LYNN — The City Council has voted to adopt a resolution in support of the Fair Share Amendment to the Massachusetts Constitution, which will be on the ballot during the November 2022 election.
The resolution was proposed by Councilor-at-Large Brian LaPierre. It states that Lynn supports the proposed Fair Share Amendment that would create an additional tax of 4 percentage points on annual income above $1 million and dedicate the funds raised by this additional tax to public-education and transportation purposes.
Members of the Massachusetts General Court voted, 159-41, in June 2021 to place the Fair Share Amendment on the November 2022 statewide ballot.
If approved by the voters, the amendment would take effect on Jan. 1, 2023.
The resolution mirrors the amendment’s aim to ensure Massachusetts has quality public schools, affordable public higher education, and a reliable transportation system to help working families and build a stronger economy for everyone.
“Our commonwealth’s highest-income residents, who have seen their collective net worth skyrocket in recent years, pay a lower percentage of their income in state and local taxes than do the rest of us, and clearly have the ability to pay a little more for the investments we all need,” the resolution states.
It calls for major investments to help children recover from the COVID-19 pandemic academically, socially, and emotionally, and to fix the backlog of neglected and structurally-compromised bridges, tunnels, roads, and public transportation infrastructure.
Proponents say new state revenue sources are needed to help pay for improvements to public schools from pre-kindergarten through college. The resolution’s transportation component is focused on creating fast and reliable public transportation and expanding opportunities for healthy walking and bicycling.
Ward 1 Councilor Wayne Lozzi abstained from the vote on the resolution, and Ward 2 Councilor Rick Starbard voted “no.”
“This is just another divisive us versus them, let’s tax the rich scheme that we see come about,” said Starbard.
Ward 5 Councilor Dianna Chakoutis was absent from the City Council meeting on April 12.
Starbard said the amendment will inhibit Massachusetts companies’ ability to retain and attract executives; impede sports teams from attracting athletes, and mean small businesses will have less money for new equipment and new employees.
Lozzi said he supports infrastructure improvements and helping out students, but he is not in favor of increasing taxes.
“The government has to find a way to make these improvements without increasing the taxes,” Lozzi said.
Reports from such organizations as The Center for State Policy Analysis at Tufts University and The Beacon Hill Institute estimated the additional tax revenue that the amendment would generate in 2023 at $1.2 to $1.3 billion.
The campaign in support of the Fair Share Amendment is spearheaded by Raise Up Massachusetts, a grassroots coalition of community organizations, faith-based groups, and labor unions. Such unions as the Massachusetts Teachers Association, Massachusetts AFL-CIO and 1199 SEIU MA PAC were major donors to the campaign.
Raise Up Massachusetts previously sponsored a campaign to place the same amendment on the ballot in 2018, but it was removed by the Massachusetts Supreme Court after it was certified.
