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| Senator Toi Hutchinson |
Simple Ethical Elegance: Senator Toi
Hutchinson
Read below the full text of Senator Toi
Hutchinson’s (40th District) statement before the Black Tuesday vote
on SB1 that will, if approved legally, strip the benefits of active and retired
public sector workers in Illinois, despite Constitutional protection. After that, call her office to thank
her. This is an honorable legislator in
Illinois.
"Because
this is a heart-wrenching decision, and because I have so much respect for how
much work has gone into this by so many people, I'm not going to stand here and
use a whole lot of hyperbole to talk about the people who are going to vote yes on this bill.
I'm
standing here because I'm going to vote no
on this bill, and it's really simple.
During
the 1970 Constitutional Convention, the delegate that carried this - her name
was Helen Kinney - and she specifically said that the intention was simply to
give public employees a basic protection against abolishing their rights
completely or changing the terms of their rights after they'd embarked upon
employment...or lessening them.
That
was why the phrase was included. That
was why it was debated as much as it was.
That is why it is in the same Constitution that I raised my right hand
and swore to uphold along with the United States Constitution.
I
cannot abrogate my responsibility for that here today.
If
this were only about picking the bill that saves the most money, we'd all pick
the bill that saves the most money. We'd all do that.
But
it's not.
It's
about taking people's retirement benefits right when they need them the most,
after they have worked hard and earned those benefits.
They
earned those benefits.
And
if we do not respect the basic modicum of contract law, then we have a whole
lot of other problems that we have to solve.
Maybe
we could just rewrite all those underwater mortgages? Those are contracts. Last time I checked, banks and Chambers
didn't want us to do that because those are contracts.
Those
contracts are sacrosanct; this one is not.
I have a problem with that.
This,
for those people who say, ‘We're not constitutional lawyers. We don't know what's going to happen...’ I'm not a constitutional lawyer; I'm really
not, but I can read.
And
it's in the constitution.
Please
vote no.”
Senator Toi Hutchinson
217-782-7419 – Springfield
708-756-0882 – Chicago Heights
If we take one small Senator, Toi Hutchinson, add some intestinal fortitude and a bit of sincerity and commitment to the law and we have one heck of a quality person.
ReplyDeleteWe need to support the organization.
You've got to love that person who can see through to the very right and wrong of something, and then remind you where that point on the compass is. This is one class act. I should be so fortunate as those in the 40th District.
DeleteTeacher's have known this for a long time. It's time legislatures come to this conclusion, regardless of whether they fear a fight in next election. It takes each legislature working and fighting against something, instead of offering their 1 vote to calm the tide. Legislatures didn't offer their retirements, benefits, and insurance as sacrifice first, their retirements are whole.
DeleteI have just read Sen. Toi Hutchison's message on my email. Yes, she sounds like the kind of legislator I would vote for . We need a whole room of people like her. I am old and I do not have one of the high pensions on the list, but I need every penny of it to live on. Thank you very much, Senator.
DeleteActually, as the Senator points out, all we need is some people who can read.
DeleteI hope she seeks a higher office someday. I want to vote for her for Governor!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI just wish I could have heard her saying these words in person...
ReplyDelete