The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has item H.3933 on the agenda, which is a constitutional amendment that is designed to increase the tax percentage on individuals residing in the state that have a yearly income of one million dollars and above. The tax proposal is heavily surrounded by the use of numbers as it would raise the current percentage four points from 5.15% to 9.15%. Currently in the state as of 2014, data has indicated that approximately 15,000 people resided in the state with annual earnings of one million dollars or above, which is a 22% increase from 2013. The imposed tax increase would only affect roughly 5% of the state’s total population. However, the small portion of citizens affected increase would bring forth a significant
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They are the Service Employees International Union or SEIU, which is comprised of approximately 75,000 members in Massachusetts. While the MTA has around 110,000 active members in the state. Both groups are relying heavily on numbers as they have stated that the 4% increase will only affect 1% of the state’s population. Furthermore, they claim the small percentage of citizens earning over 1 million dollars would be able to produce a significant portion of the state’s much-needed revenue. They are estimating yearly gains from the tax increase at approximately 1.5 - 2 billion dollars. The Massachusetts Teachers Association is highlighting a problem that recent tax decreases have created by reducing the “money that invests in good K-12 schools and local services — by more than 40 percent” (MTA 2015). Additionally, they have cited the large disparity in the level of taxes being paid. The group cited that 99% of citizens are contributing around 9.4% of overall taxes while those in the 1% bracket that are only paying around 6.5% (MTA 2015). The tax increase would help to bridge the gap and allow everyone to contribute their fair share. A local economist John Miller working with SEIU, Raiseup, and the MTA on the fair share amendment explained that, “we would be able to make investments in people and physical infrastructure that could strengthen our economy, expand opportunity, and directly improve the life …show more content…
Apart of that group is David Nangle who is a state representative from Lowell. He believes the tax increase is moving toward inequality in a different direction. He stated “this time we're doing something a little different in this Commonwealth -- class warfare…. The way I see it... it is stealing from the rich to give to the poor, and I say this to all my colleagues, 'We are legislators. We are not Robin Hood” (Bauter 2016). Additionally, Nangle explained that despite the state’s efforts to raise taxes in other areas “there’s never enough funding to go around,” and that “[t]his tax could open up the possibilities for taxes affecting people making much less than $1 million” (Sobey
They are the Service Employees International Union or SEIU, which is comprised of approximately 75,000 members in Massachusetts. While the MTA has around 110,000 active members in the state. Both groups are relying heavily on numbers as they have stated that the 4% increase will only affect 1% of the state’s population. Furthermore, they claim the small percentage of citizens earning over 1 million dollars would be able to produce a significant portion of the state’s much-needed revenue. They are estimating yearly gains from the tax increase at approximately 1.5 - 2 billion dollars. The Massachusetts Teachers Association is highlighting a problem that recent tax decreases have created by reducing the “money that invests in good K-12 schools and local services — by more than 40 percent” (MTA 2015). Additionally, they have cited the large disparity in the level of taxes being paid. The group cited that 99% of citizens are contributing around 9.4% of overall taxes while those in the 1% bracket that are only paying around 6.5% (MTA 2015). The tax increase would help to bridge the gap and allow everyone to contribute their fair share. A local economist John Miller working with SEIU, Raiseup, and the MTA on the fair share amendment explained that, “we would be able to make investments in people and physical infrastructure that could strengthen our economy, expand opportunity, and directly improve the life …show more content…
Apart of that group is David Nangle who is a state representative from Lowell. He believes the tax increase is moving toward inequality in a different direction. He stated “this time we're doing something a little different in this Commonwealth -- class warfare…. The way I see it... it is stealing from the rich to give to the poor, and I say this to all my colleagues, 'We are legislators. We are not Robin Hood” (Bauter 2016). Additionally, Nangle explained that despite the state’s efforts to raise taxes in other areas “there’s never enough funding to go around,” and that “[t]his tax could open up the possibilities for taxes affecting people making much less than $1 million” (Sobey