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< 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 Brian Chung VP Product This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Want to view and manage all your collections? Click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Here, you can make changes to your content, add new fields, create dynamic pages and more. Your collection is already set up for you with fields and content. Add your own content or import it from a CSV file. Add fields for any type of content you want to display, such as rich text, images, and videos. Be sure to click Sync after making changes in a collection, so visitors can see your newest content on your live site. info@mysite.com 123-456-7890

< Back Fair Share Amendment advocates rally at Berkshire Community College Josh Landes | WAMC Northeast Public Radio Apr 4, 2022 Supporters of a Massachusetts ballot question that would levy a new 4% tax on all income above $1 million to fund public education and infrastructure Josh Landes (Source / Original) / WAMC Berkshire County legislators John Barrett, Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Smitty Pignatelli, and Adam Hinds attend the Fair Share Amendment rally at Berkshire Community College. Supporters of a Massachusetts ballot question that would levy a new 4% tax on all income above $1 million to fund public education and infrastructure held a rally in Pittsfield Monday. The event was held at Berkshire Community College by Raise Up Massachusetts, a coalition of community organizations, unions, and faith-based groups that has fought for the Fair Share Amendment since 2015. The group says the new surcharge would only impact 0.6% of Massachusetts households while bringing in around $2 billion a year. “If you're a small business owner and the small business earns more than a million dollars, this doesn't apply to that. It's if the individual in one year earns more than a million dollars, the amount above the million dollars gets that 4% surcharge," said 3rd Berkshire District State Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier. She says the measure would benefit public transit in western Massachusetts. “West-East rail is critically important for growing the Berkshires, the [regional transit authorities] are critically important, the economic development of this region, the Valley Flyer, the Berkshire Flyer- All these things we need to be connected by rail, that money is going to go to there,” said Farley-Bouvier. She was joined by fellow Democrat and State Senator Adam Hinds, who is also a candidate for lieutenant governor. “You've probably heard some of the numbers around how inequality has grown in Massachusetts in recent decades," said Hinds. "It's kind of this dynamic of, from World War II to the 70s, you kind of saw everyone heading on an upward trajectory together. And then in the 70s, that shifts, and the top 1%, the annual income is going up 10 times the rate of the bottom 99%. And that's a problem. That's a huge problem for a lot of reasons. One is because we know the impact of income inequality, and especially kids growing up in a low-income household, we know that that means their lifelong earnings are going to be lower than others, their educational attainment is impacted, their health outcomes are impacted. All because we let income inequality get out of hand.” “It should be a right of every resident of this commonwealth to be able to go to a public college and university and graduate debt free," said Massachusetts Teachers Association Vice President and UMass Amherst architecture professor Max Page. "Four miles away, Pittsfield High School, you go for free, as we all think we should. Between June of graduating and then three months later, come to Berkshire Community College and have to pay thousands of dollars of living and tuition and fees- It's just wrong,” Page said. “Our public colleges’ inadequate budgets forced them to engage in competition for funds. Could you ever imagine Harvard and Yale, or Williams College and Amherst College, having to argue for their operating budgets? Of course you can't," said former BCC coordinator of assessment and testing and adjunct psychology instructor Liz Recko-Morrison. “Our community colleges work doggedly to address the needs of first generation students, recent immigrants, the workforce, and those who may be trying to re-enter education by earning an alternative high school credential. I've seen the divisiveness that occurs when all the sectors of higher education, and really education as a whole, must fight to receive their share of inadequate funding. Our communities, our faculty and professional staff, but most of all, our students suffer.” In an interview with WAMC in March , Springfield Regional Chamber President Nancy Creed said the amendment would negatively impact small business owners. “Based on how they have created their organizations, so sole proprietors, S corps, those kind of small businesses are really the ones that are going to get hit with this tax and it's only because of the way they have organized their business," said Creed. "They are certainly not millionaires. So we really think this is more of a middle class tax than it is a wealthy tax.” The Pittsfield City Council endorsed the Fair Share Amendment in March . Voters will go to the polls to decide the measure on November 8th. Previous Next

