Progress Illinois

Not trying to harass you or anything, but you're results don't count any of the local boards of elections, i.e. chicago, peoria, aurora, rockford. Not that it changes the analysis, just wanted to make sure you were aware.

Good point, Juice. Thanks for the heads-up. We'll update the post with the eight local board results on Monday.

For the most part, the results from these municipalities seem to track with the rest of the state. However, there is one anomaly and we want to confirm it before posting.

In a recent press conference prior to the 2008 general elections Daley said “Every homeowner understands that higher property tax bills this year are also the result of our state's over-reliance on property taxes to fund education. Every homeowner also understands that as long as the legislature in Springfield doesn't fundamentally reform the way education is funded so that local property taxpayers don't unfairly carry the burden, there will be year to year pressure for our schools to increase taxes."
But where was Daley’s stand on con con that could have been the key to reforming our property tax mess and our under funded school system?

Hopes for long-overdue reforms in Illinois property taxation, school funding, and stronger political ethic laws were dashed with the defeat of the Illinois Constitutional Convention Referendum.
But yes Chicago and Cook County is ready for reform!

Despite the prejudicial wording on the ballot measure confused voters, and opponents sewed the seeds of fear that killed the initiative – the 1,442,196 yes votes for a Con Con was, at the very least, a demand for a more equitable tax system to better educate our children and to keep our property tax bills payable.
These yes votes translated into a whopping 60% increase from the 990,109 yes votes in 1988.
While dusty politicians, union and political lobbyists suggested that the best way to institute needed reforms was to wait on our legislators or elect new legislators to grapple with these issues---only 2 legislators were retired this election. We should trust that these legislators will not be influenced by special interests or be subject to the leadership, as the architects of perpetual gridlock.

Prominent thinkers endorsed a vote yes on calling a citizens convention. Paul Vallas, nationally recognized former CEO of the Chicago Public Schools for raising test scores and balancing budgets. And Cook County Assessor James Houlihan and Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.---all know a thing or two about the dire need for more equitable systems for taxation and school funding.

Unfortunately, their support, along with the efforts of under funded grassroots organizations (left, right and center), was not enough to bring the national mandate for change in alignment with local needs for action.

Chicago minority communities strongly supported the referendum, while communities with higher number of union and public employees tended to oppose it. In Chicago, for example, minority communities cast the highest number of yes votes for the constitutional convention ---between 48% to 55% of the electorate.

The highest votes ---50% or greater voted yes for a con con referendum in communities like Englewood, West and East Garfield Park, Lawndale, Chicago Lawn, Chatham, and Greater Grand Crossing. These are neighborhoods with citizens that have seen first hand the inequities of our school funding and tax systems. These communities voted on faith and not fear in spite of a $600,000 radio and TV anti-Con Con ads.

In communities like Rogers Park, Logan Square, Village of Cicero, etc 49% cast yes votes for con con---- largely do to the excellent grassroots political canvassing and organizing of United Power for Action and Justice. Look out for this incredible force in any public policy legislation or referendum!

In Mt. Greenwood and Jefferson-Edison Park, with heavy populations of public employees and retirees, voters heard their pensions might be threatened, and they voted against Con Con by 70%.

In Chicago there was a 47% increase in yes votes compared to the last con con election in 1988. There was a 23% drop in the city’s no votes compared to 1988 election. In Cook County there was a 52% increase in yes votes and a 58% increase in Cook suburban townships.

A huge price was paid for the no vote stealthily orchestrated by union bosses and well connected political consultants. That price was a continuation of under funded public school system in areas that have low to modest priced homes and of course, higher property tax bills in the future.

Let's see how our civic leaders, teacher unions, mayors and legislators solve the largest district-to-district educational funding gap in the nation in the coming years.

According to the Board of Elections Commissioners, the 6th Ward which represents Chatham, a portion of Englewood and a portion of Greater Grand Crossing rejected Con-Con by 58.49 % of the 17,870 voters out of 29.322 who cast their ballots even bothered to express an opinion on the issue. Also the the 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th, 21st, 34th and even the 7th Ward (where Congressman Jackson's wife is the Alderman) all rejected the Constitutional Convention. Therefore I am not clear about Ms. Raila's point.

While the tenor of the blogs written on this issue opine that the poor uninformed populace was tricked into voting against education reform and other such worthy reforms, a counter opinion might be that the uninformed recognized that any Constitutional Convention would exclude their voices in any event. With elections for representative of a Ward costing $100,000.00 who but civic leaders, special interest groups, teacher unions, legislators and labor could be elected to rewrite our Constitution? Certainly not the poor uninformed residents of minority communities, thus why bother and if duty required a vote, they chose to vote no. It appears that there is a difference of opinion as to whom is considered to be a "Prominent Thinker" among communities.

There was a lot of misinformation circulated about Con-Con. I was happy to hear that the courts decided to hear this case. The ballots had unconstitutional language. The judge ruled that voters were supposed to get leaflets with the correct language. I can tell you that it did not happen in St. Clair Co.

1. Critics ask why a Con-Con. I ask why not? A lot happens in 20 years. It has been 40 years. Change is overdue. It is our right.
2. The 40-yr-old language with all of its loopholes is causing the financial problems we enjoy today. Politicians get to ignore balanced budget requirements. Also, PACs push numerous tax breaks and spending increases. They created a lot of the misinformation. Threatening pensions works every time.

With the correct information, Con-Con will succeed with voters. Total no-brainer.

ALISON, MPA
http://philosopheforum.blogspot.com/
"Responsible Leadership Serving the Public Trust"

I think most people looked at Con-con and thought, we don't like the current leadership in the state so why should we trust them with re-writing the constitution?