Tryon Report – Part 2

Part 2 of State Rep. Mike Tryon’s end of session report:

Tryon Sponsors Series of Tax Freeze and Relief Bills

Taxpayers in Illinois are at their limit in the amount of taxes they can pay, and in Springfield I am a strong advocate for tax relief and tax freezes. This year I was a co-sponsor of several initiatives, including:

  • HB493: Beginning in tax year 2016, increases the maximum income limitation under the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption from $55,000 to $75,000.
  • HB2434: Increases the Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption maximum reduction from $5,000 to $7,000
  • HB2454: Similar to HB2434; Raises the Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption maximum from $5,000 to $7,000.
  • HB3579: Changes the way property tax assessments are evaluated and corrected; provides that 1/23 of fair cash value is determined by the lesser of current law or the valuation of the property in the year immediately preceding the assessment year.
  • HB4119: Provides that the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption also applies to disabled persons.

Unfortunately, taxpayer protection bills like these are not well-received by the controlling party, and the Speaker of the House bottled all of them up in the House Rules Committee where they were never scheduled for a hearing. I will continue to be a leading voice on property tax relief issues in the House.

Intergovernmental Cooperation leads to $63 Million Allocation for Longmeadow Parkway

Mike Tryon confers in his office.

Mike Tryon confers in his office.

Three years ago, when the legislative maps were redrawn and I began representing some portions of Northern Kane County, community leaders came to me right away and let me know that the extension of Longmeadow Parkway to provide for a bridge across the Fox River was a top priority.

Since that time, Senator Karen McConnaughay and I have worked very closely with the mayors and village managers from Southern McHenry and Northern Kane Counties in making sure the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) knows that state funding for Longmeadow Parkway needs to also be an IDOT priority.
I’m happy to report that the new multi-year plan from IDOT includes close to $63 million for design and development of Longmeadow Parkway.

The IDOT 2016-2019 Highway Improvement Program for District 1 includes seven different projects that will move the Longmeadow Parkway bridge project forward. Money to fund the program comes from motor-fuel taxes, vehicle registration taxes and federal sources.

Motorists who must cross the Fox River during their daily commute are aware of the dire need for a third bridge across the Fox River. In addition to the traffic mitigation benefits, the opportunities for economic development that would result from the project’s completion are significant. Especially for the Villages of Algonquin, Carpentersville, and for East and West Dundee, this third accessway across the Fox will open the door to future business growth and prosperity.

Tryon Participates in Bipartisan Task Force on Education Funding

MIke Tryon at task force considering a redistribution of State Aid to Education.

MIke Tryon at task force considering a redistribution of State Aid to Education.

Last year I was a vocal opponent of SB16, which sought to fundamentally rewrite the school funding formula in a way that was very punitive to the taxpayers of the 66th District.

At the time, I was one of the primary proponents of creating a task force so that an in-depth study could be completed prior to any vote on a significant change to the funding formula.
In January, last year’s SB16 was refiled with a few minor modifications as SB1.
In March, I was chosen to serve on a task force that is doing a deep dive into all areas of the education funding debate. The 23-member group met regularly throughout the spring session and our work is ongoing.
Together we will ultimately bring forward recommendations that will bring fairness and equity to school funding, so that all students statewide have optimal opportunities for success.

Democrats Try to Change Rules for Collective Bargaining

On one of the final days of the legislative session, majority party legislators from both chambers approved a change to the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act that paves the way for public employees to unilaterally default to binding arbitration in the event of unsuccessful contract negotiations.

I was a vocal opponent to this irresponsible bill and believe Governor Rauner will veto it.SB1229 sets a dangerous precedent that all but removes any incentive for union representatives to negotiate in good faith.

I believe strongly that the right to strike is fundamental to the bargaining process. It is, in fact, what motivates each side to be able to come to an agreement that is fair. SB1229 would remove the ability for a union to strike or for management to lockout workers when arbitration commences. The bill also would remove the Governor, elected by the people of Illinois to represent them in contract negotiations, with an unelected arbiter.

Arbitration is different than mediation. Whereas during mediation the goal is compromise, in arbitration the arbiter listens to both sides’ proposals and chooses one or the other- and cost of the contract or ability to pay cannot be a contributing factor in the decision. Given our state’s precarious financial situation, allowing an arbiter to make decisions with taxpayer dollars with no regard for Illinois’ budget situation is extremely dangerous. Even unionized workers have expressed their opposition to the measure since it removes the ability to strike. Despite that opposition, SB1229 was sent to the Governor on June 4.


Comments

Tryon Report – Part 2 — 4 Comments

  1. Unions LOVE binding arbitration!!

    They very rarely lose!!

    Who determines who serves as an arbitrator?

  2. I would like to raise the caps for property taxes for seniors but who would pay for it?

    That is the what Tyron needs to answer.

    They can’t renege on promises made to workers in the past.

    Why don’t they negotiate with the public unions to take the colas away?

    Most private union pensions don’t get colas.

  3. And how many years ago did I approach you with the dire request that you spearhead the cause of removing the neurotoxins (fluoride?) from our water supply?

    Do you remember what you said? “Bueller,… Bueller,… Bueller”…

  4. The biggest factors hiking property taxes are hiked salaries and benefits, and bond debt.

    Salaries and benefit hikes result from collective bargaining agreements and administator / management contracts.

    Collective bargaining laws have been changed over the years by Republicans and Democrats to skew pro labor at the expense of the taxpayer.

    The bill to modify current collective bargaining laws has issues.

    To learn more about what happens in collective bargaining, mediation, and arbitration, visit the state Labor Review Board websites.

    Illinois Labor Relations Board (ILRB).
    http://www.state.il.us/ilrb
    http://www.state.il.us/ilrb/subsections/arbitration/index.asp

    Illinois Educational Labor Review Boards (IELRB)
    http://www.illinois.gov/elrb

    ++++++++

    The #1 financial problem affecting Illinois taxpayers though is public sector pensions.

    The best way to fix pensions is to repeal via constitutional amendment the sentence added to state constitution on December 15, 1970.

    The sentence was used to hike pensions by hiking pension benefits, hiking salaries (salary hikes result in pension hikes), and diverting pension funding to hike salaries.

    The sentence did not result in better funded pensions.

    The sentence resulted in hiked pensions.

    The sentence did not and does not work.

    Repeal the sentence.

    Here is the sentence.

    “Membership in any pension or retirement system of the State, any unit of local government or school district, or any agency or instrumentality thereof, shall be an enforceable contractual relationship, the benefits of which shall not be diminished or impaired.”

    That sentence is an attack on taxpayers.

    It’s had a devastating effect on state finances.

    That sentence means taxpayers must fund unlimited legislative pension benefit and unlimited salary hikes irregardless of the ability of taxpayers to fund the hikes.

    It’s insane.

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