U.S. District Judge David H. Coar said Thursday that he will decide by mid-September whether Chicago Heights’ former at-large system of government violated the Voting Rights Act and, if so, whether the current aldermanic form of government is an appropriate remedy.
Four of 30 scheduled witnesses testified Thursday to conclude the two-day hearing on the issue.
“I wish we could have had more people keep their commitment to testify, but people are reluctant to go against those in power,” said Robert Anderson, the attorney representing Aldermen Robert McCoy and Kevin Perkins in the lawsuit.
McCoy and Perkins, who allege the government is discriminatory to the city’s minority population, split off from the plaintiff class in the lawsuit.
The other two sides in the case, the City of Chicago Heights and the plaintiff class, which filed the original lawsuit in 1987 but now wants it dismissed, called no witnesses. Both are relying on previous testimony and exhibits.
“This hearing requested by the plaintiffs did nothing to help their case,” said Anthony Scariano, the attorney for Chicago Heights. “When you have 30 witnesses and only four show up, something must be in the water. A circus was held with peanuts left over.”
In 1994, U.S. District Judge Hubert Will approved an agreement to replace the at-large commission form of government with a six-ward aldermanic system. That form of government was approved through a referendum in November 1995.
McCoy and Perkins, who became aldermen in May 1995, have been boycotting City Council meetings since April. They say the even number of aldermen allows Mayor Angelo “Sam” Ciambrone to hold too much power in city government because he can use his vote to break ties.
Of the six aldermen, three are white, one is Latino and McCoy and Perkins are African-American. Ciambrone is white.
