Hey Illinois Republicans, Run for GOP Precinct Committeeman

October 9, 2011 | Filed Under Conservatives, Elections, GOP, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Republicans, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Doug Ibendahl

In 2010 there were a total of 6,705 precincts in Illinois. (That’s across the state’s 101 counties other than Cook County. Cook has a unique legal structure and neither political party elects Precinct Committeemen there as explained below.)

Of those 6,705 precincts: 3,440 had no one running for Republican Precinct Committeeman in 2010. That’s a 51% statewide vacancy rate.

It also represents a major lost opportunity for thousands of Republicans and our entire Party. It’s unacceptable, and it’s a big reason why good Republican candidates are losing winnable races to the Democrats in Illinois.

The Illinois GOP is not coming close to matching the ground troops the Democrats field every election.

The goal of the Republican Precinct Project is to reduce the vacancy rate from 51% to below 20% next year. In 2014 our goal is to have it down to below 5%.

Every Precinct Committeeman spot is up for election in the March Primary. It’s an all-volunteer position with a two-year term. And since this is a party office as opposed to a public office, the March Primary is the election. The Democrats elect their own Precinct Committeemen in March…

Read the rest at RepublicanNewsWatch.com.

Taxpayers Receive Unwelcome News

October 8, 2011 | Filed Under Elections, GOP, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Republicans, Senate, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | 1 Comment

Dr. Arie Friedman for Illinois State Senate (29th District)…

“Many Cook County property taxpayers received unwelcome news in the mail early this week, news of a tax hike,” said Dr. Arie Friedman, Republican State Senate candidate in the 29th District, “delivered in the form of their second installment real estate tax bills.”

Friedman noted the mailing from the Cook County treasurer included “a catchy little insert called ‘Want to Know Why Your Taxes Are So High?’ It offers an interesting argument – that the hikes in taxes for the various local governments were caused by ‘mounting debts,’ but that approach goes only so far,” he said.

“More fundamentally, why are local governments facing ‘mounting debts?’” asked Friedman. “And why the dramatic increase all at once?”

Friedman encouraged taxpayers to examine the spending and labor relations practices of their local units of government and school districts. “But look, too,” he said, “to the actions of your legislators in Springfield.”
Read more

Rep. Dold on Finding Solutions to the Housing Crisis

October 8, 2011 | Filed Under Congress, GOP, Government, House of Representatives, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Republicans, Robert Dold, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the office of Rep. Bob Dold (Ill., 10th District)…

During today’s Financial Services Subcommittee Hearing on Housing and Community Opportunity, U.S. Congressman Robert J. Dold spoke about the serious housing crisis in the nation and the need to find cost-effective solutions that take into account all of the potential consequences and risks.

http://dold.house.gov/

A Note About Morrison’s Bid for Cook County Board of Review

October 7, 2011 | Filed Under Budget, Chicago, Cook County Board, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, Elections, GOP, Government, Illinois, Property Taxes, Republicans, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

Last cycle this website did not support Mr. Morrison for the first district seat on the Cook County Board of Review. There was a big reason for this. Morrison was a heavy supporter, donor and voter for Democrats prior to suddenly launching his campaign as a Republican.

Morrison gave a lot of money to Democrats, voted as a Democrat, and supported them where he lived in Chicago’s 19th Ward (See Morrison’s campaign donation and voting history here). This made me very, very wary that he was merely a Democrat plant attempting to steal away a GOP seat. It looked like a typical, left-wing, dirty trick that we are so used to seeing from unprincipled Democrats.

Morrison, however, denies he is a Democrat. He says he supported Democrats and voted Democrat in the 19th Ward because there weren’t any viable Republicans in his area to help support his business interests.
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Ill. GOP House Leader Tom Cross: Reforming Chicago and Cook Co. Pension Boards‏

October 7, 2011 | Filed Under Budget, Business, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, House of Representatives, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Jobs, Liberals, Pensions, Public Employees Unions, Taxes, Tom Cross, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From Illinois GOP House Leader Tom Cross…

In a speech at the City Club of Chicago this afternoon, Illinois House Republican Leader Tom Cross announced that he filed a bill that will help give more accountability to taxpayers by reconstituting the City of Chicago and Cook County pension boards. The bill, which will be sponsored by Senator Matt Murphy (R-Palatine) in the Senate, will also require pension boards statewide to refer any suspected fraud to the local authorities.

