council Colrain Select Board Conway Select Board Dalton Select Board Easthampton City Council Fall River City Council Gill Select Board Holyoke City Council Lawrence City Council Lee Select Board Leverett Select Board Lynn City Council Medford City Council Montague Select Board New Bedford City Council New Salem Select Board Newburyport City Council Newton City Council North Adams City Council Northampton City Council Northfield Select Board Otis Select Board Pittsfield City Council Shutesbury Select Board Somerset Select Board Somerville City Council Springfield City Council Windsor Select Board Worcester City Council Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee Amherst School Committee Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee (Amherst, Pelham, Leverett, & Shutesbury) Arlington School Committee Braintree School Committee Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School Committee Burlington School Committee Cambridge School Committee Central Berkshire Regional School Committee (Becket, Cummington, Dalton, Hinsdale, Peru, Washington, & Windsor) Greenfield School Committee Lee School Committee Leverett School Committee Lexington School Committee Malden School Committee Medford School Committee New Bedford School Committee New Salem and Wendell School Committee North Adams School Committee Northampton School Committee Pittsfield School Committee Salem School Committee Somerset School Committee Somerset-Berkley Regional School Committee Somerville School Committee Springfield School Committee Watertown School Committee Worcester School Committee 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 Greenfield Recorder: Supports Fair Share Amendment Virginia (Jinx) Hastings Mar 31, 2022 Many high income households have paid less (percentage-wise) than most of us pay in state and federal Taxes. Supports Fair Share Amendment (Source / original) Math lesson. A million in seconds is about 12 days. A billion in seconds is about 32 years. Massachusetts has approximately 20,000 households earning over a million dollars and 34 billionaires. Please consider voting for the Fair Share Amendment in Massachusetts in November. Many high income households have paid less (percentage-wise) than most of us pay in state and federal Taxes. The Fair Share Amendment would be a change in our Massachusetts Constitution to create a 4% increase in taxes for people earning over one million dollars annually. This revenue would be spent on education and maintenance of public roads, bridges and transportation. Do the math. Four percent of a million dollar income (or more) is _____, then multiply by 20,000-plus high income earners in Massachusetts, then, add the billionaires income. The wealthiest in our commonwealth can easily afford to pay more, the payback in education and infrastructure is a benefit to all. Virginia (Jinx) Hastings Previous Next

< Back Yes on 1 Campaign: School Counselors’ Plea for Help Highlights Urgent Need for Fair Share Amendment to Fund K-12 Education ​ Oct 13, 2022 Question 1 on the November Ballot Would Help Fund Schools, Colleges, Roads, Bridges & Transit BOSTON – In response to a call from a coalition of Massachusetts school-based counselors and educators for additional resources and staff to meet the mental health needs of students, the campaign working to pass the Fair Share Amendment today emphasized the need for additional funding for K-12 schools. “Students throughout Massachusetts are struggling to recover from the effects of the pandemic – both academically and when it comes to their mental health. They clearly need more support than they’re getting today, and that’s what Question 1 will deliver,” said Jeron Mariani, Campaign Manager for Fair Share for Massachusetts . “We cannot afford to let an entire generation of young people fall behind. Question 1 will deliver billions of dollars to help support public school students with more individualized attention, more counselors, and more wrap-around services to meet their individual needs and get them back on track.” The Fair Share Amendment, the proposed state tax on incomes above $1 million, would raise billions of dollars that are constitutionally dedicated to transportation and public education. It is Question 1 on the November statewide ballot. According to the Massachusetts School Counselors Association, Massachusetts has only 1 counselor for every 364 students, much less than the expert recommendation of at least 1 for every 250 students. Nationally, 70% of public schools have reported an increase in the percentage of students seeking mental health services at school since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and 76% of schools also reported an increase in staff voicing concerns about students exhibiting symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and trauma. "I’ve seen my kids and their peers go through so much over the past few years. It’s been really tough for them!” said Liz Speakman, a mother of two from Quincy . “Question 1 is a chance to give them healthier learning environments where they can concentrate on their education. Question 1 would let us make the investments our kids need so they can reach their full potential.” 