Dupage Policy Journal

Voters in Milton Township this week rejected a proposed referendum that sought to create a new government entity that opponents say could have meant a tax increase of 350%.

With Illinois residents already paying the highest property taxes in the country as a percentage of home value, Advocacy group Breakthrough Ideas was among the organizations encouraging taxpayers to make a stand for themselves.

“This is a big victory for local taxpayers,” Jeanne Ives, CEO and co-founder of the organization launched earlier this year said in a press release. “We believe another tax would be a financial no-win situation for families and businesses in DuPage County.”

Critics of the proposed tax accused Democratic lawmakers of working to mislead voters about its potential effect in the same way they claim that Democrats did with the graduated tax pushed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker that was roundly rejected by voters at the ballot box in November.

In the case of the latest proposal, Ives said the truth was always on Breakthrough Ideas' side.

“We wanted to make sure voters understood that raising taxes at any level of government without making major spending reforms would only exacerbate the fiscal crisis that is hurting residents,” she said.

Ives said the campaign to make voters more educated and aware included blog posts, live social media videos, targeted social media ads and graphics, a shareable flyer and a grassroots campaign that spread across the community.