Jewish tradition teaches that in a just world, all people — regardless of race, income, or zip code — would have what the Torah calls dei machsoro, resources sufficient for their needs. But here in Maryland, giant corporations and the very rich are hoarding so much wealth that many Black and brown Marylanders can’t afford housing, food, or childcare. 

For 25 years, JUFJ and our partners have worked for economic justice in our region, winning campaigns for higher wages, paid leave, a fairer tax system, and much more. Now we need to come together again to say that it’s time for everyone’s needs to be met, and for the wealthiest to pay their fair share.

Key Partners:

• Maryland Fair Funding Coalition, including: AFL-CIO,  Common Cause, Communities United, Maryland Center on Economic Policy, Maryland RISE, Maryland State Education Association, NAACP, Progressive Maryland, SEIU, Strong Schools Maryland

Legislative Details:

The Fair Share for Maryland Act (SB766/HB1007) will:

• Raise $1.7 billion in revenue each year to support good schools, health care, transportation, and the state workforce needed to deliver high-quality services.
• Cut taxes for more than 1 million Marylanders with a family income of $106,000 or less. Boosting working families’ incomes will reduce child poverty and strengthen our economy.
• Create an income tax increase of $302 per year on average for some households with income between $250,000 and $772,000.
• Ensure the wealthiest 1% of households in Maryland pay their fair share in taxes (those earning ~$775,000/year or more). They would see an average increase of less than 1% of their income.
• Support local, Maryland-based businesses by ensuring a level playing field so that their large corporate competitors are also paying their fair share in state and local taxes.

Key Committees:

• Senate Budget and Taxation (B&T), Chair: Guy Guzzone (Howard County)
• House Ways and Means (W&M), Chair: Vanessa Atterbeary (Howard County)

Jews United for Justice (JUFJ) works in coalition and partnership with grassroots and advocacy groups to build and win issue campaigns. Our approach is based on our commitment to racial equity and dismantling systems of oppression, which includes centering the leadership of our most directly impacted partners and being as transparent as possible about our agenda selection process. When we select campaigns, we keep in mind our goals of organizing and mobilizing our base, strengthening coalitions we are part of, and shifting the balance of power in our local communities. This year we have four full scope of work campaigns and we will engage in other campaigns in a more limited way.

• For more information about our other full scope of work campaigns, click here.
• For more information about our limited campaigns, click here.
• For more information about our agenda setting process for the Maryland 2024 state legislative session, click here.