The Village of Schaumburg has passed 17 major tax hikes since Al Larson became Mayor in 1987. Over that same time period Village expenditures have exploded from under $25 million to over $200 million. Even after adjusting for inflation and population growth, the Village government has tripled in size!

Now Mayor Larson and the Village Board have announced a new proposal for a $24 million per year property tax.

Let’s Defeat This Property Tax Proposal!

HOW YOU CAN HELP!
1. Come to the Public Hearing and let Village officials know your against the Property Tax proposal.
Tuesday December 15th, 2009
7:30 PM
Russ Parker Hall (Village Hall)
101 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg, Illinois 60193

2. Write a Letter to the Editor:

The Daily Herald is expected to make an endorsement either for or against the property tax proposal. Let them know you are opposed to the tax increase. See sample Letters to the Editor here.

3. E-mail the Schaumburg Village Board and Mayor Larson:

Let them know if they pass this property tax you will vote them out of office.

4. Coming Soon: Sign the e-petition to be delivered to the Village Board saying no to property taxes in Schaumburg.

5. Make a Donation to the Fight Against Property Taxes:

Mail Cash or Check to:
Taxpayers for Schaumburg
74 Holmes Way, Unit C
Schaumburg, IL 60193

Also check out this list of 10 ways to stop a local tax hike from Scott Tillman of the Illinois Policy Institute.

Lately, it seems tax increases are the only solution cities and villages in Illinois can find to their current budget deficits. Revenues have fallen in the last two years, and local governments are quickly turning to tax hikes as a solution.

Why should you care? Well, it’s your money and could cost your community jobs. Sales tax and property taxes hit you in the pocketbook. Business taxes increase the odds that businesses will fail, and decrease employees and new hires.

Your local trustees may want to raise taxes to cover their budget, but you can stop them by taking these steps.

1. Talk about it. People are busy. Many people don’t read the paper. CNN and Fox News do not coverSchaumburg’s proposed tax-hike on businesses or Buffalo Grove’s proposed gas and electric tax hike. Local officials are likely to listen to people who can vote them out of office. Next time your neighbor asks “what’s up?” mention your frustration about paying an additional $4 on your Buffalo Grove gas bill. When you shop in Schaumburg ask the manager if they think the new municipal property tax will force them to raise prices. Making a tax hike the talk of the town will increase the number of complaints your trustees receive.

2.  Write a letter. Politically involved citizens read the letters to the editor of the local paper. When you write a letter it amplifies your voice. Politicians read the letters to the editor and for each letter they see opining about their decisions they assume many additional people hold the same view. You can find some guidelines on how to get your letter to the editor published here.

3.  Offer solutions. There are ways to balance your local budget without tax hikes. Be prepared with these solutions. The Illinois Policy Institute is ready and willing to work with individuals and communities looking for solutions to budget deficits. Other communities have solved their budget deficit problems without tax increases. Feel free to contact me for help finding these solutions stillman@illinoispolicy.org.

4. Contact your representatives personally. Be a resource to your local officials. Compliment them on the good things they have done. Be their friend and help them to find free market alternatives.

5. Unveil frivolous spending. Look at the budget. If it is not online, use your letters, blog posts, etc. to ask why. It’s hard for trustees to approve a tax hike when they appear to be wasting money.

6. Ask for a referendum. Go to meetings and ask that your representatives send any tax increase proposal to a vote of the people. Politicians do not want to appear undemocratic. You stand a better chance if the taxpayers have the option to turn down the tax hike.

7. Ask for a sunset clause. If a tax hike is inevitable, ask that it be revisited in a year by implementing a sunset clause. A sunset clause is an expiration date for a tax hike (or other law). It will not stop the tax hike, however it will force the politicians to revisit a politically unpopular decisions, and when the tax hike is revisited you may have friendlier politicians to work with.

8. Set additional conditions. In your letters, blog posts and opining at village meetings set additional conditions. No tax hike should be approved without full disclosure of the village budget in a searchable online  format. Make your condition into the talking point. If you’re getting a tax hike you should force them to be more accountable with public money.

9. Be a voice of reason. Your public officials want a tax hike now. Rather than being a stick in the mud, you can be the concerned citizen who knows the importance of local spending, but also understands now is not the right time to raise taxes. Working families are struggling. Employers don’t want more layoffs, and a tax increase may force their hand.

10. Amplify your voice. Network with other free market supporters in your community. Look for local bloggers. If a local blog does not exist, then start one. Blogs are easy to start and operate. You don’t need lots of original content. Simply post local stories about the tax hike or village meetings and let people comment. One example of a Chicagoland local issues blog is WheelingRumors.com. Starting a blog is easy: go to blogger.com and click create a blog.  You can also amplify your voice by contacting local radio shows via calls and email. Blogs, radio, and newspaper all reach limited audiences, but you can be sure politicians will be a part of that audience.