Jun 14, 2016 Meet Illinois Congressional Candidate 11th District - Tonia Khouri in Joliet Illinois

On Jun 14, 2016, Meet Illinois Congressional Candidate 11th District - Tonia Khouri in Joliet, Illinois, at Cemenos Restaurant from 6:00pm to 7:30pm.

SEE EVENT DETAILS HERE: http://toniakhouri.com/event/talk-tonia-tuesday-june-14/

LEARN ABOUT TONIA: http://toniakhouri.com/about-tonia/

Tonia is a daughter, sister, wife and mother.

Born and raised in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Tonia and her four brothers grew up in a proud middle class family. Her father, a Marine, and her mother, a farmer from Princeton, Illinois, taught their children to value hard work, honesty, and determination. Tonia and her husband, Joe, work to instill those same values in their own three children – Stephanie, Tony, and Paul. The Khouri family resides in Aurora, Illinois.

Tonia is a small business owner.

12 years ago, Tonia and Joe started a home services company with one man and one truck. Green T started small, but after years of hard work and determination, Green T now serves over 22,000 customers in the Chicagoland area.

Tonia is a public servant.

After traveling around the country with her family to lobby for a bill that would promote religious freedom in the Near East and South Central Asia, Tonia realized that she could no longer sit on the sidelines. So, in 2012, she was elected to the DuPage County Board, emerging from a 7-way primary with the most votes in the district. In 2014, Tonia was re-elected to the DuPage County Board with over 61% of the vote.

Currently, Tonia serves as the Chairman of Economic Development on the DuPage County Board and continues to fight for Illinois taxpayers and their best interest at every opportunity.

As Chairman of Economic Development, Khouri took part in the creation of Metro West Manufacturing Workforce Collaboration, an initiative dedicated to connecting the unemployed and underemployed in western Cook County, DuPage County, and Fox River towns in Kane and Kendall Counties with quality jobs that provide livable wages. Through the use of public-private partnerships, candidates are provided with free training for skilled manufacturing jobs that need to be filled in DuPage County and surrounding areas.

Since taking office, Tonia has opposed all tax increases and voted against increasing the salaries of county elected officials. When Tonia heard that Springfield wanted to levy an 11% income tax on small business, she decided to again stand up and take action. She led the effort to pass a resolution opposing the proposed tax. The bill never came to the floor in Springfield.

Tonia is focused on the issues you care about.

Tonia spent most of 2015 traveling the 11th district, getting to know residents and listening to their concerns for the future of our country and state. Tonia emerged from this experience with three major focuses: national security, economic growth, and lifting the poor up from poverty.

These are the most obvious priorities of the 11th district residents and they are the priorities that Tonia is committed to taking with her to Washington.

New Illinois Tax Proposed By Democrat Mary Flowers - Taxing Your Financial Trading In Chicago

WARNING: FINANCIAL TAX BILL JUST FILED!!!! HB106

Illinois State House Rep. (Democrat) Mary Flowers wants to TAX << EVERY >> Purchase or Sale, a $1 or $2 Tax for << EVERY TRANSACTION >> if you invest in the following: Chicago Stock Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the Chicago Board of Trade, and the Chicago Board Options Exchange... 

Someone should ask current Joliet (District 86) Illinois House Representative (Democrat) Larry Walsh Jr., if he supports this NEW PROPOSED TAX! 

Democrats, like Larry Walsh Jr. will call it the "Taxing The Rich" In Illinois Bill! But make no mistake it'll have BIG financial negative reprocussions if its ever passed!  

See for yourself!

Congratulations College Grads - Welcome To $30k in Debt

May 11, 2015
Joliet, Illinois

So your teen made it past a sea of harsh teenage unemployment, found their way to college and through hard work and perseverance they've graduated.  It is quite a feat and one that should be celebrated in the next coming months, rightly so.  But then after the celebrations are done and the hard-earned diploma is framed and placed on the wall, reality sets in, for parents and the graduate themselves... now we're stuck with $30,000 in student loan debt (this is an average debt of all students across this great nation.. many owe more)!

