Tax Accountability Endorses Bruce Rauner in Illinois’ Gubernatorial Primary

By on January 8, 2014   /   Candidate Endorsements, Latest, News Releases, Tax Accountability  

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Chicago – Tax Accountability (TA) has announced its candidate endorsements for the March 18, 2014 primary election.

“I am proud to announce endorsements of such qualified candidates in these critical races,” said Jim Tobin, Chairman of TA.
“Illinois is at a pivotal point and without strong leadership, the very economic future of the state and every taxpayer is at risk.”
General Primary March 18, 2014
Governor, State of IL: Bruce Rauner
US Senate Representing IL: Jim Oberweis
U.S. House Representing the 3rd Congr. District of IL: Diane M. Harris
U.S. House Representing the 9th Congr. District of IL: David Earl Williams, III
U.S. House Representing the 11th Congr. District of IL: Ian Bayne
Bruce Rauner is a successful businessman and strong leader with the fiscal experience to save Illinois from its history of failed and criminal leadership. Bruce has pledged to repeal the 67% state income tax increase surcharge and to perform a complete overhaul of the State’s tax policies to simplify and eliminate the corporate welfare that burdens individuals and small businesses.
Jim Oberweis has been a strong leader in the Illinois State Senate and a successful businessman who understands that tax-and-spend policies destroy our economy and prosperity. Jim has pledged not to raise taxes or impose any new taxes, directly or indirectly.
Diane M. Harris has a solid record of achievement both personally and professionally. Diane has a lifetime of community service and commitment to restoring integrity to Illinois politics. Diane has pledged not to raise taxes or impose any new taxes because of her commitment to responsible spending and respect for taxpayers’ personal wealth.
David Earl Williams, III has established himself as a strong leader and achiever. David is a veteran of the US Navy where he managed a multi-billion dollar budget. David is committed to restoring personal and economic freedom to Illinois and the country and has pledged not to increase or add new taxes.
Ian Bayne is a self-made, successful businessman who has fought hard to achieve the American dream. His fight has highlighted the need for government reforms that restore the power to the people. Ian has also pledged to protect taxpayers from any new or increased taxes.
“Every one of these candidates exemplifies the principles of Tax Accountability by standing on a platform of personal and economic freedom and have pledged to implement policies that increase freedom and reduce taxes.”
“2014 will be a pivotal year for Illinois. Taxpayers are fed up with the corruption, cronyism, and abuse they have suffered at the hands of a long list of career politicians who see Illinois taxpayers as the source of their own personal wealth. The time is right. These candidates have what it takes to win and to lead Illinois back to a vibrant, prosperous, and free economy.”

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TA is the political action arm of TUA – TUA is one of the largest taxpayer organizations in America.

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Illinois’ Proposed Pension ‘Reform’ is a Rotten Deal for Taxpayers

By on December 3, 2013   /   Illinois, Items of Interest, Latest, News Advisory, News Releases, Pension Reform, Taxpayer Alert  

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CHICAGO—The so-called “pension reform plan” being pushed through by Ill. Sen. Pres. John J. Cullerton (D), Ill. House Speaker Michael J. Madigan (D), Senate Minority Leader Christine Rodogno (R), and House Minority Leader Jim Durkin is being kept a secret from legislators and taxpayers, but smells like a rotten deal for taxpayers, according to the President of Taxpayers United of America (TUA).
“Cullerton, Madigan, Rodogno, and Durkin are trying to cram a bad bill down the throats of taxpayers by keeping it from review by legislators and taxpayers alike,” said Jim Tobin, TUA President. “Their secrecy and their new-found sense of urgency tell me that they have found a way to kowtow to the union bosses who keep them in power and pass the cost to the taxpayers before they know what hit them.”
“According to the limited details that have been released regarding the agreement between the Illinois power brokers, there is very little reform to the system that has been bankrupting the state and burdening taxpayers. This proposal shifts even more of the cost of these lavish, multi-million dollar pensions to the taxpayers and provides additional guarantees to perpetuate a system that has decimated Illinois’ budget.”
“It seems that reelection is more important to some Illinois legislators than providing real reform for lavish, gold-plated government pensions.”
“Immediate and real pension reform is long-overdue. Ending pensions for all new government hires will eventually eliminate unfunded government pensions,” said Tobin. “New government hires should plan for their own retirements by being placed in Social Security and 401(k)-style plans.”
“Furthermore, if each government employee were required to contribute an additional 10% toward his or her pension, taxpayers would save $150 billion over the next 35 years. Instead, the proposed plan shifts even more cost away from the employees to the taxpayers.”
“Finally, requiring Illinois government employees and retirees to pay for one half of their healthcare premiums would save even more – an estimated $230 billion over current projections.”
“This proposed deal stinks and is nothing more than political cover for the government bureaucrats who seek reelection.”