“Recent media reports have unveiled abuses in the Chicago Pension systems that were not reported to the proper authorities for punishment or investigation. We believe these matters should have and still should be reported to law enforcement. We mandate that in our bill,” said Cross. “We also believe the pension boards in the City of Chicago and Cook County need a fresh start—that’s why we are seeking reconstitution.”
Read more

Sean M. Morrison Announces Candidacy for the Cook County Board of Review

October 6, 2011 | Filed Under Cook County Board, Elections, GOP, Illinois, Property Taxes, Republicans, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the campaign of Sean M. Morrison for Cook County Board of Review…

Cook County, IL—Fed up with excessive property taxes? Palos Park businessman Sean Morrison is, and today he announced that he intends to seek the Republican nomination for Commissioner of the Cook County Board of Review, 1st District. The 1st District encompasses nearly five-hundred square miles of Cook County and includes over 1.7 million residents.

Morrison ran for Commissioner in 2010. Despite entering the race late, Morrison nearly defeated current Commissioner Dan Patlak. Morrison has decided to seek the office again as Patlak has failed to live up to any of the promises he made during his campaign. Morrison stated “Patlak’s time in office has been much more Democratic than Republican—he is constantly yielding to the Democratic agenda and forgetting about taxpayer concerns.”
Read more

Cook County: Incompetent Stroger Appointee Fired Over Million$ in Tax Discrepancies

October 6, 2011 | Filed Under Budget, Business, Chicago, Cook County, Cook County Board, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, Illinois, Liberals, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

I did not vote for Toni Preckwinkle to become the Cook County Board President, but I have to say she has made a few tough decisions that one would not expect from a common Chicago Machine Democrat. In another one of those good moves, Preckwinkle sacked the Cook County Comptroller for her incompetent work with accounting for the county’s tax revenue among other failures.

Cook County Comptroller, Constance Kravitz, was another one of those oh, so wonderful appointees of the dismal Todd Stroger, the previous failure that sat in Preckwinkle’s chair. Kravitz was struggling to make ends meet at $165,000 tax dollars annually, so I can see why it was so hard for her to get her facts straight at work. It’s a lot of pressure to be living at such subsistence pay, you know?

Kravitz was at two strikes before Preckwikle lowered the boom. Not only had Kravitz badly bungled the accounting of tax revenue, being off by a whopping $90 million, but her reports detailing which county employees had taken their furlough days and which hadn’t were a complete mess.
Read more

Cook County Board: Fall News and Updates‏

October 6, 2011 | Filed Under Cook County, Cook County Board, Government, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the office of Cook County Commissioner Timothy O. Schneider…

Update from the Board Room

At the September 7, 2011 Cook County Board meeting, the Cook County Board voted that the Cook County Sheriff shall not cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “detainers” placed on undocumented immigrants at the Cook County jail. Commissioner Schneider opposed the ordinance, to read more about his vote and position on this issue click here to read the Daily Herald Editorial.

Property Tax Information

By now, you should have or received your second installment 2010 property tax bill, due November 1, 2011. The Assessor and Commissioner Schneider urge you to make sure you are receiving all of your exemptions. The Assessor’s office did not receive 55,000 applications from senior citizens to receive the Senior Property Tax Exemption; if you did not apply for the Senior exemption, you will not see the savings on your property tax bill.
Read more

Village of Palatine Attempts to Hide Millions in Accrued Village Sick and Vacation Time Balances‏

October 6, 2011 | Filed Under Budget, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, Government, Corruption, Government, Ill. County, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Taxes, Tea Party, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the Palatine Tea Party…

Village of Palatine Attempts to Hide Millions in Accrued Village Sick and Vacation Time Balances
(Palatine, Illinois) – The Village of Palatine went out of its way to hide employee sick time and vacation time balances when we attempted to submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to obtain employee balances.

Government agencies expect taxpayers to pay their expenses, but when asked to view the data the answer is met with clear opposition. The Village tried to hide behind HIPPA law as their excuse. We then appealed the Village’s decision with the Illinois’ State Attorney and won. (click here for pdf document). Based on the 2009 W2′s, the sick time balance is approximately 9 million dollars and the vacation time balance totals approximately $687,000.
Read more

State Rep Tom Morrison: The Results Are In!‏

October 5, 2011 | Filed Under Illinois, Illinois State Government, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the office of Rep. Tom Morrison (R, Palatine, 54th District)…

A few weeks ago, I asked for your input on several questions regarding our community and our state and I wanted to share the results. As your representative in Springfield, I rely heavily on the input from my constituents. I sincerely appreciate your willingness to share your viewpoint/opinions with me. I am thrilled by receiving over 400 completed surveys from residents within our district, thank you.

