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< Back A yes vote on Question 1 will expand opportunities for everyone By Elizabeth Warren and Ayanna Pressley Oct 25, 2022 The state would have more resources to support public schools, make public colleges affordable, and upgrade public transportation systems. When we think about the future of Massachusetts, we dream of a state where families can thrive. The Commonwealth is filled with resources and opportunities, but for far too long, deep inequities and disparities have persisted. For years, the wealthiest 1 percent have paid a smaller share of their income in local and state taxes than everyone else, preventing the state from making the investments needed to build opportunity for everyone in all of our communities. But this November we have the opportunity to change the status quo. Question 1 on the November ballot is the Fair Share Amendment, a chance to make sure everyone pays their fair share in taxes. And when everyone chips in equitably, the state will have more resources to support public schools, make public colleges affordable, and upgrade public transportation infrastructure. We encourage everyone to vote yes on Question 1. Students and their families are still reeling from the coronavirus pandemic. Schools are finally open, but students, parents, and teachers need more opportunities for individualized support systems, better school buildings, and more wraparound services, especially for mental and emotional health. The Fair Share Amendment will mean more funding for public schools to address long-standing barriers to learning. Our transportation systems, from roads and bridges to the woeful MBTA, are suffering from years of neglect. Road congestion and outdated, diesel-powered buses are literally choking our Commonwealth, and public transit remains unreliable, unaffordable, and inaccessible for too many residents. Voting yes on Question 1 will allow us to repair and replace crumbling physical infrastructure and move us toward a clean, efficient, accessible future. Passing the Fair Share Amendment will also help create more pathways for young people to realize good-paying jobs and success in life, from vocational and technical education to affordable public college that doesn’t bury them in debt. Question 1 is simple: It would create an additional 4 percent tax on the portion of an individual’s annual income above $1 million, and constitutionally dedicate the funds to transportation and public education.The first $1 million of a person’s earnings wouldn’t be affected by this measure. Only the million-and-first dollar is taxed, and then at just an additional four cents on every dollar over a million. Who will pay the most? A full 70 percent of the funds raised would come from those earning more than $5 million a year. Expanding opportunities for people to learn, grow, and thrive is essential to the future of our Commonwealth. That means boosting the chances for children in small towns with small tax bases to get a first-rate education. That means reducing air pollution from cars and bus fumes that are concentrated in communities of color. That means telling every person — not just the wealthy ones — that we’ll invest in their education after high school so that they can develop skills and certifications to build a prosperous future. Even though 99 percent of people in Massachusetts won’t pay a penny more under Question 1, a few billionaires are spending a lot of money to confuse voters. So let’s clear up a few things: Small-business owners wouldn’t be affected by this tax unless their business generates more than $1 million in profit. Last year, less than 1 percent of homes in Massachusetts sold for enough of a gain to be affected by Question 1. Since Question 1 would be written into the state constitution, the state would be constitutionally required to spend this new money on transportation and public education. That spending requirement would be constitutionally protected and could only be undone by the people of Massachusetts, not lawmakers. By funding public schools, colleges, and transportation systems, the Fair Share Amendment will help build greater opportunity in every community in Massachusetts. Our current tax system is unjust and inequitable; those at the very top can afford to pay a little more to help build an economy and a Commonwealth that is safer, more sustainable, and works better for everyone. This November, the choice belongs to voters. We have the chance to say, loud and clear, that we value our young people, we support all of our communities, and that everyone — including the multimillionaires and billionaires — should pay their fair share. Elizabeth Warren is a US senator from Massachusetts, and US Representative Ayanna Pressley represents the Massachusetts Seventh Congressional District. Previous Next

< Back Fair Share for Massachusetts canvasses in Northampton Addie Patterson and Olivia Hickey | Western Mass News Jul 18, 2022 NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) -Fair Share for Massachusetts gathered to canvass Sunday at Pulaski Park in Northampton. The group went door-to-door to spread the word about the November 8th ballot initiative. President of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, Max Page, explained what exactly the Fair Share Amendment is and how it would affect our schools. “What it would do is make our tax system fair by asking the wealthiest, the very wealthiest people who make over a million dollars a year, pay a little bit more with all the proceeds, up to two billion dollars a year, going to public schools, public higher education, roads, bridges and public transportation.” Max also said the initiative will help move Massachusetts towards debt-free higher education. The group plans on canvassing throughout the region in the coming weeks. Copyright 2022. Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved. Image by AlexiusHoratius, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Previous Next

< Back 26 Housing & Community Development Orgs from Across MA Endorse Fair Share Amendment to Invest in Transportation and Public Education Jul 6, 2022 BOSTON – Fair Share for Massachusetts, the campaign working to pass the Fair Share Amendment, the proposed state tax on incomes above $1 million which would raise billions of dollars to invest in transportation and public education, today announced the endorsement of 26 housing and community development organizations from across the state. “We hope voters see the wisdom and value in securing $2 billion in order to improve the Massachusetts economy by repairing roads, bridge and public transportation, infrastructure most of us use every day,” said Philip Giffee, Executive Director of Neighborhood of Affordable Housing (NOAH). “In addition, the Amendment will enable the Commonwealth to invest more in public education such as much-needed STEM programs. We need to invest in our young folks so they are skilled at helping create a vibrant economy when they take charge.” The 26 housing and community development organizations include nonprofit affordable housing developers, tenants rights groups, and community development corporations (CDCs) from communities including Boston, Cambridge, Cape Cod, Chelsea, Chesterfield, Fitchburg, Franklin County, Lawrence, Northampton, Somerville, Springfield, and Worcester. “Right now, working families in Springfield are working harder than ever just to keep up with their bills and stay in their homes. But throughout the pandemic, Massachusetts’ multimillionaires and billionaires just kept getting richer,” said Rose Webster-Smith, Program Director of Springfield No One Leaves . “With the Fair Share Amendment, only the super rich will pay more, and we’ll all benefit from better roads, more reliable public transit, and great public schools and colleges that give students the resources they need to succeed.” “This November, voters will have a unique opportunity to directly shape the future of our Commonwealth,” said Joe Kriesberg, President and CEO of the Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations (MACDC) . “By voting Yes on this initiative, we can ensure a more equitable and prosperous future for ourselves and for future generations — a future where all children receive the great education they deserve and where all of us can access the reliable transportation we need to work, shop, play and thrive.” “Lawrence CommunityWorks supports Fair Share because we believe that everyone in Massachusetts must contribute according to their ability, for the shared prosperity and growth of all,” said Jessica Andors, Executive Director of Lawrence CommunityWorks, Inc. “As a Community Development Corporation providing thousands of Bostonians with affordable housing options, we support the needs of vital everyday issues such as public transportation, roads, and schools,” said Lee Nave, Co-Interim Community Organizing Director of Codman Square Community Development Corporation . “The Fair Share Amendment will generate an estimated $2 billion dollars annually to invest in Massachusetts, from the streets of Codman Square to the people we serve every day.” The housing and community development organizations join more than 215 organizations and thousands of activists across the state who are working together to win the Fair Share Amendment 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. The full list of endorsing housing and community development organizations is below, and a full list of organizations that have endorsed the Fair Share Amendment is available at fairsharema.com/endorsements . A Better Cambridge Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation Asian Community Development Corporation City Life / Vida Urbana Codman Square NDC Codman Square Neighborhood Council Community Development Partnership of Cape Cod Fenway CDC Franklin Regional Council of Governments Hilltown CDC Homeowners Rehab Inc. Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion (IBA) JPNDC Lawrence CommunityWorks MACDC Madison Park Development Corporation Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance NewVue Communities NOAH Nuestra Comunidad CDC Roxbury Somerville Community Corporation Springfield No One Leaves The Neighborhood Developers Inc. Valley CDC (Northampton) Wellspring Cooperative Corporation Worcester Common Ground, Inc. Background on the Fair Share Amendment The Fair Share Amendment on the November ballot will allow Massachusetts to improve our transportation and public education systems by making the very rich pay their fair share. The ballot question would create a 4 percent tax on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million and dedicate the funds raised to transportation and public education. Only people who earn more than $1 million annually will be impacted; 99% of us won’t pay a penny more. And we’ll all benefit from better schools, roads, bridges, and public transportation. ### The Fair Share for Massachusetts campaign is led by Raise Up Massachusetts, a coalition of community organizations, faith-based groups, and labor unions committed to building an economy that invests in families, gives everyone the opportunity to succeed, and creates broadly shared prosperity. Since our coalition came together in 2013, we have nearly doubled wages for hundreds of thousands of working people by winning two increases in the state’s minimum wage, won best-in-the-nation earned sick time and paid family and medical leave benefits for workers and their families, and started to build an economy that works for all of us, not just those at the top. Learn more at FairShareMA.com. Previous Next

Stories The Fair Share Amendment is making an enormous difference for people all across Massachusetts. These are our stories. SHARE YOUR STORY

< Back City Councils, Select Boards & School Committees in 50+ Communities Endorse Question 1 to Improve Local Roads & Schools with Tax on Million-Dollar Earners Oct 6, 2022 From Amesbury and Bridgewater to Windsor and Worcester, Question 1 Gaining Support from Communities Large and Small Across Massachusetts BOSTON – The ‘Fair Share for Massachusetts’ campaign today announced that city councils, select boards, and school committees representing more than 50 communities across the state have endorsed Question 1, the proposed ‘Fair Share Amendment’ that would tax incomes above $1 million and raise billions of dollars that are constitutionally dedicated to transportation and public education. “The Springfield City Council voted to support Question 1 because it will mean more money to fix potholes, hire teachers, and repair aging bridges and school buildings,” said Springfield City Council President Jesse Lederman . “Question 1 will mean Springfield finally gets our fair share when it comes to education and transportation infrastructure to support the next generation. I’m voting YES on Question 1 for a better future.” In recent months, resolutions supporting the Fair Share Amendment, Question 1 on the November ballot, have been passed by 19 city councils, 16 town select boards, and 27 school committees, collectively representing more than 50 communities across Massachusetts. Communities range in size from rural towns such as Windsor (population 831) and New Salem (population 983), to many of the Commonwealth’s largest cities, including Worcester, Springfield, and Boston. “I, along with many in the Town of Arlington, realize that providing better transportation and education for everyone will benefit all cities and towns and boost the growth of our entire Commonwealth,” said Len Diggins, Chair of the Arlington Select Board . “Those with little wealth will have more opportunities to realize their potential, and the increase in economic activity will even benefit those with more wealth! The pie will get bigger; we will all win!” At city council, select board, and school committees over the past few months, municipal supporters of Question 1 have spoken about how the constitutional amendment would help their communities by making our tax system fairer and providing substantial resources for education and transportation investments. “Súper emocionada de ver presentado está resolución en apoyo en la Enmienda De Parte Justa, junto a mis colegas del concilio nosotros estamos comprometidos en crear mejores oportunidades para nuestras comunidades y esta propuesta de ley trae los recursos para invertir en educación, y la infraestructura de transportación para todos en Massachusetts,” said Lawrence City Councilor Celina Reyes in August. (Translation: “I’m super excited to see this resolution presented in support of the Fair Share Amendment, together with my council colleagues. We are committed to creating better opportunities for our communities and this bill brings the resources to invest in education and transportation infrastructure for all in Massachusetts.” “I am proud to sponsor this resolution in support of the Fair Share Amendment, a statewide tax on millionaires that will then bring millions in funding to the very school district I was raised in,” said Salem School Committee Vice Chair Manny Cruz in June. “With the dollars raised we can uplift our school communities through providing the smaller class sizes, social-emotional supports, extra tutoring, and additional counselors, nurses, and social workers that our students deserve.” “Many of us came to and continue to live in Newburyport because of all the assets that the state brings in terms of an educated workforce and other important public infrastructure,” said Newburyport At-Large Councillor Edward Cameron in May. “These proposed Fair Share Amendment revenues going towards education and transportation will definitely be part and parallel to keeping it that way.” The full list of endorsing city/town councils and school committees is below: Amesbury City Council Amherst City Council Arlington Select Board Ashfield Select Board Becket Select Board Boston City Council Bridgewater City Council Cambridge City Council Colrain Select Board Conway Select Board Dalton Select Board Easthampton City Council Fall River City Council Gill Select Board Holyoke City Council Lawrence City Council Lee Select Board Leverett Select Board Lynn City Council Medford City Council Montague Select Board New Bedford City Council New Salem Select Board Newburyport City Council Newton City Council North Adams City Council Northampton City Council Northfield Select Board Otis Select Board Pittsfield City Council Shutesbury Select Board Somerset Select Board Somerville City Council Springfield City Council Windsor Select Board Worcester City Council Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee Amherst School Committee Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee (Amherst, Pelham, Leverett, & Shutesbury) Arlington School Committee Braintree School Committee Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School Committee Burlington School Committee Cambridge School Committee Central Berkshire Regional School Committee (Becket, Cummington, Dalton, Hinsdale, Peru, Washington, & Windsor) Greenfield School Committee Lee School Committee Leverett School Committee Lexington School Committee Malden School Committee Medford School Committee New Bedford School Committee New Salem and Wendell School Committee North Adams School Committee Northampton School