Aldermanic candidates in two wards squared off Wednesday night about long-range budget plans and relations with Northwestern. The taped debate was part of a series scheduled to air on Evanston local access channels in March.
Seventh Ward Ald. Elizabeth Tisdahl and challenger Junad Rizki met in the first debate and differed in their approaches of how best approach the city’s finances. The Seventh Ward includes the dorms east of Sheridan Road, Jones Residential College, 1835 Hinman and northeast Evanston.
Tisdahl, for example, said she would support injecting only certain elm trees to save them from Dutch Elm disease. She said city couldn’t afford the extra vaccinations.
She also would like to move the Evanston Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave., as part of a long-range financial goal.
“The idea is that we will sell (the center) for $20 million, make a considerable profit … and use those profits to pay off the debt,” Tisdahl said.
But Rizki said moving the center would ruin its current neighborhood by opening the area to development.
He also said such a long-term goal was an ineffective way to solve problems because current government operations are inefficient.
“The long-range plan, that’s not the issue,” Rizki said. “The issue is dealing with the city operations and making sure every department is running efficiently and acting in the public interest.”
With respect to NU-Evanston relations, Tisdahl said the most important tactic was communication, but Rizki said the issue was more about mutual respect.
“Northwestern, when their students were getting robbed, did many things to increase safety in their neighborhood,” Rizki said. “Northwestern needs to respect the city … (but) the city itself needs to straighten itself out.”
The second aldermanic debate featured only incumbent Ald. Steven Bernstein (4th) and Bob Seidenberg, the city editor for the Evanston Review, who moderated both debates. Bernstein’s challenger, Ryan Garton, did not attend the event. Garton’s name was removed from the ballot Feb.10 because of legal problems with his petitions for candidacy.
Ashraf Manji, producer and director of the debates, wrote in an e-mail that the station sent Garton a letter about the debate and left three messages on his answering machine. None of the calls were returned, and Garton could not be reached by The Daily Wednesday.
Bernstein spent most of his time discussing “better times ahead” for Evanston, especially in city-university relations.
He said he was glad the university included a donation to the city when it purchased the 1800 Sherman Ave. building in November, taking the property off city tax rolls.
“I was very gratified,” Bernstein said. “I know it’s a mixed blessing … (but) it’s the first time in my recollection … where they acknowledged that their land-use policies have an impact on the city.”
Bernstein also said he looked forward to serving on a council with many new members.
“All you’ve got to do is love the City of Evanston, care deeply about the city of Evanston, and we’ll welcome you onto the dais.” he said. “But you better be ready, because there’s a steep learning curve.”
Earlier in the day, the station taped a debate between mayoral candidates Peter Godwin and incumbent Lorraine H. Morton. The station will conclude taping the series Thursday with debates for the First, Second, Sixth and Ninth wards.
Manji first created televised aldermanic debates for the last election in 2001.
“It seemed like the civic thing to do,” Manji said.
Reach Lee S. Ettleman at [email protected].
