Council crowds mayoral term limits off ballot

Mayor Rahm Emanuel's City Council allies on Monday used a now-familiar political ploy to crowd off the Nov. 6 ballot former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn's long-shot, binding referendum to limit Chicago mayors to two terms and therefore force Emanuel into retirement.

Instead of being asked whether Chicago mayors should be limited to two terms, the Rules Committee agreed to ask voters three nonbinding questions:

• In the event marijuana is legalized, should the city of Chicago appropriate revenue from the sale of marijuana to increase funding for Chicago Public Schools and mental health services?

• Should the city of Chicago seek that the State of Illinois create a homeowners property tax exemption for families in municipalities of over 500,000 that have lived in their home for over 10 years and whose income is over $100,000?

• Should the city of Chicago ban the use of plastic straws within the corporate limits?

The ordinance was introduced at Wednesday's City Council meeting, but will not be acted upon until the referendum results are in.

Since only three questions can be placed on the ballot, whether binding or nonbinding, Tuesday's vote and final ratification by the full Council means there will be no room for Quinn's term-limit question.

Rules Committee Chairman Michelle Harris (8th) was asked whether the advisory questions were a ploy to crowd Quinn's binding term-limits question off the ballot.

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