Committee Pittsfield School Committee Salem School Committee Somerset School Committee Somerset-Berkley Regional School Committee Somerville School Committee Springfield School Committee Watertown School Committee Worcester School Committee Background on Question 1: the Fair Share Amendment The Fair Share Amendment – Question 1 on the November ballot – will allow Massachusetts to improve our transportation and public education systems by making the very rich pay their fair share. Question 1 would create a 4 percent tax on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million and constitutionally dedicate the funds to be spent on transportation and public education. Only people who earn more than $1 million annually will be impacted; 99% of us won’t pay a penny more. And we’ll all benefit from better schools, roads, bridges, and public transportation. Thousands of educators, workers, small business owners, parents, faith leaders, municipal officials, drivers and transit riders, and more than 350 organizations across the state are working together to pass Question 1. Our campaign has been endorsed by 80 labor unions , 63 community organizing groups , 15 faith-based groups , more than 75 businesses , and more than 100 other social service and not-for-profit organizations focused on housing, education, transportation, public health, and the environment. Learn more and get involved at FairShareMA.com. ### The Fair Share for Massachusetts campaign is led by Raise Up Massachusetts, a coalition of community organizations, faith-based groups, and labor unions committed to building an economy that invests in families, gives everyone the opportunity to succeed, and creates broadly shared prosperity. Since our coalition came together in 2013, we have nearly doubled wages for hundreds of thousands of working people by winning two increases in the state’s minimum wage, won best-in-the-nation earned sick time and paid family and medical leave benefits for workers and their families, and started to build an economy that works for all of us, not just those at the top. Previous Next

Small and Local Businesses The Fair Share Amendment, Question 1 on the November ballot, is good for local businesses. Better preK-12 schools, colleges, transit, and roads help improve the economy for everyone. Local businesses in Massachusetts depend on a well-educated workforce, a reliable transportation system so employees and customers can get to their locations, and a strong economy. When the very rich pay their fair share, we can improve transportation and public education statewide—and that’s good for everyone. Only people who earn more than $1 million a year in personal income will be impacted by Question 1; 99% of us, including small businesses owners, won’t pay a penny more. And $2 billion a year, every year, in revenue for education and transportation will create better economic opportunities for Massachusetts residents and well-maintained transportation infrastructure. That will attract new businesses to Massachusetts and help existing businesses to grow and thrive. Leise Jones Photography, Boston Democracy Brewing, Boston Meet Cambridge Naturals, a proud endorser of Question 1! For Example: Donna Donna is the sole-owner of a construction firm with $3 million in annual revenue. The businesses’ costs in a typical year are $2.7 million, including payroll for 25 skilled employees trained at a local vocational school, rent, equipment, and other expenses. The company’s annual profit is $300,000 – which is passed through to Donna as the sole proprietor. She also receives a salary of $220,000 a year that – combined with the net income from the construction company – gives her an annual income of $520,000. Because she earns less than $1 million in personal income, Donna won’t pay any more under the Fair Share Amendment, but she and her business would benefit from the transportation infrastructure it will help fund, and the well-educated students it will help prepare for future jobs. And in the case of selling a business, you’d have to sell a business for much more than a million dollars to be affected by the Fair Share Amendment. When a business is sold, tax is paid only on the increase in the value of a business between when it was purchased and when it was sold—not its current valuation. Additionally, the seller can subtract many deductions from their taxes, including the cost of major investments like property or equipment. This all makes the likelihood that someone would be taxed more on a business sale of over $1 million extremely low. And if someone earns enough from selling a business to have more than a million dollars in annual income, they can afford to pay a little extra so that we’ll all benefit from a stronger economy. Have questions about the effects on local businesses of Question 1’s tax on annual personal income above $1 million? Read on. Question 1 adds a tax only on personal income over $1 million – business taxes would not increase. It doesn’t matter how much revenue or profit a business has: only business owners or shareholders who earn more than $1 million in personal income in a single year will pay more, regardless of their business’ revenues or profits. Less than 3 percent of businesses owners in Massachusetts have taxable personal income over $1 million that would be subject to the Fair Share Amendment. READ THE FAQ Get everything you need to know about exactly how to vote Yes on 1. HOW TO VOTE YES ON 1 Meet the businesses moving Massachusetts forward. 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 Question 1 benefits local businesses. More than MA business owners have endorsed the Fair Share Amendment. 80 These 50 businesses join support from 63 community organizing groups 26 housing and community development organizations 28 social service providers 15 faith-based groups 7 public health organizations 7 environmental and climate organizations 10 transportation advocacy organizations 18 education and youth advocacy organizations Wah Lum Kung Fu & Tai Chi Academy Malden Want to volunteer? GET INVOLVED Pledge to vote YES on 1: PLEDGE

The Fair Share Amendment improves Massachusetts transportation and public education systems. Only people who earn more than $1 million annually will be impacted; 99% of us won’t pay a penny more. November 9, 2022: Question 1 passes. The Fair Share Amendment is in the Massachusetts constitution. Question 1, the Fair Share Amendment, PASSED on the statewide ballot November 8th, 2022. This ballot question is our chance to improve our transportation and public education systems by making the very rich pay their fair share in taxes. This is how we build an economy that works for everyone. Question 1 is a win-win for Massachusetts. And it passed. Why the Fair Share Amendment About Question 1 Question 1, the Fair Share Amendment, would create a 4% 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. With Question 1, the top 1% of Massachusetts residents — those making over $1 million a year — would pay their fair share in taxes. 99% of us won’t pay a penny more. And because Question 1 will be written directly into the state constitution, the money would be constitutionally required to go only to transportation and public education. That means $2 billion a year, every year, for better roads, safer bridges, reliable public transportation, and public schools from pre-K through college. On November 8, vote YES on 1. LEARN MORE READ THE AMENDMENT November 9, 2022: Question 1 passes. The Fair Share Amendment is in the Massachusetts constitution. Get everything you need to know about exactly how to vote Yes on 1. HOW TO VOTE YES ON 1 Election Day is November 8, 2022. To vote Yes on 1, you have to be registered to vote by October 29. CHECK YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION HOW TO VOTE YES ON 1 Meet Question 1 supporters: Local Businesses Communities People SHARE YOURS Our stories are the most powerful tool we have to win the Fair Share Amendment. We're sharing our stories for a fair Massachusetts. Find out why others are all in for the Fair Share Amendment and share your own. Take action for a fairer Massachusetts JOIN US RECENT CANVASSES The Fair Share Campaign has already reached over a million voters across Massachusetts! Every week we talk to voters in cities and towns statewide: . SOMERVILLE NEW BEDFORD SPRINGFIELD BOSTON VOLUNTEER WITH US Follow the movement: Paid for Fair Share Massachusetts. Top donors include Massachusetts Teachers Association, National Education Association, Sixteen Thirty Fund, 1199 SEIU, and American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts AFL-CIO. For more information visit mass.gov/ocpf.

