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< 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

Public Schools: K-12 With the Fair Share Amendment, we’ll have an additional $2 billion a year, every year, in badly needed long-term funding to get our public schools back on track and give students the resources they need. Across Massachusetts, our schools are facing shortages in educators and school counselors. We need to fill those gaps—and we need to pay those educators, counselors, and school staff the wages they deserve for the work they do. Young people are still struggling to recover from the effects of the COVID pandemic. They need smaller classes, social-emotional supports, extra tutoring, and additional counselors, nurses, and social workers to help them get back on track. But schools across Massachusetts are struggling just to provide basic resources, let alone everything that our students need right now. Far too many families can’t access high-quality preschool programs that support working parents and provide our youngest with a strong start. Our state’s high-quality vocational high schools have long waiting lists that lock out students who want a job training education, preventing young people from beginning the successful careers they choose. A well-rounded education that includes science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), music, art, and athletics is essential for all students. But many schools are forced to cut these programs because they just don’t have the funding. The success of our entire economy depends on getting funds to underfunded schools. We can do that if we pass Question 1. It will bring new revenue to the state that is constitutionally guaranteed to go to education and transportation. We can end staff shortages, pay educators what they deserve, and ensure our students are thriving. Hear from educators: Get the facts on what Question 1 means for roads, bridges, and transportation infrastructure. READ THE RUNDOWN Help us make that Massachusetts a reality. JOIN US Join the team: VOLUNTEER FIND AN EVENT GET UPDATES

< 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

< Back Fact Check: Misleading Claims in No on 1 Ad Called Out by Question 1 Supporters Sep 13, 2022 Billionaires Funding Fear-Mongering Campaign Against Fair Share Amendment BOSTON – Supporters of the Fair Share Amendment, the proposed state tax on incomes above $1 million that would raise billions of dollars to invest in transportation and public education, today called out several misleading claims in a new ad by the billionaire-funded campaign opposing the Amendment, which is Question 1 on the November ballot. “A few billionaire CEOs who don’t want to pay their fair share in taxes are funding a campaign that misleads voters about Question 1,” said Jeron Mariani, Campaign Manager for Fair Share for Massachusetts . “But our campaign – thousands of educators, workers, small business owners, parents, faith leaders, municipal officials, drivers and transit riders, and neighbors all across the state – is ready to counter their scare tactics one conversation at a time.” Here are the misleading claims in the No on 1 campaign’s ad: They Say : “Question 1 would nearly double the income tax rate on tens of thousands of small businesses owners, family farmers, and homeowners.” The Facts : Question 1 would fix Massachusetts’ unfair tax system by creating a 4% tax on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million. Any income under $1 million in a single year wouldn’t be affected, and just the portion above $1 million would be taxed more: an additional four cents for every dollar of annual income above $1 million. In 2019, just 0.6 percent of all households in Massachusetts had incomes over $1 million. Less than 1 percent of Massachusetts taxpayers would pay more with Question 1, and those earning just over $1 million in a single year would only pay a little more. Not “nearly double.” The Facts : Question 1 is a tax on personal income over $1 million – business taxes would not be affected. 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,” said Gerly Adrien, Business Director of Fair Share for Massachusetts & owner of Tipping Cow Ice Cream in Somerville and Boston . They Say : “Politicians aren't just taxing annual salaries, it would also tax the sale of small businesses and homes in Massachusetts.” The Facts : When a property or business is sold, only the gain in value, not the sale price, is subject to income tax. 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. And no one pays taxes on the entire gain from a property or business sale. Home sellers can deduct up to $500,000 from their taxes on the sale of their primary residence, and deduct the entire cost of a renovated kitchen, an updated heating system, a new roof, or any other improvements. Businesses can deduct various capital improvements and equipment purchases. Only a tiny percentage of home or business sellers would see their taxable income rise above $1 million. “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,” said 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.” They Say : “Politicians are pushing a tax hike on the November ballot.” The Facts : The campaign for the Fair Share Amendment is led by the Raise Up Massachusetts coalition of community organizations, faith-based groups, and labor unions, not by ‘politicians.’ The Amendment was written in 2015 by the Raise Up Massachusetts coalition, and more than 150,000 Massachusetts voters signed petitions to put it on the ballot. Question 1 is backed by thousands of educators, workers, small business owners, parents, faith leaders, municipal officials, drivers and transit riders, and more than 300 organizations across the state . “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 and Regional Field Organizer with Fair Share for Massachusetts . “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.” They Say : The No on 1 ad originally listed five top contributors: Suffolk Construction, Sandra and Paul Edgerley, Jim Davis and Rand-Whitney Countainerboard. Then, a day later, it was updated to list Suffolk Construction, Sandra Edgerley, Jim Davis, Phill Gross, and Rand-Whitney Countainerboard. The Facts : New filings with the state’s Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) show that the No on 1 campaign has raised more than $9 million, with more than $5 million coming from just five wealthy families. Three Massachusetts billionaires contributed at least $1 million each through corporate donations that prevent the true donor’s name from appearing in the ad disclosure: John Fish, Robert Kraft, and Rob Hale. Billionaire Jim Davis gave another $1 million, and multi-millionaires Paul and Sandra Edgerley gave another $1 million collectively. The rest of the campaign’s funding comes from a small number of other wealthy CEOs and financial investors, some of whom gave through their companies instead of in their own names. “It’s day two of the billionaire-funded ad campaign opposing Question 1, and they’re already having trouble keeping track of which billionaires are bankrolling their campaign,” said Jeron Mariani, Campaign Manager for Fair Share for Massachusetts . “Voters shouldn’t be fooled by donations being routed through out-of-state corporations or through multiple companies; the opposition to Question 1 is driven by a small number of the wealthiest people in Massachusetts who would rather spend millions scaring voters than pay their fair share.” Background on Question 1: the Fair Share Amendment The Fair Share Amendment – Question 1 on the November ballot – will allow Massachusetts to improve our transportation and public education systems by making the very rich pay their fair share. Question 1 would create a 4 percent tax on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million and constitutionally dedicate the funds to be spent on transportation and public education. Only people who earn more than $1 million annually will be impacted; 99% of us won’t pay a penny more. And we’ll all benefit from better schools, roads, bridges, and public transportation. Thousands of educators, workers, small business owners, parents, faith leaders, municipal officials, drivers and transit riders, and more than 340 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 50 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 Fair Share Amendment Ballot Campaign Launches Second TV Ad Andrew Farnitano Sep 7, 2022 With Question 1 on the November Ballot, “The Very Rich Pay Their Fair Share, and Our Schools and Our Children See the Benefits” For Immediate Release September 7, 2022 Contact: Andrew Farnitano, 925-917-1354, andrew@crawfordstrategies.com Fair Share Amendment Ballot Campaign Launches Second TV Ad With Question 1 on the November Ballot, “The Very Rich Pay Their Fair Share, and Our Schools and Our Children See the Benefits” BOSTON – The campaign working to pass the Fair Share Amendment today announced the launch of its second television ad , part of an eight-figure TV ad campaign that will run through Election Day. The Fair Share Amendment, the proposed state tax on incomes above $1 million, would raise billions of dollars to invest in transportation and public education. It is Question 1 on the November statewide ballot. Titled ‘ Better ,’ the ad features Cynthia Roy, a public school teacher from New Bedford, talking about how Question 1 will help our public schools recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Question 1 is a chance to make things better,” she says in the ad. “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.” Thousands of educators, workers, small business owners, parents, faith leaders, municipal officials, drivers and transit riders, and more than 300 organizations across the state are working together on the Fair Share for Massachusetts campaign to pass Question 1. After years of grassroots advocacy, the state Legislature voted in June 2021 to place the Fair Share Amendment on the November 2022 statewide ballot, where it is now set to be decided on by the voters as Question 1. 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. Learn more and get involved at FairShareMA.com Previous Next