Here are the results!

1. What issue/s in state government is/are most important to you?

Topping the list were government spending/borrowing, taxes, public mistrust in government and corrupt elected officials. Also, many social issues were addressed as well as firearm regulations.

2. Do you support legislation that will repeal the 66% income tax rate increase signed by Governor Quinn in January 2011?
Read more

Confirm Your Property Tax Exemptions‏

October 2, 2011 | Filed Under Chicago, Cook County Board, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Property Taxes, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the office of Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Dan Patlak…

Within the next week, the Cook County Treasurer will be mailing you the second installment of your 2010 tax bills. The time period to appeal your 2010 assessment at the Assessor’s office or at the Board of Review has already expired. However, you should make sure that this bill includes the Exemptions to which you may be entitled. The most common Exemption is called the Homeowner Exemption. You must have lived in your home as of January 1st 2010 to qualify. To qualify for the Senior Exemption (which must be renewed each year) you must have lived in your home as of January 1, 2010 and you or another owner of the home must have been at least sixty-five years old during 2010. To see if you received these exemptions, look at the right side of the bill a little more than half way down where the exemptions are listed. Then look farther to the right to see what the dollar amount is that corresponds with the respective exemption. If the dollar amount is $0.00 and you think you qualify for the exemption, then you should bring your tax bill to the nearest Assessor’s satellite office located at each of the five Cook County Courthouses (except Maywood which is closed). Bring proof of your residency and age and they will issue you a new tax bill that reflects the discount for the exemption(s).
Read more

Cain Rises at TeaCon 2011: Straw Poll Win, Communications Director Loss, Disagreements With Jack Roeser

October 1, 2011 | Filed Under Budget, Conservatives, Economy/Finances, Elections, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, Herman Cain, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Michele Bachmann, President, Republicans, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | 4 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

Herman Cain wins yet another straw poll of conservative activists. This time at Teacon 2011 held in a northwestern suburb of Chicago. There was no surprise that Cain won the straw poll, but there was some surprise fireworks in the media room and another surprise elsewhere in the Cain campaign as his long-serving Communications Director resigned over the weekend.

Herman Cain was the only candidate that decided to come in person, but to be honest, this crowd was a Cain hotspot even before that. Rep. Michele Bachmann sent in a video address that found favor with the crowd, too. But Cain and she were the only ones to give TeaCon 2011 the time of day.

The results, with over 77% of the vote, put Herman Cain in the lead. And in descending order was Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Rick Santorum — oddly enough President Obama came in next — and Jon Huntsman and Gary Johnson came in last.

As Erik Telford said on Twitter, “If you can’t beat Obama in a tea party straw poll, it’s probably time to end your campaign. (cc: Huntsman and Johnson).”

Ouch, indeed.
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Dirty Tricks in the 52nd District State Senate Race?

September 30, 2011 | Filed Under Congress, Conservatives, Elections, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Republicans, Senate, Vote Fraud, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

One question has arisen in the race for the Illinois State Senate in the 52nd District: why is GOP Sen. Leader Christine Radogno getting involved in a local primary to the reported tune of some very tall cash? And why is she supporting a guy that supports civil unions and tax hikes?

The GOP primary race is between activist Champaign small business owner John Bambenek and 63-year-old Champaign County Board Member Al Nudo. And in this race there are some clear differences between the two candidates.

For instance, Bambenek is much more in line than Nudo with the ideals of the last crop of GOP Congressmen that were elected from Illinois in 2010. Bambenek’s ideas would find echos in Randy Hultgren or Bobbie Shilling. Nudo, on the hand is much more a social and fiscal “moderate.”

Certainly Al Nudo, running claiming the need for “bipartisanship” in Springfield, is thought of as the “moderate” candidate in the race. “I work with both sides. There’s issues you can take from both sides,” he recently told the Daily Illini.
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The $14,000 Question: Was Senator Jacobs Bought by Big Energy?

September 29, 2011 | Filed Under Conservatives, Elections, GOP, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Senate, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

Albracht: “If Governor Quinn has a dog in this fight, Senator Jacobs has four.”

MOLINE, IL–Despite a veto from Governor Quinn, Senator Jacobs continues to lobby for SB1652, also known as the “Smart Grid” bill, which would allow energy companies to automatically raise their rates over the next ten years without oversight from the Citizen’s Utility Board. Opponents to this bill have argued that this would put an unfair burden on the consumer.

