Mayor Lorraine Morton on Friday endorsed Kellogg Prof. Allan Drebin for First Ward alderman, saying her relationship with incumbent Ald. Arthur Newman is too hostile.
“All of this is led by Newman’s personal attacks on me,” said Morton, who made an appearance at Drebin’s campaign kick-off in January. “He has been so nasty to me personally; no one’s ever talked to me the way Newman has.”
Newman, however, said Morton’s displeasure with him is motivated by significant policy differences that often leave her on the losing side of council votes.
“She is worried about me because I’m productive on the council, and she doesn’t have the political skills to get things done,” Newman said. “In the 20 years I have lived in this town, Mayor Morton has been the most ineffective mayor I’ve seen.”
Morton’s endorsement marks the latest round in an eight-year battle for control of City Council. During Morton’s first mayoral campaign in 1993, Newman supported her opponent, Ald. Ann Rainey (8th). In turn, Morton in 1997 endorsed Newman’s opponent, then-Weinberg sophomore Raj Udeshi.
After Newman was re-elected in 1997, he led the way for changes to council rules, weakening the mayor’s influence by removing her power to appoint aldermen to the council’s standing committees. In 1993, Morton had removed Newman from the city’s Economic Development committee, saying she thought negotiations with business leaders required someone with better interpersonal skills.
And three times in the past four years, Morton said, Newman persuaded aldermen to override mayoral vetoes – decisions that she said “weren’t lightly done” – which was another factor behind her endorsement of Drebin.
“Eight years ago, the mayor’s will was basically done,” said Ald. Steven Bernstein (4th). “Often times Newman couldn’t get a second on motions. Now he can get people to listen to him.”
Bernstein said he thinks the council’s balance of power is right where it should be – in the hands of aldermen, not the mayor.
“If the mayor has certain opinions, she should be trying to convince us of them,” Bernstein said.
Morton, who faces no opponents in the April 3 municipal elections, said the mayor should preside rather than lobby, and that city government is supposed to be public service.
“When it turns into a power play, then it’s very difficult to get at the best decision,” she said. “If you get into lobbying then you really divide the council.”
Though Ald. Melissa Wynne (3rd) acknowledged a history of disagreement between Morton and Newman, she said their conflict hasn’t impaired the council.
“Personal feelings have not produced council gridlock,” Wynne said. “People feel passionately about their positions – occasionally strong words are used – but this is not inconducive to getting city business done.”
Morton disagreed, saying a lack of civility has impeded the council’s ability to accomplish city business. But as much as she wants Newman to lose the election, she said, her endorsement of Drebin also stemmed from his qualifications.
With Evanston facing chronic budgetary woes, Morton said, Drebin’s work with other financially troubled cities would be an asset to the council.
“Drebin is an authority – a trained man with degrees,” Morton said. “The council needs that.”
Drebin, who said he appreciated the mayor’s support, agreed that the city’s budget needed an overhaul and that City Council deliberations had gotten too combative.
“This is dysfunctional,” he said. “We have to work together to solve the problems of the city and not fight against each other.”
But no matter which candidate wins the election, Morton said, the council still has to uphold its responsibility to Evanston residents.
“It can’t get any worse,” Morton said. “I’m hoping that our new council will work together in civility and get the business of the city done – not someone’s personal agenda.”
