CHICAGO — Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s controversial free gas and public transit card giveaway narrowly passed the City Council Wednesday after aldermen debated whether the measure will truly help struggling residents or simply be a political “gimmick.”
The plan to hand out 50,000 gas cards, worth $150 each, and 100,000 Chicago Transit Authority fare cards, $50 each, passed 26-23 despite reservations from several aldermen that it was a political stunt and would be largely ineffective. Lightfoot’s program, dubbed “Chicago Moves,” followed mayoral candidate Willie Wilson’s self-funded $2.2 million gas giveaways to drivers who camped out at gas stations.
“Some of our neighborhoods have intentionally been starved for no other reason than systemic racism,” Lightfoot said Wednesday before the City Council vote. “Should we not address that problem, solve it? We are a city. A city of neighbors.”
