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Vote YES on the Fair Share Amendment on November 8, 2022. Follow the campaign:

Need to get in touch? General Inquiries info@fairsharema.com | Steve Crawford | steve@crawfordstrategies.com Andrew Farnitano | andrew@crawfordstrategies.com Media and Press Organizing Lillian Lanier | Field Director lillian@fairsharema.com Election Day is November 8, 2022. REGISTER TO VOTE

Jobs Open Positions BIPOC Community Organizer | Fair Share for Massachusetts Location: Brockton (including candidates from eastern or western MA) Hours: Full-time Compensation: $6,000/month (or $72,000 a year) with benefits Start Date: Immediately To apply: Email resume and cover letter to shanique@fairsharema.com . Include job title and area (Brockton) in the subject line. BIPOC Community Organizers will report to the BIPOC Community Director. They will take responsibility for running and executing a city/town field plan within their assigned regional turf. This Organizer will work collaboratively with the BIPOC Community Statewide Director to execute a field plan uniquely designed to increase support and voter turn out for the Fair Share Amendment. The responsibilities of this role will shift during different phases of the campaign. In the earlier parts of the campaign the Organizer will be assisting in passing local municipal resolutions, local Democratic committee endorsements, building relationships with BIPOC leaders, businesses and activists in their city/town. As the campaign draws nearer to election day the organizer will be transitioning to full electoral field organizing focused on hitting campaign goals and benchmarks with regards to volunteers, phones, and doors. BIPOC Community Organizers will also manage campaign fellows and coach volunteer leaders. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Developing and managing relationships with partner organizations to engage them in organizing work Support Outreach to and mobilization of BIPOC small businesses, BIPOC local elected officials, and BIPOC community influencers. Working with Field Director and Political Director to help pass local city/town resolutions and identifying Dem Committees to endorse Fair Share. Supporting C3 partner canvasses and phone banks by launching, training and supplying materials for volunteers or partner orgs when necessary. Training, coaching, and managing campaign fellows and volunteers teams to power the campaign. Hitting weekly goals and campaign benchmarks. Planning and executing grassroots actions and local events that center BIPOC voices and the community. Managing voter persuasion and GOTV programs, including phonebanks and canvasses. Attend weekly strategy meetings with BIPOC Community Director to help inform strategies and targeting in the Organizer's turf. Qualifications: Previous canvassing, sales or customer service experience is a plus but not required Past work/internship experience in organizing, campaign, or politics is a plus. Conversational in any of the following languages: Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Central Kahmer is a plus but not required. Experience training and managing volunteers is a plus. Access to a vehicle strongly preferred. Familiarity with MA cities and towns strongly preferred. Highly Organized with strong attention to details. Must be comfortable working for and talking to people from diverse backgrounds and constituencies Diverse candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. The Raise Up Massachusetts 2022 ballot committee is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, genetic information, protected veterans, marital or familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability status, criminal record information (except where permitted under applicable law), or any other category prohibited by local, state or federal law. Be a part of the movement for a fair Massachusetts. JOIN US

< Back More Than 500 Organizations Across MA Support Question 1 to Improve Schools & Roads with Tax on Million-Dollar Earners Oct 19, 2022 As Voting Begins, New Poll Shows 58% of Voters Supporting Question 1 BOSTON – As voters begin casting their mail-in ballots this week, and in-person early voting begins over the weekend, more than 500 organizations across the state are united in supporting 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. And in a sign of the continued momentum for Question 1, a new Suffolk University/Boston Globe/NBC10 Boston/Telemundo poll of Massachusetts voters found 58 percent support for Question 1, compared to 37 percent opposition. “Tens of 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 all working together to pass Question 1 in November,” said Lillian Lanier, Field Director for Fair Share for Massachusetts. “We’re supporting Question 1 because we know it will help improve our schools and transportation