" I am mom of 3 elementary school children in Chicago. I've rode buses to Springfield begging for educational funding fairness and property tax reform for years. At the end of the day of my citizen parent lobbying efforts NO changes are made and good tax reform legislation dies.

And at the end of their day the highly paid powerful union lobbyists for public employees, big business and trial lawyers are dining with my state represenative and senator. And I'm at Subway sandwiches with the rest of the moms before our 3.5 hr ride back to Springfield.

Moms across Illinois VOTE YES FOR OUR KIDS FUTURES ! Here a 6 reasons to do so!

www.yesforillinois.com/

www.conconIllinois.com

www.VoteYesOnTheConCon.Com

www.ReformYes.com

www.FairTaxes.Net

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xNOH3DpcKOM "

" I have been reading about the reasons we should vote against a constitutional convention, and they all seem well thought out and valid. However, I have not read about who wants a constitutional convention and why. Not being from Illinois, I don't know how your system works. Has some particular group called for a constitutional convention, or is it something that comes up automatically here every few years? "

" Vicky the answer is both. The state is required to put the issue to the voters every few years. AND several folks from their frustrations with the current governor and the legislature that refuses to propose a recall procedure for the constitution are calling for a CONCON as the only way to get a recall procedure put forward. The biggest problem I see is the financial one, we can't afford the cost. The second problem is that whoever is selected to be on the commission can throw out the entire constitution and start from scratch. What ever the group does it would still have to go to the voters to be ratified. It doesn't make sense to me to risk throwing "the baby out with the bath water" if the only change needed is a recall provision to oust an ineffectual/problematic governor. "

" The legislature has been in grid lock and ineffective for years. They passed a budget, nearly 2 billion more than they had money to pay for. To reinstate cuts, they robbed several funds and plans, to scrape enough money to maybe do it. We have to pay all that money back later, and the skimmed money will lose interest, so we pay more than they took, as usual. If thats done in the private sector, its called fraud. How would we even notice if they were kept from doing their jobs in springfield? They sit on their hands all spring, get forced to do summer school, pass a bloated budget, they make 60K plus a year for a part time job, travel accommodations, benefits, and a yearly chance to vote on various raises for themselves. With recess and holidays, they are lucky to work as many days a year as a teacher. I don't think its even close. What is a teachers starting salary? Could a teacher be this irresponsible, or ineffective, and keep their job, benefits, plus count on a raise, and get to vote on it themselves?

Members of the legislature are not on the convention, they don't participate other than the general assembly handles some of the required appropriating funds and some possible other aspects of it, I think. don't take my impressions of it, look into it on your own. Citizens are elected to be the convention delegates. Individuals need to be on something like this, not talking heads, or puppets.

Google: Illinois constitution changes 1970

In 1970, they changed very little. It is the fourth constitution of this state, and one change they did make, was that every 20 years, it is automatically put up for referendum, to hold a convention. They realized changing times and needs, require increased possibilities to correct out of date constitutional issues. It was difficult to get a convention on the ballot at all, when it finally went on in the late sixties.

Usually in election issues, its the folks screaming the most outrage over something you have to be more wary of. Status quoe holding groups, don't want to risk losing their leverage in this state.

Business and industry boomed in Illinois, until about when? Not when companies actually finally pull up their stakes, but when they stopped building here in the first place.

Utilities here are divided monopolies, They carve out their territories and now its simply up to the ICC to decide their profits. Business should usually be expected to invest, and economize its operations to remain competitive. In Illinois, power companies control the market, transmission, and ultimate price. Just one more way we get held up and our pockets sifted through, thanks to ineffective rules holding these leaders responsible for nothing.

Illinois is considered not industry and business friendly, by some. I would have to add consumers and citizens, to the list as well. Who is left that ultimately benefits in this climate? Perhaps one of the 1970 changes to the constitution has something to do with part of why it has been nearly 40 years of steady decline that followed.