Endorsing Organizations These organizations join thousands of educators, workers, small business owners, parents, faith leaders, municipal officials, drivers and transit riders, and more than 340 organizations across the state. 80 labor unions 60+ community organizing groups 50+ local businesses 28 social service providers 26 housing and community development organizations 15 faith-based groups 10 transportation advocacy organizations 7 public health organizations 7 environmental and climate organizations Alliance for Business Leadership Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation Asian American Resource Workshop Boston DSA Cambridge Residents Alliance Citizens for Citizens Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester (CHNA-8) Community Development Partnership of Cape Cod Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation EdNavigator Everywhere Arlington Livable Streets Greater Lawrence Community Action Council Groundwork Lawrence, Inc. Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion (IBA) Jamaica Plain Progressives Lowell Alliance Latinx Community Center for Empowerment Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, Dorchester MACDC Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance Massachusetts Coalition for Adult Education Massachusetts Food System Collaborative Massachusetts Public Health Association The Midas Collaborative Neponset Valley Progressives NOFA-Mass Our Revolution Massachusetts Public Transit Public Good Coalition Progressive Watertown Prophetic Resistance Boston Rise Up Western Mass Indivisible Sharon Interfaith Action South Shore Progressives The Healthy Families EITC Coalition TransitMatters UU Mass Action Wellspring Cooperative Corporation Woburn Welcomes Worcester Interfaith 350 Mass YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts Renewable Energy Worcester Fall River Educators Association Salem Teachers Union Sheet Metal Workers Local 17 Cambridge Education Association Pittsfield Educational Administrators Association Westborough Education Association Hatfield Teaching Association Wayland Teacher Association Brazilian American Center, Inc. The Episcopal Diocese of Western MA Hampshire Regional Education Association New Beginnings Reentry Services A Better Cambridge Allston Brighton Health Collaborative Black Economic Justice Institute, Inc. Brookline PAX Center for Living & Working, Inc. Citizens for a Palmer Rail Stop Coalition for Social Justice Community Economic Development Center of SE MA Dorchester People for Peace and Justice Elevated Thought Families for Justice as Healing Greater Lowell Health Alliance Health Resources in Action Institute for Transportation & Development Policy Indivisible Westford, Progressive Mass Chapter JPNDC Lawrence CommunityWorks Lynn Teachers Union, Local 1037 Madison Park Development Corporation Massachusetts AFL-CIO Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety & Health (MassCOSH) Mass-Care Mass Senior Action Council Mothers Out Front Massachusetts New Bedford Educators Association New England United 4 Justice Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation Progressive Mass Progressive West Roxbury/Roslindale Quincy Asian Resources, Inc. Rosie's Place Sierra Club Massachusetts Chapter South Boston En Accion The Merrimack Valley Project, Inc. Transportation For Massachusetts United Interfaith Action of Southeastern MA Western Mass Area Labor Federation Women's Intl. League for Peace & Freedom, Boston Branch LHS Student Democrats Green Energy Consumers Alliance Brockton Workers Alliance United Interfaith Action of Southeastern MA Health Resources in Action American Federation of Government Employees Local 3258 Union 38/Frontier Regional School District Laborers' International Union Local 175 MA Society of Professors Silver Lake Education Association Cape Verdean Association of Boston NeighborWorks Housing Solutions Hanover Teachers Association The Student Union of Massachusetts Roca, Inc. Act on Mass Amalgamated Bank BMA TenPoint Boston Education Justice Alliance Central MA Youth Jobs Coalition Citizens for Public Schools Codman Square Neighborhood Council The Communities That Care Coalition of Franklin County and the North Quabbin East Boston Social Centers Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution Fenway CDC Greater Malden Asian American Community Coalition Hilltown CDC I Have A Future Institute for Policy Studies - Inequality Program King Boston LEO Inc. Lynn United for Change Main South Community Development Corporation (Worcester) Mass Alliance of HUD Tenants Massachusetts Coalition for Health Equity Massachusetts Communities Action Network Massachusetts Library Staff Association Mystic Valley Progressives New England Jewish Labor Committee North Shore Labor Council People Acting in Community Endeavors (PACE) Progressive Democrats of Massachusetts Professional Staff Union/MTA/NEA Reclaim Roxbury SEIU Community Action Sociedad Latina Springfield Federation of Paraprofessionals The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls True Alliance Center Upper Cape Progressive Mass Western Mass. Medicare for All Worcester Common Ground, Inc. Young Democrats of Massachusetts AFT Amesbury Local #1033 La Colaborativa Center for Living and Working (Worcester) Greater Boston Labor Council Citizens for a Palmer Rail Stop Berkshire Central Labor Council IBEW LU 233 North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters Chelsea Teachers' Union AFT Local 1340 Community Action, Inc. Hingham Education Association Women's Fund of Western MA Baystate Reentry Network NACA's Economic for Justice PAC (Neigh Assistance Corp of America) AFT MA Arlington Education Association Boston Asian Youth Essential Service Business Innovation Center Chinese Culture Connection, Inc. Codman Square NDC Community Action Agency of Somerville, Inc. Conservation Law Foundation Economic Mobility Pathways (EMPath) Episcopal City Mission Franklin Regional Council of Governments Greater Framingham Community Church Homeowners Rehab Inc. Indivisible Northampton Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action La Comunidad, Inc. LifePath MA Association of School Committees Malden Education Association Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition (MassBike) Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition Massachusetts Teacher Association National Association of Social Workers, MA Chapter NewVue Communities Our Climate Pioneer Valley Project Progressive Framingham/ MetroWest Project Bread Resource Generation SEIU Local 509 Solidarity Lowell Springfield No One Leaves The Neighborhood Developers Inc. Union Capital Boston Valley CDC (Northampton) Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness Worcester Community Action Council Zero Debt Massachusetts Boston Teachers Union Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association Prophetic Resistance Boston Southeastern Massachusetts Building Trades Council American Postal Workers Union International Union of Operating Engineers Local 4 Eastern Millwright Regional Council Plumbers & Gasfitters Local 12 Ayer Shirley Regional Education Association, Inc. West Springfield Education Association Episcopal Cathedral Church of St. Paul South Middlesex Opportunity Council Boston Workers Circle Justice 4 Housing AFT Maintainers Local 6350 Asian Community Development Corporation Boston Cyclists Union Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee Chinese Progressive Association Coalition for a Better Acre Community Action Programs Inter-City, Inc. CWA D1 Educators for Excellence Boston Essex County Community Organization Greater Boston Legal Services GreenRoots Immigrants' Assistance