Senator Jacobs recently told Read more

State Senate Candidate Arie Friedman Comments on Illinois Deepening Debt

September 28, 2011 | Filed Under Budget, Business, Conservatives, Economy/Finances, Elections, GOP, Government, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Republicans, Senate, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the campaign for State Senate of Arie Friedman…

“The news for job-seekers and employers in Illinois just doesn’t seem to get any better,” said Dr. Arie Friedman, Republican candidate for State Senate in the 29th District, southeast Lake County and Wheeling, Palatine, Northfield and New Trier Townships in northern Cook County.

“The jobs climate in our state is closely tied to the fiscal condition of the state government itself,” said Friedman, “as Illinois continues to rate red alerts about the state budget deficit and the state’s growing debt.”

Friedman cited Monday’s report by the Civic Federation documenting Illinois’s deepening debt, even in the wake of increased state revenue from the personal and corporate income tax hikes passed by Springfield Democrats in January.
Read more

Assistant Republican House Leader Jim Durkin Endorses Dillard

September 27, 2011 | Filed Under DuPage County, Elections, GOP, Government, Government, Ill. County, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Republicans, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the campaign to re-elect Kirk Dillard, Illinois State Senate…

At a recent Republican meeting, Illinois State Representative and Assistant Republican House Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) endorsed Senator Kirk Dillard (R-Hinsdale) in Dillard’s race for re-election to the 24th Senatorial District.

Citing several pieces of landmark legislation sponsored by Sen. Dillard, including most recently a Internet Portal Act to disclose, on-line and in real-time (www.OpentheBooks.com), every salary, contract, tax break and tax deadbeat, Durkin said, “Sen. Kirk Dillard is the voice of families in Illinois and we must return Kirk Dillard to Springfield so we can draw on his valuable experience in creating jobs to get Illinois working again, protecting our families, controlling our out-of-control state budget and providing accountability in state government.”

Durkin then added, “Kirk knows Western Springs and our area well. He was instrumental in garnering the funds to replace the dilapidated Oak Street Bridge so that area residents have access to Hinsdale Hospital in case of emergency.”
Read more

Cross Files Bill to End Pension Perks‏

September 26, 2011 | Filed Under Budget, Democrats/Leftists, Elections, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, House of Representatives, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Republicans, Taxes, Tom Cross, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From Illinois GOP House Leader Tom Cross…

In response to a series of news reports in the Chicago Tribune on WGN-TV this week, uncovering huge pension hikes under the guise of public service, we filed a bill (HB3813) to close the little known loophole that nets some Chicago city workers tens of millions in pension bumps at the end of their careers.

Click here to watch WGN-TV’s coverage of our bill filling.

Click here to read the Chicago Tribune’s story.

“This is a huge slap in the face to taxpayers that government in cooperation with its employees comes up with a scheme, that is currently allowable under state law, to boost pensions sky-high,” said Cross. “This practice needs to stop—immediately—and we will file a bill today, so that this provision in state law cannot be abused.”
Read more

Tom Weber, Republican for Lake County Board

September 25, 2011 | Filed Under Elections, Lake County, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the Tom Weber campaign…

Through leadership and common sense, my goal is to set the standard for what being a good steward of the taxpayers’ trust is all about. I will be forward thinking, work to eliminate senseless regulations, and work towards eliminating wasteful spending.

I will be honored to represent my friends, neighbors and small business.
I am a small business owner and have been part of this community my entire life, and I want to help our community thrive once again.

The 3rd District is not only part of my history, but part of my family’s history as well. The Webers have lived and been employers in this community for over 100 years. As I walk the district and speak with people, many are not earning what they did 4 years ago. Many more are having a difficult time managing their own budgets. Any way that we can give the taxpayers relief will help. Its time to get creative to help them. As stewards of taxpayer money we need to learn how to do more with less.
Read more

Former Elmhurst Police Chief Millner Endorses Dillard

September 24, 2011 | Filed Under Conservatives, DuPage County, Elections, GOP, Government, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Republicans, Senate, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the reelection campaign of Senator Kirk Dillard…

At the York Township Republican Committeemen meeting, Illinois State Senator and long-time Elmhurst Police Chief John Millner (R-Carol Stream) endorsed Senator Kirk Dillard (R-Westmont) in Dillard’s race for re-election to the 24th Senatorial District. Millner is also a Past President of the Illinois Police Chiefs Association.

Calling Dillard one of Illinois finest legislators, and a friend of all of the communities in DuPage County, Millner cited Dillard’s accomplishments, especially in the areas of accountability/transparency, fiscal policies and law enforcement.

