* Tribune editorial…

Unless both sides can reach an agreement before May 19, voters will get to decide in a June 28 referendum which map will become the city’s new ward boundaries — the one proposed by the Black caucus or the offer from the Latino caucus. A remap needs 41 votes to become law, and neither side likely has enough votes. We have always thought that letting voters decide is the best route to take, especially since Chicagoans are the one group routinely shut out of the remap process.

There’s a hitch, however, to the potential for a referendum.

Both the Black and Latino caucuses have submitted their versions of a remap for placement on the June 28 referendum ballot. But the Latino caucus now wants to submit a new and improved map for the ballot. The caucus has teamed up with Change Illinois, a civic advocacy group behind an advisory redistricting commission that crafted its own map. That document, known as the “People’s Map,” has merit because it was produced with the input of voters — the same voters that City Hall has ignored during remap talks.Like Change Illinois, members of the Latino caucus believe the process is fairer when it includes citizen input.

But 15 aldermen with the Latino caucus already signed onto putting their original map on the referendum ballot. The Black caucus map has been signed by 33 aldermen. Aldermen can only sign onto one map. A minimum of 10 aldermen are needed to put a map on the ballot, which makes it impossible for the Latino caucus to swap out its old map for a new “People’s Map.”

Change Illinois leaders tell us there is a wonky workaround, though. If at least 26 of the council’s 50 aldermen vote to approve one of the maps, then the whole process starts anew and each caucus can revamp their maps and resubmit them for placement on the ballot. A vote of 41 or more for a map would negate the need for a referendum, but given how far apart both sides have been, that’s not likely.

Considering how the reformers have been bad-mouthing the majority with “Because Madigan!” insults, I’m kinda thinking that the majority is probably in no mood to cooperate. But, hey, we’ll see.

*** UPDATE *** Like I said, the city council majority ain’t exactly happy right now. Check out their new mailers…

Oof.

       

