S. Berwyn SD 100 – Biggest Property Tax Increase in Illinois!

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It is unbelievable that the government bureaucrats in South Berwyn’s SD 100 are expecting taxpayers to take another huge pay cut so the government bureaucrats can prop up their bloated salaries and benefits without anything to show for it.
Just one of these two referenda would increase property taxes about $850 a year for an average home valued at $216,200. The second referendum is asking for another $51 million in bond principal only – not including interest.
According to the Cato Institute, government schools outspend private schools by 93%, and yet the outcomes for government school students are abysmal. SD 100 already spends $16,631 per student, higher than the national average of $15,171, which is more than any other country! Throwing more money at the government schools is not the solution. Study after study shows that more is not better when it comes to school spending.
How is it that the people who are educating our kids can’t comprehend that more spending isn’t going to help ‘the children’; it only helps the bloated bureaucracy of government educators and administrators? Either these ‘educators’ are not smart enough or they are deceiving us on what it takes to educate kids.
With Illinois’ property taxes the second highest in the nation, it is unconscionable that we are being asked to pony up more than $1,000 dollars a year in additional property taxes and accept the sub-standard outcomes delivered by this education cabal.
I urge everyone to flood the polls on March 18 between 6 am and 7 pm and vote no for these two property tax increase referenda. You can bet that all of the government employees will be there to vote for your $1,000+ pay cut.
This huge property tax increase will force people out of their homes, and, for what? How about this time around we ask the, ‘oh so caring for the children’ government employees to take the pay cut and really give to our community the way we taxpayers have done for so long?
Jim Tobin
Founder and President of Taxpayers United of America, www.taxpayersunited.org and 30-year resident of Berwyn

Vote 'No' on Knox Community Schools’ Property Tax Increase Referendum!

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CHICAGO—Taxpayers United of America (TUA) is working with taxpayers in Indiana’s Knox Community School District to oppose the district’s property-tax-increase referendum that will appear on the district’s May 7, 2013 ballot.
“This referendum is a money grab for the bureaucrats of the Knox government schools,” said Jim Tobin, TUA president. “Homeowners are being hit-up for a property tax increase to fund a new building that just isn’t necessary.”
“The average value of a home in Starke County is $99,400, so this referendum, if passed, would increase such a home’s annual real estate tax bill by about $279 every year.”
“It’s amazing that even with the decline in property values, resulting in homeowners losing a significant portion of their assets, the Knox Community School bureaucrats still want a sizeable increase in property taxes to build their work-palace.”
“Eighty-percent of government-school revenues go to salaries and benefits of these government employees for their nine-months-a-year employment. An increase in property taxes will not help students, but it will keep funds available to well-to-do teachers and administrators for their lavish pay and benefits.”
“Taxpayers in Knox Community School district are dealing with 12.3% unemployment- one of the highest in the country. They have also been hit with a 44% increase in their Social Security taxes but these government school bureaucrats want even more. After all, these government bureaucrats have no need to worry about job security or economic strife – they have nearly iron-clad job security with a guaranteed lifestyle that is greater than those in the community they serve.”
‘We urge Knox Community School homeowners to turn out in force for the May 7 election and vote No on the property-tax-increase referendum. You can bet that the government employees will show up to vote in favor of their buddies’ shiny new workplace.”
Click here to download our ‘VOTE NO’ flyer to share with friends and neighbors in the Knox Community Schools district.
 

Taxpayers Win Big in April 9 Election!

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Chicago – Taxpayers United of America (TUA) helped local activists defeat 4 more property tax increase referenda. This makes our Illinois property tax increase referenda victories 197! We were also successful in 2 of 3 Home Rule battles. We have effectively helped taxpayers beat down 200 Home Rule referenda in our 37 years of operation!
“Taxpayers are the big winners anytime Home Rule is defeated. Home Rule communities always have higher taxes and that is the message that resonated with South Chicago Heights and Anna voters yesterday,” stated Jim Tobin, president of TUA.
Itasca SD 10 put out a full marketing blitz to try and blur the new requirement that ballot language include the actual property tax increase. But thanks to our coordinated efforts with local activists, we were able to educate the voters who soundly defeated the referendum 1,107 to 743.”
McClellan CCSD 12 gave their government school bureaucrats a resounding ‘NO’ on a property tax increase referendum with a vote of 140 to 76. Taxpayers in Mt. Vernon simply can’t support a property tax increase when they have been hit so hard economically. They insist that government school bureaucrats tighten their belts and stop expecting taxpayers to take yet another hit.”
“McHenry County taxpayers won bigger than most. They defeated a referendum, 20,562 to 11,075, that would have actually added an entirely new taxing authority to reach into the wallets of McHenry County residents. But these big government bureaucrats met tremendous opposition thanks to local activist, Bob Anderson, founder of McHenry Citizens TaxWatch. This well organized opposition also defeated a move, 4,273 to 2,378, by McHenry HSD 156 to spend $2.2 million in bond surplus rather than return it to the taxpayers making this a double win for the taxpayers in the district.”
“McHenry Citizens TaxWatch also coordinated efforts with us to elect Tax Accountability (TA) endorsed candidate, Chris Jenner and his running mate, Thomas Wilbeck to the McHenry County College Board. With records as fiscal watchdogs, Jenner and Wilbeck will serve McHenry County taxpayers and students, rather than special interests that seek to grow empires by creating jobs – and pensions – for their cronies.”
“Libertyville trustee candidate, Phil Collins, who was endorsed by TA won a very close race for that seat. Libertyville now has at least one ‘liberty’ focused trustee in Phil who pledges to protect taxpayers from irresponsible spending and increased taxation.”
“The most important politics are local and the message that voters sent to municipal leaders yesterday is that they want a say in tax increases and aren’t willing to give government bureaucrats a blank check to pay for empire building.”
“Our fight for smaller, more responsible government is going to be won at the local level and we, TUA, are there on the ground with activists across the state to beat down the expansion of taxing authority and incessant property tax increases. We educate people on the reality of expanding taxing authority through home rule and what property tax increases are really used for, and we give them the tools they need to defeat the increases. In some cities, we are the only voice of opposition to the government rhetoric that is unchallenged and regurgitated by many media.”
“Thanks to our research, people aren’t being fooled any longer; they know that 80% of local taxes go to pay salaries and benefits, including gold plated pensions. Voters in these communities sent a loud and clear message that they want spending cuts without tax increases and they want to throw out the tax-and-spend incumbents.”