AFP Illinois introduces the Anti-Corporate Welfare Ordinance in Arlington Heights

Americans for Prosperity Illinois is currently engaged in a campaign to ban corporate welfare incentives in Arlington Heights as an integral part of the state-wide Prairie State Promise campaign to combat cronyism & corporate welfare.

Arlington Heights is currently considering subsidizing the construction of a massive new Chicago Bears NFL stadium and surrounding development at the Arlington Racetrack location.

Recently, Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes opened the door for taxpayer-financed subsidies saying, “We’re still in the process of evaluating what we might be able to do from a financial perspective. … We want to make this happen, so we’ll have to see what their needs and our abilities are, and try to balance the two.”

Per Section 2-204 of the municipal code of Arlington Heights, if a petition containing signatures exceeding 1% of the registered voters is submitted the Village Board must vote on it within 14 days. If the board votes the measure down, a 2nd petition containing signatures exceeding 12% of the registered voters can be submitted and, if verified, a binding referendum must be placed on the ballot.

Below is the proposed ordinance.

AN ORDINANCE BANNING CORPORATE INCENTIVES
ANTI-CORPORATE WELFARE ORDINANCE

WHEREAS, the Village of Arlington Heights is a home rule municipal corporation in accordance with Article VII, Section 6(a) of the Constitution of the State of Illinois of 1970; and

WHEREAS, the Village has the authority to adopt ordinances and to promulgate rules and regulations that pertain to its government and affairs; and

WHEREAS, per Section 2-204 of the municipal code, upon a petition by at least one percent of the registered voters of the Village shall consider any proposal contained in the petition to amend, add to or delete from the general ordinances contained in the municipal code; and

WHEREAS, corporate welfare undermines the principles of equal rights enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Illinois Constitution, and the Arlington Heights municipal code; and

WHEREAS, a 2017 poll conducted by the University of Chicago’s Initiative on Global Markets found that 83 percent of the economists surveyed agreed, “Providing state and local subsidies to build stadiums for professional sports teams is likely to cost the relevant taxpayers more than any local economic benefits that are generated.”; and

WHEREAS, University of Illinois at Chicago Professor David Merriman reviewed more than 30 studies of TIF over several decades, and concluded that, “in most cases, TIF has not accomplished the goal of promoting economic development.”; and

WHEREAS, an August 2021 poll by Americans for Prosperity Illinois revealed 77 percent of Illinoisans oppose corporate welfare for political insiders, and support providing a level playing field for all businesses;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE PRESIDENT AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE VILLAGE OF ARLINGTON HEIGHTS

SECTION 1. RECITALS. The facts and statements contained in the preamble to this Ordinance are found to be true and correct and are hereby adopted as part of this Ordinance.

SECTION 2. BAN OF CORPORATE WELFARE PROGRAMS. The Village of Arlington Heights is prohibited from offering or extending any financial incentive to any business or corporation to operate in the village.

SECTION 3. DEFINITIONS. For use in this ordinance, “incentive” means any economic, financial benefit, or other incentives, including, but not limited to, those authorized under the Property Tax Code, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code (including, but not limited to, the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act), or any other provision of law authorizing abatements, credits, loans or tax or fee reductions.

SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Ordinance will be in full force and effect from and after its passage, approval, and publication in the manner provided by law.

 

 

 

Downers Grove AFP’s True Cost of Washington tour

From AFP-Illinois Grassroots Engagement Director Rand York

AFP-Illinois activists pose for a photo with Sam Odeh and his team in Downers Grove, IL. Activists lowered the cost of gas for customers, providing them with relief from the high cost of gas in 2022.

Downers Grove, Illinois – July 12, 2022: AFP-Illinois staff with gas station owner Sam Odeh and his team. Together, they provided nearly 160 cars with more than 1,600 gallons of discounted gas to counteract the high cost of gas in 2022.

Rand here with Americans for Prosperity. What a day in Downers Grove!

Even though Downers Grove is in DuPage County, we had many residents from Cook County who let us know their prices are even higher due to Cook County’s gas tax. That made the relief from the high cost of gas this year that much more valuable.

160 cars got relief from the high cost of gas in 2022 with discounted gas courtesy of AFP-Illinois and Power Gas Station.

Downers Grove, Illinois – July 12, 2022: A quick look at some of the cars who received relief from the rising cost of gas this year.

We were joined by State Representative Amy Grant, who is fighting hard in Springfield to lower the cost of living for Illinois residents. Together, we were able to provide discounted gas to over 160 individuals.

One person said the extra savings in gas was so impactful that he is now scheduling a trip to the beach with his kids, which was not possible this month due to having to cut costs everywhere he could.

