Fifty words, added to the Illinois Constitution as an amendment, could be what helps save the state from an inevitable financial collapse in years to come. "Nothing in this Constitution or in any law shall be construed to limit the power of the General Assembly to reduce or change pension benefits or other benefits of membership in any public pension or public retirement system, whether now or in the future, accrued or yet to be earned." That language, or something largely equivalent, would grant Illinois' legislature the broad powers to reform what Moody's calculates is more than $420 billion in debt owed to hundreds of state and local government-worker retirement plans. Without a significant reduction in that debt, it's almost impossible to imagine a scenario where enough Illinoisans will stick around to pay down that shortfall. Every Illinois household is on the hook for about $90,000 in future taxes — an obligation many are already avoiding by fleeing the state. Illinois' seven-year drop in population and its near-junk credit rating are both warnings that a pension amendment and subsequent reforms are long overdue. ________ The Chicago Tribune opinion section publishes op-eds from readers and experts about specific issues of the day. Op-eds reflect the views of the writer and not necessarily the Chicago Tribune. ________ Unfortunately, Gov. J.B. Pritzker calls pension reform a "fantasy," claiming any efforts will ultimately fail: "The idea that all of this can be fixed with a single silver bullet ignores the protracted legal battle that will ultimately run headlong into the Contracts Clause of the U.S. Constitution." Even some Republicans, including state Rep. Tim Butler and gubernatorial candidate Paul Schimpf, are parroting the governor's general talking points. But they've got the facts wrong. Wirepoints has assembled the full legal case for reforms, but in short, federal law isn't an obstacle if reforms are "reasonable and necessary." The proof is in what's happened in states across the country. Every state has amended pensions in some way since 2009, according to the National Association of State Retirement Administrators. Cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) have been reduced, workers are contributing more, and 401(k)-style plans have been introduced — not just for new workers but, in some cases, for existing workers, too. The two states with the most relevant changes for Illinois are Arizona and Rhode Island. Arizona, which has constitutional protections that mirror those in Illinois, reduced its public safety pensions in recent years by amending its constitution not just once, but twice.