The Park Ridge City Council has voted to contribute $250,000 toward a campaign to fight the proposed expansion of O’Hare International Airport.
Des Plaines aldermen voted 5-3 to release $22,500 in quarterly dues the city owes the Suburban O’Hare Commission.
Both votes came during separate meetings Monday night.
Des Plaines officials on Sept. 5 are expected to discuss a $165,000 one-time contribution sought by the commission, said City Clerk Donna McAllister.
The two cities and other commission members are trying to stop Chicago’s $6 billion plan that would nearly double the flights in and out of O’Hare.
Last month Park Ridge’s council approved a $10,000 payment to the commission for its campaign against O’Hare expansion. The money is in addition to the community’s $66,700 in annual dues to the group.
“Part of it is to let your opponents know that you’re willing to put money on the table, that you mean business,” Park Ridge Mayor Ron Wietecha said.
State Rep. Rosemary Mulligan (R-Des Plaines) also urged the Park Ridge council to continue the fight against airport expansion.
“If you think it’s a done deal, then it is a done deal,” Mulligan said.
A public hearing in Des Plaines Thursday on airport expansion drew about 1,000 people and left Wietecha and Park Ridge aldermen convinced that Gov. George Ryan is leaning toward cutting a deal to allow O’Hare expansion.
“George Ryan is not the only person who will have approval and say on this matter,” Wietecha said.
The council also approved a $30,000 contribution toward a legal battle against O’Hare in DuPage County and a $20,446 payment to Karaganis & White Ltd., reimbursing the law firm for money it paid for an environmental study of O’Hare.
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The Des Plaines vote ended an effort begun in May to suspend payment of the city’s quarterly dues. Ald. Dick Sayad and several council allies argued that commission officials have not provided adequate answers to their questions about how the dues are spent.