JAIL PRITZKER, FREE TAXPAYERS!

By on April 24, 2019   /   IL, Illinois, Items of Interest, Latest  

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Ill. Gov. Jay Robert  “J. B.” Pritzker, the corpulent con-man acting on behalf of Chicago’s Democrat political machine, could find himself sharing a jail cell with former Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich as a result of a federal criminal investigation into a dubious residential property tax appeal, according to WBEZ Chicago Public Radio.


It seems that Pritzker, his wife and his brother-in-law are under federal criminal investigation for a dubious residential property tax appeal. According to WBEZ, the probe, which has not been revealed publicly until now, began last October and remains active.


The billionaire Pritzker and his wife may face a serious legal threat arising from their controversial pursuit of a property tax break on a 126-year-old mansion they purchased next to their Gold Coast home.


According to the WBEZ report, a Cook County inspector general’s report found Pritzker directed workers to remove all toilets from the mansion in order to have it declared “uninhabitable,” which gave the Pritzkers a huge property tax break. The report also found that the governor’s brother-in-law, Thomas J. Muenster, made “false representations” on tax appeal documents. That amounted to a “scheme to defraud” taxpayers out of more than $331,000.


The Chicago Sun-Times published news of a confidential memo from Cook County Inspector General Patrick Blanchard. The report found the Pritzkers had caused the residence they had purchased next to their home to fall into disrepair, in part, by removing its toilets in October 2015 in order to lower the home’s property taxes by having it declared “vacant and uninhabitable.”


On that basis, the Pritzkers’ lawyers persuaded then-Cook County Assessor Joseph Berrios’ office to lower the home’s market value from more than $6.25 million to slightly less than $1.08 million. That ultimately led to a dramatically lower property tax bill for the mansion.


“It’s ironic that Pritzker allegedly planned to defraud taxpayers out of more than $331,000 for his benefit while he is pushing to change the state income tax to a graduated income tax,” said Jim Tobin, president of Taxpayers United of Illinois (TUA). “Pritzker’s graduated income tax increase amendment would steal billions from the state’s most productive citizens to fund lavish, unnecessary government pensions.”


“This man has no conscience. The way things are going, he may end up in a residence provided by the state, and he won’t have to worry about property taxes.”

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TAX FREEDOM DAY AGAIN FALLS ON APRIL 16

By on April 11, 2019   /   IL, Illinois, Items of Interest, Latest  
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CHICAGO—The Washington-based nonpartisan Tax Foundation has released this year’s date for “Tax Freedom Day,” which is the same as last year: April 16.

“Tax Freedom Day is a significant date for taxpayers and lawmakers because it represents how long Americans as a whole have to work in order to pay the nation’s tax burden,” states the Tax Foundation.

“The Tax Foundation is a most valuable resource for taxpayers, tax-fighters, and elected officials,” said Jim Tobin, president of Taxpayers United of America (TUA). “We rely on the foundation’s high-quality research and impeccable reputation.”

“As defined by the foundation, Tax Freedom Day is the day when the nation as a whole has earned enough money to pay its total tax bill for the year. Tax Freedom Day takes all federal, state, and local taxes and divides them by the nation’s income.”

The report states that in 2019, Americans will pay $3.42 trillion in federal taxes and $1.86 trillion in state and local taxes, for a total tax bill of $5.29 trillion, or 29 percent of national income. This year, Tax Freedom Day falls on April 16, or 105 days into the year.

“Since 2002, federal expenses have surpassed federal revenues, with the budget deficit exceeding $1 trillion annually from 2009 to 2012. If we include this annual federal borrowing, which represents future taxes owed, Tax Freedom Day would occur on May 8, 22 days later,” according to the foundation.

“To illustrate just how much value these taxes are eating up, the report reveals that Americans will collectively spend more on taxes in 2019 than they will on food, clothing, and housing combined,” said Tobin.

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Taxpayers Win Big In Barrington And Gear Up For The Coming Tax Battles

By on April 3, 2019   /   IL, Illinois, Latest  

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Chicago-Taxpayers United of America (TUA) helped local activists defeat a major property tax increase referendum. It was a difficult battle, with teachers allegedly stealing yard signs opposing the property tax increase. Enraged taxpayers held firm and beat the property tax hike. This makes our 432rd property tax increase referenda victory in over 40 years of operation.

 The referendum was put on the ballot by Barrington CUSD 220, demanding taxpayers foot the bill for $185 million in debt. Taxpayers defeated the tax increase 3,186 to 2,990. 

Click here to download the Barrington CUSD 220 Vote No flyer

“By defeating this tax increase, taxpayers will save hundreds of dollars a year,” said Jim Tobin, President of TUA. “With this large tax with this large property tax increase defeated, we will focus our attention on the massive tax increases being pushed by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker.”

“Springfield Democrats are pushing an enormous and regressive $2 billion gasoline tax increase aimed to hurt the poor and smash the struggling middle class to fund wasteful Chicago transit. They are also aggressively lying and promoting the Pritzker Amendment, a graduated income tax on the middle class. These tax increase cannot be allowed to pass, and we will do everything in our power to stop them.” 

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