Supporters Rally at Appellate Court Against Real Estate Legal Challenge, Say Voters’ Voices Must Be Heard on Ballot Question 1
With just over two weeks remaining before the March 19th primary election, prominent civil rights groups, labor and community organizations, elected officials, and faith leaders file two amicus briefs as the Bring Chicago Home case heads to a higher court. The first contests the claim Bring Chicago Home is “logrolling”, which only applies to state legislation, and also cites the Fletcher precedent—that prospective litigants cannot preemptively stop the legislative process. The second brief argues plaintiffs underestimate the capacity of voters to make discerning choices on how to vote.
“The plaintiffs said it themselves—they were about to lose this vote and so they have taken to the courts instead to stop the Board of Elections from counting all the votes.” said Tre King of Chicago Votes. “This is an unjust subversion of the democratic process. We signed onto this brief because we believe Chicago voters—whether you support or oppose this—should decide for themselves if this is right for our city.”
“We are here today because we want the residents of Chicago to vote yes on Ballot Question 1, and we want our votes to be counted,” said Anthony J Perkins, community leader in ONE Northside and member of the Bring Chicago Home Coalition. “We are here because we the people have the opportunity to create funding for affordable housing and supportive services so we can make a great start toward ending homelessness.”
Notable signers include Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Chicago Urban League, Trinity United Church of Christ, SEIU HCIIMK, SEIU Local 73, Chicago Teachers Union, and AFSCME Council 31.
Full list of amici curiae provided below.
The amicus briefs can be found at this link
Organizations:
11th Ward IPO
12th Ward IPO
15th Ward Neighbors
22nd Ward IPO
25th Ward Independent Political Organization
30th United
33rd Ward Working Families
39th Ward Neighbors United
40th Ward Workers United
48th Ward Neighbors for Justice
50th Ward United Working Families
A Safe Haven Foundation
Access Living
Action Now
AFSCME Council 31
American Postal Workers Union (APWU)
Asian American Midwest Progressives
Better Streets Chicago
Bickerdike Redevelopment Corp
Brighton Park Neighborhood Council
Casa Central Social Services Corporation
Center for Housing and Health
Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression
Chicago House
Chicago Jobs Council
Chicago Metro Retirees
Chicago Rehab Network
Chicago Urban League
Chicago Votes Action Fund
Chicago Women Take Action
Citizen Action/Illinois
Collaborative for Community Wellness Collective Chicago
Cook County College Teachers Union
Corporation for Supportive Housing
Daryle Brown, Trinity United Church of Christ
Deborah’s Place
Equity and Transformation (EAT)
Esperanza Health Centers
First Defense Legal Aid
Grace Church of Logan Square
Healthcare Alternative Systems, Inc.
Housing Action Illinois
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Illinois Collaboration on Youth
Illinois National Organization for Women
Illinois Partners for Human Service
Illinois Public Health Institute
Illinois Union of the Homeless
Imam Amiin Al-Musaddiq, Masjid Al-Ma’un
Indivisible Chicago Alliance
Indo American Center
Justice Informed
Kimball Avenue United Church of Christ
La Casa Norte
Larry Lawrence, Praise Temple of Restoration;
Lugenia Burns Hope Center
Lutheran Social Services of Illinois
LYTE Collective
Mercy Housing Lakefront
Metropolitan Tenants Organization
Michael Reese Health Trust
Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church
National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture
NCJW CNS
Network 49
New Moms
Northside Action for Justice
Not Me We
One Northside
Palenque LSNA
People United for Action
Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago
Rainbow PUSH Coalition
Ravenswood Fellowship UMC
Renaissance Social Services
SEIU HCIIMK
SEIU Local 73
Seminarians+ for Justice
She Votes Illinois
Southside Together Organizing for Power
St. Leonard’s Ministries
St. Luke’s Lutheran Church of Logan Square
State Revenue Alliance
TASC (Treatment Alternative for Safe Communities)
The 290 IPO
The Boulevard of Chicago
The Inner Voice Inc.
The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence
The Night Ministry
The Owens Foundation
The People’s 32nd
Trilogy Behavioral Healthcare
Únete; United Church of Rogers Park
United Neighbors of the 26th Ward
United Neighbors of the 35th Ward
United Northwest Side
Workers United – CMRJB
Working Families Party
Elected Officials:
Alderman Byron Sigcho Lopez
Alderman Daniel La Spata
Alderman Desmon Yancy
Alderman Jason Ervin
Alderman Lamont Robinson
Alderman Michael D. Rodríguez
Alderman Ronnie L. Mosley
Alderman Ruth Cruz
Alderman Walter Burnett Jr.
Alderman William Hall
Alderwoman Angela Clay
Alderwoman Jessie Fuentes
Alderwoman Jeylu B. Gutierrez
Alderwoman Julia Ramirez
Alderwoman Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth
Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez
City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin
Commissioner Anthony Joel Quezada
Commissioner Josina Morita
Commissioner Tara Stamps
Committeeman Paul Rosenfeld
Congressman Danny K. Davis
District Councilor Alees Edwards;
District Councilor Alexander Perez
District Councilor Chloe Vitale;
District Councilor David Boykin
District Councilor David Orlikoff
District Councilor Deirdre O’Connor
District Councilor Elianne Bahena
District Councilor Elizabeth A. Rochford
District Councilor Eric Russell
District Councilor Erin Vogel
District Councilor Leonardo Quintero
District Councilor Ponchita Moore
State Representative Camille Lilly
State Representative Kelly Cassidy
State Representative Lakesia Collins
State Representative Lilian Jimenez
State Representative Lindsey LaPointe
State Representative Will Guzzardi
State Senator Robert Peters