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Tax Breaks for Illinois’ Biggest Employers Cost Taxpayers Dearly

By on November 14, 2013   /   Items of Interest, Latest, News Releases, Taxpayer Alert  

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CHICAGO – Illinois’ effective corporate income tax rate of 9.5% is contributing to the state’s financial woes, according to the president of Taxpayers United of America.
“Illinois has the country’s fourth highest corporate income tax rate and rather than helping the state’s crisis level financial woes with increased revenue, it is compounding the problems by chasing away businesses. Unless, of course, those businesses are large enough to hold the state hostage by threatening to move their operations to a more business-friendly state,” stated Jim Tobin.
“Illinois lawmakers don’t have the economic good sense to lower the corporate income tax rate to a level that will attract and keep businesses. Instead, they engage in a damaging corporate welfare program that rewards those very businesses that threaten to leave.”
“Large corporations like Sears and CME have already siphoned money away from small businesses and individual taxpayers with their tax discount deals that resulted from the threat of leaving Illinois. Now there is a string of corporations trying to get their turn at the corporate welfare trough.”
“Office Depot, who recently merged with OfficeMax, is threatening to move the Naperville, IL, headquarters of OfficeMax to Boca Raton, Florida, home of the former’s corporate operations. Their leverage is the 2,000 jobs that would go with them. Decatur stands to lose a major employer in Archer Daniels Midland. They are citing the state’s burdensome income tax as the reason to leave Decatur and Illinois unless they receive a tax cut.”
“It’s time to say no to these corporations and end corporate welfare and lower the 9.5% corporate tax rate for everyone. Not only would we retain the large corporations and the revenue, we would retain the thousands of small businesses and the tens of thousands of individual taxpayers who have silently protested paying the state income taxes of the larger and richer corporations by leaving the state.”
“It’s no secret that Illinois is functionally bankrupt. Illinois and its flagship city of Chicago have been spanked for their reckless spending and borrowing by having their credit ratings repeatedly downgraded. Illinois now has the worst credit rating in the country. These spankings were, effectively, punishment for not reforming the state’s sinking government pension funds; however they did nothing to force Speaker Michael Madigan (D), and Senate President John Cullerton (D), to provide the necessary leadership to finalize even minimal reforms.”
“Instead of reforming their spend lust and a bankrupt government pension system, the Illinois General Assembly is considering at least three resolutions that would pave the way for a referendum to amend the State Constitution that would allow a graduated or progressive income tax. The proposed changes would increase the income taxes of 85% of Illinois’ taxpayers. The top rate for the individual income tax could be as high as 11%. But even worse would be the estimated 12.8% corporate income tax rate.”
“And we can’t forget that Springfield Democrats passed a temporary 67% increase in the personal income tax rate along with a 30% increase in the corporate income tax rate in a structured vote, literally in the last minutes of the 97th Illinois General Assembly. This ‘temporary’ increase didn’t make a dent in the state’s indebtedness as it was supposed to.”
“Such an irresponsible increase that will be sold as a tax increase only on the rich, will force even more back-room deals for the big corporations that will be paid for by individual taxpayers and small business – that is until they quietly take their jobs and their money to tax-friendly states.”

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