By Townhall Chicago News Staff
Chicago voters are deciding six nonbinding advisory questions Tuesday covering gunshot-detection technology, federal immigration enforcement costs and a proposed tax surcharge on millionaires, according to an Election Day radio discussion on AM 560.
One question asks whether the city should bring back ShotSpotter gunshot-detection technology, after a prior city administration ended the program. Radio host Amy Jacobson said she voted yes on that question during the broadcast.
A second question asks whether Chicago should pursue “all lawful means” to recover financial compensation from the federal government tied to a federal immigration enforcement operation in the city known on-air as the Midway Blitz, according to Jacobson’s description of the ballot language. The question was described during the broadcast as naming President Donald Trump and federal operation commander Greg Bovino directly in the ballot text. Jacobson said she was undecided on how she voted on that question.
A third question asks whether Illinois should use revenue from a surcharge on millionaires to increase funding for public schools. Jacobson said she voted no, describing the proposal on-air as driven by the Chicago Teachers Union. The question was discussed on the broadcast as a potential precursor to a future statewide constitutional amendment on the issue.
A fourth question asks whether an additional tax levy on vacant or deteriorated property should be directed to Chicago Public Schools.
A fifth question asks whether the city should develop a permanent outdoor festival space for large-scale events. “We already have Grant Park,” Jacobson said. “Why do we need another?”
A sixth question asks whether revenue described on-air would be split between low-income property tax relief and public education funding.
The questions are advisory and do not carry the force of law, meaning city and state officials are not required to act on the results. Exact ballot language was not independently obtained for this report and was instead paraphrased during the broadcast; the specific wording of each question, including whether naming a federal official in ballot text is permitted under Illinois election law, has not been confirmed against official Chicago Board of Elections records.
The advisory questions appear on the same ballot as contested races for Illinois General Assembly seats, Chicago Public Schools Board of Education president, and dozens of local property tax referendums across the state.
Results of the advisory questions are expected to be reported alongside other Election Day results Tuesday night, as polls close across Chicago.
