Chicago voters weighed in on three city referendums Tuesday, with a majority coming out in favor of keeping firearms out of restaurants that serve alcohol and limiting the size of gun magazines, and most taking a dim view of raising taxi fares, according to preliminary results.
The three questions on the city’s primary ballots carry no official weight but serve as a poll on what voters think about the topics. The low election turnout in Chicago, thanks to a lack of top-of-the-ticket contested races among Democrats, raises questions about the value of even the nonbinding opinions in taking the pulse of the electorate.
On the question of whether the state’s concealed carry law should be amended to ban the possession of concealed firearms in any place that has a liquor license, nearly three-quarters of voters said yes, with 96 percent of precincts reporting.
The City Council already has adopted an ordinance to revoke liquor licenses from establishments that do not ban firearms. State law bans weapons only in bars or restaurants that make more than half their money from selling alcohol.
About 76 percent of voters said yes to a referendum asking whether the state should pass a measure to ban gun magazines with more than 15 rounds, again with 96 percent of precincts in. The proposal is backed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Gov. Pat Quinn.
Just less than 40 percent of voters were in favor of hitting the pocketbooks of cab passengers by increasing rates, with 96 percent of precincts reporting. The referendum question asked whether fares should go up to “bring Chicago’s taxi fleet in line with other cities” and noted that it would be the first hike in eight years, but it did not specify to what the rate should be raised.
Cabdrivers have asked for an increase on the $1.80 per-mile charge but haven’t gotten a hearing since summer 2012, when aldermen declined to raise rates.
Voters in about 5 percent of Chicago precincts were asked if the minimum wage in the city should be increased to $15 per hour. With 90 percent of precincts counted, 87 percent of voters said yes.
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