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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.”