TUA’s pension project on Winnebago County, Illinois, is featured in this news story from WIFR TV. Watch video of the story here.
WINNEBAGO COUNTY (WIFR) — The Chicago-based Taxpayers United of America released a survey today of large pension retirees from Winnebago County governments and schools.
The list is the latest in examples by the organization saying that the cause of Illinois’ fiscal problems is due to excessive pension expenses. Pension liabilities have grown to $187 billion.
Jim Tobin, president of the UTA says, “These are shocking amounts for taxpayers to be on the hook. And while these represent the highest pensions, it does not
diminish the fact that every Rockford household owes about $3,858 to fund the local pensions alone. Illinois’ government employee pensions are in dire trouble with no end in sight. “
The taxpayer’s group does not say these pensions are illegal or not as proscribed by law, they believe the numbers illustrate why the state needs an immediate and major overhaul of its school and government pension system including, according to Tobin, “Pension reform must include raising retirement age to 67, increasing employee contributions by 10%, increasing
healthcare contributions to 50% for employees and retirees, eliminating all COLA’s, and replacing the defined benefit system with a defined contribution system for all new. It’s mathematically impossible to tax your way out of this problem. Illinois has more than 10,000 retirees collecting more than $100,000 in annual pensions; in 2020, that will be over
25,000 six figure pensioners.”
For the top local pensions released by the group, please see the attached documents in the related documents section.
TUA Executive Director Rae Ann McNeilly was quoted by the Kane County Chronicle about the defeat of the Kane County tax hike.
The massive effort in the past year to support a property tax increase of 0.1 percent in Kane County came to a resounding defeat Tuesday, according to unofficial election results, with 25,487 voting no to 14,465 voting yes.
Charles Miles of Geneva, who had hoped the referendum would pass so that his developmentally disabled adult daughter might get additional help, said those who tried to promote the referendum were disappointed in the loss.
“Obviously to all the people who worked so hard to try to get this passed, it is particularly disappointing to the families that this referendum would improve the quality of life for those who have developmental disabilities,” Miles said. “We knew it would be an uphill battle, but we did not expect for it to be that bad.”
If levied at the full rate, the measure would have increased the tax burden by about $100 a year for the owner of a $300,000 home. The tax would have raised about $13 million to be administered by a disabilities board – also known as a 377 board – for housing, transportation, jobs and job training, among other services for people with disabilities.
Show You Care Kane spearheaded a petition drive, collecting 34,260 signatures to get the referendum on the ballot after Kane County officials would not put the question to voters.
While supporters mourned the ballot defeat, North Aurora resident Rae Ann McNeilly, of Kane County Taxpayers Fight Back, said it represents a victory for taxpayers.
“There are so many people with so many special needs, that to tie this kind of funding to the property taxes would be immoral and unjust,” McNeilly said. “That is not to say there is no compassion for these people with special needs.”
McNeilly said funding for those services should come from private donations.
“Obviously to all the people who worked so hard to try to get this passed, it is particularly disappointing to the families that this referendum would improve the quality of life for those who have developmental disabilities,” Miles said. “We knew it would be an uphill battle, but we did not expect for it to be that bad.”
If levied at the full rate, the measure would have increased the tax burden by about $100 a year for the owner of a $300,000 home. The tax would have raised about $13 million to be administered by a disabilities board – also known as a 377 board – for housing, transportation, jobs and job training, among other services for people with disabilities.
Show You Care Kane spearheaded a petition drive, collecting 34,260 signatures to get the referendum on the ballot after Kane County officials would not put the question to voters.
While supporters mourned the ballot defeat, North Aurora resident Rae Ann McNeilly, of Kane County Taxpayers Fight Back, said it represents a victory for taxpayers.
“There are so many people with so many special needs, that to tie this kind of funding to the property taxes would be immoral and unjust,” McNeilly said. “That is not to say there is no compassion for these people with special needs.”
McNeilly said funding for those services should come from private donations.
TUA Executive Director Rae Ann McNeilly was quoted by CBS Chicago in an article about the Kane County tax hike.
(CBS) – A local anti-tax group wants to defeat a referendum next week which would raise Kane County property taxes to help developmentally disabled adults.
WBBM Newsradio’s Steve Miller reports people who support the proposed tax to help families take care of disabled adults say the tax hike is needed, because current funding for the developmentally disabled is inadequate.
Rae Ann McNeilly, executive director of Taxpayers United of America and a resident of North Aurora, agreed there’s need for more funding, but not for a tax increase.
“This is not a question of whether these people need or not. This is a question of how we fund this need,” she said.
McNeilly said a new tax would force taxpayers to give more – when many are already stretched to the limit.
“We are giving people a way out of taking responsibility for their children; a lifetime commitment for your child is a lifetime commitment,” she said.
Supporters have said there’s an increasing number of developmentally disabled people, and the tax hike is necessary to help their families pay for care.
McNeilly said that care should be privately funded, and suggested other ideas to get the money needed for those families.
“Have a bake sale. Sell some cookies. Girl Scouts do it. All kinds of organizations do it,” she said.
The proposal would raise property taxes in Kane County by an average of $55 a year.