infrastructure, and only the very rich will pay more. A few billionaires are trying to mislead voters about what Question 1 does, but our grassroots supporters are having thousands of conversations every day to combat their misinformation.” The Yes on Question 1 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. A full list of the 500+ organizations supporting Question 1 can be found here . Supporters of Question 1 call the Amendment an opportunity for Massachusetts to improve our schools and colleges, fix our roads and bridges, create jobs, and boost our economy, all without 99% of taxpayers paying a single cent more. “Question 1 is a chance to make things better,” says New Bedford public school teacher Cynthia Roy in one of the campaign’s ads. “It raises $2 billion a year, constitutionally dedicated to public education and transportation, so we can end the teacher shortage, hire more counselors, and provide better support for students.” “[Question 1] creates thousands of new jobs at the same time,” says Canton operating engineer Jimmy Marenghi in another ad. “And only the super rich pay for it, not families like mine. Opponents of Question 1, funded by a few billionaire CEOs who don’t want to pay their fair share in taxes, are trying to scare seniors and small business owners about the effects of Question 1, but the facts are clear. Question 1 is a tax on personal income over $1 million – business taxes would not be affected, and Question 1 doesn’t apply to any business’s revenues. Less than 3 percent of businesses owners in Massachusetts have taxable personal income over $1 million that would be subject to Question 1, and many of them are primarily investors or shareholders, not people running a business day-to-day. “If a business is generating more than a million dollars in personal profit for the owner, even after they deduct all their business expenses, let’s be real: it’s not a small business, and that super-rich business owner can afford to pay their fair share in taxes,” says Gerly Adrien, Business Director of Fair Share for Massachusetts & owner of Tipping Cow Ice Cream in Somerville and Boston. "Question 1 wouldn't make small businesses like ours pay a single penny more. But every business in Massachusetts will benefit when we have a more reliable transportation system to get our customers in the door and our employees to and from work," says Karsen Eckweiler, co-owner of Democracy Brewing in Boston . "We'll all benefit from better schools and colleges that prepare a well-educated workforce. And anyone who makes more than a million dollars in a single year can easily afford to pay a little more — just four cents on every dollar from their second million, and everything above it — to help build a stronger economy for all of us." And research from the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, based on Massachusetts taxpayer data from the IRS, proves conclusively that less than 1 percent of seniors will pay more in taxes if Question 1 on the November ballot is approved, including when they sell their homes. “As a retiree and homeowner, I know that Question 1 won't affect me and my wife when we sell our home. It makes me angry that the billionaire opponents of Question 1 are trying to scare us with misleading ads,” says John Lippitt, a Reading homeowner and retiree. “I’m supporting Question 1 because 99% of us, including home sellers and retirees, won’t pay more, but we'll all benefit from better roads and bridges, and our grandkids will enjoy better schools and affordable public college.” Even in Massachusetts’s hot housing market, only a tiny percentage of home sellers would see their taxable income rise above $1 million. Last year, only 895 homes, less than 1 percent of all home sales in the state, generated enough of a gain to be affected by Question 1. That's because it's the gain in value since the house was originally purchased, not the full sales price, that is subject to income tax. Plus, home sellers can deduct up to $500,000 from their taxes on the sale of their primary residence, and also deduct the entire cost of a renovated kitchen, an updated heating system, a new roof, or any other major improvements. Local data on home sales shows that in the majority of towns across the Commonwealth, not a single home was sold for a gain of $1 million or more. Only 22 towns had more than 10 sales yield a gain of $1.5 million or more, enough to be affected by Question 1 after deductions are taken. For supporters, Question 1 is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fund our public schools and colleges and repair our roads, bridges, and transit, all by making the very rich pay their fair share in state taxes. “When I go door to door talking to voters about Question 1, I’m joined by educators, parents, and school staff who want our schools to have adequate staffing to give students one-on-one attention and help them recover from learning loss,” said Liz Speakman, a Quincy parent. “I’m joined by drivers who want to see the potholes on our main streets fixed, bus riders who are worried about the state of our public transportation infrastructure, and students who want to get a public college degree without taking on enormous debt. That’s who our campaign is, and I know that when working people join together and have conversations with our neighbors, we can overcome the scare tactics of a few billionaires.” 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

