423 Victories for Taxpayers and TUA Since 1977


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Chicago – Taxpayers Untied of America (TUA) and our supporters once again helped defeat home rule referenda in two communities and defeat another property tax increase referendum on the ballot April 4, 2017, now totaling 423 victories on behalf of taxpayers since 1977.
“The voters of both Coal City and Lynwood were wise to resoundingly defeat these home rule referenda,” said Jim Tobin, president of Taxpayers United of America.
“Home rule means granting unlimited taxing authority to local bureaucrats. Why would voters want to cut themselves out of voting on tax increases? Why grant more authority over your hard-earned money?” said Tobin.
“Voters averted more tax hikes from local officials by rejecting to become another home rule unit of government in Illinois.”
Voters defeated Coal City’s home rule referendum by eighty-one percent, 747 to 175.
Lynwood’s home rule referendum was defeated 683 to 221, or by seventy-five percent of voters.
Home rule was last defeated by Lynwood residents and TUA supporters in November 2014, when sixty percent of voters rejected the attempt to have unlimited taxing authority imposed on the community.
TUA and our supporters were successful in defeating Hinsdale Township HSD 86’s property tax increase referenda. The Board of Education wanted to issue $76 million in new bonds, raising property taxes by more than $450 annually, which doesn’t include future property tax hikes to pay $24 million in interest.
Voters rejected the government school property tax hike for Hinsdale by nearly seventy-five percent of voters, or 9,102 to 3,169.
Unfortunately, eighty percent of voters approved Evanston/Skokie CCSD 65’s $450 annual property tax hike. Berwyn South SD 100’s property tax increase barely passed by less than two hundred votes. And Oak Park SD 97 voters passed referenda to raise their property taxes by $13.3 million and issue new bonds totaling $57.5 million. The average Oak Park homeowner will see a spike in their annual property tax bill by more than $700 annually.
Voter turnout was mixed across Illinois, and with the budget stalemate continuing in Springfield, some voters opted for tax hikes in the face sustained campaigns from officials, groups, and other advocates.
But in McHenry Township, TUA can point to other local victories on behalf of taxpayers. The political action arm of TUA, Tax Accountability, endorsed candidates won a number of races. Bob Anderson, Mike Rakestraw, Bill Cunningham, & Stan Wojewski won election as trustees, and Dan Aylward handily won the office of township clerk.
“The budget stalemate in Springfield and the results of these local elections prove how divided Illinoisans are when it comes to taxes and spending,” said Tobin. “More than ever, now is the time to take on the important work of charting new paths for Illinois’ financial future. But our journey won’t be easy unless we consider ways to dump the baggage of the political class which have run the state like the mob for decades.”