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 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 Today: Senator Markey joins Somerville launch of Fair Share ballot campaign Marta Corvelo | The Somerville Times May 15, 2022 Senator Edward Markey (D–Mass) will join dozens of local supporters of the Fair Share Amendment to launch the Somerville campaign... Today: Senator Markey joins Somerville launch of Fair Share ballot campaign On May 15, 2022, in Latest News , by The Somerville Times Senator Edward Markey (D–Mass) will join dozens of local supporters of the Fair Share Amendment to launch the Somerville campaign for the statewide ballot question today, Sunday May 15. Teams of Fair Share advocates will be canvassing the Somerville’s neighborhoods and speaking directly to voters. Senator Markey and the Somerville Fair Share team join hundreds of activists in several communities across the state who support the proposed state tax on annual incomes above $1 million that will appear on the November 2022 statewide ballot. WHO Senator Edward Markey and local Somerville supporters of the Fair Share Amendment WHAT Door-to-door neighborhood canvass WHEN Sunday, May 15, 2022 at 11:00 AM WHERE Argenziano School (290 Washington Street, Somerville MA) This fall, voters have the historic opportunity to make our tax system fairer and provide funding to improve our schools, roads, bridges, and public transportation. 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. Marta Corvelo The ballot question would create a 4 percent tax on 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. Previous Next

< Back Workers Launch Campaign For High-Earner Surtax Colin A. Young | State House News May 11, 2022 ​ Workers Launch Campaign For High-Earner Surtax (original / Source) Previous Next

< Back 75+ Massachusetts Businesses Endorse Question 1 to Improve Transportation and Public Education ​ Sep 29, 2022 More Small Business Owners Joining Coalition Supporting Fair Share Amendment Tax on Million-Dollar Earners on November Ballot BOSTON – The campaign working to pass the Fair Share Amendment, the proposed state tax on incomes above $1 million which would raise billions of dollars that are constitutionally dedicated for transportation and public education, today announced the endorsement of more than 75 businesses from across the state. The Fair Share Amendment is Question 1 on the November statewide ballot. “I’m thrilled to be supporting the Yes on 1 campaign because I want to see better roads and fully-funded schools. Small businesses like mine have really struggled over the last few years, and Question 1 is a chance to turn things around,” said Netania Shapiro, owner of Caravan Kitchen in Northampton . “We depend on good roads for our employees and customers, and Question 1 will mean $2 billion a year for schools, colleges, and transportation infrastructure, without small businesses paying a penny more.” The businesses include restaurants, bookstores, farms, barber shops, breweries, retailers, hotels, solar installers, banks, home repair contractors, and other businesses from across Massachusetts, in communities such as Adams, Amherst, Arlington, Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Everett, Fairhaven, Fall River, Grafton, Greenfield, Hyannis, Lexington, Malden, Montague, Newburyport, New Bedford, North Adams, Northampton, Pittsfield, Randolph, Shelburne, Somerville, South Hadley, Stoneham, and Worcester. “As a socially responsible bank, we know that investing in our basic infrastructure is the best way to grow our economy and make it work for everyone,” said Kathleen Gasperine, First Vice President of Amalgamated Bank in Boston . “We're supporting Question 1, the Fair Share Amendment, because it will make Massachusetts' tax system more fair and improve schools, colleges, roads, bridges, and transit across the state. That means more jobs, more opportunity, and more economic growth. Question 1 is good for business and good for our clients.” Opponents of Question 1 are trying to scare business owners and mislead voters by claiming