Chicago Tribune Endorses NO Vote on Amendment 1

Written by John Lopez

On Monday morning of Columbus Day, the Chicago Tribune issued its first endorsement for the 2022 General Election, and it was a “No” vote on Amendment 1.

“We endorse a no vote.  We support the rights of unions to represent their members and to bargain collectively for the best deal they can secure.  But we do not see an Illinois threat to those rights, and we see this endorsement as an opening to skew the balance of power in the public sector to an unacceptable degree.”

Illinois Redistricting Plan Is Unconstitutional: It Should Really Be As Easy As 1, 2, 3!

Written by James M. Odom

Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3, of the U.S. Constitution requires legislative districts to be based upon an actual count of population every 10 years.  The Illinois Constitution also requires this.

The procedure for drawing legislative districts prescribed by the Illinois Constitution is for the Legislature to complete a redistricting plan for legislative districts according to the new federal census, in the year following the census.

If the redistricting plan is not complete by June 30th, a commission of 8 members (half to be non-legislators), appointed by July 10^th by each of the majority and minority political leadership, “no more than four of whom shall be members of the same political party,” will complete the redistricting plan.… Continue Reading

Yes or No on the Road Funding Ballot Question?

Written by John Biver

Have you received your little blue booklet from the Illinois Secretary of State about the proposed amendment to the Illinois Constitution? Mine arrived this week — it contains a useful summary of the question that will be on the ballot on November 8th.

What’s it all about?

There are a number of ways to answer that question — but it can be argued that it’s the road building lobby fighting for the dollars ear marked for roads but are now being redirected into things such as the government employee pension funds.… Continue Reading