Amendment just gives lawmakers cover

I find myself rather suspicious of anything coming out of our state legislature these days. For example, it's proven impossible to get a citizen's initiative to amend the state constitution on the ballot but the legislature readily puts its own so-called "Illinois Safe Roads Amendment" up for a vote in November.

Who's not for safe roads? Well, me for one. I plan to vote "no" on this proposed boondoggle and I urge others to also vote it down.

Why? This would give contractors and unions first dibs at the public trough to the detriment of all other needs. Even in the case of a natural disaster, monies could not be diverted to crisis needs.

Call this what it is, guarantees to those who legislators are beholden to. It will give legislators political cover, if enacted.

According to the secretary of state publication, "As a result, elected officials may be asked to reduce funding for other priorities, such as education or social service programs."

This is not the way to fix our broken system in Illinois, shorting social services even more. Rather than doing their job and passing a real budget, legislators continue to use more smoke and mirrors.

This represents more of the cronyism and catering to special interests that have gotten us in this mess in the first place.

Vote "no' in November.

Alan Heigert

Mundelein