Fifty_CRD words_NN2 ,_PUN added_VVN to_PRP the_AT0 Illinois_NP0 Constitution_NN1 as_PRP an_AT0 amendment_NN1 ,_PUN could_VM0 be_VBI what_DTQ helps_VVZ save_PRP the_AT0 state_NN1 from_PRP an_AT0 inevitable_AJ0 financial_AJ0 collapse_NN1 in_PRP years_NN2 to_TO0 come_VVI ._SENT "_PUQ Nothing_PNI in_PRP this_DT0 Constitution_NN1 or_CJC in_PRP any_DT0 law_NN1 shall_VM0 be_VBI construed_VVN to_TO0 limit_VVI the_AT0 power_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 General_AJ0 Assembly_NN1 to_TO0 reduce_VVI or_CJC change_VVI pension_NN1 benefits_NN2 or_CJC other_AJ0 benefits_NN2 of_PRF membership_NN1 in_PRP any_DT0 public_AJ0 pension_NN1 or_CJC public_AJ0 retirement_NN1 system_NN1 ,_PUN whether_CJS now_AV0 or_CJC in_PRP the_AT0 future_NN1 ,_PUN accrued_AJ0 or_CJC yet_AV0 to_TO0 be_VBI earned_VVN ._SENT "_PUQ That_DT0 language_NN1 ,_PUN or_CJC something_PNI largely_AV0 equivalent_AJ0 ,_PUN would_VM0 grant_VVI Illinois_NP0 '_POS legislature_NN1 the_AT0 broad_AJ0 powers_NN2 to_TO0 reform_VVI what_DTQ Moody_NP0 's_POS calculates_VVZ is_VBZ more_AV0 than_CJS $_NN0 420_CRD billion_CRD in_PRP debt_NN1 owed_VVN to_PRP hundreds_CRD of_PRF state_NN1 and_CJC local_AJ0 government-worker_NN1 retirement_NN1 plans_NN2 ._SENT Without_PRP a_AT0 significant_AJ0 reduction_NN1 in_PRP that_DT0 debt_NN1 ,_PUN it_PNP 's_VBZ almost_AV0 impossible_AJ0 to_TO0 imagine_VVI a_AT0 scenario_NN1 where_AVQ enough_AV0 Illinoisans_NP0 will_VM0 stick_VVI around_AVP to_TO0 pay_VVI down_AVP that_DT0 shortfall_NN1 ._SENT Every_AT0 Illinois_NP0 household_NN1 is_VBZ on_PRP the_AT0 hook_NN1 for_PRP about_AV0 $_NN0 90_CRD ,_PUN 000_CRD in_PRP future_AJ0 taxes_NN2 —_PUN an_AT0 obligation_NN1 many_DT0 are_VBB already_AV0 avoiding_VVG by_PRP fleeing_VVG the_AT0 state_NN1 ._SENT Illinois_NP0 '_POS seven-year_AJ0 drop_NN1 in_PRP population_NN1 and_CJC its_DPS near-junk_AJ0 credit_NN1 rating_NN1 are_VBB both_DT0 warnings_NN2 that_CJT a_AT0 pension_NN1 amendment_NN1 and_CJC subsequent_AJ0 reforms_NN2 are_VBB long_AV0 overdue_AJ0 ._SENT _________VVB The_AT0 Chicago_NP0 Tribune_NN1 opinion_NN1 section_NN1 publishes_VVZ op-eds_NN2 from_PRP readers_NN2 and_CJC experts_NN2 about_PRP specific_AJ0 issues_NN2 of_PRF the_AT0 day_NN1 ._SENT Op-eds_NN2 reflect_VVB the_AT0 views_NN2 of_PRF the_AT0 writer_NN1 and_CJC not_XX0 necessarily_AV0 the_AT0 Chicago_NP0 Tribune_NN1 ._SENT _________NP0 Unfortunately_AV0 ,_PUN Gov._NP0 J.B._NP0 Pritzker_NP0 calls_VVZ pension_NN1 reform_NN1 a_AT0 "_PUQ fantasy_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ claiming_VVG any_DT0 efforts_NN2 will_VM0 ultimately_AV0 fail_VVI :_PUN "_PUQ The_AT0 idea_NN1 that_CJT all_DT0 of_PRF this_DT0 can_VM0 be_VBI fixed_VVN with_PRP a_AT0 single_AJ0 silver_NN1 bullet_NN1 ignores_VVZ the_AT0 protracted_AJ0 legal_AJ0 battle_NN1 that_CJT will_VM0 ultimately_AV0 run_VVI headlong_AV0 into_PRP the_AT0 Contracts_NN2 Clause_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 U.S._NP0 Constitution_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ Even_AV0 some_DT0 Republicans_NN2 ,_PUN including_PRP state_NN1 Rep._NN1 Tim_NP0 Butler_NP0 and_CJC gubernatorial_AJ0 candidate_NN1 Paul_NP0 Schimpf_NP0 ,_PUN are_VBB parroting_VVG the_AT0 governor_NN1 's_POS general_AJ0 talking_NN1 points_NN2 ._SENT But_CJC they_PNP 've_VHB got_VVN the_AT0 facts_NN2 wrong_AJ0 ._SENT Wirepoints_NP0 has_VHZ assembled_VVN the_AT0 full_AJ0 legal_AJ0 case_NN1 for_PRP reforms_NN2 ,_PUN but_CJC in_PRP short_AJ0 ,_PUN federal_AJ0 law_NN1 is_VBZ n't_XX0 an_AT0 obstacle_NN1 if_CJS reforms_NN2 are_VBB "_PUQ reasonable_AJ0 and_CJC necessary_AJ0 ._SENT "_PUQ The_AT0 proof_NN1 is_VBZ in_PRP what_DTQ 's_VBZ happened_VVN in_PRP states_NN2 across_PRP the_AT0 country_NN1 ._SENT Every_AT0 state_NN1 has_VHZ amended_VVN pensions_NN2 in_PRP some_DT0 way_NN1 since_PRP 2009_CRD ,_PUN according_VVG to_PRP the_AT0 National_AJ0 Association_NN1 of_PRF State_NN1 Retirement_NN1 Administrators_NN2 ._SENT Cost-of-living_NN1 adjustments_NN2 (_PUL COLAs_NN2 )_PUR have_VHB been_VBN reduced_VVN ,_PUN workers_NN2 are_VBB contributing_VVG more_AV0 ,_PUN and_CJC 401_CRD (_PUL k_ZZ0 )_PUR -style_AJ0 plans_NN2 have_VHB been_VBN introduced_VVN —_PUN not_XX0 just_AV0 for_PRP new_AJ0 workers_NN2 but_CJC ,_PUN in_PRP some_DT0 cases_NN2 ,_PUN for_PRP existing_AJ0 workers_NN2 ,_PUN too_AV0 ._SENT The_AT0 two_CRD states_NN2 with_PRP the_AT0 most_AV0 relevant_AJ0 changes_NN2 for_PRP Illinois_NP0 are_VBB Arizona_NP0 and_CJC Rhode_NP0 Island_NP0 ._SENT Arizona_NP0 ,_PUN which_DTQ has_VHZ constitutional_AJ0 protections_NN2 that_CJT mirror_VVB those_DT0 in_PRP Illinois_NP0 ,_PUN reduced_VVD its_DPS public_AJ0 safety_NN1 pensions_NN2 in_PRP recent_AJ0 years_NN2 by_PRP amending_VVG its_DPS constitution_NN1 not_XX0 just_AV0 once_AV0 ,_PUN but_CJC twice_AV0 ._SENT 