Center, Inc. (IAC) Indivisible Massachusetts Coalition Just A Start Latino Education Institute at Worcester State University LivableStreets Alliance MA Association of School Superintendents Massachusetts Advocates for Children Massachusetts Budget & Policy Center Mass Jobs with Justice Massachusetts Peace Action Massachusetts Voter Table Neighbors United for a Better East Boston NOAH Our Revolution Greater Fall River Public Higher Education Network of Massachusetts Progressive Needham Project RIGHT, Inc. Revere Youth In Action SEIU Massachusetts State Council Somerville Community Corporation Teen Empowerment Three Rivers Progressive Mass Unitarian Universalist Association WalkBoston Winning Writers Worcester County Food Bank 1199SEIU Oxfam America Advocacy Fund Lowell Votes SEIU 32BJ United Teachers of Lowell 495 Greater Southeastern MA Labor Council Plymouth/Bristol Central Labor Council Plasterers' & Cement Masons' Local 543 IUE-CWA Local 201 Mendon Upton Regional Teachers Association NorthStar Learning Centers, Inc. (New Bedford) The Episcopal Bishops of the Diocese of Massachusetts Southwest Boston Community Development Corporation Greater Boston Labor Council for Latin American Advancement United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1445

Frequently Asked Questions Jump to a category: 1. What is the Fair Share Amendment? 2. Who will pay? Who will benefit? 3. Why is the Fair Share Amendment fair? 4. Looking for more on real estate and local business? Frequently asked questions What is the Fair Share Amendment? Who will pay? Who will benefit? Why is the Fair Share Amendment fair? Looking for more? What is the Fair Share Amendment? It's Question 1 on the November ballot, and Massachusetts voters like you can vote on it this year. The very rich pay less of their income in taxes than the rest of us, and Question 1 would tax the very rich slightly more to make our tax system fairer. Question 1 would create a 4% tax on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million and constitutionally dedicate the funds raised to transportation and public education. This will allow Massachusetts to improve our roads, bridges, schools, and transportation by guaranteeing in the text of the Massachusetts constitution that every dollar raised by the surtax will go to only public education and transportation. And if you don’t make more than $1 million a year, you won’t pay anything more. The Fair Share Amendment will generate $2 billion a year, every year, that is constitutionally dedicated for quality public education, affordable public colleges and universities, and the repair and maintenance of roads, bridges, and public transportation. Only the wealthiest Massachusetts residents—individuals who earn MORE THAN $1 million per year—will pay more: just 4% on the part of their annual income that is ABOVE $1 million. Over 99% of all Massachusetts taxpayers will not pay a penny more. And we’ll all benefit from better schools, colleges, roads, bridges, and public transportation. It’s a win-win for Massachusetts. Would we really raise $2 billion a year? Yes. The state Department of Revenue estimates that the Fair Share Amendment would raise approximately $2 billion a year, entirely from the top 1% of taxpayers. Will the money really go to transportation and public education? Yes. Dedicating the funding from Question 1 in the text of the constitution means that the legislature would be constitutionally required to spend this new money on transportation and public education. The state constitution is binding on the legislature, and the Fair Share Amendment creates an ironclad dedication that the funds raised by the amendment must be spent on those two areas. There’s already plenty of willpower to get money to transportation and education: the Student Opportunity Act promises to increase state aid to local school districts by $1.4 billion a year, and a recent transportation bond bill authorized $16 billion in unfunded transportation investments. But in order to make these and other critical investments, we need a reliable, long-term funding source: the Fair Share Amendment. How exactly will the money be spent? With $2 billion in new revenue every single year, every community in the state will benefit from the Fair Share Amendment. Specific investment decisions, such as rebuilding a bridge, hiring more teachers or counselors, increasing college scholarship funding, buying electric transit buses, or building new vocational school classrooms, will be made by the state legislature through the annual budget process, or by local cities and towns. When we pass Fair Share, local communities will advocate for their specific funding priorities to make sure that the funding goes where it’s most needed, and we will have more money, every single year, to fund those priorities. Why is a constitutional amendment needed at all? The federal government and many other states have graduated income taxes, meaning they tax higher income at higher rates—the more money you make, the more you pay in taxes. This is a fairer system: people who can afford more pay more; people who can’t afford to pay as much don’t. But the Massachusetts constitution only allows income to be taxed at one flat rate, currently 5 percent. This means that under existing law, if Massachusetts attempted to raise the income tax for the very rich, it would also affect low- and middle-income people — working people who already pay their fair share and can’t afford to pay more. It also means that right now, the richest people are paying less of their income in taxes than the rest of us. But Question 1 gets those very rich earners to pay a more equal amount of income in taxes: it makes our tax system more fair. The Fair Share Amendment creates a single additional tax of four percentage points on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million—just 4¢ per $1 over their first $1 million. All of the revenue is constitutionally dedicated to investments in transportation and public education. That means Massachusetts will have billions of dollars a year, every year, to improve our roads, bridges, public transit, and schools from pre-K to higher education — just by ensuring the very rich pay their fair share in taxes. What is the Fair Share Amendment? Who will pay? Who will benefit? Who will pay? Who will benefit? Frequently asked questions What is the Fair Share Amendment? Who will pay? Who will benefit? Why is the Fair Share Amendment fair? Looking for more? What is the Fair Share Amendment? It's Question 1 on the November ballot, and Massachusetts voters like you can vote on it this year. The very rich pay less of their income in taxes than the rest of us, and Question 1 would tax the very rich slightly more to make our tax system fairer. Question 1 would create a 4% tax on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million and constitutionally dedicate the funds raised to transportation and public education. This will allow Massachusetts to improve our roads, bridges, schools, and transportation by guaranteeing in the text of the Massachusetts constitution that every dollar raised by the surtax will go to only public education and transportation. And if you don’t make more than $1 million a year, you won’t pay anything more. The Fair Share Amendment will generate $2 billion a year, every year, that is constitutionally dedicated for quality public education, affordable public colleges and universities, and the repair and maintenance of roads, bridges, and public transportation. Only the wealthiest Massachusetts residents—individuals who earn MORE THAN $1 million per year—will pay more: just 4% on the part of their annual income that