Our Story 2022 The campaign to pass Question 1—the Fair Share Amendment—is officially underway! Right now, the rich pay less of their income in taxes than the rest of us. That’s far from fair. Question 1 would make the richest 1% pay just 4¢ more on every dollar they earn after their first $1 million in a single year. And if you earn less than $1 million/year, you won’t pay a cent more. We’re talking to voters and communities across Massachusetts about what $2 billion a year, every year, constitutionally dedicated to education and transportation, will do for our schools from pre-K to higher education; our roads from Pittsfield to Amesbury; and our trains and buses all over the commonwealth. We need a roadmap to recover from COVID-19, and the Fair Share Amendment is part of how we get there. Now, we’re fighting for fair taxes that will fund affordable, high-quality schools, safe roads and bridges, and reliable transportation options. We’re sharing your stories about what the Fair Share Amendment will mean for you, your family, and your community. We’re talking to voters across the commonwealth, and we’re building a movement for a fair Massachusetts. This year, we’re Question 1 on the ballot on November 8—so vote YES on 1 for fair taxes and improved transportation and public education across the state. It’s a win-win for all of us. Dax Get everything you need to know about exactly how to vote Yes on 1. HOW TO VOTE YES ON 1 2019-2021 After months of grassroots calls for action, in June 2019, the state legislature voted to advance the Fair Share Amendment one step closer to the ballot in a constitutional convention. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic made the need for investments in our schools and roads even clearer, but as working people and small businesses struggled, the ultra-rich just got richer. In June 2021, the Constitutional Convention voted 159-41 to place the Fair Share Amendment on the November 2022 statewide ballot. 2015-2018 Since 2013, Raise Up Massachusetts, a coalition of community organizations, faith-based groups, and labor unions, has fought for policies that support working families, including earned sick time and a livable minimum wage. It’s hard not to notice that our education and transportation systems across the Commonwealth have been underfunded and underserved for too long. In 2015, the Fair Share Amendment began as a proposal to fix the upside down tax system and ensure the Massachusetts tax system is truly fair. Then and now, the very rich pay less of their income in their taxes than working people. By simply getting the very rich to pay their fair share, we can both make the tax system more equitable for all and improve Massachusetts’ roads, bridges, schools, colleges, trains, and buses. That’s because having the very rich pay their fair share in taxes creates a permanent, sustainable funding source to make these investments. Individuals who make over $1 million in a single year can afford to pay as much of their income as working people do in state taxes. When multi-millionaires pay just 4% more on every dollar they earn annually after their first million, we’ll raise $2 billion a year, every year, to invest in transportation and education. And no one else will pay a cent more. The Raise Up coalition began to focus its energy on getting the Fair Share Amendment on the statewide ballot as a constitutional amendment. Amending the state constitution is necessary to ensure that only the very rich pay more, and it guarantees that the money raised from the tax on the ultra-rich will go toward transportation and education—the systems we need to thrive. Raise Up Massachusetts and partners across the commonwealth collected 150,000 signatures from Massachusetts voters in support of the Fair Share Amendment, then overwhelmingly passed two state constitutional conventions in favor of Fair Share (as required to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot). Then a corporate-backed lawsuit, led by corporate lobbying interests, led to the original Fair Share Amendment being removed from the ballot on a procedural technicality. But that wasn’t anywhere close to the end of the story. Raise Up was still determined to make our tax system fairer and invest in shared prosperity across Massachusetts, so the coalition immediately began advocating for a legislative version of the Fair Share Amendment. Be a part of our story JOIN US Teachers support the Fair Share Amendment. Cynthia's Story

