No, It Wasn’t Trump Supporters

I don’t have a great deal of time to comment today but I did want to remark on this. It appears that the Chicago referendum to raise property transfer taxes will go down to defeat. Supporters of the measure are unbowed. Some, including the mayor, say that the measure was defeated because Trump supporters voted against it.

No, your honor. It wasn’t just Trump supporters. In my neighborhood, the area with which I’m most familiar, 70% of the voters voted against it and you don’t see a lot of MAGA hats here. It’s a lot more than Trump supporters.

I don’t oppose a graduated property transfer tax or oppose paying higher taxes on principle but I voted against this particular measure because it was a poorly crafted piece of legislation with adverse run-on effects. It even had the possible consequence of increasing the number of homeless people in Chicago. Before increasing taxes or imposing a graduated real estate transfer tax they should consider ending Chicago’s status as a “sanctuary city”. We’re presently spending millions housing thousands of migrants. The City Council knew that if Chicago’s “sanctuary city” status had been put on the ballot it would have gone down to defeat. Opposition to it is widespread and not just among Trump supporters.

The measure wasn’t put on the ballot in the general election because they knew it would be defeated then and hoped that the lower turnout in the primary election would allow it to prevail. They miscalculated.

I think that 42nd War Alderman Brendan O’Reilly was closer to the mark when he said “I think the Mayor got a report card last night and he did not pass”.

The mayor’s take, blaming it on Trump supporters, illustrates what’s wrong with our politics. There’s a lot more than Trump supporters vs. Biden supporters. Not every voter is willing to accept every piece of progressive claptrap.