Breen invites businesses forced out of Chicago due to their sincerely held beliefs to relocate to Lombard
LOMBARD, IL—Lombard Trustee Peter Breen, Chairperson of the Village's Economic & Community Development Committee, will introduce a resolution at the committee's meeting on Tuesday, July 31, calling for support of “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day,” scheduled for August 1, in response to recent actions against the restaurant chain by City of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Alderman Proco "Joe" Moreno.
This week, Ald. Moreno, supported by Mayor Emanuel, announced that he would refuse to permit a new Chick-fil-A in his city ward due to statements in support of traditional marriage attributed to and confirmed by Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy. Chick-fil-A opened a new restaurant in Lombard earlier this year as part of a long-planned expansion into the Chicagoland market.
“Opposite the intolerant ‘values’ espoused by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, our values in Lombard are pro-business, pro-jobs, and pro-freedom,” said Breen. “We uphold the constitutional rights of free speech and freedom of religion of our residents and business people alike. Lombard is open for business. If Chicago is going to expel outstanding businesses like Chick-fil-A because of their leaders' deeply held beliefs on issues of public importance, we will invite those businesses to invest and bring their economic benefits to our community.”
Chick-fil-A had already received zoning approval for a restaurant in the 2500 block of North Elston Avenue in Chicago. However, Ald. Moreno exercised “aldermanic privilege” to deny Chick-fil-A permission to divide the property there, which will prevent the company from purchasing an out lot near the Home Depot already on the site. Aldermanic privilege is a Chicago tradition that allows aldermen near-absolute control over zoning issues in their wards.
“From an economic standpoint, the timing couldn’t be worse for this abuse of dubious authority. The U.S. Constitution and Illinois law forbid government officials from discrimination based on a person’s sincerely held religious beliefs,” said Breen. “We have a word for religious intolerance in this country: bigotry. And, in this case, it’s illegal.”
The Economic & Community Development Committee will consider the “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day” resolution at its next scheduled meeting on Tuesday, July 31, at 7 p.m., in the Community Room of the Lombard Village Hall.
