Voters to weigh in on Wheaton Grand debate

The city of Wheaton is turning to voters to help settle a long-running debate over whether public money should be used to reopen the Wheaton Grand Theater.

The city council voted 5-2 Monday to place an advisory referendum on the April 5 ballot. The nonbinding proposal asks if the city should put up to $150,000 a year toward the shuttered theater, but does not indicate which funds would be used or for how long.

Alderman Todd Scalzo said he proposed the referendum to “advance the decision-making process substantially” after years of back-and-forth discussion. But opponents argue there is little point because multiple studies, including one presented just last month, have shown the theater is not financially viable.

“We've kicked this around for 10 years — where do you draw the line?” Mayor Michael Gresk said Tuesday.

Although the proposal does not specify where the money would come from, Scalzo said it could be generated through a variety of sources, including ticket taxes, food and beverage taxes, tax-increment financing and bond issues. Even if voters support the idea, it doesn't commit the city to action.

“As opposed to a traditional referendum, an advisory referendum is something more akin to a public-opinion poll, yet its value is significant,” Scalzo said.

Alderman Phil Suess criticized the proposal as “political pandering and very disingenuous.” He said $150,000 a year would be insignificant compared to what the theater needs to be fully operational.

Seuss added that a more appropriate referendum would address financial problems the city itself has had keeping up with sidewalk and sewer maintenance.

“I think those are more pressing issues,” he said.

While several council members said they supported at least asking for voters' opinion on the theater, residents Mike Kmiecik and Jeanne Ives voiced frustration that the city is still looking into the project at all.

“I feel like I'm in that movie ‘Groundhog Day' because, once again, here we are talking about the theater,” said Ives, who is running for city council. “You have 10 years of data showing that nobody is in favor of funding this from a public standpoint. You can't even get people to contribute.”

“It's a dead horse,” Kmiecik added.