Look at the facts, and look at every level of government in this state. Can we trust the folks in government to fix issues that have increasingly grown, for decades, or do some changes need to be made, to force their hands, in specific directions.

Federally guaranteed rights, cannot be stripped by a state constitution. This state has to get the OK, to change speed limits or it loses federal highway money.

Investing a hundred million, compared to the figures governments on every level in this state waste every year, is a sound investment, and a drop in the bucket compared to their huge wastes.

Springfield has had decades to turn this state around. They would rather chase their tails, charge special session overtime, be paid for living expenses and commuting to work, while giving themselves raises, and still not pass balanced budgets. Ultimately holding parks, programs and constantly the taxpayers hostage, for them not being capable of doing the jobs they are elected to do.

We really can't afford 20 more years of ensured stagnation in this state. It has increased dramatically, in the last 20 years, since the first mandated convention authorization went to a vote.

Consider the facts, and rationalize the fear and doom advertizing. Folks who like the way things are here, would be the most scared to see their corners on the markets put up for competition fairly. This is a mandated referendum, there is no real pro change side to this. It authorizes a convention, to elect delegates, meet, consider changes, propose them, and any changes go up for a vote. If they aren't what we think needs to happen, no changes happen. A few conventions in the early part of the century, went to vote and changes were voted down.

The Late sixties, and early seventies were not good times in politics, or many peoples mind sets. Citizens today, have more information accessible, and can make much better informed decisions. We can easily look at constitutions around the world, throughout its history now. Take the items that fit our current and foreseeable needs and craft them into our states rules for governing.

This state needs binding changes, forcing the way they have grown fond of doing business to change. Accountability, responsibility, and integrity, need to be made the cornerstone of government on all levels. Government jobs, need to be a public trust business. If fraud, or misconduct happens in those positions, penalties should be much steeper, not less so than if it happened in civilian life. These people don't have to break in to steal your money, they misappropriate it. They fly to town for 5 hrs, fly home, for 5800 plus a day, just for transportation costs.

Look at what we have, what they changed in 1970, and the few subsequent amendments, and see if it represents what you think our state should be held accountable to. This is a good time for citizens to try, instead of doing nothing. Trying, gives us a say, three times. Doing nothing, leaves it completely up to entrenched politicians, and their controlling special interests, for at least the next twenty years. "

" It will be those entrenched politicians who will be writing the new constitution. I certainly don't want Daley, Blago, Jones, et al in charge of it. "

" The ability to establish home rule, was one change. It was favorable to the chicago area, and Charleston has now sought to bring it to this area. Home rule has its value, but many associated flaws as well. I don't understand the gains the city hopes to see by converting to home rule. I don't currently understand the pitfalls that come with homerule adoption. Its up for vote, but has not been addressed in a pro/con honest presentation. I think if the city wants it, it should be published exactly why, and any down sides to the proposal need to be made public in the same statements informing citizens on the issue.

This paper has failed to offer any coverage of the issue. Its just another example of if you want informed, look elsewhere, its not our job, to answer questions on local issues, to make people more informed to decide how to vote.

I will look and see what I can find, and see if it makes it past the censorship. "

" Google: Illinois Home rule taxpayers

Note the: Sauk village eyes home rule question.

Numerous issues and examples are provided, of the implications adopting home rule, and once created its sometimes difficult to revert from it.

The convention in 70, created this tool. Many states require local pacts or constitutions to be written, to guide the implementation. Illinois does not. This one difference, is part of the failures of the constitutional changes, in the last successful convention. Municipalities do not disclose these new powers, they get when they seek it. They don't hesitate to sometimes max out their possibilities to max out additional taxes and fees, and an easier road to seizing private property, that is part of home rules tool shed.

