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Chicago – Taxpayers United of America (TUA) today submitted notice to the Illinois Court of Appeals 1st District, of its intent to withdraw its complaint against the Illinois Toll Authority for the allegedly illegal continuation and increase of the Illinois toll tax.
“The law that originally permitted this toll tax in 1953 was clear in its intent: The toll was temporary and would be paid-up by 1973,” said Jim Tobin, TUA President.
“But Illinois government bureaucrats found the Toll Authority to be such a convenient place for their cronyism, and pay-off for favors owed, that Ill. Atty. General Lisa Madigan (D) is willing to pit the entire Attorney General’s team against taxpayers to protect the Toll Authority.”
“The Toll Authority provides jobs and lucrative pensions for friends of elected officials that they don’t want to lose, even if it means cheating taxpayers who depend on traveling the toll roads to get to their jobs.”
“Because Lisa Madigan has no intention of ending the 87% increase in the toll tax and has the unlimited legal resources of the State of Illinois behind her in this fight, we are withdrawing our complaint to repeal the toll tax increase. We are conserving our resources to continue our fight against corrupt politicians in other ways.”
“This kind of taxpayers’ abuse is rampant in Illinois and clearly illustrates the priorities of the Chicago/Cook County Democratic Machine, which forces taxpayers to fund its lavish salaries and pensions.”
“We have had many successes in shining the light on the excessive salaries and pensions that drive the entire political machine, and we intend to continue to research and report on the taxpayer abuse found in the toll authority and throughout the Illinois government.”
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Chicago – Taxpayers United of America (TUA), today submitted notice to the Illinois Court of Appeals 1st District, of their intent to withdraw their complaints against Oak Park SD 97 and Wilmette SD 39. The complaints had alleged that the two school districts intentionally understated by at least two thirds, the property-tax increase referenda passed by voters on April 5, 2011.
“This case was being bounced back and forth through every jurisdiction by judges at every level. The legal action has drained the resources of taxpayers in these communities. These taxpayers attempted to hold accountable the government bureaucrats who intentionally duped voters into passing these property tax increases,” said Jim Tobin, TUA President.
“The intransigence and deceit of these government-school bureaucrats is mindboggling. They looked taxpayers in the eye, gave them false information on which to base their votes, then fought these same taxpayers in court to hold on to their ill-gotten property tax increases.”
“Our goal in filing these lawsuits was to stop the taxpayer abuse that is perpetrated by bureaucrats who seek only to protect their own lavish salaries and pensions. 80% of this tax increase is being used to pay salaries and benefits of the government school employees. Such tax increases make the teachers and administrators even wealthier, but no benefit of any kind accrues to the students themselves.”
“The judges who rule on these cases have a vested interest in protecting the ‘tax at any cost’ attitude that prevails throughout Illinois. They get generous taxpayer-funded salaries, and when they retire, they receive huge taxpayer-funded pensions.”
(See: https://www.taxpayersunitedofamerica.org/commentary/retired-illinois-judges-raking-in-gluttonous-pensions.)
“Although we are withdrawing our complaint, we have succeeded in exposing the games these government-school bureaucrats are playing on homeowners, and we will continue to work with local taxpayer activists and groups on these issues.”
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Chicago – Taxpayers United of America (TUA) helped Westmont activists win repeal of Home Rule, the first repeal victory in Illinois in 29 years. Westmont is one of 5 Home Rule referenda defeated yesterday by activists, with the help of TUA.
“Taxpayers are the big winners in Westmont where they successfully ended Home Rule taxing authority. Home Rule communities always have higher taxes and that is the message that resonated with voters yesterday,” stated Jim Tobin, president of TUA.
“Other big winners in yesterday’s election are River Forest, Elkville, Harrisburg, and Kenilworth, where we helped residents defeat new Home Rule referenda.”
“The most important politics are local and the message that voters sent to municipal leaders this year is that they want a say in tax increases and aren’t willing to give government bureaucrats a blank check to pay for empire building.”
“People aren’t being fooled any longer; they know that 80% of Home Rule taxes go to pay salaries and benefits, including gold plated pensions. Voters in these five communities sent a loud and clear message that they want spending cuts without tax increases.”
TUA members have defeated more than 100 Home Rule referenda since 1980. On March 20, 2012, TUA activists had a clean sweep in defeating six out of six Home Rule referenda.
