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Nothing to hideLetter to News Sun editor My home was scheduled to be inspected on Feb. 5. Because I rent. A new ordinance (01-0-127) was passed by the City of Waukegan last May mandating that all rental units be inspected/searched. Annually. Because we rent. In Waukegan. Search warrants were obtained, signed by a judge for the 40 people in this building who refused access for this inspection. That search was to occur on Feb. 12. Apparently the issue became too hot for this close to elections because the day before the search it was postponed due to "scheduling" conflict. It will be rescheduled with 30 days notice. I have nothing to hide from anybody, but that is not the point here. I require that a search warrant be obtained showing probable cause before I will allow access to my home. The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution gives me the right to refuse search of my home without a warrant that shows probable cause. Isn't probable cause created by a specific suspicion about specific law being broken in a specific place? Is the fact that I am a tenant probable cause? I know I haven't broken any law. Have I complained to the city that my unit is not up to code? No! Has someone complained to the city that I have too many people living in my apartment? Not possible! I am wondering if Waukegan city fathers are trying to run all tenants out of town? The truth is that only those who can afford to move will leave. My job is in Waukegan so it is convenient but I really don't have to live here. I make note of the fact that owner occupied homes are not ordinanced by inspection. Yet. Perhaps the mayor an all of the city alderman will willingly pay an inspector to search their homes. My worry is that ordinances like this are chipping away our rights. One day we will discover that while we were sleeping, our last right disappeared. Landlords, who are business people in this city, pay huge taxes, business license fees, sign fees, and various other inspection fees and are subject to constant inspections to make sure they are in compliance with all codes and ordinances. Now they are to pay yet another fee of $25 per unit whether it is inspected or not (vacant units are not being inspected so they are obviously not looking for building code violations). Will landlords follow the car dealers and other business to another city with a better business climate? If tenants leave, they will have to. With 12,000 rental units in Waukegan we are talking about additional revenue our fair city of $300,000. Per year. Bingo! Linda Esposito Waukegan 02/26/03 |
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