< Back Letter: Vote for the Fair Share Amendment Liz Recko-Morrison and Brian P. Morrison | The Berkshire Eagle Jul 7, 2022 To the editor: This November, we will have the opportunity to vote on the Fair Share Amendment. If passed, this constitutional amendment will provide a new and much needed source of funding for education and infrastructure in Massachusetts. This revenue will come from a new tax of 4 percent on earned income over $1 million. While this levy will affect only the top 1 percent of our residents, it will positively impact all of us by generating $2 billion yearly to strengthen the entire education system and provide funds for needed infrastructure projects. Education in Massachusetts is currently a study in contrasts. Some districts can provide incredible opportunities for their students while others struggle to fund even basic services. The funds the FSA would secure can begin to address these inequities. Massachusetts educators and families can revitalize and reimagine their schools to better prepare all students for the future. In public higher education, this extra revenue can begin to address years of underfunding the system. For the first time in a generation, students of all income levels could attend college debt-free. Throughout the whole of the educational system, staffing issues can be addressed so that all learners have access to teachers, support staff, student services personnel and ancillary providers to meet their diverse needs. Our future workforce depends upon everyone receiving a quality education. The FSA will also provide funds for building and maintaining the infrastructure, including public transportation. Massachusetts roads and bridges have been neglected for far too long. Projects are backlogged, and communities endure delays to obtain funding. Imagine what it would be like to see a bridge repaired within a year rather than several years. Transit authorities struggle to procure and service buses and trains that will provide environmentally sustainable transportation. The additional money that the FSA will provide can mitigate some of these issues as well. The FSA will deliver needed funds for pre-K through higher education. It will also allow our commonwealth to tend to long neglected infrastructure problems. Its provision will not raise taxes at all for most of us. Yes, it will require those with income above $1 million to pay an additional four cents for each dollar above that lofty level. Those pennies will change lives in Massachusetts; please join us in voting for the Fair Share Amendment. Image of the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority in Pittsfield, MA by David Wilson via https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidwilson1949/14115509932/ Previous Next

< Back Fair Share Amendment Ballot Campaign Launches New TV Ad Focused on Retired Homeowner Oct 14, 2022 Question 1 on the November Ballot Would Raise $2 Billion for Schools and Roads, Wouldn’t Affect Vast Majority of Home Sales BOSTON – The campaign working to pass the Fair Share Amendment today announced the launch of a new TV ad , part of an eight-figure TV ad campaign that is running through Election Day. 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. Titled ‘ Retiree ,’ the new ad features John Lippitt, a Reading homeowner and retiree , explaining how “Question 1 raises $2 billion a year for public education and roads. It turns out, only people making over a million dollars a year will pay more, and it won’t impact our retirement savings. Even when we sell our house, we won’t have to pay more. I’m voting YES on Question 1.” A recent report from the Massachusetts Budget & Policy Center found that even in Massachusetts’s hot housing market, only a tiny percentage of home sellers would see their taxable income rise above $1 million. Last year, only 895 homes, less than 1 percent of all home sales in the state, generated enough of a gain to be affected by Question 1. That's because it's the gain in value since the house was originally purchased, not the full sales price, that is subject to income tax. Plus, home sellers can deduct up to $500,000 from their taxes on the sale of their primary residence, and also deduct the entire cost of a renovated kitchen, an updated heating system, a new roof, or any other major improvements. Local data on home sales shows that in the majority of towns across the Commonwealth, not a single home was sold for a gain of $1 million or more. Only 22 towns had more than 10 sales yield a gain of $1.5 million or more, enough to be affected by Question 1 after deductions are taken. In John’s town of Reading, not a single home sold for that much of a gain. “As a retiree and homeowner, I know that Question 1 won't affect me and my wife when we sell our home. It makes me angry that the billionaire opponents of Question 1 are trying to scare us with misleading ads,” says Lippitt . “I’m supporting Question 1 because 99% of us, including home sellers and retirees, won’t pay more, but we'll all benefit from better roads and bridges, and our grandkids will enjoy better schools and affordable public college.” The new ad can be found here . Previous ‘Yes on 1’ TV ads can be found here , here , here , here , and here . 