< Back Question 1 Supporters Respond to New Report on Massachusetts’ 644 Structurally Deficient Bridges Andrew Farnitano Aug 31, 2022 Fair Share Amendment Campaign Calls for Greater Investment in Crumbling Bridges With Passage of Question 1 on November Ballot Bridges Across Massachusetts – A new report from the Massachusetts Budget & Policy Center finds that Massachusetts has 644 structurally deficient bridges, and that 1 in 9 bridge crossings in the state occur on a structurally deficient bridge. Supporters of the ‘Yes on 1’ 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, responded to the report during a virtual press conference earlier today, with speakers calling in from structurally deficient bridges across the state. The Fair Share Amendment is Question 1 on the November statewide ballot. “Bridges that are closed curtail the community’s accessibility, and it really harms our ability to grow our economy,” said Kathy Lynch, owner of the Montague Village Store , who spoke next to the structurally deficient Centre Street Bridge in Montague, which was recently closed after several years of being reduced to one lane with weight restrictions. “Now we have one access way into town, which makes travel and local tourism very difficult. We can’t sustain our community without additional funding for infrastructure. If I am ever fortunate enough to make over a million dollars a year, I will be more than happy to kick in my fair share.” During the virtual press conference, campaign supporters called for greater investment in the Commonwealth’s crumbling and structurally deficient bridges, and for passage of Question 1 in November to invest in roads, bridges, and public education. “Our crumbling infrastructure is dangerous, and it’s hurting our economy,” said Collique Williams, Organizer, Community Labor United , who spoke from the structurally deficient River Street Bridge in Boston, which was shut down to vehicles in May after bridge inspectors identified beam deterioration. “This bridge is an important part of this community. In the 30-plus years I’ve lived here, I’ve probably gone over this bridge over ten thousand times, going to and from school, or taking my nephew to school on my way to work. By passing Question 1 in November, we’ll have the ability to repair our crumbling bridges by making the very rich pay their fair share.” “Repairing bridges is an investment in people, in middle-class jobs, and also an investment in business, because businesses can’t invest in our communities if they can’t get their products, their supplies, and their people back and forth safely to work,” said Charlie Payne, Business Representative for Carpenters Union Local 336 , who spoke from the structurally deficient St. James Ave. bridge in Springfield. “If this bridge collapsed right here, right now, or was deemed unserviceable, businesses on both sides of the bridge would suffer or go out of business. We can’t afford to let that happen.” “In the city of Worcester, we are considered a melting pot. However, with the potholes in the ground, there’s no way to sustain us,” said Worcester parent Nelly Medina , who spoke from underneath the structurally deficient 1-290 bridge over East Central Street in Worcester. “It’s really sad to see a bridge held up by pieces of wood. As a mom, I know that Question 1 needs to pass so we can get on with living our lives and fix this crumbling bridge behind us.” “In Great Barrington, we have seven bridges on the Housatonic River — every one of them was found to be structurally deficient or functionally obsolete,” said Great Barrington resident Michael Wise , who spoke next to the structurally deficient Cottage Street Bridge in Great Barrington, which has been closed to automobile traffic since December 2019. “We really could use the money from the Fair Share Amendment.” Transportation experts emphasized that Question 1 is needed to fund additional bridge repair and replacement work throughout Massachusetts, and that if we don’t address our crumbling bridges now, they’ll only hold back our economy and become more dangerous, and more expensive to repair, in the future. “Bridges that are in disrepair are more likely to become closed or to prohibit heavy vehicles from crossing them. They pose a greater danger and become more costly in the future,” said Phineas Baxandall, Senior Analyst & Advocacy Director, Massachusetts Budget & Policy Center and co-author of the new report. “On average, every day in Massachusetts, 14.3 million crossings take place across structurally deficient bridges. That’s 165 vehicles every second. Without additional investment, conditions will deteriorate in the coming years.” “Massachusetts bridges are in desperate need of increased investment to improve roadway safety, resiliency of our infrastructure to address climate change, improve equity for historically disadvantaged communities, and improve the economic viability of the Commonwealth,” said Pete Wilson, Senior Advisor, Transportation for Massachusetts . “The Fair Share Amendment will provide additional resources dedicated to transportation for long-term, responsible, sustainable funding to improve the Commonwealth’s bridges, and only people who earn more than a million dollars a year will pay more.” 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

