CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A key Chicago City Council member is again pleading with Latino colleagues to join her efforts to craft new ward boundaries and end any push for a referendum.
City Council Rules Committee Chairwoman Alderwoman Michelle Harris (8th Ward) said she is encouraged by a recent federal court decision upholding state redistricting, because she feels the committee's method increases likely Latino seats on the council and reduces African American representation by one is based on the same data.
"It's time that we move on and we avoid a costly referendum that is not in the best interest of the city," Ald. Harris said.
Alderman Roberto Maldonado (26th Ward) was the only member of the council's Latino Caucus who virtually stood with Harris during a virtual morning news conference, urging his colleagues to join in on the collaborative map-making process.
"And I hope that instead of hiding or refusing to engage that they will agree to engage," Ald. Maldonado said.
Harris said other Latino alderman have heeded the call.
"There have been several Hispanic aldermen that have drawn their maps in that space. So Alderman Vasquez, Alderman Reboyras...I'll go on, Alderman Sigcho-Lopez," Ald. Harris said.
At a subsequent hearing, 23rd Ward Alderwoman Silvana Tabares tried to suggest conditions for Latino Caucus participation, but Ald. Harris said giving the Caucus its own set of rules would be unfair.
"I think it's unfair for them to come in at the very end of the process and say, 'hey we want you to jump through hoops, jump over stadiums, run down the street,'" Ald. Harris said.
She's trying to head off having the process go to public referendum where the aldermen would not control the outcome.
Hearings on the council remap continue through this month.
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