Citizens in Charge

A lot has happened in Missouri over the last few years regarding its citizen initiative process. The will of the voters was overturned by a vote in the Legislature, a campaign sprung up to change the law in order to protect citizen passed ballot initiatives, and now…a Republican state representative is proposing additional changes to the way Missouri handles ballot initiatives:

If you’re in the Chicago area tonight come check out the 35th Anniversary celebration for Taxpayers United of America. Our very own Paul Jacob will be a featured speaker at the event:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 2nd, 2011
Contact: Jim Tobin (773) 354-2076 | Christina Tobin (312) 320-4101

CHICAGO””Taxpayers United of America (TUA), one of the largest taxpayer organizations in the country and founded in 1976 by Jim Tobin, will hold its 35th anniversary celebration on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011. The event will be at the University Club of Chicago, 76 E. Monroe St., Chicago, and will start at 6 pm.

Members of the media are invited. (The University Club requires jackets, ties optional, and no denim.)

Speakers include:

Colorado citizens hit the polls yesterday to decide whether or not to raise taxes:

It seems public employee pension reform is one of the hot topics so far this year. In Wisconsin, Governor Scott Walker his budget repair bill with significant pension reforms. The changes split the state and the law was passed amid protests outside the state capitol. Following passage of the bill, citizens weighed in at the ballot box against a handful of politicians around the state in citizen-initiated recall elections.

In Ohio, Governor John Kasich’s pension reform bill that passed earlier this year will face public scrutiny in a statewide referendum vote next week. This is the same vote we mentioned last week on the blog, the one presidential candidate Mitt Romney endorsed, then didn’t endorse, and then endorsed again.

Earlier this week Mitt Romney visited Ohio and declined to support Governor Kasich’s union reform law, but it seems he’s clarified his position after an uproar on right:

On November 8, Ohioans will head to the polls to vote on Issue 2, a referendum to repeal Governor John Kasich’s union reform bill that limits collective bargaining power for state public employee unions.

Much like the law passed in Wisconsin by Governor Scott Walker, Ohio’s collective bargaining law was met with stiff protest from unions who collected enough signatures to force a referendum vote.

Good news! A potential 2012 ballot measure in Montana would protect voter-passed initiatives from unilateral repeal and amendment by the State Legislature. This protection is essential in keeping the citizen initiative process effective as a tool to keep elected officials in check: