CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A special City Council meeting — over whether Chicago should gauge voter sentiment on the arrival of tens of thousands of migrants — ended before it really got going Thursday morning.
The City Council had enough members present for a quorum, and members of the public spoke for and against Chicago's status as a sanctuary city. But when it came time to debate whether there should be a ballot question on the issue, too many alderpersons voted against allowing its consideration.
That angered South Side Ald. Anthony Beale (9th), one of the three City Council members who called for the special meeting. He thought he had a deal with the Johnson Administration about the language of the measure.
“This is not about ‘going along, get along because I’m scared to make a tough vote,’” he said. “Our people are demanding change, they’re demanding resources and they’re demanding that we do something different in this body.”
Beale said people in traditionally neglected communities are angry about how much is being spent for migrants. He scolded his colleagues and said they were “afraid of the truth.”
“Why are we afraid to let the people speak?” he said. “That’s all this question is asking, is to let the people have a say in what’s going on with this body.”
With local residents split over such issues, opponents of the ballot question said the debate would just further divide communities.
Among those opposed to the ballot measure was Northwest Side Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th), who said the measure would do more harm than good.
“We can have the conversation, but to pose a non-binding question on a ballot so that the right-wing Republicans can sow division between Black and brown communities is an environment and a culture we do not need in the city of Chicago,” Fuentes said.
Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th), who was one of those behind the ballot question, said he's not planning another attempt anytime soon.
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