“Sen. Kirk Dillard is the voice of DuPage County in Springfield and we must have his valuable experience in stopping the tax, spend and borrowing agenda,” Millner said.
Read more

Illinois at Bottom of Favorable Business Climate List

September 23, 2011 | Filed Under Budget, Business, Capitalism, Democrats/Leftists, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Jobs, Liberals, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Thanks to Illinois Democrats and Governor Pat Quinn, Illinois now sits among the worst states in the country for jobs and business. Texas and North and South Carolina rank as the best.

Illinois is the state with the third worst business climates in the country. Only New York and last rated California are worse in the survey of 322 corporate executives conducted by Development Counsellors International (DCI).

The survey, taken every three years, asks the executives a series of questions meant to discern the most effective tools for marketing and business that leads to deciding where to open new offices and expand business. Executives cited low operating costs and a pro-business climate as the chief reasons for looking upon a state favorably.

California remains the worst state, the survey found.
Read more

A Blueprint for Illinois Job Creation

September 23, 2011 | Filed Under Budget, Business, Capitalism, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, House of Representatives, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Jobs, Liberals, Regulation, Republicans, Senate, Taxes, Tom Cross, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the Illinois House Republican Caucus…

We traveled around Illinois this week introducing our new jobs plan to several communities in an effort to become more competitive with other states in order to retain and grow jobs.

Media Round-up:

Read about the jobs plan in Decatur (Decatur Herald-Review).
Watch our efforts on a television station in Peoria (WEEK-TV)
Listen to a radio show in Chicago (WIND radio-560 AM).

We’ve all seen the news. Mounting debt, sluggish consumer confidence, zero jobs created in August – the first time since World War II that the U.S. economy had a net zero jobs created for a month – and the Illinois unemployment rate at a staggering 9.9%, nearly a full point higher than the national average.
Read more

Chicago: Union Members Collect Millions in Tax $$ With Sweetheart Pension Deal

September 22, 2011 | Filed Under Budget, Chicago, Cook County, Crime, Democrats/Leftists, Ethics, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Pensions, Public Employees Unions, Taxes, Unions, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

Now this is the sort of corruption we are used to seeing in Illinois, eh? This week the Chicago Tribune and WGN TV has found up to 23 retired union operatives that are collecting millions in taxpayer dollars because they had pals in government tweak the state’s pensions laws to favor them.

These former government workers that were government union members got pliant politicians to alter the pensions laws to say that their pension remuneration would be calculated not on the lower pay they received when they retired from government, but from the much higher salary they received when they worked as union operatives. These folks worked as union bosses at the same time as working on the clock for government.

The “luck” of former union boss and Dept. of Streets and Sanitation worker Thomas Villanova is a typical example. Villanova last worked full-time for the city in 1989 and made $40,000-a-year. But he was also a union big wig making $198,000 annually upon his retirement in 2008 at age 56. His city pension, it appears, was calculated on the union salary of $198,000 instead of his real salary of $40,000 — itself obviously a no-show job in the first place.

Villanova stands to make millions off the taxpayers.
Read more

Cook Commissioners Refuse to Take Furlough Days?

September 22, 2011 | Filed Under Budget, Chicago, Constitution, Cook County, Cook County Board, Democrats/Leftists, Government, Illinois, Liberals, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

News today had it that two Cook County Commissioners have refused to take the agreed upon furlough days as required by the 2011 budget, days meant to save the county money. Both William Beavers and Earlene Collins have both refused to take the 10 days off.

Collins claimed on Chicago’s WLS AM 89 radio that she shouldn’t have to suffer the indignities of the cut in salary that the days off would mean. She says her base pay has never risen since she was first elected to office and that she has already cut out much of her office allowances and other staffing funds so she should not have to take a cut in pay, too.

In fact, claims Collins, she’s already made cuts that amount to more than the some $9,000 that her 10 day furlough would add up to.
Read more

Rep. Walsh WILL Run Against Hultgren in the New 14th District

September 21, 2011 | Filed Under Congress, Conservatives, Elections, GOP, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Joe Walsh, Randy Hultgren, Republicans, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

I spoke to Rep. Joe Walsh in Lake Villa, Illinois this past weekend and one of his first questions to me was about running against Hultgren in the new 14th District. Obviously the question was weighing heavily on him that weekend.

I told him it would be a tough fight but that I felt Joe had gone a long way to get his name recognition up in his first big year in D.C. Other than that, I had no advice on whether or not Joe could win there.

