Illinois lawmakers haven’t taken up pension legislation in nearly a decade. It’s time to give voters a chance to fix the problem driving state fiscal woes. A constitutional amendment can fix the unsustainable public pension systems.

Rapidly rising property taxes and growing pension costs leave homeowners asked to pay more to get less. Relief requires structural pension reform, starting with a constitutional amendment.

East St. Louis already faces a $2.2 million state funding diversion for its firefighters pension fund. Now the police pension board is demanding $1.79 million the city owes that fund.