According to this national news source (from January 2015):
"With a rise in the number of students attending two and four-year universities comes a staggering increase in student loan debt.

To give you some context, 40 million Americans now have at least one outstanding student loan, with the average borrower carrying four different education-related loans. These numbers have pushed the student debt crisis to epic proportions, setting the amount of collectively-held student debt at an all-time high of $1.5 trillion.

This crisis has also given rise to a generation of "boomerang kids," with legions of college graduates putting off moving out, starting a family and buying a home due to overwhelming student debt. The average class of 2014 graduate left college $34,000 in the hole."

Even college organizations have lauded this fact, such as the National Organization of College Republicans (found on Twitter at @CRNC) posted about our national collegiate debt this week:

With a stagnant economy, especially in Illinois, having this high amount of college debt and the inability to secure a job to help pay off this debt, has further reaching ramifications:

As reported by U.S. News and World Report:  "In February [of 2015], the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that student loan balances rose to $1.16 trillion and that 11.3 percent of that is in delinquency – that is, not being paid back. The New York Fed is worried that this debt is preventing students from becoming self-sufficient adults who can live on their own.  “Student loan delinquencies and repayment problems appear to be reducing borrowers’ ability to form their own households,” wrote Donghoon Lee, research officer at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, in a press release accompanying the Feb. 17 report."

In April of 2015, USA Today News reported 
the following on this collegiate debt crisis:

"“I’ve got student loans just like everyone else walking around,” says Craig, a senior at Old Dominion University. “I expect my debt to be around $30,000 by the time I’m done here.”

“Yes, I have student loans,” says Kyle Coghill, a junior at Old Dominion. “I’m a 22-year-old studying communications at a university. Of course I have them. I have absolutely no clue how long I’ll be paying them off. I don’t really want to think about that.”

Craig and Coghill are just two of the 40 million people across the United States who have monumental student debt, as reported by CNN. In fact, student loans have increased by 84% since the recession (from 2008 to 2014) and are the only type of consumer debt not decreasing, according to a study from Experian, which analyzed student loan trends from 2008 through 2014.  The analysis also finds that in total, a staggering $1.2 trillion is bleeding students dry."

According to a March 10, 2015 report by the Wall Street Journal, Illinois 

student debt holds true to the national trend:

So our young adults in Illinois have accumulated $49.4 Billion in debt!  This is an alarming amount of debt for young adults in the State of Illinois!  Is this you, or your child's debt?  It is still being said that having a college education is the best path towards gaining employment.  However, without strong conservative leadership across our cities, counties and at the State General Assembly, Illinois will remain an un-friendly business environment, one in which jobs will not be created to assist these young adults in reaching their true potential in society.

With the election of Governor Bruce Rauner, Illinois has taken a small step forward towards a more prosperous business-friendly and job-growth state, but this was just a baby-step, we must keep pushing forward... elections will be coming again in 2016.

Liberal policies (high taxation, over-budget spending, high regulations, high barriers to business entry) over the past few decades, have placed a stranglehold, a stagnation, on the prosperity of our state.  We must continue to look for candidates, at every level, that understand the "economics" of Illinois and put those budget and tax conscious candidates in place to continue to put Illinois back on the right path towards economic growth, for these graduates and for future graduates.

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Twitter: @WillCoFreedom

Bob O'Dekirk Prepares For New Mayor Position Which Starts May 4, 2015

Bob O'Dekirk Prepares For New Mayor Position Which Starts May 4, 2015

From the Joliet Herald News, April 9, 2015:

"Mayor-Elect Bob O'Dekirk said Wednesday that he considers his 52 percent of Tuesday's vote in Joliet's mayoral election a mandate that will help him make changes at City Hall.  "When I talked about a change in culture at City Hall, I meant that," O'Dekirk said Wednesday during an interview about plans after being elected Tuesday.

