Tuesday, September 25, 2012

UPDATE: The most important post you will read today. Constitutional Amendment 49 must be defeated. « Fred Klonsky

The most important post you will read today. Constitutional Amendment 49 must be defeated. « Fred Klonsky:


The most important post you will read today. Constitutional Amendment 49 must be defeated.

My friend Glen Brown wrote this post last June 11th. He was the Paul Revere of Constitutional Amendment 49 which will appear on the November ballot.
This bill represents the most serious threat to the state’s public employees, both active and retired. A no vote by you is not enough. You must contact everyone you know to vote no on this amendment. Some have written me to ask if this is a binding vote or an advisory vote. This is a real vote. If it passes with 60% of the votes, it becomes part of the Illinois Constitution.
By now, most of us know what the “Pension Clause” or Article XIII (General Provisions), Section 5 (Pension and Retirement Rights) of the Illinois Constitution states:  “Membership in any pension or retirement system of the state or any local government or school district, or any agency or 


Park Ridge board of education member Anthony Borelli.


Park Ridge board of education member Anthony Borelli, far right.
There is something healthy and democratic about citizen school boards.
That’s why many in Chicago would like one. Chicago is the only school district in the state without an elected school board.
The district I retired from in June has one, of course. Over the years I have worked with some pretty terrific