About Us

A Just Massachusetts was formed in response to a significant and controversial decision by the Quincy City Council on June 17th, 2024, to grant the Mayor of Quincy a staggering 79% salary increase, and themselves a 50% raise. (America's New Highest-Paid Mayor Could Come From Boston Suburb - Newsweek) These raises were finalized with no public input. Mayor Koch’s salary increased to $285,000 from $159,141.96. The City Council raised their own salaries from $29,800 each to $44,500. This decision made the Mayor of Quincy one of the highest-paid mayors in the country, surpassing the salaries of mayors in most other U.S. cities. The Mayor of Quincy now makes more than any other mayor in Massachusetts, the Governor of Massachusetts, the Governor of New York, the Mayor of New York, the Mayor of Chicago, and more than 9 out of 10 of the biggest cities in the United States.

When Massachusetts empowered City Councils to set pay for themselves and mayors, Massachusetts state law required the increases to be presented to voters at the ballot box before being finalized. Massachusetts removed this requirement in 1963. The removal of this requirement has allowed for unchecked salary increases without voter input. A Just Massachusetts aims to amend Massachusetts state laws to allow some form of voter oversight of local city official salary raises.

Mayor Koch has acknowledged that although his salary is currently one of the highest, this could change as other cities follow suit. It is crucial for the citizens of Massachusetts to have a say in such decisions.

We believe that elected officials deserve fair compensation. As the Massachusetts legislature has seen fit to give local elected officials the power to set their own salaries, we believe voters should have a reasonable mechanism to oversee and override the process if necessary.

A Just Massachusetts is a grassroots organization run and funded by local taxpayers in Massachusetts. We are a nonpartisan organization dedicated to ensuring transparency, accountability, and voter involvement in decisions that impact our community.

Join us in our mission to make a difference for all citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.