Taxpayers Fight Back on Local Tax Increases

By on March 25, 2013   /   Anna, IL, Country Club Hills, IL, Itasca SD-10, IL, Latest, McClellan CCSD-12, IL, Referenda, South Chicago Heights, IL, Taxpayer Alert  

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Chicago – Illinois taxpayers are fighting local tax expansion and increase referenda with the help of Taxpayers United of America (TUA). TUA is helping activists in Itasca SD 10 and McClellan CCSD 12 to defeat property tax increase referenda; Country Club Hills to repeal Home Rule, and in South Chicago Heights and Anna to stop Home Rule.
“Taxpayers are making it clear that they have had enough of Illinois’ tax increases and expanding taxation power through Home Rule tax authority,” stated Jim Tobin, president of TUA.
“We are winning the battle at the local level – where people still have a voice in their government. People are overwhelmingly saying no to property tax increases and expanding taxing authority through Home Rule. Taxpayers are frustrated that they have no control at the state or federal level, and are making sure that they send a message to their local governments that they have had enough.”
“Since we won ballot language battle requiring property tax increase referenda to state the actual amount of tax increase, government bureaucrats have a more difficult time tricking people into approving property tax increases. We have seen an unprecedented decrease in the number of government school property tax increase referenda on the April 9 ballot.”
“Taxpayers are also more aware of the power grab that bureaucrats try to perpetrate through Home Rule taxation. Activists in Country Club Hills have placed a referendum to repeal Home Rule taxing authority and support for repeal is in their favor. Their initiative comes on the heels of successful Home Rule repeal referendum in Westmont, the first successful Illinois Home Rule repeal in 29 years.”
“We have been working hard to educate taxpayers on the truth about Home Rule tax authority. Taxpayers understand that it is just a power grab by local politicians who are trying to build empires through increased taxation. Home Rule always means higher taxes and people are tired of being abused in this manner. We expect Country Club Hills to successfully repeal Home Rule because residents see this for what it is – a way to sustain the high pay and pensions that the government bureaucrats give themselves. They understand that 80% of local taxes, including the 1.25% Home Rule sales tax increase, go to fund lavish salaries and benefits for the government elite.”
“We are also assisting taxpayers in Anna, IL and South Chicago Heights where local politicians are trying to increase their taxing authority by placing Home Rule on the April 9 ballot. Taxpayers can easily defeat this attempt to recoup state and federal tax dollars that have been cut. Tax and spenders must think that voters are stupid. If there isn’t enough money at the state and federal level, why do they think taxpayers will give more at the local level?”
“TUA is helping activists in Itasca School District 10, where bureaucrats are seeking a $650 annual property tax increase. Itasca bureaucrats are so desperate to fool voters that they have developed charts, graphs, documents, and videos to make the property tax increase appear to be one third of what it will actually be! Taxpayers won’t be fooled though; local government needs to get the message that taxpayers expect government to cut spending.”
“A property tax increase referendum is also on the ballot in McClellan CCSD 12. Bureaucrats in this school district are trying to pass a $271 annual increase in property taxes. The state has cut funding based on the decreased number of students enrolled in CCSD 12, so why wouldn’t the administration cut spending based on the number of students enrolled?”
“Taxpayers across the state have had enough and are winning the fight against unlimited taxation. They felt powerless when their state income taxes increased by 67% and their Social Security taxes increased by 44%, but they know they are not powerless to stop these increases at the local level. Government bureaucrats expect taxpayers to take additional pay cuts in order support their own lavish pay, premium benefits, and gold-plated pensions in jobs that offer nearly iron-clad security.”
Follow these links to print Vote No Flyers to help defeat tax-increase referenda in your community:

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Vote No on Golf School Dist. 67 Property Tax Increase Referendum – Again!

