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Chicago – Taxpayers United of America (TUA) helped Westmont activists win repeal of Home Rule, the first repeal victory in Illinois in 29 years. Westmont is one of 5 Home Rule referenda defeated yesterday by activists, with the help of TUA.
“Taxpayers are the big winners in Westmont where they successfully ended Home Rule taxing authority. Home Rule communities always have higher taxes and that is the message that resonated with voters yesterday,” stated Jim Tobin, president of TUA.
“Other big winners in yesterday’s election are River Forest, Elkville, Harrisburg, and Kenilworth, where we helped residents defeat new Home Rule referenda.”
“The most important politics are local and the message that voters sent to municipal leaders this year 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.”
“People aren’t being fooled any longer; they know that 80% of Home Rule taxes go to pay salaries and benefits, including gold plated pensions. Voters in these five communities sent a loud and clear message that they want spending cuts without tax increases.”
TUA members have defeated more than 100 Home Rule referenda since 1980. On March 20, 2012, TUA activists had a clean sweep in defeating six out of six Home Rule referenda.
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CHICAGO- “Maywood Village bureaucrats are hoping voters aren’t prepared for the Home Rule referendum that will appear on the November 6 ballot,” stated Rae Ann McNeilly, director of outreach for Taxpayers United of America (TUA).
“Maywood residents became victims of unlimited Home Rule taxing powers as a consequence of the population reaching 25,000. The 2010 census, however, affords residents the opportunity to reclaim their right to vote on municipal tax increases as a result of enough people leaving an over-taxed community.”
“Rather than shrink the budget to match the shrinking population, Maywood is asking voters to renew the blank check power they have with Home Rule.”
“I wonder how many Maywood residents are even aware of the referendum. According to the village’s own website, there has been no press release and only a tiny blurb in the village’s summer newsletter. The language of the actual referendum is awkward and designed to be misleading”
“Should the Village of Maywood elect to not be a home rule unit?”
“Language like that is intended to confuse voters and win by trickery. How else will these government bureaucrats protect and preserve their generous paychecks and platinum pensions?”
“The Village of Maywood has about 30 employees making more than $50,000 a year, and six of them are making over $75,000 per year – for a town of less than 25,000 residents!”
“Voters in Maywood need to vote YES to end Home Rule and force the village government to live within its means, just like they, the taxpayers, must do.”
“TUA is helping activists in Maywood and 8 other communities to fight Home Rule taxing power in November. We helped beat down 6 out of 6 in referenda in March of this year and we are looking to establish a new record this November.”
“Taxpayers can download a copy of our flyer and get the word out to friends and neighbors, that they have a chance to reclaim their right to vote on tax increases by voting YES to end home rule in Maywood.”
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CHICAGO-“Home Rule” is one of the most financially devastating schemes Illinois politicians have ever come up with, according to Jim Tobin, President of Taxpayers United of America (TUA).
“Home Rule means, literally, Home Rule Unlimited Taxing Power,” said Tobin. “A Home Rule municipality can create just about any tax under the sun, and raise taxes without limit.”
Under the Illinois Constitution, any municipality with a population over 25,000 automatically has Home Rule, until taxpayers repeal their Home Rule by voter initiative. Conversely, if the population drops back below 25,000, Home Rule is rescinded unless a referendum to continue is approved by voters.
“A Home Rule Community can raise property taxes without voter approval,” said Tobin. “It can create new taxes on businesses, services, groceries, gasoline and even parking without voter approval. Local politicians can protect their salaries and lavish, gold-plated pensions, and even increase their own benefits without voter approval.”
“Over the years, we have had great success helping local taxpayer groups defeat Home Rule referenda in municipalities with less than 25,000 persons. On March 20, 2012, we helped defeat all 6 Home Rule referenda. We distributed our ‘Vote No’ flyers in these communities, and the local response was outstanding.”
“There are 9 Home Rule referenda on the November 6, 2012 ballot, and we will help these 9 communities stop the tax-raisers in their tracks.”
Download “Home Rule” flyers below:
“In Mt. Vernon, taxpayers will vote to repeal Home Rule. In Maywood, Westmont, Edwardsville and Homer Glen, where populations fell below 25,000, the greedy politicians have placed referenda on the ballot to continue Home Rule. And in Harrisburg, Elkville, River Forest and Kenilworth, local tax-raising politicians have placed referenda on the ballot to establish Home Rule.”
“Illinoisans are fleeing the state in record numbers to get out from under the ‘tax and spenders’ and these bureaucrats still don’t get it. Instead of shrinking spending to match shrinking populations, they continually look for ways to make up “lost revenue”.
“We will work to give taxpayers another clean-sweep this November, defeating all 9 attempts to establish or continue Home Rule Taxing Powers.”
