Massachusetts Voter Table in the News: The Millionaires Tax

MVTs Executive Director, Shanique Rodriguez, was recently quoted in several articles regarding the Fair Share Amendment that passed in 2022 following a report published by the Institute for Policy Studies and State Revenue Alliance. The Fair Share Amendment, referred to as the Millionaire’s Tax, generates billions of dollars of revenue for public education and transportation across Massachusetts. The report found that the number of individuals in Massachusetts with at least $50 million in total wealth increased 35.2% from 2022 to 2024.

Massachusetts home to more millionaires despite new surtax

Journalist: Michael P. Norton

Source: 22 News WWLP.com, April 28, 2028

The report measures accumulated wealth rather than annual income, but surtax supporters say they’re certain that some share of the “ultrawealthy” captured in the report are paying the income surtax.

“This is further evidence that multimillionaires are not fleeing the state in response to the new tax — they are staying here, paying more in taxes, and enjoying the stronger transportation and public education systems that Fair Share dollars are funding,” said Shanique Rodriguez, executive director of the Massachusetts Voter Table and a member of the Raise Up Massachusetts Steering Committee. Read the full article here.

So are millionaires really fleeing Mass.? A new report says they’re staying — and paying

Journalist: John L. Micek

Source: MassLive, April 28, 2025

“As Fair Share revenue continues to surpass expectations, this is further evidence that multi-millionaires are not fleeing the state in response to the new tax – they are staying here, paying more in taxes, and enjoying the stronger transportation and public education systems that Fair Share dollars are funding,” Rodriguez said in a statement.

“As income and wealth inequality continue to escalate nationally and in Massachusetts, the Fair Share Amendment is making our state tax system fairer and strengthening our entire economy by funding new investments in transportation and public education,” she continued. Read the full article here.

They helped pass the Massachusetts ‘millionaires tax.’ Now they want to take their strategy national.

Journalist: Tal Kopan

Source: Boston Globe, April 20, 2025

Shanique Rodriguez, now the executive director of the civil rights and economic justice advocacy group Massachusetts Voters Table, led the “millionaires tax” campaign effort to message and organize in Black and Indigenous communities and other communities of color. She said a key piece of a pro-tax messaging strategy needs to be casting taxes as good for individuals.

“People look at taxes as if it‘s a punishment in your paycheck,” Rodriguez said. “If you want to have free public education, the only way to pay for that is if we all put a little money into that. If you want free hospitals, the only way we pay for that is if we put a little money into that.” Read the full article here.

To schedule an interview with Shanique Rodriguez, please email info@mavotertable.org.

Massachusetts Voter Table in the News: The Shifting Federal Landscape

Shanique Rodriguez, MVTs Executive Director, spoke on The Boston Foundation’s May 5, 2025 panel “The Shifting Federal Landscape: Massachusetts Nonprofits Raise the Alarm” alongside Mary Skelton Roberts, Chief Executive Officer, Philanthropy Massachusetts and Diane Yentel, President & Chief Executive Officer, National Council of Nonprofits. The panel was moderated by Jim Klocke, Chief Executive Officer, Massachusetts Nonprofit Network.

During the panel, they discussed a shifting, uncertain, and often hostile landscape of Executive Orders, funding cuts, cancelled grants, and policy U-turns from the federal administration, and how they may impact Massachusetts nonprofits.

Following the panel discussion, Shanique was quoted in the following articles:

Boston Groups Come Together to Face the “Existential Threat” to Nonprofits

Journalist: Rebekah Barber

Source: Nonprofit Quarterly, May 22, 2025

Through her work with the Massachusetts Voter Table, Rodriguez has seen this firsthand. The nonprofit is a coalition of over 40 organizations that “fight for resources, representation, and power for communities of color, working-class people, new citizens, and youth.”

Many of the coalition’s members are service providers who work directly with those who have been most impacted by issues like immigration and are fearful of the rising detentions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) without due process. For Rodriguez, putting together a safety plan and rapid response resources is critical for her work.

She noted that one of her partners that works with immigrant workers said that people are not coming to meetings anymore because they are afraid.

“Many of our 501c3 movement partners at the organization are BIPOC-led, BIPOC-serving,” Rodriguez said. “We are talking about individuals who are doing work in a time that is also impacting themselves. These are not people that are far removed from communities. These are folks who live in community who are doing the work.”

For Rodriguez, it is critical for funders to be investing in groups that are most directly impacted. She notes that too often resources are invested in political parties instead of people and organizations who are “doing boots-on-the-ground work.” Read the full article here.

Nonprofits agree they are worse off under Trump

Journalist: Chris Lisinski

Source: 22 News WWLP.com, May 5, 2025

BOSTON (SHNS) – Hundreds of workers and leaders at nonprofits across Massachusetts overwhelmingly agreed that the Bay State will fare worse under the Trump administration, voicing concerns about funding cuts and heightened stress on vulnerable populations. […] Shanique Rodriguez, executive director of the Massachusetts Voter Table, said her group is “looking at pulling together rapid response funding” alongside partner groups like Lawyers for Civil Right. Read the full article here.

To schedule an interview with Shanique Rodriguez, please email info@mavotertable.org.