FYI: Real Estate Interested in how Question 1 affects selling homes? Here's what you should know: Question 1 will ensure that people who have over $1 million of personal taxable income in 1 year pay their fair share in taxes. How does that affect people who sell a house? The short answer is that almost no one who sells a house will be affected in any way. 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 out of 100,000 sold, to be exact. 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 take advantage of multiple tax deductions to reduce their income tax burden: Someone selling a home can deduct up to $500,000 from their taxes on the sale of their primary residence. They can also deduct the entire cost of a renovated kitchen, an updated heating system, a new roof, or any other major improvements they made to the home. With those deductions, in order for a home seller to actually have $1 million in taxable personal income from the sale of a home, they would need to sell the home for at least $1.5 million over the price they originally bought it for. Only people selling the very priciest homes in Massachusetts would see their incomes rise enough to pay a single penny more with the Fair Share Amendment. What’s more, many people are really struggling in MA—and they’re not the people selling $1 million homes. Question 1 will ensure those of us who are working hard to get by without making over $1 million a year have access to better roads, schools, colleges, and public transit. That’s what we’re fighting for. For more on home sales: READ THE STUDY Join the team: VOLUNTEER FIND AN EVENT GET UPDATES

< Back Congressman Jim McGovern Launches Canvass for Question 1 in Worcester Oct 15, 2022 Congressman McGovern Joins Local Supporters of Fair Share Amendment Tax on Million-Dollar Earners to Invest in Transportation and Public Education Worcester, Mass. – Congressman Jim McGovern today joined supporters of the Fair Share Amendment at IBEW Local 96 in Worcester to kick off a door-to-door canvass for the proposed state tax on annual incomes above $1 million which would raise billions of dollars that are constitutionally dedicated to transportation and public education. The Fair Share Amendment is Question 1 on the November statewide ballot. “Question 1 is a real opportunity to improve roads, bridges, and schools throughout Massachusetts for decades to come,” said Congressman Jim McGovern. “By ensuring that the rich pay their fair share in taxes, passing Question 1 will help us give K-12 students the support they need to get back on track, repair crumbling infrastructure, and make our public colleges more affordable. Question 1 is a win for the middle class, and a win for Massachusetts.” At Saturday’s canvass kick-off, Congressman McGovern and local campaign supporters spoke to volunteers about their support for the Fair Share Amendment. Then, canvassers headed out to speak to Worcester voters about how the Fair Share Amendment would help improve our public schools and colleges and our roads, bridges, and public transportation infrastructure, all by making the very rich pay their fair share. Background on Question 1: the Fair Share Amendment The Fair Share Amendment – Question 1 on the November ballot – will allow Massachusetts to improve our transportation and public education systems by making the very rich pay their fair share. Question 1 would create a 4 percent tax on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million and constitutionally dedicate the funds to be spent on transportation and public education. Only people who earn more than $1 million annually will be impacted; 99% of us won’t pay a penny more. And we’ll all benefit from better schools, roads, bridges, and public transportation. Thousands of educators, workers, small business owners, parents, faith leaders, municipal officials, drivers and transit riders, and more than 350 organizations across the state are working together to pass Question 1. Our campaign has been endorsed by 80 labor unions, 63 community organizing groups, 15 faith-based groups, more than 75 businesses, and more than 100 other social service and not-for-profit organizations focused on housing, education, transportation, public health, and the environment. Learn more and get involved at FairShareMA.com. ### The Fair Share for Massachusetts campaign is led by Raise Up Massachusetts, a coalition of community organizations, faith-based groups, and labor unions committed to building an economy that invests in families, gives everyone the opportunity to succeed, and creates broadly shared prosperity. Since our coalition came together in 2013, we have nearly doubled wages for hundreds of thousands of working people by winning two increases in the state’s minimum wage, won best-in-the-nation earned sick time and paid family and medical leave benefits for workers and their families, and started to build an economy that works for all of us, not just those at the top. Previous Next

< Back 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 Nov 1, 2022 Question 1 on the November 8 Ballot Would Help Improve Schools, Repair Roads and Bridges, and Make Our Tax System Fairer BOSTON – Supporters of Question 1, the Fair Share Amendment, today announced the launch of a new TV ad featuring ten campaign supporters speaking about why they support Question 1, 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. “We’ve been blown away by the grassroots support for Question 1 from tens of thousands of parents, educators, workers, small business owners, retirees, and other neighbors who want to improve our schools, fix our roads and bridges, and make our tax system fairer,” said Fair Share for Massachusetts Field Director Lillian Lanier. “So we gave ten of them the chance to be in this ad, and share with voters across the state why they’re supporting Question 1.” Over the last few months, Yes on 1 campaign supporters have knocked on the doors of more than 