that it is a tax on businesses, but that’s not true. The Fair Share Amendment adds a tax only on personal income over $1 million – business taxes would not increase. The only individuals who will pay more, including business owners or shareholders, are those who earn more than $1 million in personal income in a single year, regardless of their business’ revenues or profits. Less than 3 percent of all business owners in Massachusetts have taxable personal income over $1 million that would be subject to the Fair Share Amendment. “These misleading ads against Question 1 make me sick. They make it seem like struggling small business owners would be affected, but you’d have to make over a million dollars in personal income to pay a penny more!” said Christopher Cuff, owner of Coffee Liberation Front in Adams . “Even if someone earns $2 million in one year, they’d only pay an extra $40,000: just 2 percent of their earnings that year. For someone making so much money, that’s a small price to pay for better schools and roads. The billionaires and multi-millionaires who would actually pay a lot more under Question 1 have gotten away without paying their fair share for years. Their misleading ads won’t work on me: I’m voting Yes on 1.” The endorsing businesses join more than 350 organizations and thousands of activists across the state who are working together to pass Question 1 on the ballot. 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. “When you look at the facts, supporting Question 1 is common sense for small businesses like mine,” said Valery Joseph, owner of La Perle Restaurant in Everett . “Even if my business’ annual revenue was over $1 million, I wouldn’t pay more because Question 1 is a tax on personal income over $1 million, not a tax on businesses. In all the years I’ve been in business, I’ve never made a million dollars myself. Question 1 means better roads and schools, and a stronger economy, which is great for businesses like mine. And only the richest one percent will pay more.” The full list of endorsing businesses is below and can be found at https://www.fairsharema.com/local-businesses . 40 South St. Vintage, Boston Acorn Business Advisor, Grafton Adeline's Hair Salon, Everett All She Wrote Books, Somerville Almquist & Associates, Somerville Amalgamated Bank, Boston Amherst Books, Amherst Apex Noire, Boston Asamass Trading, Worcester Avest Home Repair and Painting, Cambridge Bedlam Book Cafe, Worcester Belltower Records, North Adams Boston Black News, Boston Bread + Roses Bookshop and Cafe, Hyannis Brewer Banner, New Bedford Brothers Kafe Kreyol, Everett Cafe Beirut, Jamaica Plain Cambridge Local First, Cambridge Cambridge Naturals, Cambridge Caravan Kitchen, Northampton Center Goods, Lexington Ceramica Paint Studio, Stoneham Chill Out First Class Limo Service Inc, Everett Chuck Talley Illustrations, New Bedford Coffee Liberation Front, Adams Democracy Brewing, Boston dNB Craft Kitchen, New Bedford Fairhaven Yacht, Fairhaven Fiore's Bakery, Jamaica Plain Flint Fruit and Variety, Fall River Foxtrot Farm LLC, Shelburne Greenfield Solar, Greenfield Hartley's Original Pork Pies, Fall River Henna Inspired, Malden Herrera's Mexican Grill, Boston Hope and Feathers Framing, Amherst House of Art and Craft, Boston Irving House at Harvard, Cambridge Katiejobelle’s Gifts, Randolph Katy Rogers Photography, Everett Kitchenwitch, Jamaica Plain KrafTea Kombucha, Worcester Kusiak Music, Arlington La Perle Restaurant, Everett Leise Jones Photography, Boston Mechanica, Newburyport Micky's Hair Design, Everett Montague Village Store, Montague Monumental Market, Jamaica Plain MVP Barber Shop, Jamaica Plain N.P. Hayes LLC, New Bedford Nadia Colburn: Align Your Story, Cambridge Neighborhood Produce, Somerville Nifty Nate's, Hyannis Odyssey Bookshop, South Hadley Panda's Playcare Family Childcare, Boston Papercuts Bookshop, Boston Peace Train Tees, Pittsfield Pikliz International Kitchen, Somerville Porter Square Books, Cambridge Punk Rock Aerobics, Boston Purveyor of the Unnecessary & the Irresistible, Boston Radio Concorde, Boston Red Sun Press, Boston Rosaline's Skin Care & Spa, Brookline Rosetta Languages, Malden Said & Done Tattoo, Jamaica Plain Sanctum Folklorica, New Bedford Simple Gifts Farm, Amherst Stand Up 8 Dance Studio, Malden Talk of the Town Barber, Fall River Teletronics Broadway, Everett The Island, Malden Tibari Travel, Everett Tipping Cow Ice Cream, Somerville TL6 The Gallery, New Bedford Tony's Barber Shop, Malden Wah Lum Kung Fu & Tai Chi Academy, Malden 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 75businesses , 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