You get to make the decisions that will shape your future in just days. In Illinois, there's a constitutional amendment on the ballot to handle an issue that's gotten the blame for putting the state into deep debt.
It's the pension system, the retirement that teachers and state workers depend on. Right now Illinois has 85 billion dollars in pensions it can't pay out. To avoid that number climbing higher, an amendment is up for a vote.
On your ballot there will be a question asking if the Illinois constitution should be amended to require a three-fifths majority vote, before any governing body can approve increasing pension benefits.
Right now only a simple majority vote is needed, but the change would mean a "super majority" would have to agree.
This goes for the general assembly, school districts, fire fighters, or any unit of local government.
"The cost of these pension benefit increases are born by local taxpayers," said Joe McCoy, the Legislative Director for the Illinois Municipal League.
The league is a group that local cities like Moline, East Moline, and Rock Island belong to. It's also one that is urging voter's to vote "yes", in favor of the amendment change. McCoy says while the amendment will not bridge the 85 billion dollar funding gap, it could prevent it from getting any bigger.
"It's another important piece of the over all pension solution because it will make it more difficult for the general assembly to increase benefits in the future that would add costs to an already expensive pension system," he said.
McCoy says requiring a "super majority" vote, will help put a plug on the spending and allow cities to put tax payers money into things people really need, like roads and services.
However, not everyone thinks the amendment is a good idea.
"This is America it is undemocratic," said Jeff Conrad, a UniServ Director for the Illinois Education Association.
The group has been sending out mail, encouraging people to vote "no".
Conrad says if the majority of a school board votes to increase teacher benefits, that is fair and reasonable, but requiring nearly everyone to agree will be nearly impossible and take away local control.
"This amendment is basically an attack on local control for local school districts and local governments, under this amendment it makes it very difficult for any school board to pass a bargaining agreement," he said.
Conrad says while the measure is only supposed to apply to pension benefits, it will impact teacher's salaries too because part of their pay goes into their pensions.
"Because the way its worded affects all collective bargaining agreements. This doesn't get to the problem, it will actually make the problem worse, the state instead of taking responsibility in this amendment, they have just tied the hands of school districts and local government officials."
The general assembly is expected to take up a pension reform bill in January. They are looking for a more long term solution to pay for the currently unfunded pensions.
