Voters will face the question next November of whether to tax the state's wealthiest residents more than everyone else. But before voters can go to the ballot, they'll have to withstand the growing partisan battle over the so-called "Fair Share ammendment."
Lawmakers overwhelmingly authorized a ballot question for next year that would add a four percent surtax on incomes over $1 million.
Proponents like Lexington Representative Jay Kaufman say the new tax could generate almost $2 billion dollars a year, specifically for education and transportation funding.
"99.5 percent of us in this commonwealth will not be impacted by this in the least, save for the better services that we will get in exchange for the revenue that comes. So this is a tax that will only apply to one half of one percent of the tax fliers in the commonwealth, those with the highest income," Kaufman said.
But Republicans say the tax would drive away many of the 20,000 taxpayers it would affect, leaving state revenues worse off. GOP lawmakers also questioned the constitutionality of directing funds to specific areas and warned that the state would have no way to reverse course if voters amend the constitution.