This is one example of a bad change, to the constitution, that needs corrected, or discontinued. Its been almost fourty years, and obviously our government is not up to policing its self on behalf of responsibility to taxpayers. Municipalities are still seeking more power to enact their will on the backs of taxpayers, through this one tool. Charleston is counting on uninformed voters, thinking it is an answer to continued failures of city leaders, to do their mandated jobs effectively. "

" There are many things that people do understand about the Con Con. Every 20 years the Constitional Convention must be placed on the ballot. Secondly, the estimated cost of the con con is 80 million. These figures are based on the cost of the 1970 Con Con. Pensions can be at risk Teacher Retirement System, State Universities Retirment System, Illinois Municapl Retirement Fund. We can make changes to our constitution without having a con con. The Times-Courier Journal Gazette has done a very poor job informing the readers the pros and the cons of the Con Con. I urge everyone to tell your family and friends the facts behind the con con. "

" Mike wrote:"Look at what we have, what they changed in 1970, and the few subsequent amendments, and see if it represents what you think our state should be held accountable to."
Mike, if the amendments you favor cannot be made under our present system, why would you think political pressure on a convention would be any more effective in getting them inserted.
I would be terrified to live under a
Constitution assembled by a bunch of people who are simply trying to get their favorite issues in it. We've seen more and more how $$$ influence the US government, so who is to think that a Constitutional Convention would be immune to the $$$ that would be showered upon it. "

" Thanks--a lot of interesting information here. :) "

" Constitution: the set of principles adopted by a state or society for its government.

Does any one think our state government, on almost any level, is upholding any usefull principles in its implementation for the last several years.

Critics of this don't want intrusion on their rights. What are they getting now? Its been fourty years, and the last convention, didn't do the trick. In some ways it actually made things worse. 1970 was kind of a politicly volitile time in history. Citizens are elected to the convention to draft any changes. We heard the same opposition twenty years ago. Nothing was done, since then to make any needed changes. They did tweek the home rule, but it is discribed as a token change with no real results, but to appease taxpayers that efforts were made. They pull this nonsense all the time. Fear of fear is self defeating. We know its broke, what can it hurt to pop the hood and let some elected just for this folks, see if they can fix it. Changes have to be voted on, or we just keep the same that we have.

The constitution, is the basis for our government to function from. If government isn't functioning effectively, it is the constitution that is causing or allowig it to be that way. It needs changed. Springfield, can't even pass a budget, and they are robbing us blind at every level of government in this state.

These groups only have the constitution to answer to. It isn't protecting taxpayers, and we need accountability written into the next version, so that positions of public trust corruption, like this state has been long over run with, faces severe and biting concequences. Politics needs acountability forced upon it. The days of reliable good honest public servants, are long in our past. They deserve due process, but office abuse, and fraud involving tax dollars, needs to fill up that thompson corectional center, we might even have to build a new prison or two. Public office corruption, needs some drastic timeand restitution, to discourage it. It has to be clear direct and unshakable. Amendments haven't usually acomplished what they were intended to. I found no refferences to our constitution, being a model for others, except for it possibly having some prime examples of what not to do.

Perhaps if we make doing it wrong, punnishable by prison, people tend to wise up pretty fast. If they aren't there for more than the fringe bennifits, they will find some other criminal interprize, or line of work.

If this fails, we do still have options. We can't vote this down and let it go another twenty years to see what happens. Several changes need to be made. A convention is the best way to do that, but there really are not many Pro convention groups, except for ones that pop up that tend to have an agenda. Con convention groups have an agenda. Do nothing, we like the way it is, if it was really broke, it would have been fixed by the dedicated professionals we have in charge of stuff like this. No one is representing the truth, or the people, in their position on this.

Putting it up every twenty years, was a good idea. From looking at their changes, it might have been their only one. It seems property taxes were supposed to be eliminated by 1979. I'm not real sure what happened there. There is some interesting nonsense involved in state law. Yes its boring stuff, like TIF and TAX tables, but we aren't getting the truth, or even both sides of any information, this paper puts out. Look it up yourselves, or flip a coin to decide what you think. I just want more than provided information, to be something more to go on, when decisions of an important nature affect us like these do. Don't ever just take my word for anything, investigate the facts, and come to your own conclusions. People making the best infomed decisions is what elections should be about.

