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< 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 Yes on 1 Campaign Responds to New Report Showing Less Than 1 Percent of Seniors Will Pay Fair Share Tax Oct 17, 2022 Analysis of IRS Data Shows Only a Tiny Percentage of Retirees Have Annual Taxable Income of More Than $1 Million BOSTON – A new report from the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, based on Massachusetts taxpayer data from the IRS, proves conclusively that less than 1 percent of seniors will pay more in taxes if Question 1 on the November ballot is approved by voters. The campaign working to pass Question 1, the proposed state tax on incomes above $1 million that would raise billions of dollars that are constitutionally dedicated to transportation and public education, released the following statement in response: “This report irrefutably confirms that the vast majority of Massachusetts seniors won’t pay a single cent more with Question 1,” said Fair Share for Massachusetts Campaign Manager Jeron Mariani . “Not when they take money from their retirement savings, and not when they sell their home. Only the richest 1 percent in our state will pay more, and we’ll all benefit from better roads and schools, for us and for future generations.” Last week, the Yes on 1 campaign launched a new TV ad featuring John Lippitt, a Reading homeowner and retiree , explaining how “Question 1 raises $2 billion a year for public education and roads. It turns out, only people making over a million dollars a year will pay more, and it won’t impact our retirement savings. Even when we sell our house, we won’t have to pay more. I’m voting YES on Question 1.” “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 Lippitt at the time. “I’m supporting Question 1 because 99% of us, including home sellers and retirees, won’t pay more, but we'll all benefit from better roads and bridges, and our grandkids will enjoy better schools and affordable public college.” The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center report found that: Only 0.8 percent of Massachusetts taxpayers aged 60 and older have an annual income of $1 million or more, high enough to be affected by Question 1. Less than 1 percent of Massachusetts tax filers receiving taxable distributions from individual retirement accounts had taxable income that totaled over $1 million. Just over half of one percent of Massachusetts tax filers with income from taxable pensions or annuities had taxable income that totaled over $1 million. Even seniors with high wealth generally have much lower annual incomes than their wealth. Question 1 only affects personal income over $1 million in a single year, not wealth held in a retirement account or other assets. Another recent report found that even in Massachusetts’s hot housing market, only a tiny percentage of home sellers would see their taxable income rise above $1 million. Last year, only 895 homes, less than 1 percent of all home sales in the state, generated enough of a gain to be affected by Question 1. That's because it's the gain in value since the house was originally purchased, not the full sales price, that is subject to income tax. Plus, home sellers can deduct up to $500,000 from their taxes on the sale of their primary residence, and also deduct the entire cost of a renovated kitchen, an updated heating system, a new roof, or any other major improvements. Local data on home sales shows that in the majority of towns across the Commonwealth, not a single home was sold for a gain of $1 million or more. Only 22 towns had more than 10 sales yield a gain of $1.5 million or more, enough to be affected by Question 1 after deductions are taken. 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 ; 62 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 New Report Shows That Question 1 Only Impacts Super-Rich Investors, Not 99% of Working People Jul 21, 2022 MassBudget Report Finds Most Surgeons, Dentists, Lawyers, and Programmers Wouldn’t Come Close to Paying More BOSTON – In response to a new report from the Massachusetts Budget & Policy Center which found that people working in the highest-earning professions in the state still earn much less than a million dollars a year, the Fair Share for Massachusetts campaign today highlighted how Question 1 on the November ballot would require only the richest people in Massachusetts to pay more. “Question 1 would require those who earn more than $1 million in a single year to pay a little more, and constitutionally dedicate billions of dollars in new revenue to improving our schools, colleges, roads, bridges, and transit,” said Fair Share for Massachusetts Campaign Manager Jeron Mariani . “This new data shows that even some of the highest-paid workers in the state, like surgeons, dentists, lawyers, and programmers, wouldn’t come close to paying more under Question 1. When we vote Yes on Question 1 in November, super-rich investors will pay their fair share in state taxes, while 99 percent of taxpayers – people who work for a living – won’t pay anything more.” The Massachusetts Budget & Policy Center report analyzed the most current federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data for Massachusetts, which tracks the average income received by workers in over 750 different occupational categories. They found that no occupation in Massachusetts has an average income anywhere near $1 million, with the highest paid occupations (radiologists, anesthesiologists, cardiologists and surgeons), all having average annual incomes between $300,000 and $350,000. The report also points out that Question 1 would affect fewer than 7 in every thousand households in Massachusetts: about 24,000 out of the more than 3.5 million households that file taxes in Massachusetts each year. Thousands of educators, workers, small business owners, parents, faith leaders, municipal officials, drivers and transit riders, and more than 215 organizations across the state are working together to pass Question 1 on the ballot through the Fair Share for Massachusetts campaign. 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 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, 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 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 Berkshire Eagle: People gather in support of the Fair Share Amendment Gillian Jones | The Berkshire Eagle Apr 4, 2022 For a full photo recap, visit; The Berkshire Eagle | People gather in support of the Fair Share Amendment Previous Next

