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Constitutional Convention Divides Like-Minded Allies
Produced by Tony Arnold on Tuesday, August 12, 2008
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This November, Illinois voters get to decide if the state constitution should be opened up for review and maybe change.
When you take your ballot, you'll get to say "yes" or "no" to whether the state should hold a constitutional convention, often called con-con. If voters approve it, delegates would come together to pour over all the articles of the state constitution.
PIERCE: This is the easiest way to change the constitution. The other ways are very hard.
Greg Pierce is with a group of unions and churches that support con-con. He says it's a way to fix Illinois' broken tax system.
But here's an example of how con-con is dividing people who usually fight for the same things.
Ralph Martire, a government watchdog, agrees with Pierce the tax system has to change; that it relies too heavily on property taxes.
But how to fix that? Martire says not with con-con. He worries hot button issues like gay marriage would crowd out a reasonable debate about taxes. And that could hobble any chances to change the tax system for years to come.
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