View release as a PDF
CHICAGO—Christina Tobin, Vice President of Taxpayers United of America (TUA), will speak against Chicago’s proposed speed-camera ordinance on Wednesday, April 11.
The Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety will convene at 1 PM in City Council Chambers at City Hall Wednesday, April 11, to discuss the proposed law.
The proposed law would have cameras at as many as 360 city intersections, issuing $50 and $100 tickets for exceeding the speed limit. “City politicians say they want speed-cameras to reduce juvenile pedestrian crashes and deaths,” said Tobin, “but in reality these speed-cameras would just be speed-trap cameras to fund city pensions.”
The ordinance, if passed, would allow the city to install speed camera enforcement within 1/8 of a mile of schools or parks from 7 AM to 7 PM Monday through Friday, and mail fines of $50 to drivers exceeding the speed limit by 6 miles per hour or $100 fines for exceeding the speed limit by 11 mph or more.
Tobin concluded, “Politicians are desperately adding more unwanted taxes, killing taxpayers’ retirements. Why? Because they keep trying to pay for out-of-control pensions. Public pensions will bury this city, drive off businesses, and cause more people to flee Chicago, unless they are finally dealt with responsibly. Taxpayers are tired of having a royal, ruling class. Quit taxing us to death.”
Click to view and download pension amounts below:
Click to view release as a PDF
CHICAGO–Pension millionaires and pension high-rollers have sucked the lifeblood out of the Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS), charged the President of Taxpayers United of America (TUA), Jim Tobin.
“According to the Chicago Tribune, the situation is so dire that the TRS website acknowledged that insolvency is a possibility,” said Tobin.
“TUA just compiled the TRS ‘Top 100 Teacher Pensions’ as of April 1, 2012, and one glance shows why TRS is so badly over-extended.”
Click here to download the Top 100 TRS pension amounts (PDF).
“The top TRS pension, a whopping $269,531 a year, goes to Henry S. Bangser, of New Trier TWP HSD 203. So far Bangser has collected a total pension payout of $1,366,454.”
“But in terms of total pension payout to date (as of 4/1/2010), Bangser is an amateur. Stephen D. Berry, of Township HSD 214, so far has collected a mindboggling $2,591,450, in addition to his annual pension of $189,081.”
“William J. Attea, of Glenview CCSD 34, so far has collected a total pension payout of $2,500,838, with his annual pension of $183,750.”
“The TRS website states that if no new revenues are found, benefits may be reduced. That’s how serious the TRS pension crises is.”
“Compared with salaries and pensions in the private sector, these government-teacher pensions are outrageous. It’s no wonder that the government-employee pensions in Illinois are drowning in red ink.”
“The way to fix the broken pension system is to replace pensions for all new government hires with social security and 401(k)s, and increase current employee contributions. This is the only way to eliminate the unfunded liabilities that plague taxpayers.”
“Finally, voters should kick all Springfield Democrats out of office in 2012. They are the ones who approved the temporary 67% state income tax surcharge, all of which will be pumped into the state pension programs.”
View release as a PDF
CHICAGO—Jim Tobin, president of Taxpayers United of America (TUA) announced today that representatives of the taxpayer organization are going to canvas in the communities of the Riverside-Brookfield Government School District 208, to raise awareness about the organization’s lawsuit regarding illegal electioneering by the school district in 2011.
“When we challenged the electioneering activities used by the Riverside-Brookfield Government School District, we knew it wouldn’t be easy,” said Tobin. “But the actions of the school board were so blatant, we had no choice.”
Those sentiments were echoed by co-plaintiff Anthony Peraica, former Cook County Board member, and concerned taxpayer in Riverside-Brookfield.
“Teachers, janitors – all the other unions conspired with the school leadership last year to use taxpayer funds illegally to raise property taxes,” said Peraica. “And unless someone stands up to them, they’re going to get away with it like they have for decades.”
The suit charges that the government school district used taxpayer funded resources, school equipment on school grounds and inside the school building, to promote the referendum, as well as recruiting students as “volunteers” to distribute pro-referendum material. Finally, the suit charges that public resources were used to fund a pro-referendum mailing and TV campaign ad, and used phrasing on the ballot to intentionally mislead voters with a significant understatement of the actual financial impact of the referendum.
Judge Leroy K. Martin Jr. expressed his concern regarding the gravity of the alleged misuse of public funds for electioneering activities of the school board, especially the possible violation of the civil rights of those opposing the referendum.
District 208 lawyers made a motion to dismiss the lawsuit with prejudice, but Judge Martin denied the motion, allowing the suit to proceed in amended form. The hearing on the amended complaint will be held on April 5, 2012 before Judge Martin, in Cook County Circuit Court, one year to the day after voters struck down the bid to raise property taxes.
