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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:00 PM CDT
Farm Bureau: Vote 'no' on con-con question

By ILLINOIS FARM BUREAU, For the JG/T-C

When Illinois voters go to the polls Nov. 4, they will eventually work their way to a referendum at the bottom of the ballot asking whether they support a state Constitutional Convention.

Illinois Farm Bureau is encouraging voters to take a moment to consider what a constitutional convention would mean and urging voters to color in the oval that says “no.”

Farm Bureau is among several organizations, including the League of Women Voters of Illinois, supporting a “no” vote, arguing that a constitutional convention, or con-con, is unnecessary because the root causes of problems in state government lie with the failings of elected officials, not the Illinois constitution.

“Farm Bureau believes the constitutional framework in Illinois is working well. Clearly, some of the people working within that framework are causing the mess in state government.

If voters are frustrated or dissatisfied with the current leadership in Springfield, a constitutional convention is not the best way to address the situation. In fact, opening up the constitution to major revisions would be like opening a can of worms.

“The way to fix the problems in state government is for citizens to stay engaged on the issues, work to elect responsible leaders, and hold them accountable at the ballot box,” says Illinois Farm Bureau President Philip Nelson.

The legislature sets the rules for any constitutional convention. Con-con critics argue that tremendous sums of money would go into elections of non partisan con-con delegates who would be beholden to narrow special interests. The convention could easily turn into a special interest free-for-all.

And then there’s the issue of cost. It is estimated that a con-con would take up to four years and cost as much as $80 million. That’s an expense our cash strapped state can not afford.

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