This threat? A once-every-20-years look at possible amendments to the state constitution. Voting yes commits the citizenry to nothing, just the formation of a constitutional convention. Each member of the panel will need two-thirds support from the Connecticut Legislature to be named, and whatever they recommend for constitutional changes will need two-thirds support from the panel.

Only then will specific proposed constitutional changes go back to another statewide vote for consideration, where, if they're bad, voters can defeat them.

The reason supporters of a constitutional convention are being outspent 83 to 1 is that a few possible constitutional changes - one in particular, the idea of allowing residents of Connecticut the power to bypass the Legislature by gathering tens of thousands of signatures and putting referendum questions directly to voters, like they do in states such as California, Massachusetts and Maine - could endanger the gravy train of several powerful special interests in this state.

Teachers' unions are pouring a jaw-dropping amount of money into the campaign to defeat the constitutional convention.
The National Education Association has contributed $325,000, the Connecticut Education Association, $315,000, the American Federation of Teachers of Connecticut, $105,000, and unions representing college professors at the University of Connecticut and other state colleges have contributed tens of thousands more.

They know that the super-majority of Democrats in the state Legislature will do their bidding. In fact, the powerful incoming Speaker of the House in Connecticut is Chris Donovan, who works full-time as a paid labor union organizer for Connecticut college professors.
Not only will measures seeking relief for the taxpayer and standards of accountability and job performance for teachers be dead on arrival in Chris Donovan's Legislature, you can bet that he'll be aggressive in trying to further institutionalize the power of unions over local school boards, employers and taxpayers.

More so than ever, public employee unions are not only safe with this legislature, they own it.

But what if average citizens, if there were enough of them, could, on their own, petition to have changes to the collective bargaining process, caps on the increase in property tax burden, or even elimination of the state income tax, appear directly before voters on the ballot?
Given the outrageous tax burden that public employees' unions' dominance have contributed to in this state, measures like that would have a serious chance of passing if put to a direct vote.

So, of course, in the eyes of these powerful unions, even the most remote possibility that a direct process like that might be opened to voters in Connecticut must be stopped.
Why do we need it? We elect a legislature and governor to make those kinds of decisions, is the argument.

The very thinly veiled implication is that voters aren't smart enough to be trusted with a direct vote on complex issues. Especially if there's a chance they will vote to end the public employees' unions taxpayer-funded gravy train.
Matt DeRienzo is publisher of The Register Citizen. He can be reached at 860-489-3121, ext. 350, or by email at mderienzo@registercitizen.com.