Misguided “War on Drugs” Has Cost Taxpayers $1 Trillion

By on June 6, 2011   /   News Releases  

After 40 years, the United States’ war on drugs has cost $1 trillion and hundreds of thousands of lives. Drug use is rampant and violence even more brutal and widespread, according to a Fox News report issued last year.
The waste of taxpayer dollars is staggering, and the cost of human lives is truly depressing. The Fox news report listed these drug war failures:

  • $20 billion to fight the drug gangs in their home countries. In Colombia, for example, the United States spent more than $6 billion, while coca cultivation increased and trafficking moved to Mexico — and the violence along with it.
  • $49 billion for law enforcement along America’s borders to cut off the flow of illegal drugs. This year, 25 million Americans will use illicit drugs, about 10 million more than in 1970, with the bulk of those drugs imported from Mexico.
  • $450 billion to lock those people up in federal prisons alone. Last year, half of all federal prisoners in the U.S. were serving sentences for drug offenses. Read more →
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Berwyn Retired Government Employees Revel at Taxpayer Expense

By on June 1, 2011   /   News Releases  

BERWYN–A new report by Taxpayers United of America (TUA) reveals that many Berwyn retired government employees receive lavish, gold-plated pensions that far exceed average annual wages of workers in the private sector.
“These outrageous government-employee pensions are bankrupting the state,” said Jim Tobin, TUA President. “Springfield House and Senate Democrats just temporarily raised the state personal income tax 67%, all $6.8 billion taxpayer dollars of which is being used to fund the state’s lavish retired government employee pension programs.” Read more →

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Proposed Pension Reform Doesn't Go Far Enough

By on May 27, 2011   /   News Releases  

CHICAGO – The recent pension reform bill being pushed in Springfield requires that government employees pay more towards their lavish, gold-plated pensions, but it isn’t asking them to pay enough. The legislation passed by the House Personnel and Pensions Committee only proposes teacher pension contributions be raised as high as 14.77%, with state employee contributions going from 4 to 9.29%. Taxpayers United of America (TUA) recommends a 19.4% contribution for teachers, alongside a 10-point increase in contributions for all other employees in the state pension fund.
If TUA’s proposal were to go into effect, it would save taxpayers $150 billion over 35 years, or roughly $4.3 billion per year. Healthcare is not a benefit that is guaranteed. Government employees and retirees should pay for half of their tax-subsidized healthcare premiums as well. Currently, they pay nothing towards this. Read more →

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