350,000 voters, and called more than 850,000 voters, to talk about the benefits of Question 1. “At the doors and on the phones, our volunteers explain how the 99 percent of us who make less than $1 million a year won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll all benefit from better schools and colleges, and safer transportation infrastructure,” Lanier continued. “With one week until Election Day, we’re going to keep talking to as many voters as we can about this once-in-a- generation opportunity for Massachusetts to make things better.” Titled ‘Village,’ the new ad features parents from Quincy, Plymouth, and Chelsea, teachers from New Bedford and Hyde Park, an operating engineer from Canton, a healthcare worker from Jamaica Plain, an electrician from Duxbury, a Boston brewery owner, and a retiree from Reading, all speaking about their support for Question 1. “Question 1 makes things fairer,” says Jamaica Plain healthcare worker Mary Brown. “And only the super-rich pay for it,” says Canton operating engineer Jimmy Marenghi. “It raises $2 billion a year,” says New Bedford public school teacher Cynthia Roy. “That money is constitutionally guaranteed to go to public education, roads, and bridges,” says Duxbury electrician Dave Mastrangelo. “Question 1 holds politicians accountable, so they can’t spend the money anywhere else,” says Hyde Park public school teacher Alison Doherty. “It’s true: the richest one percent pay a lower share in taxes than the rest of us,” says Quincy parent Liz Speakman. “I’m voting Yes on Question 1 so all of our families can thrive.” The new ad can be found here. Previous ‘Yes on 1’ TV ads can be found here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. The Question 1 supporters featured in this ad are available to speak to media about their support for the campaign. Please contact Andrew Farnitano at 925-917-1354 or andrew@crawfordstrategies.com to set up an interview. 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 Attleboro Sun Chronicle: A 'Yes' on Question 1 will benefit most The Editorial Board Oct 27, 2022 Taxing Massachusetts workers earning more than $1 million at a higher rate will affect very few and harm almost none of them. But it will benefit virtually everyone in the state. That’s why we strongly endorse a “Yes” on Question 1 for the election that ends Nov. 8. Massachusetts has a flat tax system and currently taxes all income levels at the same rate: 5%. The referendum would amend the state constitution to introduce an additional 4% surtax on anyone’s income above $1 million. The United States has a progressive tax system, and Massachusetts would join 34 other states if Question 1 is adopted. Only six other states have a flat tax. A study from Tufts University’s Center for State Policy Analysis said that the change would generate about $1.3 billion of revenue in 2023 and would apply to about 0.6% of households in the state. That’s less than 16,000 of the Bay State’s approximately 2.54 million households. There are some “one-time millionaires” who will be affected, and the opposition — which includes Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft, who contributed $1 million to the cause — has tried to sway the public by generating sympathy for those individuals. For instance, if you bought a home years ago for $300,000 and it sold today for $1.8 million after broker fees are paid, you still would not pay the surtax. When it comes to home or property sales, the tax only applies to the capital gains, $1.5 million. And couples have a $500,000 exemption for property sales. Even that scenario would be rare. In 2021, only 2 percent of Massachusetts home sales resulted in capital gains of more than $1 million, according to a state analysis. The opposition has also overstated the impact on small business owners who sell and are counting on it for a retirement nest egg. If the owner has capital gains of $2 million, the tax bill will rise from $100,000 to $140,000. Most of us would be happy with that remaining nest egg. Another argument against Question 1 is that the state is sitting on a huge surplus and doesn’t need the money. But a good chunk of that money is expected to be returned to inflation-strapped taxpayers. And if we know one thing about Massachusetts politics, it’s that the state won’t have plenty of money for too long. Approving this referendum will lock in another revenue source while affecting very few wallets. The people of Massachusetts do need help now, however, and that’s the biggest reason we urge your support. Revenue from the surtax is earmarked for education and transportation, and while there is some question whether the Legislature can spend elsewhere, we doubt lawmakers will override the will of voters, at least initially. The surtax targets Massachusetts two greatest needs: Improving our schools and our transportation infrastructure. As the shocking drop in test scores indicates, students were seriously set back by the pandemic. Teachers need help getting kids back on track, and they need it quickly. And anyone who drives our pothole-filled streets or is detoured by a bridge closing or depends on the MBTA to get to work understands the need to improve our transportation. Better schools and better transportation help everyone. Question 1 provides an opportunity to improve the lives of all Bay Staters while only asking a little more from our most affluent residents. We urge you to vote “Yes.” Previous Next

