SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – An advisory referendum Tuesday will take Springfield voters’ temperature on whether the city should enact a landlord registry. Remarks at this past Tuesday’s city council meeting suggest there’s no middle ground.

As a registry would put his ownership of rental property into a public document, Shawn McKinney (pictured) said, “Who knows I own rental properties? What if an angry renter acted upon their anger at the doorstep of my home? If you believe all landlords need to be registered, and the bad ones called out, then it would only be fair that the city council adopt a tenant registry as well.”

Diane Shaw, on the other hand, said she is speaking on behalf of renters who are afraid to speak out. “We do need landlord registration!” she shouted. “Why? For accountability! We do need it! Why? So that tenants don’t have to face their landlord!”