Alderman Urges Residents To Petition Mayor On Street Performer Regulations

By Quinn Myers
Bucket Boys
Two bucket boys perform one afternoon near State and Washington streets. Claire Donnelly / WBEZ
Bucket Boys
Two bucket boys perform one afternoon near State and Washington streets. Claire Donnelly / WBEZ

Alderman Urges Residents To Petition Mayor On Street Performer Regulations

By Quinn Myers
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Chicago Alderman Brendan Reilly (42nd Ward) is asking his constituents to send Mayor Rahm Emanuel a letter in support of proposed regulations on street performers.

The stock letter includes a line where residents threaten to leave the city of Chicago:

“If this issue is not resolved, I will be forced to move out of the City and take my tax dollars with me.” 

The Gold Coast and West Loop alderman is urging business and property owners downtown to personalize it and send it to the mayor. Reilly is trying to garner support for the ordinance, introduced almost a year ago.

Andrea Bianchi received the letter last week.

“If people prefer quiet, maybe they should move to other Chicago neighborhoods or the suburbs,” she said.

In a statement, Reilly said residents asked his office for the letter, and that he is “willing to try just about anything to get my constituents relief.”

The proposed regulations would restrict where and when many street musicians can perform downtown.