We were appreciative of the gas station owner’s hospitality, too. Sam Odeh and his team cooked a great meal and fed the entire AFP staff, volunteers, and even many residents who parked their cars to learn more about the True Cost Campaign as we listened to stories about how difficult prices have been to them.

Fox 32 News’ coverage of the event helped drive people (no pun intended) down to the station for their discounted gas!

 

 

Americans For Prosperity – Illinois Rolls Back Price of Gas to President Biden’s First Day in Office

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 11, 2022                                                              

CONTACT: Jason Heffley, jheffley@afphq.org

Americans For Prosperity – Illinois Rolls Back Price of Gas to President Biden’s First Day in Office

The national average price of unleaded 87 octane gas was $2.38 when Biden took office

Kankakee, IL – Americans For Prosperity – Illinois (AFP-IL) rolled back gas prices in Kankakee today to welcome President Biden to Illinois. Lines to fill up with $2.38 per gallon gas, the average price the day President Biden took office, reached 4 blocks long. As of today, the average price for a gallon of gas in Illinois is $4.778 highlighting the challenges Illinois families are facing due to inflation caused by mountains of regulations and years of reckless spending from both parties.

“With the President in Illinois, we thought it fitting to welcome him to Kankakee with a reminder of the challenges Washington’s spending policies are creating for families across the country,” said AFP-IL State Director Jason Heffley. “Out-of-control government spending and burdensome regulations are primarily fueling the higher costs we’re all experiencing. It’s time we remove antiquated barriers to innovation, end wasteful spending, and unleash an economy where everyone is empowered to achieve the American Dream.”

 

Americans For Prosperity – Illinois Responds to Governor Pritzker’s FY 2023 Budget Address

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 2, 2022
CONTACT: Jason Heffley, jheffley@afphq.org

Americans For Prosperity – Illinois Responds to Governor Pritzker’s Budget Address

Springfield, IL – Americans For Prosperity – Illinois (AFP-IL) responded today to Governor Pritzker’s budget address in which he made promises for temporary tax relief after three years of enacting dozens of tax and fee hikes and proposing even larger tax increases. The Governor touted the state’s fiscal situation including the state credit rating increase which was only possible due to a one-time federal bailout. Illinois still has the worst bond rating, highest total tax burden, and largest unfunded pension liability of any state in the country under Governor Pritzker’s leadership.

AFP-IL State Director Jason Heffley released the following statement in response to today’s budget address:

“Today, Governor Pritzker offered a typical election-year budget address full of short-term proposals and gimmicks that will do nothing to improve the long-term fiscal health of Illinois’ struggling families. In Governor Pritzker’s first three years, he enacted 24 PERMANENT tax & fee hikes totaling $5.2 billion per year. Now, in an election year, he’s proposing $1B in TEMPORARY election-year tax cuts including some relief on the gas tax which he pushed to double in his first year. Illinois is 50th out of 50 states in credit rating, we are consistently one of the highest taxed states in the nation, and people are leaving more now than ever before for states with more opportunity. Our elected officials need to stop playing politics and get to work on permanently reducing the tax burden, improving transparency, and ending the culture of corruption and corporate welfare.”

For further information or an interview, reach Jason Heffley at jheffley@afphq.org.

Through broad-based grassroots outreach, Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is driving long-term solutions to the country’s biggest problems. AFP activists engage friends and neighbors on key issues and encourage them to take an active role in building a culture of mutual benefit, where people succeed by helping one another. AFP recruits and unites Illinoisans behind a common goal of advancing policies that will help people improve their lives. For more information, visit www.AmericansForProsperity.org

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Only in Illinois: State Finance Problems Are Not Fixed

Over the last year, some state politicians have been busy issuing press releases, conducting press conferences, and producing television commercials about how great Illinois’ finances are.

In reality, our state’s finances are still a mess and by many measures the worst in the nation. Illinois has the worst-in-the-nation bond rating and the lowest pension funding ratios despite the highest combined state and local taxes in the nation.

Tell Illinois legislators to fix our broken finances.

The inaccurate portrayal of our state’s finances by politicians delays the necessary and hard decisions we must make before it’s too late, especially on the issue of pension reform.

