Leaders should demand vote on Fair Maps

I, like Bob Dohn and Bob Gleason's recent comments in the Daily Herald, have contacted my state representative (Fred Crespo) regarding upcoming legislative matters I was concerned about. I have never received responses, I assume, because many of my fellow citizens make comments, too, or he doesn't want to go on record as supporting or rejecting a matter until he has fully thought out the issues.

But the truth is he will probably never get the opportunity to vote on an item like the Fair Maps inititave (gerrymandering). Speaker Michael Madigan will probably not let the item come up for a vote. He is not accountable to the citizens of Illinois, only his district voters who always reelect him without hesitation, he is invulnerable. Legislators fear him because of the power he controls over committee appointments and his campaign war chest that he hands out to his loyal supporters.

It would be a new dawn in Illinois if our elected representatives were to stand up and demand this item be put to a vote. And it would not hurt if our governor were to lend his support to this initiative. The deadline is near.

Joe Celosky

Hoffman Estates