This paper, isn't on the side of the people. It chooses issues, sides, and allies, like a recess kickball game. Two weeks from the last day to vote, and issues on ballots have yet to be honestly covered. Its good they chose not to biasedly cover them, like they do most things, but that they had to choose, rather than just do thier job, says a lot. "

" Susan, I think that you are right on this one. So is RAK. "

" I submitted this before, but JG-TC didn't post it.
------------------
Jim Edgar, former Illinois governor, Urbana

October 3, 2008

As someone who had the honor of governing the State of Illinois for eight years, I share the outrage over the failure of our current leaders to come to grips with a huge budget deficit, assure quality education throughout the state and resolve other important issues. We need substantial change in state government.

However, I truly hope the people of our state join me in rejecting a constitutional convention as the vehicle for that change by voting "no" when the question is put before them on the Nov. 4 ballot. Our politics are broken, but the constitution works.

Throughout most of the nearly four decades since voters approved the state constitution, several governors and hundreds of legislators found common ground to move Illinois forward.

I worked with Democratic and Republican lawmakers to put state finances on solid footing, balance the budget, make Chicago public schools more accountable and help thousands of people move from welfare to work. Under this constitution, we have seen major capital improvement programs and advances that enhanced our economy and quality of life.

Our constitution, regarded as one of the best in the nation, certainly does not require the sweeping rewrite that a convention could produce. Like the U.S. Constitution, it is an enduring, broadly worded document that protects our rights, lays out a sound framework for governing and is insulated from the passions of the moment.

We have taken advantage of opportunities offered under the Illinois Constitution to make specific, well-considered changes in it. There is no need -- indeed there is real risk -- to laying it open to a convention manipulated by the same political players, interest groups and single-issue zealots that have wielded undue influence in the Statehouse.

We can and should reject leaders who have let us down. We have the opportunity, the power and the responsibility to do so on Nov. 4 and every two years thereafter. But we should not react to bad government by jeopardizing a good constitution. "

" Since when has cost ever been a consideration for any politician. Edgar was in around the time when money was a lot more abundant, but despite the calls from his party to step in when things are tight he has steadfastly refused. It's easier to sit on the sideline and throw bombs like he has done for the last several years, all the while living the life of Riley off his fat retirement check and his sweet payoff gig at the U of I. Politicians on both sides of the aisle have never watched our tax dollars like they watch their own purse, now have they? "

" Holy moly, the earth has moved...I'm in complete agreement with Harry Potter.... "

" Aw shucks, Neo. And where have you been? Your side hasn't been doing so hot lately, what with the pick of Palin and McCain's erratic behavior. "

" I wish I knew what to do about this as well, I've been told over and over again not to vote for a convention, how much power does blagojevich get in all this? "

" As for the cost, that money could better serve the citizens of Illinois.

While the Govenor and the General Assembly act like grade schoolers, they shouldn't be blessed to have the Con Con. After all, if they can't get a balanced budget, or a budget at all together, why would they be any more successful at re-writing the state constitution?? It's a lot like a group of kids in disagreement. One group says if you don't do things their way, they'll take the ball and leave. The other side says the same thing only they'll take the bat and leave. Why should we the citizens give the SPOILED BRATS in Springfield/(Chicago) the opportunity to twist the constitution to get back at the other side. Doing that only the citizens of the state will get scr+w+d the most.

We (the citizens) need to act like adults to these kids and tell them the only way to change anything is through amendments, which will HOPEFULLY come through compromise.

Vote NO on Con Con! "

" injustice85 wrote on Oct 27, 2008 11:46 AM:

" I wish I knew what to do about this as well, I've been told over and over again not to vote for a convention, how much power does blagojevich get in all this? "
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The constitution is not broke, the dimwits (both parties) are broke.
To me it not worth the constitution, to add by other than Amendment a greater ability to RECALL the Governor.
Do you really think down state will come out equal to where we are now if we allow a Con Con???? With Chicago controling everything in this state by sheer voting numbers, would you really want to vote YES???? "