30 Comments - Don - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 1:42 pm: You have a real life spiderman meme where the attorneys are all pointing the finger at each other. - Telly - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 1:50 pm: I’ve enjoyed watching both sides make a big issue of the other side’s consultant/legal adviser. The Black caucus map is bad because Mike Kasper is behind it. The Latino map is bad because of Victor Reyes. I also love the irony of Madeleine Doubek and the reformers strategizing with Victor. Careful, Madeleine…someone might be listening. - AnonymousFool - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 2:13 pm: Yeah, those are some effective, if below the belt, political ads. Just my 25c (because inflation). - annoning - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 2:18 pm: I don’t really understand the argument that you must be racist/sexist if you don’t support the Rules map, but I do find it interesting that much of the discussion about coming to the “map room” to compromise is all about an alderman’s individual ward. Like, should one alderman not be allowed to have an opinion on ward boundaries other than their own? And I’m amazed Hopkins never made more noise about his proposal to create an independent commission to avoid all this nonsense - Chito - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 2:18 pm: Does Delia Ramirez have to report this as an “in kind”? - Three Dimensional Checkers - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 2:19 pm: ===You have a real life spiderman meme where the attorneys are all pointing the finger at each other.=== This. Victor Reyes has got Nixon level jowls too. - Just Me 2 - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 2:21 pm: Government dysfunction at its finest. Why we let politicians choose their voters is beyond me. There a hundreds of technology solutions and dozens of policy solutions, but oh no…..we gotta do it this way. Classic Illinois. - Wow - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 2:22 pm: “Telly”. Well done. And true - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 2:24 pm: === Why we let politicians choose their voters is beyond me. There a hundreds of technology solutions and dozens of policy solutions, but oh no…..we gotta do it this way. Classic Illinois.=== … and yet when put in front of a judge, it was found the process met VRA guidelines on Illinois’ map… It’d be interesting if either map finally wins but then ruled by a court not to meet VRA guidelines, so “Classic Illinois, voters get it wrong”? - Montrose - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 2:25 pm: What Chito said. Not the greatest way for Villegas to be introduced to his Congressional primary voters. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 2:27 pm: There are no permanent enemies, and no permanent friends, only permanent interests… and now comes the time where making mistakes to who is a friend… with whom… “Can you just ignore all that other stuff…” Short sided thinking to the politics? - Lucky Pierre - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 2:29 pm: You don’t understand calling your political opponents racist and sexist? That is the playbook these days for Democrats. - Amalia - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 2:34 pm: City dwellers have to pick sides between these two goofy maps and supporters. Sad. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 2:44 pm: ===opponents racist and sexist?=== Do you condemn the Proud Boys and 3%ers in the GOP yet? Why or why not? - Arsenal - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 2:52 pm: ==You don’t understand calling your political opponents racist and sexist? That is the playbook these days for Democrats. == Watching you continue to melt down over a 3 am House Floor speech that about 16 people outside of the room saw reminds me of an old saying: “A hit dog will hollar.” - Oofrum - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 3:59 pm: Who’s Gil Villegas? Who’s Michelle Harris? Who’s Victor Reyes? I know that Madigan guy. Gonna need a lot of $$$ to make that stick - sox11 - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 4:13 pm: Everyone knows who Victor Reyes is. - Oofrum - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 4:22 pm: = Everyone knows who Victor Reyes is.= Yeah, okay. Too much time under the dome. - Chito - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 4:23 pm: For the record, I’m Latino and feel that it’s BS that the black caucus opposes a map that grants us one more ward when it’s the black population that saw the greatest decline. - Roman - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 4:34 pm: == Gonna need a lot of $$$ to make that stick == Yep. And if there is going to be a well-financed campaign on a map referendum, it seems to me the best message is “this map keeps our community together, the other one tears it apart.” But things have gotten so nasty at City Hall, they can’t help but go to personal attacks. Kudos to the Black and Latino caucus in the GA for avoiding this when they drew legislative maps. - Lincoln Lad - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 4:40 pm: The fight hurts everyone on the dem side… I tend to agree with Chito at 4:23 - low level - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 5:22 pm: Reyes was covered extensively by John Kass back in the day. I’d say more people recognize his name then just being “under the dome”. My question is: it was publicly reported that Noonan was working w whispering Vic. Is this still the case? - low level - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 5:23 pm: == The fight hurts everyone on the dem side==. So who will benefit from this inter party fight? Chicago Republicans? - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 5:27 pm: ===I’d say more people recognize his name then just being “under the dome”=== It was told to me that Frerichs has 25% name ID, so that’s the bottom I suppose. Kass isn’t as popular as he thought either. - low level - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 5:40 pm: == Kass isn’t as popular as he thought either.==. No question about it, and Im certainly no JKass fan, but it did seem at least to me that his coverage of Whispering Vic did make the name known to a wider population. Kass’ popularity or lack thereof doesnt take away from the impact his coverage may have had. Of course, it was a long time ago and less then certain if anyone remembers. It could very well be the case that all of this is too much inside baseball to resonate w Chicagoans voting on a map. - Lincoln Lad - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 5:51 pm: -low level The circular firing squad that the dem party continues to have in Illinois is doing harm in the collar counties. You’ll see it reflected in local races… and the negative impact on turnout does potentially open the door. Its ok to have differences, but work them out already. - low level - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 6:08 pm: == Its ok to have differences, but work them out already.==. Lincoln Lad, I understand what you are saying now and agree completely. I really hope the Guv’s re elect team is paying attention. This will not be an easy race - SaulGoodman - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 6:12 pm: **Reyes was covered extensively by John Kass back in the day. I’d say more people recognize his name then just being “under the dome”.** I’d bet that Reyes’s name recognition is under 5%. And it will only be as high as 5% because some people would pretend they know who he is. **it was publicly reported that Noonan was working w whispering Vic. Is this still the case?** Noonan has retired from politics/lobbying, I believe. - Oofrum - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 6:26 pm: I’ll believe it when these hit mailboxes. Looks like rushed drafts. Even the committee details are blank. Leaked to Rich for leverage behind closed doors. - anon - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 7:59 pm: I have no idea who Reyes or any of them are, but I’m just here to stare at the author’s beard. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.