Political leaders to address issues at Oct. 19 event

Local political leaders -- including U.S. Rep Luis Guitterrez, Illinois secretary of transportation Kirk Brown, state Sen. James "Pate" Philip and Chicago alderwoman Toni Preckwinkle -- will join members of Chicago religious congregations for an "issues assembly" at Rockefeller Memorial Chapel at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 19. More than 2,000 people are expected to attend.

Leaders of the Metropolitan Alliance of Congregatios (MAC), a group of over 100 area churches and synagogues joined for political action, will ask politicians to commit to measures addressing four major issues: jobs, transportation, public education and public safety.

"These issues are dividing rich and poor, black and white, urbanites and suburbanites," said Sam Speers, Associate Dean of Rockefeller Chapel. "We want to address political leaders, to let them know they need to look to us as partners when they address these issues."

In particular, the alliance would like Chicago declared a "high-intensity drug-traffic area," like New York and other U.S. coastal cities, so that Chicago would receive federal funds not only for law enforcement, but also for drug-addiction treatment and prevention, said the Rev. John Warner, pastor of Crerar Presbyterian Church in Chicago. Warner is co-convener of MAC with the Rev. Len Dubi, pastor of St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church in Hazel Crest, Ill.

The assembly is free and open to the public. For more information, call 702-7059.