< Back Push for millionaires' tax in Massachusetts ramps up Adam Reilly | WGBH May 11, 2022 The Fair Share Amendment, which is also referred to as the millionaires’ tax, will go before voters as a ballot question this fall... Push for millionaires' tax in Massachusetts ramps up (Original / Source) The campaign to change the Massachusetts Constitution to create a new surtax on income in excess of $1 million officially kicked off Wednesday, escalating an long-simmering battle that's been brewing since 2015. The Fair Share Amendment, which is also referred to as the millionaires’ tax, will go before voters as a ballot question this fall. If passed, it would impose an additional tax of 4% on income over the million-dollar mark. The ensuing revenue would be used to fund investments in transportation and education. Unlike many other states, Massachusetts currently taxes all income levels at the same 5% rate. Previous attempts to amend the constitution to create a graduated income tax have failed, most recently in 1994, when two-thirds of voters rejected the idea. In a Zoom kickoff event for the millionaires' tax, proponents indicated that they're likely to use the state's experience during the COVID-19 pandemic to make their case for taxing higher incomes at an increased rate. The Rev. Ann-Marie Illsley, a pastor at Christ Congregational Church in Brockton, praised the efforts of essential workers such as personal care attendants and grocery store employees during the pandemic, and cast passing the proposed amendment as a way to reward their sacrifices. "In the hardest moments of the pandemic, they stepped up to make sure that our communities had what they needed," Illsley said. "Our essential workers have been putting in their fair share, and they continue to. But these folks and their communities have needs also — needs for better-funded school systems and increased training opportunities, improved infrastructure." Worcester City Councilor Khrystian King said the amendment would raise approximately $1.3 billion by requiring the state's wealthiest residents to make a relatively small financial sacrifice. "You're talking about folks that make around $20,000 per week — per week, $20,000," King said. "Those folks are going to have to pay an additional $31 per week.” An analysis earlier this year by Tufts University's Center for State Policy Analysis also said the amendment would raise about $1.3 billion, and found that it would do so "in a highly progressive way likely to advance racial and economic equity." However, the analysis warned that there could be a "disproportionate effect on state coffers" if just a few of the state's wealthiest residents move out of the commonwealth to avoid a new surtax, and that the shift to hybrid and remote work could lead to more residents relocating than previously anticipated. The Coalition for a Strong Massachusetts Economy, which opposes the amendment, said people relocating is a likely outcome of the proposed tax hike. "Proponents of the measure claim that it will raise taxes only on Massachusetts’ highest earners," spokesperson Dan Cence said in a statement, "but in practice, the measure will damage our economy, threaten small business owners, harm retirees, and result in more lost jobs and more people leaving Massachusetts." Supporters of the proposed amendment had planned to place it before voters in 2018, but the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled at the time that the effort, which relied on the state's initiative-petition process, didn't meet specific constitutional requirements. In this electoral cycle, supporters circumvented a possible repeat challenge by using the referendum process, which is driven by legislative support rather than citizen signatures. In Constitutional Conventions in 2019 and 2021, the Massachusetts House and Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of advancing the measure to the ballot this year. Now, opponents are asking the Supreme Judicial Court to amend Attorney General Maura Healey's description of the proposed amendment to convey that the funds raised might not lead to the spending increases advocates promise . Andrew Farnitano, a spokesperson for Raise Up Massachusetts, which supports the amendment, insisted Wednesday that concern is misplaced. “Dedicating the funding from the Fair Share Amendment in the text of the constitution is the strongest possible way to ensure that it goes to transportation and public education,” he said. “That is an iron-clad dedication that the funds raised by this amendment must be spent on those two areas.” An Supreme Judicial Court ruling on the challenge to Healey's summary is expected in the coming weeks. When Farnitano was asked if the Legislature might diminish spending drawn from other sources if the amendment passes, leading to smaller-than-advertised new investments in education and transportation, he suggested that such maneuvering would be politically risky. "When you look at the words that they have said and the commitments they have laid out, it's clear that their intention is to spend more on education and transportation," Farnitano said. "And we will hold them to that." Toward the close of Wednesday's event, campaign manager Jeron Mariani acknowledged that supporters of the proposed amendment have already been campaigning for months. “We've been out there knocking on doors, open-air canvassing at rallies, making phone calls,” he said. "This is only going to continue," Mariani added. "And one way that we're continuing it is that this very weekend we're launching seven canvasses — seven different cities, all across the commonwealth.” Mariani also announced the launch of a new website, fairsharema.com, which he described as a "hub for how to get plugged into the campaign ... to be an active member of this movement." This story was updated to include a comment from the Coalition for a Strong Massachusetts Economy. Previous Next

