TAXPAYER ALERT: State Income Tax Hike Possible in January

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Illinois taxpayers may be blindsided by a January vote to make the 67% increase in the state income tax permanent, according to Jim Tobin, President of Taxpayers United of America.
“Outgoing Gov. Patrick Quinn (D), whom the Wall Street Journal has called the nation’s worst governor, just won’t go without creating more turmoil in his final days. Quinn has called a special session of the Ill. General Assembly for January 8 that will cost taxpayers $50,000,” said Tobin.
“Anything can happen in the lame duck special session, but what really worries me is what could happen after the new legislature convenes in January.”
“As of Jan. 1, the state personal income tax rate is scheduled to drop to 3.75 percent. The corporate tax rate, currently 9.5 percent, is scheduled to drop to 7.75 percent. Not one Republican voted for the tax hikes that are due to expire. But now there are rumblings that some Republicans may join Democrats in voting to extend the income tax hike – and the Democrats already have a majority in both chambers. The notorious State Senator Dave Syverson (R-35 Rockford) already has publically supported extending the income tax increase.”
“Illinois has the worst credit rating in the nation, thanks to the uncontrolled spending by Springfield Democrats. Its tax rates make it uncompetitive with other states, and extending the income tax hikes will continue to rob taxpayers of their hard-earned money to fund the lavish government pensions in Illinois.”
“Illinois taxpayers must quickly mobilize to kill any attempt to extend the state income tax increases. I urge them to call their state senators and representatives, especially the Republicans who are wavering on this issue, and demand that they oppose extending the state income tax hikes.”
“Gov. Patrick Quinn (D) has all but destroyed the financial condition of the state of Illinois. He has been totally incompetent. I wouldn’t trust Quinn to take care of my goldfish.”
Find your state representative and senator at the following link and urge them to reject any proposal to increase the Illinois state income tax:
http://www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/DistrictOfficialSearchByAddress.aspx

Taxpayers Demand Gov. Quinn Veto Property Tax Theft

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Before recently defeated Gov. Pat Quinn (D) leaves office, taxpayers urge that he veto SB 3341, a bill that passed through the state legislature December 3 and will increase the property tax bills of McHenry County taxpayers. According to the president of Taxpayers United of America (TUA), increased property taxes amount to strong-arm robbery.
“This legislation is insidious because it permits property tax increases without a referendum,” said Jim Tobin, TUA president.
Senate Bill 3341, sponsored by McHenry County State Rep. Michael W. Tryon (R-66) and State Sen. Pamela J. Althoff (R-32), allows the McHenry County Conservation District to borrow money without a property tax increase referendum.
“Gov. Quinn is leaving office with Illinois in a financial fiasco,” said Tobin. “If Quinn vetoes SB 3341 before he leaves office, it would be the most decent thing he can do for taxpayers, that is, until he vacates his government job.”
This legislation would lead to higher property tax bills to repay the bonds. If taxpayers do not immediately voice their opposition to SB 3341, Gov. Quinn will sign the legislation into law, and taxpayers in McHenry County will see higher property taxes in 2015 and beyond.
Gov. Quinn can be contacted by phone or mail at his Springfield and Chicago offices, as well as by email, by following this link: https://www2.illinois.gov/gov/Pages/ContacttheGovernor.aspx

This is Why Judges Get Pensions

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Chicago—Taxpayers United of America (TUA) did not endorse or support the government pension reform that was passed last year because it fell drastically short of what is needed to adequately reform Illinois’ government pension cabal. It is no surprise that judges ruled to protect the rights of pensioners at the expense of every taxpayer in the state, according to Rae Ann McNeilly, executive director of TUA.
“This is why judges get pensions. The fact that the judges’ pensions were suspiciously omitted from reforms means nothing. Judges certainly understand that if reforms are upheld in a court challenge, it establishes precedent for future modifications of the Judges’ Retirement System (JRS).”
“Judges should never have been added to the pension system in the first place. Doing so has automatically placed them in a conflict of interest in ruling on any pension changes. The recent ruling in the government union challenges to the reforms of the Public Act 98-0599 definitively illustrates that conflict.”
“Illinois is technically bankrupt, with government pensions at the heart of the financial turmoil, and yet this court ruling has tied the hands of every taxpayer. In other words, the state says, ‘we will take your money, your house and all of your property if we have to, in order to fund the lavish pensions of the specially protected government elite.’”
“Not only do the government employees enjoy higher than average private sector pay and benefits, nearly iron-clad job security, no accountability for quality of work or outcomes, and judicially protected gold-plated pensions, but their livelihood is prioritized before the people who fund them.”
“Simple math and basic economics dictates that the government pension crisis can’t be solved through taxation, yet here we are with a ruling that limits any possible solution for economic growth. Therein lies the problem.”
“At the very least, new government hires should be placed in a retirement savings account like a 401(k)-style plan. Every day new employees are added to the system, perpetuating the problem. We have reached the point of financial gridlock where tax revenues are being so heavily consumed by government employees who provided services in the past, no resources are available for the employees who would provide needed services today.”
“There is no longer any question that the current system of guaranteeing government employees’ absolute and indefinite financial security is unsustainable, yet the lunacy of forcing taxpayers who are subject to the financial risks inherent in an ever-fluctuating market to fund such an insolvent system continues.”
“The mere fact that there is a Constitutional provision that protects a specific class of people above and even at the expense of the taxpayers is suspect. We need to do whatever is necessary to protect all taxpayers.”
“As long as so many millions of dollars are at stake for judges, legislators, and policy makers, we can never expect fairness to the taxpayers. The very future of Illinois depends on it. If an amendment is necessary to correct the problem of existing employees’ pensions, then let’s get it done. Let’s put an end to this insanity once and for all.”