It's a topic that has been lingering on Beacon Hill for quite a while. It's a debate that draws impassioned arguments from both sides of the aisle. And it's a question that voters will consider on the 2022 ballot, the same one where they'll pick the next governor of Massachusetts. The so-called "Fair Share Amendment," aka the 'millionaire's tax' that would slap a 4 percent surtax on incomes above $1 million, is quickly becoming a central talking point among the three Democratic gubernatorial candidates. Supporters say the proposal will generate up to $2 billion in new revenues for education and transportation while opponents see it as a perilous option that will lead to a graduated income tax structure and push high-earning individuals out of the state. The issue also highlights how some of the contenders in the governor's race are running on similar messages, begging the question of how they'll differentiate from each other when the race truly heats up. Two of the three declared candidates in the race so far have voted in favor of the Constitutional amendment, while a spokesperson for the other confirmed her support. Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz, who announced her candidacy this week, voted in favor of the surtax during a joint meeting of the House and Senate in early June. Likewise, former Sen. Ben Downing supported the proposal with his vote in 2016, and has attended several rallies in the past week in support. "If my mom can spend a lifetime helping kids escape poverty, surely, Massachusetts can pass a millionaire's tax to help more children get a better start in life," Chang-Díaz said in her announcement video. In a statement to MassterList, Downing's Deputy Campaign Manager Christina Gregg said the former senator "believes it is long past time for comprehensive tax reform that requires more from those who have benefited most from our collective economic growth and makes good on the promise of equity and access for all 351 cities and towns." A spokesperson for Harvard University professor Danielle Allen told MassterList that she "believes that the revenue generated from the Fair Share Amendment will be greatly beneficial to our commonwealth as we will use it to support investments in the diversification of our economy and pathways of economic opportunity for all our communities." The proposal has drawn a sweeping backlash from legislative Republicans. At the executive level, Gov. Charlie Baker, speaking a day after the current Legislature advanced the amendment to the 2022 ballot, said the state should not raise taxes following the pandemic. "I said before that I don't think we should be raising taxes," Baker said. "We have, between state and local government, we have $10 billion already in federal funds that we need to find a way to put to work. And I really think our focus ought to be on that." | 
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