Well, now Congressman Walsh has made the final decision and will run against Republican Randy Hultgren in the new 14th District.
Read more

Illinois Jobs Need to be Job One

September 21, 2011 | Filed Under Business, Capitalism, Economy/Finances, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, House of Representatives, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Jobs, Republicans, Taxes, Tom Cross, Unemployment, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Illinois GOP House Leader Tom Cross

For nearly 100 years, Modern Drop Forge employees have been manufacturing metal forging tools in Blue Island. In August, the company announced it was moving to Indiana and taking 240 jobs with it. The reason: Illinois’ “poor business environment”–specifically, workers compensation laws and high taxes.

How many more companies and good jobs are we willing to let go before we get serious about workers compensation, regulatory, tort and tax reform?

In January, after Illinois’ governor and Democrats in the General Assembly passed the largest income tax hike and corporate tax hike in state history, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels actively began recruiting Illinois businesses. He isn’t alone. Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey came to Illinois and ran TV ads after the tax vote marketing his state to businesses.
Read more

Cliff Surges for IL Senate Comments on Illinois’ Business Climate

September 21, 2011 | Filed Under Elections, GOP, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Republicans, Senate, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the campaign of Cliff Surges for Illinois State Senate, 33rd District…

The Chicago Tribune recently reported that Illinois is ranked among the three worst states for business, according to a survey of U.S. corporate executives. Illinois’ business climate consists of many more problems than a 67% income tax increase. Career politicians statewide have failed to properly address worker’s compensation, spending reform, and have continued with government barriers to job creation.

“The last thing people in the 33rd Senate District need is another career politician in Springfield. Voters need a State Senator with experience and knowledge in creating jobs, paying our bills, and improving our economic climate,” says Clifford Surges.

Current leadership has come up short and has promoted a poor substitute for the pro-growth policies that remove barriers to job creation. People in the 33rd State Senate district, who live from Geneva and St. Charles up north to Crystal Lake and Huntley, demand better.

http://www.cliffsurges.com/

Run for Republican Precinct Committeeman

September 20, 2011 | Filed Under Conservatives, GOP, Government, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Republicans, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Doug Ibendahl

Of those 6,705 precincts: 3,440 had no one running for Republican Precinct Committeeman in 2010. That’s a 51% statewide vacancy rate.

Friedman: Over 105,000 Jobs Lost Since January Tax Hikes

September 19, 2011 | Filed Under Budget, Business, Conservatives, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, GOP, Government, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Jobs, Republicans, Senate, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the Dr. Arie Friedman for Illinois State Senate campaign…

Illinois lost another 16,183 jobs in August, according to figures released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Illinois State Senate candidate Arie Friedman called the report “another call to action by state policymakers to repeal those ill-considered income tax hikes they passed last January.”

“What is it going to take to alarm our elected officials in Springfield?” asked Friedman. “The Democrats are not grasping the true meaning of Illinois’s steady drop in jobs. What will it take? Do they have to lose their own?”
Read more

Kinzinger… IL Democrat to Taxpayers: Send More Money

September 17, 2011 | Filed Under Adam Kinzinger, Budget, Congress, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, House of Representatives, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, President, Republicans, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the office of Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Ill., 11th District)…

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Adam Kinzinger spoke out against Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky who yesterday advocated for more of taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars to be sent to Washington.

When asked about the President’s job proposal, which will cost nearly $450 billion and includes an estimated $467 billion in permanent tax increases, Schakowsky defended the plan and later added: “You don’t deserve to keep all of [your money] and it’s not a question of deserving because what government is, is those things that we decide to do together.”

“Unfortunately Congresswoman Schakowsky has proven herself to be vastly out-of-touch with Illinois families and believes more money from taxpayers, more government and more of the same failed policies of the last two+ years are the stepping stones toward prosperity and job creation,” said Kinzinger. “The fact of the matter is, 31 months ago, the President stood in front of Americans and pledged under his near-one trillion dollar stimulus package, unemployment would not rise about eight percent. The President got his stimulus and here we are today with unemployment above nine percent.
Read more

Cook County Board: Upcoming Events

September 17, 2011 | Filed Under Cook County, Cook County Board, Illinois, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the office of Timothy O Schneider, Cook County Board…

Property Taxes

The Cook county Board of Review has launched a new web page that allows Cook County homeowners to appeal their property tax assessments online. Residents can visit the new site by clicking here.

Please note that you can only file an appeal when your township is open for appeal. You can see when your township opens for appeal by clicking here.
Read more

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