CHICAGO—The just-released report from the non-partisan Tax Foundation, Washington, D.C., revealed that the U.S. as a whole has worked 109 out of 365 days to pay its total tax bill for the year.
“In a very real sense, everyone is a slave of federal, state and local tax collectors for the first 30 percent of this year,” said Jim Tobin, President of Taxpayers United of America (TUA).
“Finally, on April 19, which the Tax Foundation has christened ‘Tax Freedom Day,’ the country as a whole will have paid off its tax debts, and can start keeping its earnings for its own use.”
Tax Freedom Day is calculated by adding all federal, state, and local taxes and dividing them by the total income earned in the country.
“This year, Tax Freedom Day is three days earlier than last year, thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act signed into law by the current administration.”
In 2018, Americans will pay $3.39 trillion in federal taxes and $1.80 trillion in state and local taxes, for a total tax bill of $5.19 trillion, 30 percent of national income, according to the Tax Foundation.
“This is still an obscene chunk taken out of workers’ earnings. America will spend more on taxes in 2018 than it will on food, clothing, and housing combined,” added Tobin.
“Despite the federal income tax cuts, government at all levels is still on a spending spree. As the feds cut the taxes and fewer tax dollars make their way to the state and local coffers, state and local governments are raising taxes. The federal tax cuts will soon disappear unless spending, which is funded by borrowing and printing money, is brought under control. The value of the U.S. dollar will continue to decrease as the debt continues to increase.”
“’Tax Freedom Day’ is an oxymoron. Tax Freedom Day isn’t freedom at all; it’s a measure of how truly enslaved we are,” concluded Tobin.
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CHICAGO—Illinois taxpayers won important victories in three local elections on March 20, said Jim Tobin, President of Taxpayers United of America (TUA).
“Taxpayers scored a huge victory in Rockford, Illinois’ third largest city,” said Tobin. “The greedy Rockford politicians tried to bring back unlimited Home Rule taxing powers, which our organization helped Rockford taxpayers repeal in 1983. We sent our Director of Outreach, Val W. Zimnicki, to Rockford, and he held a very-well-received news conference at the Rockford Public Library on March 14.”
“In addition, TUA used direct mail and other techniques to help Rockford taxpayers.”
“Rockford taxpayers beat back Home Rule by 54% to 46%.”
“The politicians running the Village of Merrionette Park, IL, used taxpayer dollars to urge its taxpayers to give them unlimited Home Rule taxing powers. We helped its taxpayers fight this power grab, and unlimited Home Rule taxing power for Merrionette Park was defeated by a 66% to 33% margin.”
“The Village of Homewood, Illinois, also beat back Home Rule by a decisive margin of 70% to 30%.”
“TUA has been helping local taxpayers since 1977, and we have had 426 victories against local tax increase referenda since then.”
“Home Rule is the most insidious form of local government in the U.S.,” said Tobin. “It eliminates the protection of property tax caps and allows local governments to raise taxes without limit, and to create new taxes with which to bludgeon taxpayers.”
“Home Rule is home ruin. It puts property owners and taxpayers totally at the mercy of local government bureaucrats. It can destroy the economy of a city and force taxpayers to move to municipalities that have no Home Rule and lower taxes.”
After receiving delays and denials to Open Records requests from the Village of East Dundee, I have grown convinced that something is seriously wrong, and questions need to be asked.
Since the Chicago Tribune-Courier News report, “Officials: East Dundee finances on road to recovery” (http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/elgin-courier-news/news/ct-ecn-east-dundee-finances-st-1108-20171107-story.html) back in November, I have been making inquiries of my own. In the article, the Courier reported on “financial irregularities” that occurred under former Administrator Bob Skurla’s watch. Here are a few of the more disturbing quotes:
- “East Dundee is taking steps to offset financial irregularities that include overstated revenue, excessive spending and a lack of budgetary controls, East Dundee Village President Lael Miller said….”
- “‘There were several things that raised my eyebrows,” Miller said.
- “There were several problems that I would categorize as accounting issues,” Miller said. “The way some monies were accounted for was not exactly clear.”
- “He [Miller] then met with Village Administrator Jennifer Johnsen and Finance Director Zaida Torres, who raised their own concerns.”
- “There were some spending patterns and other items the board wasn’t aware of,” Miller said.
“What in the world is going on in East Dundee and why hasn’t the former Administrator, Bob Skurla, been prosecuted? If wrongdoing has taken place and the Village doesn’t prosecute, they won’t be able to access municipal insurance for restitution which would be a monumental failure of their fiduciary duty to taxpayers. In addition, if Skurla is found guilty, his pension should be taken away.”
If that isn’t disturbing enough, in a conversation I had with the current Village Administrator, Jennifer Johnsen–who was fired from her previous position with Campton Hills in 2016 for alleged Open Meetings Act issues–she stated that Skurla kept “two sets of books” and misrepresented finances with the board. Administrator Johnsen blamed Skurla for the $33 Million in debt according to the 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (if police pension debt is included, the Village of East Dundee population 3182, has over $40 Million of debt). The specter of Dixon, Illinois’ Rita Crundwell $54M financial fraud is rising as a pattern of obstruction from the Village of East Dundee is growing. Timeline of my personal investigation:
- November 2017 – The Chicago Tribune-Courier News article first exposed the fraud allegations
- December 2017 – My conversation with Village Administrator Jennifer Johnsen where she blames the $33 Million in debt and financial fraud on Bob Skurla.
- January and February 2018 Open Meetings Act violations by the village (being investigated by the IL Attorney General).
- February Freedom 2018 of Information requests being denied because emails between Bob Skurla and Trustees were deleted.
- March 2018 Freedom of Information requests being delayed and denied looking for evidence between East Dundee Finance Director Torres and Administrator Johnsen. These denials are being investigated by the IL Attorney General.
“I have asked for and received notice that the Attorney General’s Office is investigating the denial of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. There is also an Open Meetings Act (OMA) violation that is being pursued. Our democracy depends on public servants who act with integrity and hold transparency in the highest regard along with a press that will hold them accountable. Again, I have to ask, what is going on in East Dundee and what are they trying to hide?”
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State Representative
Allen Skillicorn
