Judge LeRoy Martin, Jr. will hear arguments today on Riverside-Brookfield’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Anthony Peraica, former Cook County Commissioner and concerned taxpayer in Riverside-Brookfield, and Taxpayers United of America, (“TUA”) one of the largest taxpayer organizations in America.
The suit challenges the electioneering activities used by Riverside-Brookfield School District 208 school board in its unsuccessful attempt to have the voters approve a property tax increase referendum on April 5, 2011.
“The school board wants the case thrown out, but we want to enforce our right to be free from the board’s illegal electioneering”, stated Andrew B. Spiegel, who is representing the plaintiffs in this case.
“Board members can’t abuse the public trust and misuse taxpayers’ resources to advance their own agenda. We intend to hold the board accountable for their bad acts and ensure that they respect their role to serve the taxpayers of the Riverside-Brookfield School District.”
The hearing will be held 3pm today Friday, March 2, 2012 in Room 2008 of the Daley Center.
Click Here To View the Riverside Brookfield Amended Petition
On August 24, 2011 the Circuit Court of Cook County, by Judge LeRoy K. Martin, Jr., granted Anthony Peraica, former Cook County Commissioner and a concerned taxpayer in Riverside-Brookfield and Taxpayers United of America, (“TUA”) one of the largest taxpayer organizations in America, left to file an amended complaint in their case against the Riverside-Brookfield School District 208. The suit challenges the electioneering activities used by the school board in its unsuccessful attempt to have the voters approved a property tax increase referendum on April 5th. The amended complaint is due to be filed in two weeks.
In addition, the Appellate Court of Illinois, First Judicial Circuit, granted Noel Kuriakos and TUA’s motion to consolidate their appeal in the Oak Park District 97 referendum case with the appeal pending in the Wilmette School District 39 case, brought by TUA and Herbert Sorock. The Appellate Court’s Order was entered on August 18, 2011. Just days before, that same Appellate Court denied an effort by TUA and Sorock to accelerate the hearing of that appeal. Both appeals will now be heard together and on the regular schedule of the Court of Appeals, rather than on an expedited basis. Read more →
The property taxpayers in three school districts continue to battle the property tax increases resulting from the April 5th referenda. In Oak Park School District 97 and in Wilmette School District 39, the initiatives were adopted by the Voters. In Riverside Brookfield District 208, the voters overwhelmingly rejected it, but the lawsuit is seeking damages for the illegal electioneering engaged in by the Board.
In the Wilmette case, on May 23rd Judge Rita M. Novak put the case on an expedited briefing schedule on two main issues: whether to enter a temporary restraining order and whether to dismiss the case. The hearing is set for June 23rd at 11:15 a.m. Read more →
