5 Village Governments Want Taxpayers to Throw Away Their Right to Vote on Property Tax Increases

By on October 15, 2014   /   Illinois, Latest, Referenda, Taxpayer Alert  

View as PDF
Chicago – Government bureaucrats in Barrington, Lake Zurich, Lynwood, Crestwood, and Matteson have placed referenda on the November 4, 2014 ballot for voters to approve Home Rule status for these villages. According to Taxpayers United of America (TUA), Home Rule means higher taxes.
“I like to call it ‘Home Ruin’”, said Jim Tobin, president of TUA. “Why would anyone want to give up their right to vote on property tax increases?”
“Home Rule always means higher taxes because it removes the cap that limits the amount that bureaucrats can increase property taxes. It gives bureaucrats a blank check and how many government bureaucrats would you trust with a blank check bearing your signature?”
“Home Rule also gives local government authority to tax nearly any product or service they want. What they don’t tell you is that such taxation drives consumers to neighboring communities where the taxes on products and services is lower.”
“And if high taxation isn’t enough, Home Rule is used extensively to add regulations, fees, and licensing that create even more red tape for business and entrepreneurs.”
“We are helping taxpayers in each of these communities by revealing the truth about home rule and how damaging it is. We are working with local activists and organizations to educate voters on Home Rule.”
You can download ‘Vote No’ flyers:

View the pension grids for these communities:

“Government needs to live within its means and cut spending when revenue declines. 80% of Home Rule and other local taxes go to pay government employees and their benefits. By adding new taxes, government bureaucrats ensure their own high pay and lavish pensions.”
“Illinois currently has more than 11,054 annual state pensions over $100,000 and more than 78,526 government pensions over $50,000 a year. It is mathematically impossible to raise enough taxes to sustain the defunct state pension system and yet every unit of government continues to try.”
“Illinois has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the country and you have to wonder how many people could have stayed in their homes if the property taxes weren’t so high – the second highest property taxes in the country.”
“We are urging voters in these 5 communities to retain their right to vote on property tax increases by voting no on Home Rule on November 4, 2014.”
Please call our office at 312-427-5128 if you would like additional copies of the flyers or to help with distribution.

Back to Top

Berwyn SD 100 Misleads Voters On Huge Property Tax Increase

By on March 5, 2014   /   Latest, News Releases, Referenda  

View as PDF
140203_berwynflyer-1BERWYN—Berwyn School Dist. 100 is understating the impact on taxpayers of its property tax increase referenda. This is bureaucratic trickery intended to dupe Berwyn voters into approving the two property tax increase referenda on the March 18, 2014 ballot, according to Jim Tobin, Berwyn resident and President of Taxpayers United of America (TUA).
“The proposed property tax increase for the an average home value of $216,200 would be greater than $1,200 if these 2 referenda were passed. This would be the largest property tax increase in Illinois,” added Tobin.
“Dist. 100 already spends $16,631 per student, higher than the national average of $15,171. Throwing more money at the government schools is not the solution. There is no correlation between school spending and student achievement.”
“How many times are we told, ‘this is for the children’, and yet the only outcome that improves is the wealth of the government school bureaucrats who continually ask us to take a pay cut so they can get a pay increase?”
“Illinois’ property taxes are the second highest in the nation. It is unconscionable that Berwyn homeowners are being asked to pay more than $1,200 dollars a year in additional property taxes.”
“80% of Dist. 100 spending is for salaries and benefits of these government employees, who enjoy higher than average wages, premium health care coverage, nearly iron-clad job security, and lavish, gold-plated pensions.”
Here’s where property tax increases go…

Stanley Fields, SD 100 superintendent gets an annual salary of $204,740. Jane Bagus, SD 100 coordinator enjoys a cushy annual salary of $139,294.

And here’s what government school retirees get paid not to work…

Thomas M. Martinaro, who retired at age 56, receives an annual pension of $136,795, and over a normal lifetime will collect estimated total pension payments of $4,240,137. Raymond Hack, retired at age 59 and receives an annual pension of $106,892. His estimated lifetime payout is a cool $2,530,854.

“Workers in the private sector have seen their company pensions vanish, and will on average get only $14,800 a year in Social Security benefits.”
“Unemployment is still on the rise with a local rate of 9.9% in 2013. Berwyn taxpayers are entitled to keep more of their hard-earned dollars.”
“Dist. 100 teachers and administrators, and their families, will be out in force to pass these two referenda this March 18. I urge all Berwyn voters to tell their families and neighbors about these two property tax increase referenda and to vote ‘NO’ on March 18.”

Back to Top

No Property Tax Increase is Temporary for Glenbard SD 87!

By on February 26, 2014   /   Items of Interest, Latest, News Advisory, News Releases, Referenda, Taxpayer Alert  

View Release as PDF
Chicago – “Glenbard SD 87 government bureaucrats are trying to pass a $35 million property tax increase referendum that will keep your property taxes from decreasing when the current bond debt is paid off,” stated Jim Tobin, president of Taxpayers United of America (TUA).
“While home values have decreased, state income taxes have increased 67%, and Social Security tax has increased 44%, government school bureaucrats insist that you should give them even more money!”
“This is nothing more than a money grab by greedy government bureaucrats who will tax everything they can to prop up their own salaries and pensions. 309 District 87 employees make over $100,000 for less than 9 months a year.”
“Illinois already has the second highest property taxes in the country and an unemployment rate of 8.6%. SD 87 government bureaucrats should take the pay cut this time instead of taxpayers. These government bureaucrats enjoy higher than average pay, premium healthcare, early retirement, lavish pensions, and nearly iron-clad job security.”140205_glenbard
“Here is a sampling of SD 87 employees who make over $100,000: 309 total, 3 art, 3 woodworking, 3 drama, 14 Drivers Ed, 4 music, 7 Librarians, 2 nurses, 27 Phys. Ed, 30 Learning behavior specialists, 2 vocal music.”
“So why are taxpayers in Glenbard SD 87 being asked to take yet another pay cut? This is not about the kids. This is about propping up the bloated bureaucracy that sucks wealth away from taxpayers for the purpose of propping up the government school cabal.”
“Taxpayers can download a copy of our flyer at HERE and get the word out to friends and neighbors, that temporary property tax increases can be temporary by voting NO to $35 million more on March 18.”

Back to Top