View as PDF Chicago—Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) members descended upon multiple downtown locations today to demand more taxes and higher taxes for Chicago taxpayers. The “Fund Our Schools Now!” protests culminated at Chicago’s City Hall with demonstrators chanting slogans against Gov. Bruce Rauner (R), Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D), and calling for more tax dollars to be funneled into the broken Chicago Public Schools (CPS) system.
An overwhelming majority of CTU members in attendance told Taxpayers United of America’s (TUA) executive director, Jared Labell, that they are disgusted with political leaders from both parties. However, many were skeptical of decentralizing power within CPS and nearly all were opposed to any reform of the pension system, one of the driving factors of the current financial crisis.
Not much has changed since CTU members last took to the streets on April Fools’ Day.
Attendees agreed almost universally that the only solution to CTU’s grievances with CPS funding and administrators is for the Chicago City Council to adopt numerous new taxes and tax increases, a proposal TUA completely opposes.
But CTU members weren’t the only people at City Hall with an axe to grind.
Also marching in solidarity with their CTU comrades in a sea of Soviet Red union shirts were members of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA, whose adherents passed out leaflets calling for organizing a revolution to “overthrow this system” and establish a “New Socialist Republic in North America.”
Not far from the center of the action inside City Hall was former governor and longtime political hack, Pat Quinn (D). CTU members were perplexed as to why he was there and what he was doing, and numerous attendees said that they were worried that Quinn was attempting to hijack the protest for his own political purposes. It turns out, of course, that Quinn was indeed in attendance for his own interests, which were to circulate a petition for Chicago mayor term limits and not-so-subtly target Mayor Emanuel.
Considering the pitiful return on investment for taxpayers, Cook County’s population decline, CPS’ decades-long credit ratings plunge and its unsustainable combination of lucrative salaries, benefits, pensions, and operating expenses, CPS cannot continue as currently structured. CTU members must recognize that fact. Handing more tax dollars over to the government without reform is madness. Students are not benefiting from a system that is this politicized and mismanaged.
The cost to society can be measured by the substandard performance of students, the financial burden placed on the taxpayers of Chicago, and the loss of future opportunities for the city with every day that passes without reform.
View as PDF Chicago— Val W. Zimnicki, representing Taxpayers United of America (TUA) at a meeting of the Illinois Housing Development Authority on June 16, 2016, testified against a proposed $55 million bond issue that would help Seattle-based Security Properties rehab a low-income housing complex in DeKalb, IL.
$43 million in bonds would be issued for rehab of 414 units on the North Annie Glidden Road side of the housing development. Another $12 million is being sought to redo 120 units on the Russell Road side.
Zimnicki told the authority that TUA has members in DeKalb County, and, furthermore, that TUA opposes the proposed bond issue in principle.
“Illinois citizens are already burdened with lots of bond issue debt all over the state, and many are moving out of state,” said Zimnicki. “In addition, Illinois taxpayers already are being crushed by government-pension obligations in excess of $111 billion dollars.”
Zimnicki asked for a 30 or 60 day postponement of the board’s vote so more facts can be developed. “What’s the big rush?” he asked.
Zimnicki was supported in his anti-bond position by attorney Michael P. Coghlan of DeKalb, who is representing homeowners and businesses opposing this additional financial burden.
Jim Tobin, President of Taxpayers United for America, was quoted by the Northwest Herald about his speech “Home Rule is Home Ruin” presented in Woodstock IL.
WOODSTOCK – With the possibility of Woodstock becoming home rule, local voter advocacy group Voters in Action is encouraging residents to be informed and know what the designation could mean for the city.
The group organized an event Wednesday night at the Woodstock Public Library, where about 45 people showed up to hear Taxpayers United of America President Jim Tobin’s take on the topic.
Tobin, who founded the taxpayer advocacy group in 1976, said his group characterizes home rule as the “most insidious” form of government in the country.
“The reason we think home rule is insidious is because it allows the city to raise property taxes without limit and without voter approval,” Tobin said, among other reasons.
In Illinois, when a municipality reaches a population of 25,000, it automatically becomes home rule, and Woodstock expects to reach that mark after a special census is conducted.
Advocates of home rule note the benefits, including giving more power to the people who know the community best, giving the city the ability to license landlords and create ordinances to require crime-free housing standards, and improving the city’s bond rating.
“The reason we think home rule is insidious is because it allows the city to raise property taxes without limit and without voter approval,” Tobin said, among other reasons.
In Illinois, when a municipality reaches a population of 25,000, it automatically becomes home rule, and Woodstock expects to reach that mark after a special census is conducted.
Advocates of home rule note the benefits, including giving more power to the people who know the community best, giving the city the ability to license landlords and create ordinances to require crime-free housing standards, and improving the city’s bond rating.
Others feel the city should not be able to raise certain taxes allowed under home rule without voter approval, and have concerns about the elimination of the property tax extension limitation law, which does not apply to home-rule communities.
Woodstock resident and Voters in Action member Scott Gessert asked the Woodstock City Council to consider a policy that would limit the city’s home-rule power, and the council agreed to look at a policy in regards to notification, public hearings and limiting PTELL with an emergency provision – but not to consider an advisory referendum.
“[A referendum] is one of the most important controls voters have over their local government, and there is no good reason to give it up and hand the power to the bureaucrats,” Tobin said.
Woodstock City Council members and Mayor Brian Sager have said advisory referendums take time and money, and consideration of new taxes under home rule would be brought before the public at City Council meetings.
Joe Tirio, Voters in Action founder and Republican candidate for McHenry County recorder, asked for volunteers to help the group canvass newer neighborhoods in Woodstock that will be targeted by the special census. Volunteers will knock on doors May 21 and 22 to encourage residents not to participate in the special census, he said.
“Help us tell those people face to face that we aren’t going to sit and let them get the keys to almost unlimited taxing power,” Tirio said.
Anyone interested in volunteering can email inq@votersinaction.com.
More information on home rule can be found on Voters in Action’s website at votersinaction.com, Taxpayers United of America’s website at taxpayersunitedofamerica.org and the city’s website at woodstockil.gov.
