For Immediate Release
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Local TV Program to Address HJRCA0049-Contitutional Amendment on Pensions
WSIU Hosts Panel Discussion on Proposed Illinois Constitutional Amendment
Contact: Jak Tichenor, WSIU-TV, (618) 453-6187, jak.tichenor@wsiu.org
Carbondale, Ill. -- WSIU Public Television, a public media arm of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, will present a panel discussion about a proposed amendment to the Illinois Constitution concerning pension benefits for public employees this Friday, November 2 at 7:30pm on WSIU's primary HD channels, WSIU-TV 8.1 and WUSI-TV 16.1, with a repeat on Sunday, November 4 at 12:30pm. The program is part of WSIU’s Election 2012 programming series.
Additional repeats will air on WSIU’s WORLD channels, WSIU-TV 8.2 and WUSI-TV 16.2, on Saturday, November 3 at 5:30pm, Sunday, November 4 at 9pm, and Monday, November 5 at 6:30pm.
This Friday's broadcast focuses on House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 0049, a proposed amendment to the Illinois Constitution that would require a three-fifths majority vote to approve any pension or retirement benefit increase for public employees and officials. The proposal includes any future votes concerning benefit increases considered by the Illinois General Assembly, school district boards, city councils, and other local units of government.
The discussion, led by Jak Tichenor of WSIU-TV, includes State Representative Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro); Ed Caumiant, Regional Director for the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees union; John Jackson, visiting professor at the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute; and Amanda Vinicky, Statehouse Bureau Chief for Illinois Public Radio, who took part in the discussion from Springfield.
Supporters of the amendment say it will make it harder to approve benefit increases at a time when the state is experiencing a massive $83-billion underfunding of its five public pension systems. Opponents argue the proposal does nothing to solve the state's financial problems, is vague in its wording, and will hurt the collective bargaining process.
Election 2012 programming on WSIU-TV and WSIU Radio is sponsored in part by Forbes Financial Group and Marion Subaru.
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