Video: The WTTW News Spotlight Politics team on unsigned mailers and more of the day’s top stories. (Produced by Andrea Guthmann)

The battle over whether to functionally ban the use of natural gas to power most new Chicago homes and businesses opened a new front this week: Chicagoans’ mailboxes.

A flood of glossy, campaign-style mailers swept Chicago this week, praising some City Council members for “standing with workers and Chicago residents” while slamming others for putting “special interests before our community.” The flyers include the alderperson’s phone number, urging the recipient to thank — or slam — them for their position.

Although the mailers did not identify who paid for them, the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 helped bankroll the campaign, Marc Poulos, a Local 150 member and executive director of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa Foundation for Fair Contracting, told WTTW News Tuesday.

At the center of the dispute is a proposal dubbed the Clean and Affordable Buildings ordinance, which supporters contend is “the first step in a managed, planned process to move away from dirty, expensive gas and embrace a cheaper, cleaner energy future for all Chicagoans” as part of a larger fight against climate change.

But Local 150 is part of what representatives call a “broad coalition” of groups opposed to the ordinance that prompted the mailers. They refer to the proposal “decarbonization without a plan.”

Kristine Kavanagh, communications director for Local 150, did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday afternoon.

Ald. Maria Hadden (49th Ward), the chair of the Environmental Protection and Energy Committee, and the proposal’s lead sponsor, said the mailers contained misinformation and were “deeply irresponsible.”

“When you’re making these kind of claims you should have to say who you are so people can evaluate what they are hearing,” Hadden said.

The unsigned mailers do not violate Illinois law, according to a spokesperson for the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Disclosure is only required if mailers mention the name of a candidate in the next election, according to state law. All 50 members of the City Council, and Mayor Brandon Johnson, aren’t up for reelection until 2027.

Local 150 supported U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-Chicago) during the first round of voting during the 2023 mayoral election and then former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas in the runoff against Johnson.

Hadden said there is no plan to put the measure to a City Council vote before the end of year, making the mailers “poorly conceived” and confusing for most Chicagoans.

“The mailers were intentionally vague,” Hadden said.

A flood of glossy, campaign-style mailers swept Chicago this week, praising some City Council members for “standing with workers and Chicago residents” while slamming others for putting “special interests before our community.”

Earlier this year, 31 alderpeople signed a statement opposing the measure, saying it would hike costs for consumers, eliminate union jobs and reduce the reliability of the power grid. That makes the measure’s chances of passage doubtful without major changes.

Hadden said Local 150 has been a part of negotiations behind closed doors about the proposal, and she will continue to consult with them, despite the union’s decision to engage in what she called “negative campaigning.”

“We just disagree, and that’s OK,” Hadden said, adding that Chicago must do more to combat climate change by reducing its reliance on energy sources like natural gas. “We are going to have to move forward on this issue.”

Mayor Brandon Johnson supports the measure, which he has said is designed to make it more affordable for Chicagoans to heat their homes, while making indoor air safer to breathe.

Gas-burning appliances can expose people to chemicals that cause cancer and asthma when operating, according to several studies.

Representatives of People’s Gas also oppose the measure, which they contend will increase utility costs and reduce reliability, especially during cold snaps. A company spokesperson said they did not pay for the mailers or help craft their message.

The ordinance would set an indoor emissions standard that natural gas appliances cannot comply with, requiring all-electric heat and appliances to be installed in new construction. The proposal would not require existing homes and businesses to install electric appliances, officials said.

The change is designed to eliminate the use of fossil fuels in newly built structures, reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions and fighting climate change. Nearly 70% of total citywide greenhouse gas emissions come from buildings in Chicago.

New hospitals, research laboratories, emergency backup power generators and commercial cooking equipment would be exempt from the requirements, according to the proposal.

State law requires Illinois to transition to 100% clean energy by 2050 and sets timelines for coal and natural gas plants to stop operating.

A 2022 analysis paid for by the Natural Resources Defense Council found that Chicagoans could save roughly $11,000 to $24,000 during a 20-year period by replacing natural gas appliances with all-electric stoves and furnaces.

But the mailers contend the ordinance would boost heating bills by $1,132 a year and give ComEd, which powers every building in Chicago, a “monopoly” on how residents heat their homes. Those claims are false, Hadden said.

Contact Heather Cherone: @HeatherCherone | (773) 569-1863 | [email protected]