Elgin resident Richard Evans, the Republican candidate in the District 22 State Senate race, recently signed a petition to qualify for an endorsement from a nationwide taxpayer consumer group, Taxpayers United of America (TUA).
Evans, a CPA, brings auditing, accounting and risk-management experience to the table.
The pro-life candidate, himself a father of a large family, made a point of reaching out to constituents in tandem with his petition commitment, offering to meet with stakeholders throughout the district and visit individual precincts in his continuing efforts to “get the word out” about his campaign.
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The Taxpayer Protection Pledge was created by Tax Accountability, a political action arm of TUA. To be considered for TUA’s endorsement, candidates are required both to sign the pledge and complete the accompanying questionnaire. Each signer promised: “I … on this date… pledge to the taxpayers of Illinois that I will support economic freedom by working to decrease the overall tax burden of Illinois taxpayers.”
The survey asked candidates whether they support or oppose raising Illinois' personal and corporate income tax rates, taxing retirement benefits, and cutting or increasing state income, expenditures, property and/or sales taxes, including specific products and services.
Additionally, opinions were sought on the idea of repealing the Illinois Constitution’s protection of government employee pensions.
“Thanks to years of high taxes, reckless spending and more than $111 billion in unfunded government employee pension liabilities, Illinois is one of the most financially unstable states in the nation,” Tax Accountability Chairman Jim Tobin said. “Our mission is to restore economic freedom by lowering property taxes, reducing the overall tax burden of Illinois residents, and reforming the government-pension systems in Illinois.”
By completing the questionnaire and Taxpayer Protection Pledge, candidates’ views are made more easily known to taxpayers, Tax Accountability said.
“(Your) position on the subject is key to your influence, as a government employee, on those who … have direct control,” the survey said.
Founded in 1976, Taxpayers United of America is one of the largest taxpayer-rights organizations in the nation.
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