O'Dekirk, who will be sworn in May 4, finished well ahead of incumbent Mayor Tom Giarrante, who had 39 percent of the vote, and Andy Mihelich, who had 9 percent.  "I do believe that there's a mindset that because we've done business a certain way for a long time, that's the way we're going to do it," he said.

In Joliet, the mayor is just one of nine votes on the City Council. He has no veto power. The mayor has the power to make appointments, but the City Council can block them."

---

ABOUT THE CITY OF JOLIET & ITS GOVERNMENT

The City of Joliet is a "Home Rule" Municipality.  Its actions are governed by Illinois Municipal statute 625 ILCS 5/1-2.1 (see http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs5.asp?ActID=802&ChapterID=14 )

ABOUT HOME RULE

The Illinois Constitution allows both counties and municipalities to obtain home rule status. Municipalities may adopt home rule status through referendum or obtain automatic home rule status as a consequence of having a population greater than 25,000. A county has home rule status if it has a chief executive officer elected at large and passes a home rule referendum.

Joliet Municipal Code/Ordinances (View All Local Ordinances) https://www.municode.com/library/il/joliet/codes/code_of_ordinances 

Under the 1970 Illinois Constitution, Home Rule shifts decision making from the state level (Springfield) to the local level, enabling communities to find local solutions to local problems. Home Rule communities are granted a broad range of powers for the local good unless exempted by the State. Often a Home Rule community is exempted from meeting requirements mandated by state legislation. Municipalities with populations over 25,000 are automatically granted Home Rule status, while smaller communities can put the question on a ballot and let voters decide. The majority (over 70%) of Illinois’ 12.5 million citizens live in Home Rule communities. Among Illinois communities having Home Rule, 55% attained Home Rule status by voter approval of a Home Rule referendum. No community has petitioned to revoke Home Rule status in the past 20 years.

The Illinois Constitution allows a home rule unit to “exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs.”  Home rule units are able to regulate and impose taxes in creative ways in order to solve local issues. However, the few checks on potential misuse of power through excessive taxation or overbearing regulatory authority is a potentially contentious issue among voters.

However, in the area of taxation, both a home rule county and a home rule municipality may impose a tax on the same item concurrently. In other words, a citizen could pay a municipal, county, and state sales tax all at the same time. Furthermore, if a home rule municipality enacts an ordinance that ensures its citizens a certain item will not be taxed, this municipal ordinance does not restrict the county from taxing that item. Conversely, a municipality cannot enact an ordinance exempting its citizens from a county tax relying on the language of the Illinois Constitution.

HOME RULE AND SALES TAX

Home rule units of local government are authorized to impose a Home Rule sales tax and certain non-home rule units of local government are authorized to impose a Non-home Rule sales tax to be collected by the department. Both taxes are imposed on the same general merchandise base as the state sales tax, excluding titled or registered tangible personal property (such as vehicles, watercraft, aircraft, trailers, and mobile homes), and qualifying food, drugs and medical appliances.

·         The Home Rule sales tax is in 0.25% increments with no maximum rate limit.

·         The Non-home Rule sales tax is in 0.25% increments with a 1% maximum rate limit.

Some Will County municipalities have a home rule sales tax ranging from 0.5% - 1.5%

The Illinois Property Tax System: A General Guide to the Local Property Tax System

http://tax.illinois.gov/publications/localgovernment/ptax1004.pdf

RELATED INFORMATION ON HOME RULE

An Illinois Supreme Court majority has ruled that a home rule municipality may enact local ordinances with different requirements than state statutes, as long as the General Assembly has not expressly exercised exclusive control over the particular subject matter of the laws.

In Palm v. 2800 Lake Shore Drive Condo Ass'n, 2013 IL 110505, a 5-2 divided court upheld a Chicago ordinance concerning requests for production of financial records from condominium associations, even though the Chicago law differs substantially from two state statutes governing the same subject.

