All of the statewide ballot questions are grounded in progressive values!

It’s election season here in Massachusetts, and while there aren’t many competitive races for statewide elected offices on the ballot, there are very important statewide ballot questions that can positively impact the lives of Medford residents and residents across the Commonwealth. 

I am formally endorsing and encouraging a YES vote on statewide ballot questions #1, #2, #3, and #4 as well as local non-binding ballot questions #5 and #6.

Click here for Medford voting information. Go to wheredoivotema.com to find your Election Day polling location.

YES on Question 1 – Fair Share Millionaire’s Tax Amendment

I have been working to pass the Fair Share Amendment in different capacities since 2016! Vote YES on Question 1 on this year’s ballot to support a fairer tax system for all MA residents and to invest in our K-12 public schools, public colleges and universities, and our roads and public transit systems.

A YES vote on Question 1 would tax all personal income over $1 million at a rate of 9% instead of the current flat rate of 5%. Right now, the bottom 99% of income earners (that most likely means you) pay a higher percentage of our incomes in state and local taxes than the top 1% of income earners. That’s fundamentally unfair, and it also has a major role in the underfunding of our public schools, colleges, transit systems, and street and sidewalk infrastructure.

This new tax rate would impact fewer than 30,000 households (less than 0.6% of MA residents) and the vast majority of new revenue would come from multi-millionaires and billionaires. That’s why the state’s five richest people are funding a smear campaign against Question 1. All data shows that retirees, small businesses, homeowners and others would not be impacted by this tax–but you wouldn’t know that from the false TV ads being paid for by local billionaires.

YES on Question 2 – Minimum Care Ratio for Dental Insurance

This question is technical and complicated, but it essentially boils down to requiring that a minimum ratio of your dental insurance premiums be used for actual patient care, not insurance company overhead or profits. This is similar to the minimum ratios currently required for health insurance. 

Q2 was proposed by dentists, and dental insurance companies are the main opposition. Q2 is not a comprehensive approach to fixing major issues with dental care, but it would hold insurers to a better standard and perhaps encourage them to cover more procedures. An independent analysis by Tufts Center for State Policy Analysis has said that Q2 probably won’t have a major effect on premiums, especially for the large dental insurers.

YES on Question 3 – Protecting Small Independent Liquor Stores from Large Chain Monopoly Power

This ballot question stems from a long-running dispute between the Massachusetts Package Store Association, which represents small independent liquor stores, and a coalition of large chain convenience, liquor, and grocery stores led by Cumberland Farms. Cumbies & Co. have been pushing for a long time to increase and/or entirely lift the cap on the number of liquor store licenses per owner so they can sell at all of their locations. This would mean they could use their monopoly power and many locations to out-compete small stores. 

The Package Store Association thought the large chain stores were going to place a ballot question before voters to completely lift the license cap, so they wrote Q3 as a “compromise” to increase the license cap over time but not eliminate it. I’m voting yes to protect our local small businesses. Big business wants voters to vote no, and the national Total Wine chain is donating to a “No on 3” ballot committee.

YES on Question 4 – Preserve the Work and Family Mobility Act

Earlier this year after decades of organizing, the Massachusetts House and Senate voted to enact the Work and Family Mobility Act to allow undocumented immigrants to obtain MA state driver’s licenses to keep our roads safe by ensuring all drivers are licensed and insured. The MA Republican Party immediately began a vicious anti-immigrant campaign to ask voters to repeal the law.

The Work and Family Mobility Act means that drivers who are currently driving without licenses and insurance would be able to be legally licensed and insured. It would significantly improve road safety by ensuring that all drivers are insured and reduce hit and run accidents, as shown by data on similar laws passed in 15 other states. Police chiefs across Massachusetts, including Medford’s Chief Buckley, support the Work and Family Mobility Act.

Vote YES on Question 4 to maintain the Work and Family Mobility Act as part of state law.

YES on Question 5 and Question 6 – Non-binding local ballot questions

Additionally, Medford residents in Representative Donato and Representative Barber’s districts have two non-binding local ballot questions on their ballots, and Medford residents in Representative Garballey’s district have one. 

The first of these questions would advise our state representatives to support single-payer health insurance legislation. The second would advise our state representatives to support changes to the MA house rules to make all committee votes on bills public information.

I am voting YES on Questions 5 and 6 because I support single-payer health care and more transparency in our state government.