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

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

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

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

Economic and Racial Justice The Fair Share Amendment — Question 1 on the November ballot — would provide the resources necessary to invest in equally high-quality educations for all students, equitable transportation infrastructure that links residents to education and job opportunities, and public higher education that doesn’t bury students in debt. For years, Massachusetts’ communities of color have been harmed by inequitable and inadequate access to transportation and public education. Our city school districts, which educate the vast majority of students of color and low-income students, have been systematically underfunded for decades. Decades of housing discrimination and the legacy of redlining and ‘urban renewal’ policies have resulted in Black and brown residents having less access to high-quality public transportation options. Our public higher education system is increasingly out of reach to Black and brown students who don’t benefit from generational transfers of wealth. Question 1 will require the very rich to pay slightly more — just 4¢ more on each dollar after their first $1 million in a single year — and constitutionally guarantee that every dollar raised from the new tax goes to transportation and public education. Improving our schools, roads, and public transportation is a step forward for economic and racial justice — and Question 1 raises the money to make it a reality. Hear from our community. Get the facts on what Question 1 means for public higher education. READ THE RUNDOWN Help us make that Massachusetts a reality. JOIN US Join the team: VOLUNTEER FIND AN EVENT GET UPDATES

< Back Fair Share Amendment Ballot Campaign Launches Fourth TV Ad Sep 30, 2022 Question 1 on the November Ballot Is “Good for All Businesses, Big and Small” BOSTON – The campaign working to pass the Fair Share Amendment today announced the launch of its fourth television ad , part of an eight-figure TV ad campaign that is running through Election Day. The Fair Share Amendment, the proposed state tax on incomes above $1 million, would raise billions of dollars that are constitutionally dedicated to transportation and public education. It is Question 1 on the November statewide ballot. Titled ‘ Brewery ,’ the new ad features Karsen Eckweiler, co-owner of Democracy Brewing in Boston , explaining how “Small businesses like ours have struggled during COVID. Question 1 is a great opportunity to make things better for everyone. It raises $2 billion that the constitution requires goes to public schools, colleges, and roads. That means more jobs and better opportunities. That’s good for all businesses, big and small.” "Question 1 wouldn't make small businesses like ours pay a single penny more. But every business in Massachusetts will benefit when we have a more reliable transportation system to get our customers in the door and our employees to and from work," said Eckweiler . "We'll all benefit from better schools and colleges that prepare a well-educated workforce. And anyone who makes more than a million dollars in a single year can easily afford to pay a little more — just four cents on every dollar from their second million, and everything above it — to help build a stronger economy for all of us." Yesterday, the Yes on 1 campaign announced the endorsement of more than 75 businesses across the state, including 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. “Only people making over $1 million a year would pay,” the ad concludes. “If the richest one percent pay their fair share, small businesses like ours will see the benefits. I’m voting Yes on Question 1.” The new ad can be viewed here . Previous ‘Yes on 1’ TV ads can be found here , here , and here . Background on Question 1: the Fair Share Amendment The Fair Share Amendment – Question 1 on the November ballot – will allow Massachusetts to improve our transportation and public education systems by making the very rich pay their fair share. Question 1 would create a 4 percent tax on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million and constitutionally dedicate the funds to be spent on transportation and public education. Only people who earn more than $1 million annually will be impacted; 99% of us won’t pay a penny more. And we’ll all benefit from better schools, roads, bridges, and public transportation. Thousands of educators, workers, small business owners, parents, faith leaders, municipal officials, drivers and transit riders, and more than 350 organizations across the state are working together to pass Question 1. Our campaign has been endorsed by 80 labor unions , 63 community organizing groups , 15 faith-based groups , more than 75 businesses , and more than 100 other social service and not-for-profit organizations focused on housing, education, transportation, public health, and the environment. Learn more and get involved at FairShareMA.com. ### The Fair Share for Massachusetts campaign is led by Raise Up Massachusetts, a coalition of community organizations, faith-based groups, and labor unions committed to building an economy that invests in families, gives everyone the opportunity to succeed, and creates broadly shared prosperity. Since our coalition came together in 2013, we have nearly doubled wages for hundreds of thousands of working people by winning two increases in the state’s minimum wage, won best-in-the-nation earned sick time and paid family and medical leave benefits for workers and their families, and started to build an economy that works for all of us, not just those at the top. Previous Next