Time to give voters power of the recall

Before taking office as Illinois governor, Rod Blagojevich ran a campaign based on the promise of change. Under his administration, Illinois has changed. Unfortunately, it has changed for the worse.

Illinois' political landscape has become cultivated with scandals, broken promises, secret deals and a sickening abuse of power. Overall, the reputation of politics in Illinois has become nearly synonymous with public distrust.

In newspaper columns throughout the state, Blagojevich has been compared to a child who refuses to play with others. The Chicago Tribune has labeled him "the governor who cannot govern." But federal investigators refer to him as Public Official A in the ongoing federal investigation of corruption in state government.

Under the rule of Blagojevich, the state has racked up $1.7 billion in unpaid bills and is on the verge of an economic recession. The governor's own ideas include the GRT, the largest tax increase in the state's history as well as a universal health-care system the state simply cannot afford. Both ideas were rejected by the legislature.

Additionally, Illinois does not have a capital jobs program to improve our job market and road infrastructure. Necessary transparency bills that would show taxpayers how their money is being spent continue to be blocked.

For these reasons and many others, I have co-sponsored House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 28, spearheaded by my colleague state Representative Jack Franks, to allow the voters of Illinois to recall their elected officials when they fail to govern.

HJRCA28 successfully passed in the House State Government Administration Committee recently. It would make Illinois the 19th state which can hold elections to recall state executive branch officers, members of the General Assembly, and supreme, appellate and circuit judges.

When public officials make false campaign promises and fail to serve the best interests of Illinois residents, the people of Illinois should have the power to take back their government. This constitutional amendment would give them that authority.

Michael Tryon

State representative

64th District

Crystal Lake