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 The Berkshire Eagle: Pittsfield: Rally to support Fair Share Amendment The Berkshire Eagle: Jeannie Maschino Apr 1, 2022 Local teachers, students, elected leaders, and community and labor activists from the Berkshires will gather to rally in support of the Fair Share Amendment. Pittsfield: Rally to support Fair Share Amendment ( Source / Original ) Local teachers, students, elected leaders, and community and labor activists from the Berkshires will gather at 2 p.m. Monday, April 4, at Berkshire Community College's Connector building to rally in support of the work being done in the Berkshires to organize and campaign for the Fair Share Amendment. Under the Fair Share Amendment, the proposed state tax on incomes above $1 million would raise approximately $2 billion a year for spending on transportation and public education. The Fair Share Amendment will appear on the November 2022 statewide ballot. The event is hosted by the Berkshire Fair Share Committee and will feature a speaking program and opportunities to learn more about the Fair Share Amendment, the campaign, and upcoming events, including the first area canvass slated for Saturday, April 23. Previous Next

< Back Fair Share Amendment Will Be Question 1 on the November Ballot Jul 12, 2022 Campaign to Tax Million-Dollar Earners to Improve Transportation and Public Education in Full Swing 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 that the constitutional amendment will be Question 1 on the November ballot. “Question 1 is a win-win for Massachusetts: 99% of us won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll all benefit from better public schools, safer roads and bridges, more affordable public colleges, and more reliable public transit,” said Lillian Lanier, Field Director for Fair Share for Massachusetts. “With Question 1, only the richest 1 percent of Massachusetts taxpayers – those who earn more than $1 million in a single year – will pay more. By making our tax system fairer and investing in transportation and public education, we’ll grow our economy and make it work for everyone. That’s why thousands of teachers, parents, students, small business owners, and voters across Massachusetts are organizing together to pass Question 1 in November.” “As a small business owner, I’m voting Yes on 1 because while we work harder than ever to get ahead, the super-rich keep getting richer and richer,” said Hilken Mancini, owner of 40 South Street Vintage Clothing in Boston . “Question 1 will fix the lopsided tax rules that allow the wealthy to pay a smaller share in taxes than the rest of us. And every business will benefit when our communities have better schools and colleges that prepare a well-educated workforce, and a more reliable transportation system that gets employees to work and goods to market.” The campaign to pass the Fair Share Amendment, now officially Question 1 on the ballot, has been in full swing for months. Volunteers with the Fair Share for Massachusetts campaign have already reached out to more than 175,000 voters to have conversations about how making our tax system fairer can help improve our roads and bridges, our public schools and colleges, and our public transportation infrastructure. More than 100 grassroots canvassing and phone banking events have taken place in dozens of communities across the state, from Woburn and Gloucester to Pittsfield and New Bedford. “Our students need more help to recover from the effects of the pandemic, and that’s what Question 1 will provide,” said Cynthia Roy, a science teacher at Bristol Plymouth Regional Technical School . “From more education support professionals in the classroom to increased access to counselors and therapists, Question 1 will provide the educators our schools need to get students back on track.” More than 215 organizations and thousands of activists across the state are working together to win 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. Background on the Question 1: 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. Previous Next