  • Only in Illinois, do politicians celebrate our worst-in-nation state bond rating. (A) (B) (C)
  • Only in Illinois, do politicians tout protecting the taxpayers while having the highest state and local tax burden in the nation. (A) (B) (C)
  • Only in Illinois, do politicians rejoice in paying off an emergency federal loan when we were the only state who needed it. (A) (B) (C) (D)
  • Only in Illinois, do politicians claim they are protecting taxpayers after raising taxes and fees 24 times in 3 years. (A) (B) (C) (D)
  • Only in Illinois, do the same politicians who hiked a trailer fee by $100/year, reduce it by $82/year then tout about the “savings” to taxpayers. (A) (B) (C) (D)
  • Only in Illinois, do politicians claim eliminating an education tax credit scholarship program for low-income kids, is a corporate tax loophole. (A) (B)
  • Only in Illinois, do politicians claim they’ve “balanced the budget” every year when it hasn’t been balanced since 2001. (A) (B) (C)
  • Only in Illinois, does it take a once-in-a-century pandemic and massive federal bailouts to maybe balance the budget. (A) (B) (C) (D)
  • Only in Illinois, do politicians tout pension reforms when we have the worst-funded pensions in the nation. (A) (B) (C)
  • Only in Illinois, do politicians close corporate loopholes but not the ones they personally benefit from. (A) (B) (C)
  • Only in Illinois, do politicians ask for over $44 billion in federal bailouts. (A) (B) (C)
  • Only in Illinois, do 88 legislators join a Property Tax Task Force and it results in zero enacted bills to reduce property taxes. (A) (B) (C)
  • Only in Illinois, there are over 7,000 units of local government 1,800+ more than any other state. (A) (B)
  • Only in Illinois, does corruption cost Illinoisans $556 million per year (A) (B)
  • Only in Illinois, does 28.5 percent of the state budget go to pensions and the only recently passed pension “reform” makes the situation worse. (A) (B) (C) (D)

We cannot let out-of-touch politicians ignore our state’s serious financial problems with political spin not grounded in reality. AFP-Illinois’ is focused on telling Illinois voters the truth about the state’s finances, and proposing real solutions to our problems.

Contact your elected official now and let them know you do not think Illinois finances are in great shape and they need to get to work to lower taxes and reduce spending.

Click here to demand fiscal accountability from Illinois legislators today.

Fighting Tax Hikes in Kane County

As part of the Prairie State Project, Americans for Prosperity – Illinois is fighting tax hikes in Kane County and our efforts were recently covered by the Daily Herald.

A petition against tax increases with more than 200 signatures represented residents who couldn’t attend the meeting.

“Think about the taxpayers of Kane County,” said resident Brian Costin. “They don’t need more tax increases. Taxpayers need relief.”

Having heard those comments and received a flood of similar emails, the board voted to postpone the budget and levy votes until 3 p.m. Nov. 30, at the Kane County Government Center, 719 S. Batavia Ave., Geneva. Nov. 30 is the last day of the county’s current fiscal year.

To send a message to Kane County Board members to reject tax increases send a message here.

“At Issue” with Craig Dellimore on WBBM Newsradio

Americans for Prosperity -Illinois’ Jason Heffley and Brian Costin joined Craig Dellimore on the “At Issue” on WBBM Newsradio to discuss the Prairie State Promise in a half an hour conversation.

Linked here for more.

HEFFLEY: The Prairie State Promise is a vision for a better Illinois

Jason Heffley, the State Director for Americans for Prosperity – Illinois, had an editorial published in the Kankakee Daily Journal about the Prairie State Promise reflecting on Illinois’ dire economic and government situation.

If we want this situation to change, we have to make it happen. To make it happen, we need a vision of a better way and a plan for how to get there.

The Prairie State Promise offers both. It is an agenda for change that can transform our state by eliminating barriers to opportunity and holding politicians and public officials accountable. And it addresses the issues Illinoisans care most about.

It’s an agenda that offers practical, common-sense solutions to our greatest challenges, and empowers people — rather than politicians — to make decisions about the policies that affect our lives and our families’ well-being.

Politico: AFP-Illinois launches the Prairie State Promise

In today’s Politico Playbook, authored by Shia Kapos, Americans for Prosperity’s Prairie State Promise project was mentioned. While we fight Illinois’ high taxes, we are much more than just an anti-tax group. Stay tuned for more information.

From Politico.

Americans For Prosperity, the anti-tax group connected to the Koch family, is launching a campaign in Illinois that opposes corruption, “corporate welfare” and government spending beyond its means while it supports safer communities and “educational empowerment.” The effort, called Prairie State Promise, plans events to rally support for its initiatives, according to a statement from Jason Heffley, the director of AFP in Illinois. “Politicians in this state have enacted countless laws fraught with reckless spending, high taxes, and self-serving policies, and we are seeing the consequences in the droves of families leaving Illinois,” Heffley says in the statement.”