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 WAMC: Springfield City Council endorses Massachusetts ballot question on 'millionaire's tax' WAMC Northeast Public Radio Apr 7, 2022 The City Council in Springfield, Massachusetts has endorsed the so-called Fair Share Amendment that will be on the state election ballot this year. Resolution backing Fair Share Amendment passes unanimously The City Council in Springfield, Massachusetts has endorsed the so-called Fair Share Amendment that will be on the state election ballot this year. The vote puts the Councilors at odds with the local business community. The Springfield City Council voted unanimously to pass a resolution supporting the question on the ballot that if approved by voters in November would amend the state constitution to add a 4 percent surtax on income that exceeds $1 million. City Councilor Jesse Lederman introduced the resolution. Urging his colleagues to support it, he said the additional tax money that would be collected by the state could be used to lower the costs to attend a four-year public college, improve road safety, build east-west passenger rail, and more. “These investments will take resources and we know working families are already being asked to pay too much and receive too little in return,” Lederman said. He said cities like Springfield have been short-changed when it comes to state spending on public resources. “At the same time, millionaires and billionaires continue to benefit from these same resources while enjoying record profits from our labor and expenses,” Lederman said. “It is time to balance the scales in the Commonwealth and ensure the wealthiest among us pay their fair share toward investing in the public resources that are foundational to the success of our communities.” The proposed amendment is the work of a coalition of labor unions, faith-based organizations and social-justice advocates that has campaigned for almost eight years to get it on the ballot. Business groups, for the most part, have lined up against it. A spokesperson for the campaign said five city councils and five school committees have passed resolutions of support with more in the works. The Pittsfield City Council voted last month to endorse it. Proponents tout the additional money as a boon for education and transportation. Opponents say the pitch is disingenuous because it is ultimately up to the state legislature to decide how tax revenue gets spent. In 2015, the Massachusetts Department of Revenue estimated the surtax would bring in an additional $2 billion annually. The proposed amendment includes an annual adjustment for inflation. During the public comment time at Monday’s City Council meeting, Jacqueline Velez, a mother of two and an organizer with Massachusetts Jobs with Justice, urged support for the resolution. “College could be a lot more affordable to my daughter, who recently made it to The National Honor Society and wants to pursue a four-year degree,” Valez said. “As a single mom, you can imagine how hard that is.” City Councilor Kateri Walsh said she supported the resolution because she was moved by what she heard during the public speak-out. “New revenues that would come in would improve the quality of life for so many people who work hard for the city of Springfield and don’t often get a return on what they do,” Walsh said. The Springfield Regional Chamber is among the business associations opposed to the ballot question. Chamber President Nancy Creed said it is bad public policy. “We want to make sure that does not pass,” Creed said. “To change the constitution is not how to change tax policy.” Past efforts to amend the state constitution to introduce a graduated income tax to Massachusetts have met with resounding defeat. Public opinion polls have shown strong support for this current initiative. Previous Next