< Back Berkshire Eagle: Yes on Question 1 The Berkshire Eagle Oct 21, 2022 Ballot Question 1 asks voters to approve an amendment to the Massachusetts Constitution that would establish an additional four percent state income tax on the portion of annual taxable income above $1 million. A yes vote would amend the constitution to impose the additional tax, while a no vote would make no change to the state constitution. The so-called Fair Share Amendment is projected to bring more than $1 billion in additional tax revenue into state coffers without raising taxes on anyone earning under $1 million in annual taxable income. The additional money brought in by this surtax ostensibly would be earmarked for education and transportation — two areas where rural communities like ours see the need for serious reinvestment. It’s a pitch that’s tough to argue with. This measure would generate considerable new revenue simply by asking an exceptionally small percentage of exceptionally wealthy individuals to chip in another four cents on every dollar earned above $1 million. Estimates from the most recently available tax-filing data show this would fall on only about 20,000 individuals among the commonwealth’s 7 million residents— or less than 1 percent of taxpayers. In asking those most able to pay more, the state would generate sizable new funding streams for renewed public investment while shifting our regressive flat state income tax into a more progressive and fair model. We’re in favor of the Fair Share Amendment, even as we believe it’s far from the silver-bullet measure its proponents tout it to be. In our opinion, it would be far better to adopt a truly progressive state income tax with more brackets and finely tuned marginal rates, as opposed to a two-tiered structure based on the marketability of a term like “the millionaire’s tax.” Given the social will and political capital expended on getting this measure on the ballot, it likely means that hopes of a serious discussion on a more appropriately honed progressive income tax structure will be delayed if not dashed. And while we don’t think this rather modest tax increase on those most able to pay will resort in a mass exodus from the Bay State, its proponents’ convictions that it won’t cause any wealthy residents’ exit are specious at best. On a procedural note, while the language of the amendment calls for the additional generated revenue to be spent on education or transportation, it would still be subject to appropriation by the Legislature. This makes the oversimplified notion that this additional $1 billion-plus in revenue will automatically flow into transportation and education funding somewhat misleading. If it does pass, it will be up to all of us to hold our lawmakers accountable to the spirit of this measure and apply the necessary political pressure to ensure this money goes where it’s intended. Of course, the opponents to the question have much more full-throated critiques. Chief among them is the charge that this new tax will result in hardship for certain residents who are far from millionaires, such as small business owners, seniors selling their homes or farmers selling their land. It’s true that income from selling a house or from certain business structures counts as personal taxable income, those netting more than $1 million from annual business income or a home sale would still make up a tiny minority of Mass. residents, and are arguably well-equipped to pay a few cents more on the dollar over the first million made. It’s also worth noting that there is a sizable tax credit for sale of a domicile — $250,000 for single filers, $500,000 for married filers — which means that those selling their primary homes would not even hit the threshold for this new tax unless the sale generates well over $1 million. The Fair Share Amendment’s opponents know that this tax will ultimately impact very, very few people in the commonwealth, so their suggestion that the average small-business owner or senior on a fixed income would get hit by this measure amounts to scare-mongering. So, too, does their disingenuous talking point that the Fair Share Amendment represents an “80 percent tax hike,” which they know plays fast and loose with the facts on how marginal rates work. Even the relatively few whose high income would trigger this new surtax would not see an 80 percent increase in their total tax bill, as only taxable income above the first million would see an extra four-cent surtax. Where the opposition does have a point is the potential vulnerability of farmers who might sell all or some of their land in retirement or to make ends meet. That singular point should not torpedo the Fair Share Amendment, but it should behoove the Legislature to act swiftly in creating a tax break protecting farmers who might see a onetime hit from the measure if it passes. And based on the available polling data, it’s looking likely that this measure will pass. If it does, this will be serious step toward making the state tax system more equitable in a way that only impacts a very while generating revenue for public investment that our communities desperately need. That’s an opportunity Massachusetts voters shouldn’t pass up. The Eagle endorses a yes vote on Question 1. Previous Next

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