Petition for Financial Accountability and Opposition to Unjustified Tax and Fee Increases
Petition for Financial Accountability and Opposition to Unjustified Tax and Fee Increases
The Issue
We, the undersigned residents of Lyons, call for immediate financial accountability from the Village government and demand that a formal audit be conducted by an independent auditor. Additionally, we strongly oppose the proposed 2024 Property Tax Levy, which we believe is unjust and indicative of broader financial mismanagement.
On October 24, 2024, the Board of Trustees held a special meeting to approve salary increases for themselves. This decision, combined with their support for several ordinances that further burden taxpayers, demonstrates a troubling disregard for the financial well-being of the community. On December 17th, the Board of Trustees voted to implement the following changes:
• Ordinance 12-17-24-05: Imposes a new fee for processing business incentives.
• Ordinance 12-17-24-06: Increases fees for vehicle stickers.
• Ordinance 12-17-24-07: Raises rates for sewer and certain water services.
• Ordinance 12-17-24-08: Increases garbage collection rates.
• Ordinance 12-17-24-09: Raises certain police department fees and fines.
• Motion 12-17-24-MI: Approves changes to an agreement with Paramedic Services of Illinois, Inc.
These actions, which directly raise costs for taxpayers, are especially concerning given the Village’s ongoing failure to provide financial transparency. According to the Illinois Comptroller’s office, the Village of Lyons has not submitted required financial documents for the past three years. Furthermore, the Village has yet to release a proposed budget for 2024 or 2025, nor has it issued the Annual Financial Report for 2023. According to the Village’s website, the Finance Division is responsible for overseeing audits and preparing the Annual Financial Report (AFR). These responsibilities are clearly not being met, and the Board of Trustees has failed to ensure accountability.
This pattern of negligence suggests that our government is prioritizing its own interests over those of the community. We demand immediate corrective action, including a full independent audit, financial transparency, and a halt to additional tax and fee increases until these issues are resolved.
82
The Issue
We, the undersigned residents of Lyons, call for immediate financial accountability from the Village government and demand that a formal audit be conducted by an independent auditor. Additionally, we strongly oppose the proposed 2024 Property Tax Levy, which we believe is unjust and indicative of broader financial mismanagement.
On October 24, 2024, the Board of Trustees held a special meeting to approve salary increases for themselves. This decision, combined with their support for several ordinances that further burden taxpayers, demonstrates a troubling disregard for the financial well-being of the community. On December 17th, the Board of Trustees voted to implement the following changes:
• Ordinance 12-17-24-05: Imposes a new fee for processing business incentives.
• Ordinance 12-17-24-06: Increases fees for vehicle stickers.
• Ordinance 12-17-24-07: Raises rates for sewer and certain water services.
• Ordinance 12-17-24-08: Increases garbage collection rates.
• Ordinance 12-17-24-09: Raises certain police department fees and fines.
• Motion 12-17-24-MI: Approves changes to an agreement with Paramedic Services of Illinois, Inc.
These actions, which directly raise costs for taxpayers, are especially concerning given the Village’s ongoing failure to provide financial transparency. According to the Illinois Comptroller’s office, the Village of Lyons has not submitted required financial documents for the past three years. Furthermore, the Village has yet to release a proposed budget for 2024 or 2025, nor has it issued the Annual Financial Report for 2023. According to the Village’s website, the Finance Division is responsible for overseeing audits and preparing the Annual Financial Report (AFR). These responsibilities are clearly not being met, and the Board of Trustees has failed to ensure accountability.
This pattern of negligence suggests that our government is prioritizing its own interests over those of the community. We demand immediate corrective action, including a full independent audit, financial transparency, and a halt to additional tax and fee increases until these issues are resolved.
82
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Petition created on December 21, 2024