The Southern | Voice of the Reader: Stop Home-Rule

TUA’s work fighting home rule was mentioned in a letter-to-the-editor to the Southern.
To the Editor:
West Frankfort, please don’t make the same mistake the people of Mount Vernon made. Don’t choose to be over taxed and over regulated by a handful of people on your city council. Take back you right to vote on local taxes and ordinances. Take back state tax caps on property tax increases. Follow the lead of Harrisburg, Anna, Westmont, Rockford and Kenilworth. These towns stopped their city council members from running a-muck, by stopping Home-Rule.
Jim Tobin, of Taxpayers United of America (TUA), and Robert S. Redfern of near by Fairfield, have been fighting Home-Rule for decades. Tobin has said many times that Home-Rule is one of the most financially disturbing schemes Illinois politicians have ever come up with. Home-Rule literally, gives a town unlimited taxing powers.
In 2012 the Illinois Association of Realtors and RVOICE worked to stop Home-Rule because it can lead to new inspection fees, and transaction fees on real estate; and hig! her property taxes, leading to more regulations, and red tape for their realtors, all without voter approval. As someone living under Home-Rule, and seeing tax increases and wasteful sending in my town of Mount Vernon, I would urge you to not make the same mistake the uninformed voters of Mount Vernon did in not taking the time or did not care about democracy and their right be heard. West Frankfort this may be your only chance to stop the madness of out of control government, Vote to END Home-Rule this Nov. 4.
Steven Casper Sr.
Mount Vernon