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< Back 100+ Massachusetts Businesses Endorse Question 1 to Improve Transportation and Public Education Oct 26, 2022 100+ Massachusetts Businesses Endorse Question 1 to Improve Transportation and Public Education BOSTON – Supporters of Question 1, the proposed ‘Fair Share Amendment,’ today announced the endorsement of more than 100 businesses from across the state. “I’ve researched Question 1, and here’s what I found: it would increase funding for our schools and roads, and small businesses like mine wouldn’t pay a penny more,” said Steysy Clark, owner of House of Art and Craft, a home goods business in Brighton and Randolph. “As a business owner, I know how important public schools and transportation are for a strong economy. Question 1 is a clear win for small businesses.” The businesses include restaurants, bookstores, farms, barber shops, breweries, retailers, hotels, solar installers, banks, home repair contractors, record stores, salons, bike shops, pet groomers, and other businesses from across Massachusetts, in communities such as Adams, Amherst, Arlington, Belmont, Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Everett, Fairhaven, Fall River, Framingham, Grafton, Greenfield, Hyannis, Lexington, Malden, Medford, Montague, Newburyport, New Bedford, North Adams, Northampton, Pittsfield, Randolph, Shelburne, Somerville, South Hadley, Springfield, Stoneham, Woburn, and Worcester. “Over the past few months, more than 100 businesses across the state have joined together in support of Question 1,” said Gerly Adrien, Business Director of Fair Share for Massachusetts & owner of Tipping Cow Ice Cream in Somerville and Boston. “The billionaires and corporate lobbyists who oppose Question 1 have spent millions trying to scare business owners and mislead voters by claiming that it is a tax on businesses, but that’s not true. The 100-plus business owners supporting Question 1 understand that it will help our businesses, and make our economy stronger.” The Fair Share Amendment adds a tax only on personal income over $1 million – business taxes would not increase, and Question 1 doesn’t apply to any business’s revenues. 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. A new report from the Massachusetts Budget & Policy Center, released on Monday, found that “very few small businesses ever would sell for amounts that would require the sellers to pay any Fair Share tax on the proceeds from the sale.” “For me, Question 1 means better roads and public transportation to help my employees get to and from work,” said Matthew Gray, owner of Neighborhood Produce, a grocery store in Somerville. “It means better schools and colleges so that we have a well-trained workforce in the future. And it means only the super-rich will be asked to pay more, not small businesses like mine. That’s an opportunity I can get behind.” 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 Adorn Me Africa, Somerville All She Wrote Books, Somerville Almquist & Associates, Somerville Amalgamated Bank, Boston Amantolli, Somerville Amherst Books, Amherst Apex Noire, Boston Asamass Trading, Worcester Avest Home Repair and Painting, Cambridge Bedlam Book Cafe, Worcester Belltower Records, North Adams Bicycle Belle, Somerville 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 Cincon Group, Boston Chill Out First Class Limo Service Inc, Everett Chuck Talley Illustrations, New Bedford Coffee Liberation Front, Adams Cookie Time Bakery, Arlington Crawford Strategies, Arlington Democracy Brewing, Boston dNB Craft Kitchen, New Bedford Fairhaven Yacht, Fairhaven Field First LLC, Boston Fiore's Bakery, Jamaica Plain Flint Fruit and Variety, Fall River Foxtrot Farm LLC, Shelburne Greenfield Solar, Greenfield Hair at Little Hollow, Somerville Hair by Christine, Somerville Hair Passion Salon, Medford 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 If Wishes Were Horses, Amherst Irving House at Harvard, Cambridge Juguitos, Springfield 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 Like A Phoenix Behavioral Health, Woburn Maxima Book Center, Lexington Maxima Gift Center, Arlington Mechanica, Newburyport Micky's Hair Design, Everett Montague Bookmill, Montague 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 Quiet Moon Postpartum Care, Belmont Radio Concorde, Boston Rebel Rebel, Somerville 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 SKM Collection, Framingham Somerville Grooves, Somerville Stand Up 8 Dance Studio, Malden Stinky's Kittens and Doggies Too, Somerville 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 Vanda's Salon, Framingham Wah Lum Kung Fu & Tai Chi Academy, Malden #MAPoli Strategies, Boston 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 100 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 Yes on 1 Demands TV Stations to Take Down Deceptive Opposition Ad That Lies About Home Sales Oct 24, 2022 Less Than 1% of Home Sales Would Be Affected by Question 1 BOSTON – Supporters of Question 1, the proposed ‘Fair Share Amendment,’ today demanded that local TV stations take down the inaccurate and deceptive