is ABOVE $1 million. Over 99% of all Massachusetts taxpayers will not pay a penny more. And we’ll all benefit from better schools, colleges, roads, bridges, and public transportation. It’s a win-win for Massachusetts. Would we really raise $2 billion a year? Yes. The state Department of Revenue estimates that the Fair Share Amendment would raise approximately $2 billion a year, entirely from the top 1% of taxpayers. Will the money really go to transportation and public education? Yes. Dedicating the funding from Question 1 in the text of the constitution means that the legislature would be constitutionally required to spend this new money on transportation and public education. The state constitution is binding on the legislature, and the Fair Share Amendment creates an ironclad dedication that the funds raised by the amendment must be spent on those two areas. There’s already plenty of willpower to get money to transportation and education: the Student Opportunity Act promises to increase state aid to local school districts by $1.4 billion a year, and a recent transportation bond bill authorized $16 billion in unfunded transportation investments. But in order to make these and other critical investments, we need a reliable, long-term funding source: the Fair Share Amendment. How exactly will the money be spent? With $2 billion in new revenue every single year, every community in the state will benefit from the Fair Share Amendment. Specific investment decisions, such as rebuilding a bridge, hiring more teachers or counselors, increasing college scholarship funding, buying electric transit buses, or building new vocational school classrooms, will be made by the state legislature through the annual budget process, or by local cities and towns. When we pass Fair Share, local communities will advocate for their specific funding priorities to make sure that the funding goes where it’s most needed, and we will have more money, every single year, to fund those priorities. Why is a constitutional amendment needed at all? The federal government and many other states have graduated income taxes, meaning they tax higher income at higher rates—the more money you make, the more you pay in taxes. This is a fairer system: people who can afford more pay more; people who can’t afford to pay as much don’t. But the Massachusetts constitution only allows income to be taxed at one flat rate, currently 5 percent. This means that under existing law, if Massachusetts attempted to raise the income tax for the very rich, it would also affect low- and middle-income people — working people who already pay their fair share and can’t afford to pay more. It also means that right now, the richest people are paying less of their income in taxes than the rest of us. But Question 1 gets those very rich earners to pay a more equal amount of income in taxes: it makes our tax system more fair. The Fair Share Amendment creates a single additional tax of four percentage points on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million—just 4¢ per $1 over their first $1 million. All of the revenue is constitutionally dedicated to investments in transportation and public education. That means Massachusetts will have billions of dollars a year, every year, to improve our roads, bridges, public transit, and schools from pre-K to higher education — just by ensuring the very rich pay their fair share in taxes. Why Question 1 is fair: Why is Question 1 fair? Frequently asked questions What is the Fair Share Amendment? Who will pay? Who will benefit? Why is the Fair Share Amendment fair? Looking for more? What is the Fair Share Amendment? It's Question 1 on the November ballot, and Massachusetts voters like you can vote on it this year. The very rich pay less of their income in taxes than the rest of us, and Question 1 would tax the very rich slightly more to make our tax system fairer. Question 1 would create a 4% tax on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million and constitutionally dedicate the funds raised to transportation and public education. This will allow Massachusetts to improve our roads, bridges, schools, and transportation by guaranteeing in the text of the Massachusetts constitution that every dollar raised by the surtax will go to only public education and transportation. And if you don’t make more than $1 million a year, you won’t pay anything more. The Fair Share Amendment will generate $2 billion a year, every year, that is constitutionally dedicated for quality public education, affordable public colleges and universities, and the repair and maintenance of roads, bridges, and public transportation. Only the wealthiest Massachusetts residents—individuals who earn MORE THAN $1 million per year—will pay more: just 4% on the part of their annual income that is ABOVE $1 million. Over 99% of all Massachusetts taxpayers will not pay a penny more. And we’ll all benefit from better schools, colleges, roads, bridges, and public transportation. It’s a win-win for Massachusetts. Would we really raise $2 billion a year? Yes. The state Department of Revenue estimates that the Fair Share Amendment would raise approximately $2 billion a year, entirely from the top 1% of taxpayers. Will the money really go to transportation and public education? Yes. Dedicating the funding from Question 1 in the text of the constitution means that the legislature would be constitutionally required to spend this new money on transportation and public education. The state constitution is binding on the legislature, and the Fair Share Amendment creates an ironclad dedication that the funds raised by the amendment must be spent on those two areas. There’s already plenty of willpower to get money to transportation and education: the Student Opportunity Act promises to increase state aid to local school districts by $1.4 billion a year, and a recent transportation bond bill authorized $16 billion in unfunded transportation investments. But in order to make these and other critical investments, we need a reliable, long-term funding source: the Fair Share Amendment. How exactly will the money be spent? With $2 billion in new revenue every single year, every community in the state will benefit from the Fair Share Amendment. Specific investment decisions, such as rebuilding a bridge, hiring more teachers or counselors, increasing college scholarship funding, buying electric transit buses, or building new vocational school classrooms, will be made by the state legislature through the annual budget process, or by local cities and towns. When we pass Fair Share, local communities will advocate for their specific funding priorities to make sure that the funding goes where it’s most needed, and we will have more money, every single year, to fund those priorities. Why is a constitutional amendment needed at all? The federal government and many other states have graduated income taxes, meaning they tax higher income at higher rates—the more money you make, the more you pay in taxes. This is a fairer system: people who can afford more pay more; people who can’t afford to pay as much don’t. But the Massachusetts constitution only allows income to be taxed at one flat rate, currently 5 percent. This means that under existing law, if Massachusetts attempted to raise the income tax for the very rich, it would also affect low- and middle-income people — working people who already pay their fair share and can’t afford to pay more. It also means that right now, the richest people are paying less of their income in taxes than the rest of us. But Question 1 gets those very rich earners to pay a more equal amount of income in taxes: it makes our tax system more