< Back Environmental & Climate Organizations Endorse Question 1 to Improve Transportation and Public Education Aug 1, 2022 Environmental Advocates 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 seven of the state’s leading environmental and climate organizations. The Fair Share Amendment is Question 1 on the November statewide ballot. “Our public education and transportation system have been underfunded for far too long. The Fair Share Amendment will bring a permanent source of revenue for critical investments in these areas, particularly for historically underserved communities,” said Veena Dharmaraj, Director of Transportation at Massachusetts Sierra Club . “A safe, reliable, affordable, and electrified public transit system should not be a luxury for those that need it the most. Let’s get million-dollar-earners to pay their fair share for building a stronger Commonwealth.” The seven environmental and climate organizations collectively represent thousands of environmental advocates from across Massachusetts. “Our schools, roads and transit systems are all public goods, and they must be people-centered and fully-funded. Question 1 would fund these public goods by taxing people who earn more than $1 million dollars a year, not on the backs of those who can afford it least — environmental justice communities like Chelsea and East Boston,” said Maria Belen Power, Associate Executive Director of GreenRoots . “As we move towards a just recovery, we need the Fair Share Amendment: A new progressive source of revenue that centers working-class families across the state.” “350 Mass is fighting for environmental policy that will help lower greenhouse gas emissions and improve our planet. The Fair Share Amendment will generate an estimated $2 billion in revenue each year that will be used in part to improve our public transportation systems and create more opportunities for eco-friendly transit,” said Sylvia Parsons, Transportation Working Group Co-Chair at 350 Mass . “With better, more reliable public transportation, funded by Fair Share, more Massachusetts residents will be able to choose transit on their daily commutes or to get around town. By voting Yes on 1 this November, we’re promoting environmental justice for all across the Commonwealth.” “The impacts of the climate crisis are already here. To achieve a sustainable future for all children, we need a robust public transit system that is safe, reliable, and affordable,” said Mina Reddy, Co-Coordinator of the Mothers Out Front Massachusetts Leadership Team . “The revenue raised by passing Question 1 will bring that within reach – without placing the cost on those least able to pay.” “If public transit is better funded, we will all benefit from cleaner air and shorter commutes,” said Larry Chretien, Executive Director of the Green Energy Consumers Alliance . “That’s why the Green Energy Consumers Alliance supports the Fair Share Amendment.” The environmental and climate organizations 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 , 28 social service providers , 15 faith-based groups , and 7 public health organizations . After years of grassroots advocacy, the state Legislature voted in June 2021 to place the Fair Share Amendment on the November 2022 statewide ballot, where it is now set to be decided on by the voters as Question 1. The full list of endorsing environmental and climate organizations is below, and a full list of organizations that have endorsed Question 1 is available at fairsharema.com/endorsements . 350 Mass Conservation Law Foundation Green Energy Consumers Alliance GreenRoots Mothers Out Front Massachusetts Our Climate Sierra Club Massachusetts Chapter Background on Question 1: the Fair Share Amendment The Fair Share Amendment – Question 1 on the November ballot – will allow Massachusetts to improve our transportation and public education systems by making the very rich pay their fair share. Question 1 would create a 4 percent tax on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million and require – in the state constitution – that the funds be spent only on transportation and public education. Only people who earn more than $1 million annually will be impacted; 99% of us won’t pay a penny more. And we’ll all benefit from better schools, colleges, roads, bridges, and public transportation. Learn more and get involved at FairShareMA.com. ### The Fair Share for Massachusetts campaign is led by Raise Up Massachusetts, a coalition of community organizations, faith-based groups, and labor unions committed to building an economy that invests in families, gives everyone the opportunity to succeed, and creates broadly shared prosperity. Since our coalition came together in 2013, we have nearly doubled wages for hundreds of thousands of working people by winning two increases in the state’s minimum wage, won best-in-the-nation earned sick time and paid family and medical leave benefits for workers and their families, and started to build an economy that works for all of us, not just those at the top. Previous Next

< Back 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

< 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

This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Want to view and manage all your collections? Click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Here, you can make changes to your content, add new fields, create dynamic pages and more. Your collection is already set up for you with fields and content. Add your own content or import it from a CSV file. Add fields for any type of content you want to display, such as rich text, images, and videos. Be sure to click Sync after making changes in a collection, so visitors can see your newest content on your live site. < Back Fair Share Fellows Apply Now Massachusetts, USA Job Type Part Time About the Role This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Want to view and manage all your collections? Click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Here, you can make changes to your content, add new fields, create dynamic pages and more. Your collection is already set up for you with fields and content. Add your own content or import it from a CSV file. Add fields for any type of content you want to display, such as rich text, images, and videos. Be sure to click Sync after making changes in a collection, so visitors can see your newest content on your live site. Requirements This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. To manage all your collections, click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. To manage all your collections, click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. To manage all your collections, click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. To manage all your collections, click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. About the Company About Fair Share for Massachusetts: The Fair Share Amendment is a ballot question that will be on the Massachusetts ballot November 8, 2022. It would create an additional tax of four percentage points on the portion of a person’ annual income above $1 million to help fund long-term investments in transportation and education. While the rich got richer during the COVID pandemic, working families and small businesses are still getting hit hard. As we come out of the pandemic, we need to make our tax system fairer in order to grow our economy and make it work for everyone. Apply Now

