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  • Our Story | Fair Share Amendment

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

  • Privacy Policy | Fair Share Amendment

    Privacy Policy What information is gathered from site visitors Similar to other websites, log files are stored on the web server, which save details such as the visitor’s IP address, browser type, referring page and time of visit. Cookies may be used to store visitor preferences when on the website. In instances where registration is required, the visitor’s email and a username will also be stored on the server. ​ ​ How the information is used This information is used to enhance the visitor’s experience on the website, for example to display personalized content and potential advertising. E-mail addresses will not be sold, rented, or leased to third parties. You may receive emails to inform you of news of our services or offers by us or our affiliates. ​ Visitor options If you have subscribed to one of our services, you may unsubscribe by following the instructions included in e-mail from us that you receive. You may be able to block cookies through your browser settings. However, this may block you from accessing some website features. Cookies Cookies are small digital signature files stored by your web browser that allow your preferences on the website to be recorded. They may also be used to track your visits to the website if you return to the site. Third-party advertising companies may also use cookies for tracking purposes. ​ Google ads Google is a third party vendor and uses cookies to serve ads to Internet users. Through the DART cookie, Google serves ads to visitors based on their visit to other sites they visit. Website visitors may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy.

  • Endorsements | Fair Share Amendment

    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

  • Economic and Racial Justice | Fair Share Amendment

    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

  • Buses and Trains | Fair Share Amendment

    Buses and Trains Buses and Trains Our public transportation network is stuck in the last century, and many pieces of our public transportation infrastructure are in dire need of repair and replacement. ​ At the MBTA, decades of underinvestment has resulted in staffing shortages, operations cuts, delayed repairs, and shuttered stations. These issues don’t only make it difficult or impossible to travel conveniently and reliably; they’re also causing major safety concerns. No one should have to fear for their safety getting on a bus or train, yet old and outdated infrastructure is responsible for dangerous mishaps more and more often. Regional transit authorities around the state need more funding to provide vital evening and Sunday service. Additional regional bus routes would move commuters from train stations to their jobs, reduce congestion, and help boost local economies. And expanding rail service throughout the state can help link residents of cities and towns across the Commonwealth to better jobs and more opportunity. To help combat climate change over the coming decades, we need to dramatically improve and expand our public transportation systems across the state. Transit needs to be sustainable and green, with widespread electrification to move away from gas and other pollutants. Bringing our transit networks into the 21st century will require funding—and Question 1, the Fair Share Amendment, will provide it. Get the facts on what Question 1 means for racial and economic justice. READ THE RUNDOWN Help us make that Massachusetts a reality. JOIN US Join the team: VOLUNTEER FIND AN EVENT GET UPDATES

  • FYI: Real Estate

    FYI: Real Estate Interested in how Question 1 affects selling homes? Here's what you should know: Question 1 will ensure that people who have over $1 million of personal taxable income in 1 year pay their fair share in taxes. How does that affect people who sell a house? The short answer is that almost no one who sells a house will be affected in any way. Last year, less than 1 percent of home sales in the state generated enough of a gain to be affected by Question 1. Just 895 homes out of 100,000 sold, to be exact. That's because it's the gain in value since the house was originally purchased, not the full sales price, that is subject to income tax. Plus, home sellers can take advantage of multiple tax deductions to reduce their income tax burden: ​ Someone selling a home can deduct up to $500,000 from their taxes on the sale of their primary residence. They can also deduct the entire cost of a renovated kitchen, an updated heating system, a new roof, or any other major improvements they made to the home. With those deductions, in order for a home seller to actually have $1 million in taxable personal income from the sale of a home, they would need to sell the home for at least $1.5 million over the price they originally bought it for. Only people selling the very priciest homes in Massachusetts would see their incomes rise enough to pay a single penny more with the Fair Share Amendment. What’s more, many people are really struggling in MA—and they’re not the people selling $1 million homes. Question 1 will ensure those of us who are working hard to get by without making over $1 million a year have access to better roads, schools, colleges, and public transit. That’s what we’re fighting for. For more on home sales: READ THE STUDY Join the team: VOLUNTEER FIND AN EVENT GET UPDATES

  • Resources | Fair Share Amendment

    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

  • Member Login | Fair Share Amendment

    Welcome Digital Volunteers! Sign in to the Digital Volunteer base below! Organizer Login Don't have an account yet? Click "Login" and you'll be prompted to make one!

  • Roads and Bridges | Fair Share Amendment

    Roads and Bridges Our crumbling infrastructure is costing you money, and it’s holding our entire economy back. The potholes in Massachusetts roads cost the average driver more than $600 a year. Some roads and potholes haven’t been fixed or repaved in years. It’s not just inconvenient: it’s expensive and preventable. Right now, hundreds of bridges in Massachusetts are so badly damaged they cannot safely support vehicles. This is a real problem: you can’t just go around a bridge that’s out of commission. People commuting to work, traveling to see friends, or buying groceries need to cross these bridges—they’re critical for getting to where we need to go. Ten million vehicles travel over structurally deficient bridges in Massachusetts every single day. What’s more, our under-maintained transportation system is bad for public safety: closed bridges, detours, and dangerously unmaintained roads contribute to slower response times for emergency vehicles and personnel. This is not only unsafe and unsustainable — it’s unacceptable. Business-backed groups say nearly $43 billion in transportation projects across the state are currently unfunded, further crippling our state’s infrastructure and transit systems. This has serious impacts on quality of life, economic growth, and climate resiliency. When we can’t get around, we don’t have as many job opportunities, can’t see our friends and family, and can’t make it to vital errands or health care appointments. Deteriorating roads and unreliable public transportation also make it harder to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis and keep our communities safe. It’s clear we need to do something about our crumbling roads and bridges. We need a permanent, sustainable source of funding to ensure they’re safe and well-maintained. With $2 billion a year from the Fair Share Amendment, we can improve our transportation systems across the state so all of our roads and bridges are safe and all of us can get where we’re going. Get the facts on what Question 1 means for buses, trains, and public transportation. READ THE RUNDOWN Join the team: VOLUNTEER FIND AN EVENT GET UPDATES

  • Public Higher Education | Fair Share Amendment

    Public Schools: Colleges and Universities For too many college students, earning a diploma means going into thousands of dollars in debt, working full-time, and handling a full-time college course load. For decades, Massachusetts has been pulling resources out of our public colleges and universities. Now, tuitions and fees at those public colleges and universities are among the highest in the country, and students are struggling to pay for these rapidly increasing costs. College shouldn’t be only accessible for the rich: we need to re-invest in quality public higher education, so that middle- and working-class families in our state can once again afford to send their kids to college. A critical step toward social and economic mobility is increasingly out of reach for Latino and Black families in Massachusetts. Too many are forced to abandon their hope of a college degree — further exacerbating barriers people of color already face in higher education and in the workforce. In communities of color, only 36% of residents have a bachelor’s degree — compared to over 50% of residents in predominantly white communities. We need to make our community colleges and state universities affordable again so that every young person who wants a college education is not burdened with decades of debt. TODAY, we can pave a better path for the next generation of students. Get the facts on what Question 1 means for public education K-12. READ THE RUNDOWN Join the team: VOLUNTEER FIND AN EVENT GET UPDATES

  • Get the Facts: Local Businesses

    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

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