By on February 7, 2013   /   Golf SD 67, IL, Items of Interest, Latest, Referenda, Taxpayer Alert  

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CHICAGO—Taxpayers United of America (TUA) is working with taxpayers in Golf School Dist. 67 to oppose the district’s property-tax-increase referendum that will appear on the district’s February 26, 2013 ballot.
“This is the only property-tax-increase referendum on the February ballot in the entire State of Illinois,” said Jim Tobin, TUA president. “Homeowners in Dist. 67 twice before defeated such a referendum at the ballot box, but these greedy Dist. 67 government teachers and bureaucrats are back for a third try.”
“The average value of a home in Morton Grove is $347,800, so this referendum, if passed, would increase such a home’s annual real estate tax bill by about $327 – every year.”
“It’s amazing that even with the decline in property values, resulting in homeowners losing a significant portion of their assets, the Dist. 67 bureaucrats still want a sizeable increase in property taxes to pad their pocketbooks.”
“Eighty percent of government school revenues go to salaries and benefits of these government employees for their nine-months-a-year employment. An increase in property taxes would not help students, but it would make well-to-do teachers and administrators even more affluent.”
“Jamie Reilly, Dist. 67 administrator, pulls in an annual salary of $183,839. Maria Herzog, librarian, gets an annual salary of $137,861. Can anyone say, with a straight face, that they are underpaid?”
“Former Dist. 67 employee, Linda R. Marks, retired at age 59 and receives an annual pension of $156,115. Over a normal lifetime, her estimated total pension payments would reach an astounding $5,240,914, with her own employee contribution being only 3.9%.”
“Former Dist. 67 employee Harry C. Trumfio retired at age 52. His annual pension is $113,299, and his estimated total pension payout over a normal lifetime is $3,597,627. His employee contribution is 2.1%.”
“Dist. 67 doesn’t need any more money from homeowners to fund the hefty salaries of current teachers and administrators, most of whom, when they retire, will become pension millionaires.”
“Dist. 67 government bureaucrats think they can ram this property-tax-increase through by putting it on the ballot in the primary, when voter turnout is low, then flood the polls with government employees.”
“We urge Dist. 67 homeowners to turn out in force for the Feb. 26 election and vote No on the property-tax-increase referendum.”
Click here to download our ‘Vote No’! flyer and share with friends and neighbors in the district.

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Cook County Proposes Huge Tax Hike on Poor

By on October 26, 2012   /   Illinois, Latest, News Releases, Pension Reform, Taxpayer Alert  

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Chicago–Cook County Board boss Toni Preckwinkle’s promotion of a $1.00-per-pack tax increase on cigarettes as a humanitarian initiative has questionable motives, according to Rae Ann McNeilly, director of outreach for Taxpayers United of America (TUA).
“Such an increase targets those who can least afford it,” said McNeilly.
“Smoking is most prevalent among the poor without even a high school diploma, so why propose a tax that will hurt them more than help them? This is also the same group hardest hit by unemployment and crime, which will also be bolstered by this tax increase.”
“It is either naïve or dishonest to promote this tax hike from the bully pulpit at the Stroger Hospital, exploiting the truly sick and suffering as well as those who are dedicated to helping people quit smoking. Recent cigarette tax hikes have done nothing to decrease smoking. From 2006 to 2010, Cook County and Chicago held the country’s second highest tax rate. During that same period, smoking decreased by only 4% in Illinois, but decreased by 18.4% nationally, according to the CDC.”
“The county’s revenue from cigarette taxes fell from $200 million to $131 million, or 34%, after the cigarette tax-increase in 2006. Increasing cigarette taxes does nothing to reduce the number of smokers but, instead, pushes them to purchase across county lines or out of the trunks of black-market dealers.”
“It is difficult to believe that Cook County board president Toni Preckwinkle doesn’t understand the realities of cigarette tax-hikes and their unintended consequences. If revenue decreases, crime increases, and legitimate Cook County businesses will lose business, what is the intent?”
“I will be testifying on this outrageous proposal at the public hearing on Friday, October 26 at 9:00 a.m. in the County Building, 118 N Clark, Room 569. I urge everyone to attend one of the hearings and let the board know that we won’t stand by while taxes are raised on businesses and low-income residents.”
Public Hearings on the 2013 Cook County Budget:
•    Thursday, October 25, 2012 – 6:30pm Public Hearing – Skokie Courthouse (Forest Preserve begins at 6:00 PM)
•    Friday, October 26, 2012 – 9:00am – Public Hearing – County Building, 118 N Clark, Room 569
•    Tuesday, October 30, 2012 – 6:30pm Public Hearing – Markham Courthouse (Forest Preserve begins at 6:00 PM)
•    Thursday, November 1, 2012 – 6:30 pm Public Hearing – Maywood Courthouse
Taxpayers can pre-register to speak at any of the hearings at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/C6JTW3H.

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