fair. The Fair Share Amendment creates a single additional tax of four percentage points on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million—just 4¢ per $1 over their first $1 million. All of the revenue is constitutionally dedicated to investments in transportation and public education. That means Massachusetts will have billions of dollars a year, every year, to improve our roads, bridges, public transit, and schools from pre-K to higher education — just by ensuring the very rich pay their fair share in taxes. Looking for more on real estate and local business? Homeowners, Real Estate, Small Business FAQ. Frequently asked questions What is the Fair Share Amendment? Who will pay? Who will benefit? Why is the Fair Share Amendment fair? Looking for more? What is the Fair Share Amendment? It's Question 1 on the November ballot, and Massachusetts voters like you can vote on it this year. The very rich pay less of their income in taxes than the rest of us, and Question 1 would tax the very rich slightly more to make our tax system fairer. Question 1 would create a 4% tax on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million and constitutionally dedicate the funds raised to transportation and public education. This will allow Massachusetts to improve our roads, bridges, schools, and transportation by guaranteeing in the text of the Massachusetts constitution that every dollar raised by the surtax will go to only public education and transportation. And if you don’t make more than $1 million a year, you won’t pay anything more. The Fair Share Amendment will generate $2 billion a year, every year, that is constitutionally dedicated for quality public education, affordable public colleges and universities, and the repair and maintenance of roads, bridges, and public transportation. Only the wealthiest Massachusetts residents—individuals who earn MORE THAN $1 million per year—will pay more: just 4% on the part of their annual income that is ABOVE $1 million. Over 99% of all Massachusetts taxpayers will not pay a penny more. And we’ll all benefit from better schools, colleges, roads, bridges, and public transportation. It’s a win-win for Massachusetts. Would we really raise $2 billion a year? Yes. The state Department of Revenue estimates that the Fair Share Amendment would raise approximately $2 billion a year, entirely from the top 1% of taxpayers. Will the money really go to transportation and public education? Yes. Dedicating the funding from Question 1 in the text of the constitution means that the legislature would be constitutionally required to spend this new money on transportation and public education. The state constitution is binding on the legislature, and the Fair Share Amendment creates an ironclad dedication that the funds raised by the amendment must be spent on those two areas. There’s already plenty of willpower to get money to transportation and education: the Student Opportunity Act promises to increase state aid to local school districts by $1.4 billion a year, and a recent transportation bond bill authorized $16 billion in unfunded transportation investments. But in order to make these and other critical investments, we need a reliable, long-term funding source: the Fair Share Amendment. How exactly will the money be spent? With $2 billion in new revenue every single year, every community in the state will benefit from the Fair Share Amendment. Specific investment decisions, such as rebuilding a bridge, hiring more teachers or counselors, increasing college scholarship funding, buying electric transit buses, or building new vocational school classrooms, will be made by the state legislature through the annual budget process, or by local cities and towns. When we pass Fair Share, local communities will advocate for their specific funding priorities to make sure that the funding goes where it’s most needed, and we will have more money, every single year, to fund those priorities. Why is a constitutional amendment needed at all? The federal government and many other states have graduated income taxes, meaning they tax higher income at higher rates—the more money you make, the more you pay in taxes. This is a fairer system: people who can afford more pay more; people who can’t afford to pay as much don’t. But the Massachusetts constitution only allows income to be taxed at one flat rate, currently 5 percent. This means that under existing law, if Massachusetts attempted to raise the income tax for the very rich, it would also affect low- and middle-income people — working people who already pay their fair share and can’t afford to pay more. It also means that right now, the richest people are paying less of their income in taxes than the rest of us. But Question 1 gets those very rich earners to pay a more equal amount of income in taxes: it makes our tax system more fair. The Fair Share Amendment creates a single additional tax of four percentage points on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million—just 4¢ per $1 over their first $1 million. All of the revenue is constitutionally dedicated to investments in transportation and public education. That means Massachusetts will have billions of dollars a year, every year, to improve our roads, bridges, public transit, and schools from pre-K to higher education — just by ensuring the very rich pay their fair share in taxes. Get everything you need to know about exactly how to vote Yes on 1. HOW TO VOTE YES ON 1 Alan Lauren MORE STORIES

Resources Most Home Sales Will Not Likely Lead to Fair Share Tax Payments La-Brina Almeida, MassBudget READ THE REPORT “Millionaire Tax” Would Make Massachusetts Tax System Fairer Kurt Wise, MassBudget READ THE REPORT BAY STATE BILLIONAIRES: Massachusetts billionaires’ wealth surges 46 percent during the pandemic Chuck Collins and Omar Ocampo, Institute for Policy Studies READ THE REPORT With “Millionaire Tax,” Massachusetts’ Top Tax Rate Would Compare Well to Top Rates in Other States Kurt Wise, MassBudget READ THE REPORT A “Millionaire Tax” Would Advance Racial Justice in Massachusetts Kurt Wise, MassBudget READ THE REPORT The Fair Share Amendment Helps Small Businesses Phineas Baxandall, MassBudget READ THE REPORT Most Home Sales Will Not Likely Lead to Fair Share Tax Payments La-Brina Almeida, MassBudget READ THE REPORT Fair Share Tax on Incomes Over $1 Million Would Generate at Least $2 Billion a Year Kurt Wise, MassBudget READ THE REPORT The Three E’s: Greater Transportation Funding Can Improve the Economy, Equity, and Environment Phineas Baxandall, MassBudget READ THE REPORT A Bridge Too Far: Sagging Investment Leaves 644 Massachusetts Bridges Structurally Deficient Hallah Elbeleidy and Phineas Baxandall, MassBudget READ THE REPORT Massachusetts Infrastructure Report Card American Society of Civil Engineers READ THE REPORT Ready to Move in Massachusetts: A Blueprint for Delivering Major Transportation Projects Through the Biden Infrastructure Plan Tom Ryan, A Better City READ THE REPORT A Millionaire Tax is Necessary to Advance Critical Education Investments in Massachusetts Colin Jones, MassBudget READ THE REPORT Public Higher Education: Underfunded, Unaffordable, & Unfair Bahar Akman Imboden, Hildreth Institute READ THE REPORT Massachusetts’ Disinvestment in Higher Education: A Closer Look at State Aid, Tuition Rates, and Student Debt Hildreth Institute READ THE REPORT An Economic Analysis of Investment in Public Higher Education in Massachusetts Michael Ash and Shouvik Chakraborty READ THE REPORT COVID-19 Pandemic, Economic Recovery and the Need for Student Debt Cancellation in Massachusetts Anastasia C. Wilson READ THE REPORT The number of million-dollar earners in Mass. is soaring — here’s where they live Matt Rocheleau, Boston Globe READ THE REPORT These Mass. towns have the most million-dollar earners Boston25 READ THE REPORT