new ad from the ‘No on Question 1’ campaign. This latest attack from billionaire-backed opponents of the constitutional amendment falsely claims that tens of thousands of home sales would be affected by Question 1. “The corporate lobbyists hired to protect the ultra-wealthy are lying to voters about how Question 1 would affect home sales,” said Fair Share for Massachusetts Campaign Manager Jeron Mariani. “They’re trailing badly in the polls and this is a blatant attempt to scare seniors. The truth is 99 percent of home sellers won’t pay a penny more under Question 1.” The ad from opponents claims that “Question 1 would nearly double the income tax rate on tens of thousands of Massachusetts residents and retirees when they sell their home.” That’s a lie. Last year, less than 1 percent of home sales in the state generated enough of a gain to be affected by Question 1. Just 895 homes, to be exact. Not “tens of thousands.” Today, the Fair Share for Massachusetts campaign is sending a letter to the Boston TV stations that are airing these false ads, demanding that the false ad be immediately taken down. The letter states, “The ad purports to source the assertion to the Tufts University Center for State Policy Analysis, which published a report entitled 'Evaluating the Massachusetts Millionaires Tax.' But that report, unlike the advertisement, is based in fact. And it says nothing whatsoever about “tens of thousands” of Massachusetts home-sellers paying the 4% tax. Indeed, it says nothing about real estate sales at all. Instead, it indicates that in 2019, only 0.6% of the Commonwealth had more than $1 million in taxable income, amounting to 21,000 state tax payers.” “When a home is sold, only the gain in value, not the sale price, is subject to income tax. And no one pays taxes on the entire gain from selling their home” said Peter Enrich, emeritus professor at Northeastern University School of Law. “Home sellers’ gain is reduced to reflect, not only their original purchase price, but also the entire cost of a renovated kitchen, an updated heating system, a new roof, or any other improvements. They can also subtract closing costs, such as realtor commissions. In addition, they can exclude up to $500,000 from their gain on the sale of their primary residence.” After all available deductions, only a tiny percentage of home sellers would see their taxable income rise above $1 million. Last year, there were only 22 cities and towns in the entire state where more than 10 homes sold for a gain of $1.5 million or more, enough to be affected by Question 1 after deductions are taken. In 248 cities and towns, not a single home sold for a gain of $1.5 million or more. The average home that would be affected sold for a total of $3.78 million. “At MassBudget, we focus on what the data shows. And in this case, the potential impact on taxpayers who sell their homes is slim to none,” said La-Brina Almeida, a Policy Analyst at MassBudget who has extensively researched the effects of Question 1 on home sales. “Even in Massachusetts’ hot housing market of 2021 with many homes selling for over $1 million, less than 1% of homes in Massachusetts sold for enough to be affected by Question 1.” New filings with the state’s Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) show that the No on 1 campaign has raised more than $13.6 million to run their misleading ads, with more than half of their money coming from just six of the wealthiest people in the state. Three Massachusetts billionaires avoided having their names appear in state campaign finance reports by funneling corporate cash to the political campaign. The rest of the campaign’s funding comes from a small number of other wealthy real estate and financial investors, some of whom gave through their companies instead of in their own names. “It makes me angry that the opponents of Question 1 are lying to retirees like me, trying to scare us with misleading ads,” said John Lippitt, a Reading homeowner and retiree who appeared in a recent Yes on 1 ad. “It’s one thing if you don’t think the very rich should pay more to improve our schools and colleges and our roads, bridges, and transit. But be honest about that, don’t try to hide behind misleading ads. The opponents of Question 1 need to stop lying to voters.” “As I went door to door this weekend talking to neighbors in Quincy and across the South Shore, my neighbors were concerned about struggling public schools and crumbling transportation infrastructure,” said Liz Speakman, a Quincy homeowner and parent. “The middle class is struggling to afford the basics while the super-rich are paying less of their income in taxes than the rest of us. Those are the real problems facing Massachusetts, and the billionaire backers of this dishonest ad should be ashamed of how they’re trying to scare voters.” 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