Larry Walsh Jr.'s Inaction Costs Senior Citizens Food, Services and Assistance

Larry Walsh Jr., Illinois House Representative for District 86 (Joliet, Illinois), other than hand out fans during the summer with his father, in hopes of earning votes from Seniors, does little to help Senior Citizens of Joliet.

As reported on February 1, 2015 by the Joliet Herald News:

"Volunteers are making deliveries one day fewer a week now. Because of financial difficulties, the Senior Services Center was forced last month to cut the meal delivery program from five days to four.

That means 500 to 600 Will County senior citizens in need enrolled in the program have to find alternative meals every Wednesday.

The center’s finances may become more dire if it doesn’t find funding to pay its line of credit soon. That line of credit was cut to $400,000 in the fall after a bank review found the value of the center’s building went down, Executive Director Patricia Hensley said.

The culprit for most of the center’s financial problems is lagging state payments. The state owes between $400,000 and $500,000 in allocated funding to the center, but hasn’t kept up on payments. It’s caused a serious cash flow problem at the center, Hensley said."

Who is on the Board of Directors of the Senior Services Center? You guessed it... Larry Walsh Jr. 
See for yourself http://www.willcountyseniors.org/board-of-directors.php

As the current Illinois House Dist. 86 Representative, Larry Walsh Jr. has not contacted the former Governor Pat Quinn or the current Governor, Bruce Rauner, regarding the financial woes of the Senior Services Center.  In addition, over the past 2 years (his first full term in office from 2012-2014), he has FAILED to introduce ANY legislation to the Illinois General Assembly to address the lagging state payments.  Are we wrong? Prove it, we'll apologize!

We understand that the State of Illinois is in financial distress, but you can thank Walsh's predecessor, Jack McGuire for his 20-years of tax and spending and thank Walsh Jr. himself for doing nothing about the economy in his first full term of office.

The November 2014 election have come and gone and I guess a congratulations are in order for Larry Walsh Jr... Because he focused on nothing else!

Will County Democrats - Including Larry Walsh Sr. - Vote For Tax Increases

All Democrats vote for Property Tax Increase with Will County Executive Breaking the tie!

All Republicans voted no in the Lame Duck secession 11/20/2014

From the Will County News:

 

""Democrats try to give the perception that they are for the working class yet fight for tax increases every time. There has not been a tax the Democrats have not liked, and they are all ears to finding new ways to raise cash for a government that like a BEAST needs more and more nourishment. The Will County Board was split 13 to 13 with the deciding vote going to the Democrat County Executive Larry Walsh. The 2014 November election gave the majority back to the Republicans who will be take office in December. The Democrats still had control at the Lame Duck Secession with Executive Walsh’s vote. Democrats voted to raise the following Property Tax Levy’s:

 

1.       Corporate Fund
2.       FICA
3.       IMRF
4.       Tort Immunity Fund
5.       Workman’s Comp Reserve Fund
6.       TB Sanitarium Fund
7.       County Highway Fund
8.       County Bridge Fund
9.       Federal Aid Matching Fund

Republican control begins in December. A time of Fiscal Responsibility will return to the Will County Board. Unlike Democrats who refer to the Property tax increase as just $5 to 10 Dollars, Republicans understand the increase coupled with the other property tax increases puts an increased burden on families.

Will County Board Member Steve Balich said, “Obamacare cost for health insurance has increased with less coverage. It cost more for food, and other taxing bodies especially the schools keep raising our taxes, causing the disposable income of families to be less.” Walsh said in a Southtown Star article “For the average homeowner, the higher levy will mean paying $5.50 more per year in property tax. The levy increase includes $1.6 million more in the actual levy (a 1.5 percent increase in the Consumer Price Index) plus $1.3 million from new property.”

