Item Coversheet


Town of Arlington, Massachusetts


Article 74
Warrant Article Title:
RESOLUTION/SUPPORT OF THE MASS. FAIR SHARE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 
Warrant Article Text:

To see if the Town will vote to or take any action related thereto: support the Mass. Fair Share Constitutional Amendment, which would create an additional tax of 4 percentage points on the portion of a person’s annual income over $1 million. The new revenue would be spent on, “quality public education and affordable public colleges and universities, and for the repair and maintenance of roads, bridges, and public transportation.”


Requested by:
(Inserted at the request of Linda Hanson and ten registered voters)
Report Excerpt:

The Select Board strongly recommends this resolution to Town Meeting to consider support the “Fair Share” Constitutional Amendment. While the Board is mindful that neither the Select Board nor Town Meeting can or should weigh in on every statewide ballot question, it is the Board’s overall view that this particular issue merits the opportunity to locally amplify residents’ consideration of the important issues at stake.

 

In brief, the Massachusetts Constitution prohibits a graduated income tax, and as such, all residents regardless of income level pay the same overall tax rate. The Fair Share Amendment however proposes to amend the state constitution to specifically create an additional tax or “surtax” of four percentage points on the portion of an individual’s annual income above $1 million. Funds

from the surtax would be earmarked specifically for “quality public education and affordable public colleges and universities, and for the repair and maintenance of roads, bridges and public transportation.” All Massachusetts voters will have their opportunity to vote directly on this proposal on the November 2022 statewide election ballot. However, the Board believes that this specific measure is of both statewide and local concern. Thus, in addition to holding the personal support of many Board members, the Select Board as a body unanimously and enthusiastically supports the use of Town Meeting for public education and forum for discourse on this ballot question.

(5 – 0)

Vote Language:

VOTED:         That Town Meeting hereby resolves as follows:

 

WHEREAS, the best way to build a stronger economy for all of us is to make sure that we have quality public schools for our children starting with pre-K continuing through affordable public higher education, and a reliable transportation system; and

WHEREAS, students need a well-rounded education, founded on a rich and varied curriculum that includes science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), music, art, and athletics; and

 

WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has only heightened the need for major investments in pre-K through 12 education to help students get on track academically, socially, and emotionally; and

 

WHEREAS, tuitions and fees at our public colleges are among the highest in the country, and too many students are forced to take on debt that may take years for them to repay and that may consequently limit their ability to afford good housing, raise a family, and otherwise spend and participate in our economy; and

 

WHEREAS, for Massachusetts to compete against other regions around the nation and the globe, we need modern, reliable transportation and safe ways to drive, walk, and bike; safe public transportation that works, and safe roads, bridges, tunnels, and sidewalks; more climate resilient transportation options; and

WHEREAS, we have a large backlog of neglected and structurally compromised bridges, tunnels, roads, and public transportation infrastructure in need of repair; and

 

WHEREAS, now more than ever to lift our economy into an equitable and long-lasting recovery we need new investments to fix our transportation system and improve our public schools, make public higher education affordable again; and

 

WHEREAS, our Commonwealth’s highest-income residents—who have seen their collective net worth rise dramatically in recent years—pay the lowest percentage of their annual earned income in state and local taxes, and have the ability to pay more for the investments we need to build a strong economy;

 

THEREFORE, let it be resolved that the Arlington Town Meeting supports the proposed Fair Share Amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that would create an additional predictable, annual tax of four percentage points on annual income above one million dollars and dedicate the funds raised by this tax to quality public education, affordable public colleges and universities, and for the repair and maintenance of roads, bridges, and public transportation.