Education Spending Since 2022, the Fair Share Amendment has funded more than $3.5 billion in new spending on public education across Massachusetts. That includes everything from early education and child care to K-12 public schools and our public college and universities. Here’s how Fair Share is making a difference for public education: K-12 Public Schools Universal free school meals $419 million Fair Share funding reimburses local school districts for the cost of providing universal free school meals . Now, every child from Kindergarten to 12th grade, regardless of their income, can get a healthy breakfast and lunch at school – for free. As a result, Massachusetts families are saving $1,200 a year per child , and the number of Massachusetts public school students who are eating a healthy school breakfast and lunch has increased by 24.5% and 16%, respectively. School building improvements $270 million Fair Share funding has supported dozens of school building projects across Massachusetts, like a new high school in Lowell, and is now funding building improvements to support career technical education for students thoughout the Commonwealth. It’s also funding a new program to install or maintain clean energy infrastructure in K-12 public schools , which will help make our school buildings healthier for students. Clean energy retrofits will also reduce school districts’ energy costs, so that more money can be redirected to support student learning. Aid to local public schools $782.33 million Fair Share funding helps support local school districts across the state with higher minimum aid, regional school transportation costs, and special education circuit breaker reimbursements, ensuring that schools have more of the resources they need to keep up with rising costs and support all students. New education programs $128.02 million Fair Share funding has also supported new early literacy programs ($60.56 million); early college, workforce, technical and innovation pathway programs ($15.5 million); and the development of a statewide birth through higher education framework for mental and behavioral health ($5 million), among a myriad of other education investments. Public Colleges and Universities Tuition-free community college $287.5 million Thanks to Fair Share funding, Massachusetts’ 15 public community colleges are now free for students of any age and income . All students receive free tuition and fees, and lower-income students may qualify for up to $2,400/year to help cover the cost of books, supplies, and other costs of attending college. As a result, students are saving money, and Massachusetts has seen double-digit growth in community college enrollment , reversing a decade of declining enrollment. Affordable public colleges and universities Fair Share funding supports the MassGrant Plus scholarship program for students at any of the state’s 9 state universities or 4 University of Massachusetts undergraduate campuses. The program fully covers tuition, fees, and books for families making up to $85,000 a year, and covers up to 50% of tuition and fees for middle-income students. As a result, families are saving money, and enrollment at public four-year colleges in Massachusetts increased for the first time in a decade. $289 million New public higher education programs $85.5 million Fair Share funding has also supported an endowment match program for public colleges and universities ($55 million); and wraparound supports and services for public college students ($30.5 million). Public college campuses, buildings and infrastructure $207.67 million Fair Share funding has supported dozens of investments in buildings and physical infrastructure at public colleges and universities, including projects that advance decarbonization efforts, address deferred maintenance, and increase climate resilience. Projects funded by Fair Share include window resealing at Worcester State University, HVAC energy improvements at Mass College of Art and Design’s North Building, a geothermal heat pump replacement at Bunker Hill Community College, and window replacement at UMass Dartmouth’s Dion College of Nursing Building. Early Education and Childcare Early Education and Child Care Grants to child care providers $543 million Fair Share funding helps support the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) grant program, which provides monthly grants to support early education and care providers’ day-to-day operational and workforce costs. 15,000 How many more licensed child care spots there are now compared to pre-pandemic, thanks to these grants and the stability they provide for child care providers Support for providers who enroll low-income children $360 million Fair Share funding has helped increase the rates the state pays to child care providers who enroll low-income children. Provider rates have increased by 8 to 34 percent , allowing child care providers to raise wages and better serve the children in their care. Expanded access to child care financial assistance $68.7 million Thanks to Fair Share, thousands of low-income families now have access to child care financial assistance that helps them pay for high-quality childcare, so they can go to work or school knowing that their children are being cared for. New early education programs $83.5 million Fair Share funding has also supported the expansion of pre-kindergarten or preschool opportunities ($26 million); salaries and benefits for early educators who serve low-income children ($25 million); capital improvements to build child care capacity ($25 million); and an early education and care educator loan forgiveness program ($7.5 million).

< 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