Before the vote, Republican board member Mike Fricilone (Republican) proposed cutting the budget $1.8 million, taken from the county’s capital improvements budget.

Republicans Jim Moustis and Steve Balich as well as a citizen from Tinley Park, pointed out that homeowners have seen property taxes continue to rise while home values go down.
“Balich said, “Everybody’s struggling right now. Any tax increase at this time is bad.”

Jim Moustis said “Will County is just one of many taxing districts in the county. This is death by a thousand cuts. Will County can go forward, in my opinion, and accomplish our goals without raising taxes. Property Tax is only about 1/3 of the total revenue sources.”

Chuck Maher saw no need to raise the budget with $100,000,000 in reserves and savings not included in the budget from re-financing Bonds at a lower rate. Contrary to a statement made by the Executives Chief of staff that Republicans said nothing in Committee; Balich said he asked to have 1cent cut from every line item during the finance committee meeting on the Budget.

Mike Fricilone said “As I stated at the Board meeting its time for the County to show some leadership and hold the line on tax increases so hopefully other taxing bodies, like the Schools, Fire Districts, Townships, Library’s etc. will take a cue from will county and stop over taxing the residents of Will county.”

 

In a Times Weekly Article Walsh said, “Republican Will County Board members didn't just vote against the 2014-15 budget Thursday but against all 11 levies needed to fund county government after Dec. 1.” This action incensed Will County Executive Larry Walsh.    As a resident of Will County I am incensed at this Property Tax increase and increases by the other taxing bodies. I can’t believe especially the schools need to have so much of my hard earned money to operate. District 33C in Homer Glen/Lockport cost $19,000 per student per year. The Fire Districts, Library, and the rest raise property Taxes to the max because they can. There is never an effort to cut the spending and taxes.

 

When asked, Mike Fricilone the Republican Caucus Whip said, “The intent was never to shut down the government.” Fricilone repeated that the County needs to take a leadership role in stopping over taxation by every taxing body.” 

 

A gentleman from Tinley Park at the Board Meeting spoke in comments from the public saying when will it end. How long before I am taxed out of my house.  These increasing taxes are un-sustainable.

 

http://thewillcountynews.com/?p=2342

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwma0_nrzSw&list=UUAeFfS9qrEaDJKh9Ov5LmyA  Discussion starts 1:08 into the meeting.""

Larry Walsh Jr. Votes To Give Himself A Pay Raise on May 30th, 2014

PAY RAISE FOR WALSH JR. WHILE STATE SITS AT 3RD WORST IN NATION FOR UNEMPLOYMENT!

Illinois currently has the 3rd worst unemployment in the nation, has billions in unpaid bills and Larry Walsh Jr. (D-IL Dist.86) just voted to give himself a pay raise - a 4.6% pay raise; when seniors living on Social Security ONLY received a 1.5% cost of living increase.  The average median income across Illinois (not Joliet, not Will County, but across Illinois) is $56,000 (that is those lucky enough to be employed in this state) and Walsh Jr. voted to increase his pay, up-to earning about $70,000 per year.

SNAP (food stamp - link card food assistance) rose during his 2 years in office as a State House Rep.:
"While the number of people using the program across the country rose 2.7 percent from February 2012 to February 2013, it rose 10.5 percent in Illinois, the highest of any state, according to an analysis by the Illinois Policy Institute."

People out of work. People can't afford food and Walsh Jr. needs a pay raise? Apparently he felt that our State going from 2nd worst in the nation - in unemployment - to 3rd worst in the nation, earned him a pay raise!  Apparently so!

In addition, he doesn't work from June to November (barring a special session or veto session called by the Governor during this time).  Do you get $70-k a year while having 4 months off?  Not many of us do!

Shameful!

His vote to give himself a pay-raise can be seen here:
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/votehistory/98/house/09800SB0274_05302014_008000T.pdf

Thanks Walsh Jr.... Living high off the taxpayer!

This is the declining median household income of the average American across the USA!