< Back Fair Share Amendment Ballot Campaign Launches Third TV Ad Sep 16, 2022 With Question 1 on the November Ballot, “Opportunity Is Knocking” BOSTON – The campaign working to pass the Fair Share Amendment today announced the launch of its third 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 to invest in transportation and public education. It is Question 1 on the November statewide ballot. “With this ad, we’re highlighting the once-in-a-generation opportunity Massachusetts has this November to make our tax system fairer, improve our schools and colleges, and fix our crumbling transportation infrastructure,” said Fair Share for Massachusetts Campaign Manager Jeron Mariani . “At the same time, thousands of workers, students, and retirees are knocking on doors and calling voters to share the facts about Question 1: only those who earn more than a million dollars a year will pay more, and we’ll all benefit from $2 billion a year that’s constitutionally dedicated to transportation and public education. From TV ads and digital media, to grassroots campaigning and conversations between neighbors, our campaign is pursuing every opportunity to make sure voters understand the importance of passing Question 1.” Titled ‘ Knocking ,’ the new ad explains how “Question 1 opens the door for a $2 billion a year investment in public schools, colleges, and transportation, strengthening our economy and creating jobs.” “After years of the very rich paying less in taxes than everyone else, they’ll finally pay their fair share. While the rest of us, students, workers, retirees, won’t pay a penny more,” the ad says. “And the money is constitutionally protected to be spent on public schools, colleges, roads, and bridges. So everyone wins. Vote YES on Question 1.” Thousands of educators, workers, small business owners, parents, faith leaders, municipal officials, drivers and transit riders, and more than 300 organizations across the state are working together on the Fair Share for Massachusetts campaign to pass Question 1. After years of grassroots advocacy, the state Legislature voted in June 2021 to place the Fair Share Amendment on the November 2022 statewide ballot, where it is now set to be decided on by the voters as Question 1. The new ad can be viewed here . Previous ‘Yes on 1’ TV ads can be found 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. 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

The Fair Share Amendment on the November ballot will allow Massachusetts to improve our transportation and public education systems by making the very rich pay their Fair Share in taxes. Why Fair Share The case for the Fair Share Amendment The Breakdown The Fair Share Amendment is Question 1 on the November ballot. It 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% 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 pay more; 99% of us won’t pay a penny more. And we’ll all benefit from better schools, colleges, roads, bridges, and public transportation. That's why so many people across Massachusetts are coming together to vote YES on 1: because with Question 1, we all win. As we recover from COVID, we need to make sure our public schools have everything they need for students to thrive. We need to end the educator and counselor shortages so that every student has the support they need. We need to help students get back on track from COVID disruptions and ensure that all students have access to a complete, well-rounded education. We need to repair our state’s backlog of hundreds of neglected and structurally dangerous bridges, roads, and trains. We need to make our public colleges affordable again so students can graduate without taking on enormous debt. And we need to increase access to vocational education as we rebuild our economy for working families. If we don’t address these problems now, they’ll only hold back our economy and hurt working families. It’s time for the very rich to pay their fair share so we can recover from the pandemic and rebuild a Massachusetts economy that’s stronger than ever. The bottom line: the Fair Share Amendment would only raise taxes on the top 1% of Massachusetts residents—those who earn more than a million dollars in a single year. It will make our tax system fairer while generating $2 billion a year, every year, that is constitutionally dedicated to transportation and public education. That’s why the Fair Share Amendment is crucial to our economy and our recovery from COVID-19: because it’s a win-win for all of us. Vote YES on 1 for a fair Massachusetts. Help us make that Massachusetts a reality. JOIN US The Breakdown The Amendment says... Article 44 of the Massachusetts Constitution is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph at the end thereof: To provide the resources for quality public education and affordable public colleges and universities, and for the repair and maintenance of roads, bridges and public transportation, all revenues received in accordance with this paragraph shall be expended, subject to appropriation, only for these purposes. In addition to the taxes on income otherwise authorized under this Article, there shall be an additional tax of 4 percent on that portion of annual taxable income in excess of $1,000,000 (one million dollars) reported on any return related to those taxes. To ensure that this additional tax continues to apply only to the commonwealth’s highest income taxpayers, this $1,000,000 (one million dollars) income level shall be adjusted annually to reflect any increases in the cost of living by the same method used for federal income tax brackets. This paragraph shall apply to all tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2023. Read the Amendment Have questions about Question 1? Read the FAQ. FAQs Get everything you need to know about exactly how to vote Yes on 1. HOW TO VOTE YES ON 1 What this means... The Fair Share Amendment is a call for the richest Massachusetts residents to step up and pay their fair share in taxes. Our Commonwealth's economy is working great for those at the very top—now it's time for it to work for everyone. The Fair Share Amendment will require those making more than $1 million in a single year to pay their fair share in taxes—just 4¢ more on each dollar after their first million dollars a year. No one who makes under $1 million a year will pay a cent more. When millionaires and billionaires pay just 4¢ more on each dollar after $1 million, Massachusetts will raise $2 billion a year, every year, to invest in education and transportation. That $2 billion is constitutionally required to go only to education and transportation: our public schools from pre-K to college, roads, bridges, trains, and buses around the Commonwealth. With $2 billion a year, we can End the educator and counselor shortages in our schools Ensure all educators are paid the livable wages they deserve Give students, educators, and schools the resources they need Fix our crumbling bridges and pothole-filled roads Provide safe, reliable, and affordable public trains and buses statewide Ensure no one has to take on debt to get a college or vocational education. Vote YES on 1 to make that a reality. How will this impact Massachusetts? Will Fair Share improve education & transportation? I want to get involved! How can I help? READ THE BREAKDOWN READ THE FAQ JOIN US This November 8, we're coming together to vote YES on 1 and make the Massachusetts tax system fair. MORE STORIES JOIN US Join the movement for the Fair Share Amendment. JOIN US