The “Millionaire Tax” passed. Lots of. Business leaders are still fighting back.

The Enemies of Question 1 Didn’t Get This When They Sold Healey on Tax Reform

In November, voters passed Question 1, “Millionaires Tax” (“Business has one big demand for new governor: Fix taxes,” Chesto Means Business, Jan. 19), opting for a fairer tax system. Voters are well aware that the best way to boost Massachusetts’ economy is not tax cuts for the super rich, but tax cuts. Instead, it encourages them to invest in public goods that help all residents and businesses succeed, such as well-funded schools, better roads and bridges, affordable public colleges and universities, and reliable public transportation.

Massachusetts faces real problems that threaten our economic competitiveness, from our high housing costs and crumbling infrastructure to the enormous burden families face paying for child care and college.

But the business lobbyists who are leading the losing fight against Question 1 clearly don’t get it. They continue to pay lip service to the need to fix these big problems, while focusing their real energy on recent efforts to cut taxes for the rich.

The passage of the Fair Share Amendment shows that voters want to see our state governments make significant investments to meet the challenges we face as a Commonwealth. Profitable mega corporations and their wealthy investors need to stop putting up roadblocks to the changes voters demand.

Jonathan Cohen

policy director

Progressive Massachusetts

boston

We need a way to pay for investments that help us all

Jon Chesto’s column, “Business has one big request for the new governor: Fix taxes,” recounts business leaders’ focus on lowering taxes. Still, Chesto noted that they want Gov. Maura Healy to address the high cost of doing business by addressing issues like housing, road congestion, crumbling transportation and child care.

Recent research suggests that the annual cost of affordable, high-quality early care and education is $5 billion, while expanding housing vouchers to everyone who needs it could cost $3.2 billion. And that’s not even including the cost of upgrading our transportation and fixing our roads and bridges.

We need taxes, like the one proposed by the Fair Share Amendment, to help pay for these costs. It seems like it’s really undemanding so that we can make investments that help us all, including our business communities.

Mary Tittman

Cambridge

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