Taxpayers Fight Home Rule Taxing Powers

By on October 10, 2012   /   Items of Interest, Latest, News Releases, Referenda, Taxpayer Alert  

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View full size flyers below by clicking on municipality
CHICAGO-“Home Rule” is one of the most financially devastating schemes Illinois politicians have ever come up with, according to Jim Tobin, President of Taxpayers United of America (TUA).
“Home Rule means, literally, Home Rule Unlimited Taxing Power,” said Tobin. “A Home Rule municipality can create just about any tax under the sun, and raise taxes without limit.”
Under the Illinois Constitution, any municipality with a population over 25,000 automatically has Home Rule, until taxpayers repeal their Home Rule by voter initiative. Conversely, if the population drops back below 25,000, Home Rule is rescinded unless a referendum to continue is approved by voters.
“A Home Rule Community can raise property taxes without voter approval,” said Tobin. “It can create new taxes on businesses, services, groceries, gasoline and even parking without voter approval. Local politicians can protect their salaries and lavish, gold-plated pensions, and even increase their own benefits without voter approval.”
“Over the years, we have had great success helping local taxpayer groups defeat Home Rule referenda in municipalities with less than 25,000 persons. On March 20, 2012, we helped defeat all 6 Home Rule referenda. We distributed our ‘Vote No’ flyers in these communities, and the local response was outstanding.”
“There are 9 Home Rule referenda on the November 6, 2012 ballot, and we will help these 9 communities stop the tax-raisers in their tracks.”
Download “Home Rule” flyers below:

“In Mt. Vernon, taxpayers will vote to repeal Home Rule. In Maywood, Westmont, Edwardsville and Homer Glen, where populations fell below 25,000, the greedy politicians have placed referenda on the ballot to continue Home Rule. And in Harrisburg, Elkville, River Forest and Kenilworth, local tax-raising politicians have placed referenda on the ballot to establish Home Rule.”
“Illinoisans are fleeing the state in record numbers to get out from under the ‘tax and spenders’ and these bureaucrats still don’t get it. Instead of shrinking spending to match shrinking populations, they continually look for ways to make up “lost revenue”.
“We will work to give taxpayers another clean-sweep this November, defeating all 9 attempts to establish or continue Home Rule Taxing Powers.”

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It’s a Spending Problem, Not a Revenue Problem – Even in Shawano, Wisconsin!

By on August 20, 2012   /   Latest, Pension Reform, Taxpayer Alert, Wisconsin  

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SHAWANO—Taxpayers United of America (TUA) released salaries and estimated pension payouts for Shawano School District government employees.
“At a time when bureaucrats are trying to raise property taxes, one might think that they tighten their own belts, but not in Shawano, Wisconsin! They intend to also give themselves a 2% pay raise while raising the school property taxes by 12.4%,” stated Shawano resident and president of TUA, Jim Tobin.
“I have published the salaries and estimated pensions for Shawano School District to illustrate how irresponsible a property tax increase would be. Keep in mind that these are 2010 salaries, so it is likely that they are considerably higher today,” added Tobin.
“When average taxpayers in the district are making about $28,000 a year, how can anyone justify taking even more from taxpayers? This will hit farmers, retirees, and small business owners very hard at a time when they can least afford it.”
“It’s time for administrators to stop thinking of taxpayers as an unlimited source of money and be responsible by making the cuts to the largest portion of the budget – salaries and benefits.”
View the top salaries and estimated pensions of Shawano government school employees here.
Tobin continued, “Todd Carlson, Shawano superintendent, made a comfortable $169,196 in wages and benefits. As if that isn’t enough, he will also be paid about $117,784* annually, NOT to work when he retires.”
“The ten highest paid district employees make a combined total of over $1.5 million in total compensation; that’s an average of $150,000. It would be interesting to know exactly how many students these 10 highly paid individuals educate or how often they even step into a classroom!”
“Of the top 25 salaries for Shawano County government schools, 11 of them are from the Shawano District. Only five of the top 25 are from Bonduel and they are able to cut their rate this year. Perhaps Shawano could learn from them.”
“I am encouraging all taxpayers to attend tonight’s annual board meeting and let the bureaucrats know how they feel about their plan to increase spending without a second thought about forcing the taxpayers to foot the bill. Nearly every one of us has had to make cuts in our personal spending, yet Shawano School District administrators refuse to do the same.”
The annual school board meeting will be held tonight, August 20, at 8:00 pm, at Olga Brener Intermediate School, 1300 Union Street, Shawano.
*Based on 2010 salary data provided by the school district through the FOIA process. 1. Assumes employee retires in 1 year and this salary would be 2nd to last salary, 2. Assumes employee works 41 years or more and retires at age 65 and pension = 70%, 3. Plus Social Security.

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TUA’s Christina Tobin To Speak Against Proposed Chicago Speed-Trap Cameras

By on April 10, 2012   /   Illinois, Latest, Pension Reform, Taxpayer Alert  

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CHICAGO—Christina Tobin, Vice President of Taxpayers United of America (TUA), will speak against Chicago’s proposed speed-camera ordinance on Wednesday, April 11.
The Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety will convene at 1 PM in City Council Chambers at City Hall Wednesday, April 11, to discuss the proposed law.
The proposed law would have cameras at as many as 360 city intersections, issuing $50 and $100 tickets for exceeding the speed limit. “City politicians say they want speed-cameras to reduce juvenile pedestrian crashes and deaths,” said Tobin, “but in reality these speed-cameras would just be speed-trap cameras to fund city pensions.”
The ordinance, if passed, would allow the city to install speed camera enforcement within 1/8 of a mile of schools or parks from 7 AM to 7 PM Monday through Friday, and mail fines of $50 to drivers exceeding the speed limit by 6 miles per hour or $100 fines for exceeding the speed limit by 11 mph or more.
Tobin concluded, “Politicians are desperately adding more unwanted taxes, killing taxpayers’ retirements. Why? Because they keep trying to pay for out-of-control pensions. Public pensions will bury this city, drive off businesses, and cause more people to flee Chicago, unless they are finally dealt with responsibly. Taxpayers are tired of having a royal, ruling class. Quit taxing us to death.”
Click to view and download pension amounts below:

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