Yesterday's US Supreme Court decision in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, allowing even more millions by the rich to influence elections, gives further urgency to the campaign to pass a Constitutional Amendment declaring corporations are not people and money is not free speech. Many millions across the US support such an amendment and it has cross partisan support among Democrats, Republicans and independents.
Yet, right here in Milton Township the Township Board refused to consider a petition of Milton Township residents to get an advisory question supporting a Constitutional Amendment to overturn the Citizens United decision placed on the November ballot in Milton Township. Below is our petition advisory question and statement made at the April 1st Milton Township Board meeting protesting their legally dubious decision to keep our advisory question off the April 8 Annual Meeting agenda where it would have been debated and voted upon.
Petition Advisory Question: Shall the U.S. Constitution be amended to clearly state that the rights of persons protected by the U.S. Constitution are the rights of natural persons and not those of corporations other artificial entities, and that money is not speech within the meaning of the First Amendment?
Statement protesting Milton Township Board action to ignore our petition:
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I’m Walt Zlotow, a resident of Milton Township. I’m one of 26 Milton Township residents who signed a petition, in accordance with Illinois law, to have an advisory question of public policy put before the Milton Township Board at their annual meeting. I was shocked when the Township Board determined they would not consider our petition at their annual meeting. In listened to audio of the petition portion of the March 11 meeting and was dismayed to hear how frivolously the Board dismissed our petition. Essentially, Supervisor Heidorn suggested the petition was an advisory only motion not worthy of Township consideration, and that the Township was not bound by state law to consider it. Case closed. Gentlemen, many in this state feel township government is obsolete and should be abolished. Yet township government is close to its residents and provides good, responsive services to them in its limited governmental role. You should welcome, not deny, efforts by your residents to utilize township government to promote important matters of public policy. Our petition does not automatically go on the November ballot to be voted on by the entire township. It would need to be presented at the annual board meeting, be debated, then approved by a majority of the township residents present. What is wrong with that? What are you afraid of? It is, we submit, the essence of good local governance. It is, we submit, a way that township government can be more relevant and more responsive to the needs of its residents. I urge you to reconsider your short sighted dismissal of our important question of public policy. Thank you.
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