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Highland Park residents push for amending ordinance that bars city council members from having liquor licenses
April 11, 2024

Highland Park residents Wednesday night urged the City Council to reconsider a decision not to amend a prohibition-era ordinance that prohibits council members from having liquor licenses, which impacts a newly-elected member. Supporters of Jeff Hoobler, council member and co-owner of Ravinia Brewing Company, said its not about him, it’s about the ordinance. Resident Linda Feinstein said it tells some members of the community they can’t participate in elected government and citizens can’t vote for them. “This ordinance takes that decision out of my hands and it’s fundamentally undemocratic and for that reason I think this ordinance is terrible public policy.” Another resident said the law is “ridiculous.”READ MORE

CHICAGO HOODLINE Highland Park battle over liquor license law pits business against City Council regulations  Councilmember Lidawer is determined to keep the momentum going until a change is made. “In addition to hurting our community on a daily basis, our business-friendly image to the outside world, we are also hurting the councilmember who is not sitting next to me today,” she expressed fervently at the meeting.

MOVING HIGHLAND PARK FORWARD
Join us at the next Highland Park City Council meeting
When: April 24th at 7:30 pm
Where: City Hall, 1707 St Johns Ave, Highland Park
This is the last regular meeting before elected Council member Jeff Hoobler is effectively pushed out of office, after pledging to bring an independent and fresh perspective to the Council and garnering more votes than any other candidate in the last election. Mr. Hoobler’s resignation will go into effect on April 30th UNLESS the Mayor and Council vote to change a newly-discovered Prohibition-era law that prohibits Council members from having a liquor license. This is our last chance to convince Mayor Nancy Rotering, Councilmember Kim Stone, and Councilmember Tony Blumberg to do the right thing – listen to the voters – and change the current law. The fix is easy and these members of the council have the power to make the change at this meeting. LEARN MORE: www.HPForward.org