HomeMy Public PortalAbout10/25/2022 Resolution: RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE FAIR SHARE AMENDMENT %'1630"
Watertown City Council
Administration Building
149 Main Street
PACE coN01 Watertown, MA 02472
ELECTED OFFICIALS: Phone. 617-972-6470
Mark S.Sideris,
Council President RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE FAIR SHARE AMENDMENT
Vincent J.Piccirilli,Jr.,
Vice President&
District C Councilor WHEREAS: The best way to help working families and build a stronger
John M.Airasian economy for us all is to make sure that we have quality public schools for our
Councilor At Large children, an affordable public higher education, and a reliable transportation
Caroline Bays system; and
Councilor At Large
WHEREAS: Students need a well-rounded education, founded on a rich and
John G.Gannon,Councilor At Large varied curriculum that includes science, gyp engineering,
technology, iin and math
(STEM), music, art, and athletics; and
Anthony Palomba,
Councilor At Large WHEREAS: Major investments in public education are needed to help students
Nicole Gardner, recover academically, socially, and emotionally from the COVID-19 pandemic;
District A Councilor and
Lisa J.Feltner,
District B Councilor WHEREAS: Tuitions and fees at our public colleges are among the highest in
the country, and students are forced to take on enormous debt to receive a degree;
Emily Izzo,District D Councilor and
WHEREAS: New state revenue is necessary to improve our public schools from
Pre-K through college, and make public higher education affordable again; and
WHEREAS: Massachusetts needed new investments in our transportation and
public education systems even before the COVID-19 pandemic, and now those
investments are needed more than ever to lift our economy into an equitable and
long-lasting recovery; and
WHEREAS: Our Commonwealth's highest-income residents, who have seen
their collective net worth skyrocket in recent years, pay a lower percentage of
their income in state and local taxes than do the rest of us, and clearly have the
ability to pay a little more for the investments we all need.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the City Council of the City of
Watertown supports the proposed Fair Share Amendment that would create an
additional 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.
Council Member
I hereby certify that at a regular meeting of the Town Council for which a quorum
was present, the above Resolution was adopted by a vote_for, _against, and
present on October 25, 2022.
Marilyn W. Pronovost, Council Clerk Mark S. Sideris, Council President