It’s been nearly 25 years since former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn called for a referendum on whether the Bears should get tax dollars for the team’s costly Soldier Field renovation.

His efforts at the time were shot down and taxpayers are still on the hook for some $600 million of that rehab effort, even though the Bears might not play at Soldier Field much longer.

Now as the Bears and White Sox are on the hunt for taxpayer cash to fund new stadiums, Quinn says it’s once again time to ask the voters what they think.

“It’s better to first ask the taxpayers, ‘Do you want to even get into this?’” he said. “You know, $660 million could have paid for a lot of housing for people who need housing in Chicago and a lot of other things whether it’s public safety or education. We shouldn’t just invest our money in sports stadiums.”

Should Quinn succeed, the nonbinding referendum would ask Chicago voters on Nov. 5: “Shall the people of Chicago provide any taxpayer subsidies to the Chicago Bears or the White Sox in order to build a stadium or a real estate development?”

Quinn said he hopes this time Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago City Council back his efforts, pointing to the mayor’s “grassroots democracy” as a motive for bringing the question to the voters.

“I’m hoping that they see the light,” he said. “I think a lot of council members know that we have public safety issues. We definitely have housing issues … The point of the matter is, for too long in Illinois and Chicago, voters haven't had a chance to vote on issues as well as candidates. That's what referendums are all about.”

The Chicago Bears have been in talks to build a new stadium along Chicago’s lakefront. The team would reportedly put in $2 billion, but taxpayer funds and agreements allowing a stadium on public land would also be required.

The White Sox last month pitched government leaders on a proposal to repurpose Guaranteed Rate Field in Bridgeport and to move the team’s home base to a new stadium that would be part of the fledgling mixed-use development The 78, at Roosevelt Road and the Chicago River, north of Chinatown.

Amanda Vinicky contributed reporting.