Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Ward map vote tomorrow...

I found this comment at the Ward Room blog from our local NBC affiliate. JP Paulus would agree:
Can the media EVER get it right? The REFERENDUM in 1990 did NOT cost the taxpayers $20 million dollars. What cost the $20 million was the challenge to the map. Whatever map wins here, either by Aldermanic vote or referendum, could cost $20-$30 million if challenged in court. If these maps go to referendum (which they should - Let the people decide!) the cost would be less than $100,000. Still a cost, but the people are allowed to decide, not a group of Aldermen in a back room worried just about themselves. The media's misinformation is pushing us away from a referendum and the people having THEIR say (since the "public hearings" are a sham).
If you want to watch the festivities of this vote tomorrow it will start at 10 AM. This is a special session of the Chicago City Council, and I'm sure most of you will want to be there to express your opinion if you're able. If not able to attend a city council meeting there's always the streaming video courtesy of the Chicago City Clerk! Just remember that the council will consider ALL remap proposals filed so far with the city clerk.

BTW, that Greg Hinz seems to have an idea as to whether or not this map will succeed in the City Council tomorrow morning:
But council leaders are working really hard on Alderman Michele Smith (43rd), whose Lincoln Park neighbors are upset about the map and have the money to fund a legal challenge. Sources report she's been offered a map that keeps more of the ward together than the prior proposal, although it still will have 3,000 or 4,000 more residents than new African-American wards.

Council leaders also are trying to reel in Alderman Bob Fioretti (2nd), whose Near South Side turf would be sliced and diced several ways but whose house might be put into a new, mostly white ward stretching north and west as far as Roscoe Village.

Right now, Messrs. Mell and Emanuel need 41 aldermen to approve their map to avoid a referendum fight over dueling maps. Mr. Mell says he thinks he'll have the votes Thursday, and I'd say that's likely, though not certain.

Then we'll see what the lawyers do.
 And yet no idea as to how this map would look other than that it's based on the MBC proposal.

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