Tax Fighter Chris Jenner Earns Endorsement from TA in McHenry County College Board Race

By on March 26, 2013   /   April 9 2013 Election, Candidate Endorsements, Items of Interest, Latest, Tax Accountability  

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Chicago – Tax Accountability (TA), the political action arm of Taxpayers United of America (TUA) has endorsed Chris Jenner in his bid for McHenry County College Board.
“Known as a tax-fighter for his great work on the Cary District 26 School Board, we were happy to support Chris Jenner’s run for the MCCB. As required for our endorsement, candidates must answer our questionnaire and sign our pledge not to raise taxes,” stated Rae Ann McNeilly, executive director for TUA.
“Chris Jenner is the kind of candidate that every community needs. He is a principled tax-fighter who understands the importance of protecting constituents’ money like his own.”
“He certainly has ruffled the some feathers but survived a meritless attempt to knock him off of the ballot. His commitment to honest spending and minimal taxation are not what the status quo want to embrace.”
“He has won the first round by staying on the ballot, and we fully expect a victory at the ballot on April 9. Across the state we are finding that taxpayers are tired of the status quo tax and spenders who care only about securing lavish pay and gold-plated benefits for themselves and their cronies. Chris Jenner has the status quo on the run and that is exactly what voters will remember when they go to the ballot.”
“There is a real hunger for elected officials who have the political courage to do what’s best for the constituents rather than special interests. We hear from taxpayers across the state, the frustration they have with state of taxation and spending in Illinois. While some people may feel they have lost control at the state and federal levels, they clearly understand the control they have at the local level and they are voting their preference for spending cuts.”
“Chris Jenner is exactly what McHenry County College Board needs. He will be an advocate for the students and the taxpayers, not the big-government tax and spenders who see the MCCB as a means to grow their own empire.”
Jenner aptly identified the following issues with the current MCCB management:

  • A budget that forgot McHenry County is under the tax cap, with no apparent consequences or discipline for the mistake, and a proposal to make up the shortfall through a tuition hike instead of dipping into the college’s healthy cash reserves.
  • 22,000 taxpayer dollars spent to send 5 trustees, 2 administrators, and the student trustee to Boston to stay in $319 a night hotel rooms and eat lobster dinners as well as attend a conference.
  • Use of a so-called consultant with an obvious conflict of interest to justify a $45 million health sciences facility and health club.
  • A plan to issue $45 million in debt without asking for permission from the voters.

Jenner is running on a platform of responsible budget management and commitment to students and taxpayers.

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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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Kane County Chronicle | Study: Former area school superintendents get top pensions

By on March 13, 2013   /   Illinois Press, Press  

Findings from TUA’s pension project on Kane and Kendall counties are featured in this story from the Kane County Chronicle.
kanecountySeveral former area school superintendents topped the list of those collecting the biggest pensions among Kane County educators, according to a study released Tuesday by the Chicago-based organization, Taxpayers United Of America.
“Illinois is in horrible financial shape, and yet taxpayers are still expected to pour their hard-earned money into a failed government pension system,” Taxpayers United of America President Jim Tobin said in a news conference at Baymont Inn and Suites in North Aurora.
With an annual pension of $172,837, former Batavia school superintendent Ed Cave is ranked fourth on the list. According to the study, Cave has collected $984,531 to date.
Former West Aurora school superintendent Sherry Eagle, who has an annual pension of $171,791 and has collected about $1.1 million to date, ranked fifth, the study said.
Sixth is former St. Charles school superintendent Francis Kostel, who has an annual pension of $167,179 and has collected about $1.2 million to date, according to the study. Eighth is former St. Charles school superintendent John Vanko, who has an annual pension of $148,129 and has collected about $2 million to date, according to the study.
Currently, 104 retired Kane County educators are collecting pensions of more than $100,000 a year that accumulate to as much as $8 million in estimated lifetime pension payouts, Tobin said.
The full list is at the group’s website, www.taxpayersunited.org. The group also did a study of top pensions among Waubonsee Community College employees as of October 2012. With an annual pension of $230,596, former WCC president John Swalec topped the list. He has collected $2.2 million to date, the study stated.
The study also estimated Swalec’s lifetime pension payout at $4.3 million.
West Aurora School District officials said they had no comment on the study. Other school districts and Waubonsee did not respond for comment.
Rae Ann McNeilly, executive director of Taxpayers United of America, is a North Aurora resident.
“I know the reality of it because I live it every day,” she said. “I’m angered by the whole system.”
Tobin said Illinois’ pension system will collapse by 2015 unless there is immediate reform, such as raising the retirement age to 67, increasing employee contributions by 10 percent, and increasing healthcare contributions to 50 percent.
“It’s mathematically impossible to tax your way out of this problem,” he said.

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