Illinois Voters: Please vote NO on a constitutional convention!

There. Have I got your attention? Thanks.

For those of you reading this blog who live and vote in Illinois, I have a very important favor to ask you. When you go to vote next Tuesday, you'll see a referendum on the ballot that looks like this:

Constitutional Convention Explanation of Proposed Call

This proposal deals with a call for a state Constitutional Convention. The last such convention was held in 1969-70, and a new Constitution was adopted in 1970. The 1970 Illinois Constitution requires that the question of calling a convention be placed before the voters every 20 years. If you support the calling of a Constitutional Convention, vote “YES.” If you oppose the calling of a Constitutional Convention, vote “NO.”

For the calling of a Constitutional Convention.

Please, PLEASE vote "NO". Here's why.

A lot of us here in Illinois are beyond frustrated with our state government, and that frustration is fueling the drive to call a new constitutional convention. To me, the most important reason to oppose a new constitutional convention is that it would give politicians in Springfield a chance to completely re-write the existing laws governing public pensions, potentially allowing politicians access to the money in our pension funds. A lot of politicians cast a hungry eye toward the millions of currently protected dollars sitting in the pension funds of police officers, firefighters and teachers. I don't want them screwing around with my retirement fund. Simple as that.

You can click on this link to view a presentation from the Illinois Public Pension Fund Association for more information.

Maybe that's not persuasive enough. How about the fact that a constitutional convention will cost taxpayers somewhere around $80 million?!

Here's a list of organizations that oppose calling a new constitutional convention. (from the Alliance to Protect the Illinois Constitution website):

American Insurance Association
Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois
Center for Tax and Budget Accountability
Chicago Urban League
Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
Citizen Action/Illinois
The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce
Illinois Association of Convenience Stores
Illinois Association of Park Districts
Illinois Association of School Administrators
Illinois Business RoundTable
Illinois Civil Justice League
Illinois Education Association
Illinois Farm Bureau
Illinois Federation of Teachers
Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Illinois Hospital Association
Illinois Manufacturers Association
Illinois Petroleum Marketers Association
Illinois Retail Merchants Assoc.
Illinois Retired Teachers Association
Illinois State AFL-CIO
Illinois State Chamber of Commerce
Illinois State Black Chamber of Commerce
Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
League of Women Voters of Illinois
Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce
McLean County Chamber of Commerce
National Federation of Independent Businesses/Illinois
Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce
Police Benevolent and Protective Association of Illinois
SEIU Illinois
State University Annuitants Association
Taxpayers' Federation of Illinois
Tooling and Manufacturing Association
Union League Club of Chicago

If you'd like more information, click on this link to the Top Ten Reasons to Vote "No" on a Constitutional Convention.

Thank you!


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