137 tax increases proposed in 62 Illinois counties

AFP-Illinois, the Illinois chapter of Americans for Prosperity, is gearing up for the April 9 consolidated local elections. The group recently launched a new website designed to inform Illinois residents of local referendums that could cause their taxes to go up and are urging people to fight local tax hikes. In a recent newsletter announcing the initiative for...

AFP-Illinois, the Illinois chapter of Americans for Prosperity, is gearing up for the April 9 consolidated local elections. The group recently launched a new website designed to inform Illinois residents of local referendums that could cause their taxes to go up and are urging people to fight local tax hikes.

In a recent newsletter announcing the initiative for the 2013 elections, AFP-Illinois State Director David From outlined how his organization has successfully fought tax hike referendums in the past.

“Last year, AFP-IL announced the Local Anti-Tax Initiative, an exciting new program to help taxpayers fight local governments’ attempts to raise taxes and increase debt. Through this program, AFP-Illinois is able to provide various forms of assistance in defeating proposed local tax or debt increases. In the November 2012 election, AFP-IL targeted a dozen such referenda around the state, defeating nine. Some by very small margins; 126 votes in one race & 0.8% in another.”

According to the website, voters in 62 of Illinois’ 102 counties will be faced with referendums in April to:

“Seek to implement a new tax, raise an existing tax or issue municipal bonds (AKA increase local government debt).”

If passed these tax hike proposals would only increase Illinois’ property taxes, which are alreadysecond-highest in the nation; Illinois has the ninth-highest overall tax burden per capita in the nation, even before factoring in the 2011 tax hike.

If you live in a community that is voting on a referendum to hike taxes in April, reach out to the good folks at AFP-Illinois and learn how they might be able to help you.

Also, I highly recommend a great resource called “We Can Fight City Hall and WIN: How to Form a Local Taxpayer Group” prepared by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association from California. The pamphlet gives local tax fighters lots of great ideas on how to organize and defeat local tax hike proposals. It’s a must read for any local taxpayer group.