Nothing says democracy like a majority-voted burrito bowl order.
With a Chipotle buffet spread, Mayor Daniel Biss talked about his position as mayor with Northwestern students in a discussion roundtable in University Hall held by NU College Democrats Tuesday evening.
Biss made his opening remarks by narrating his journey towards becoming mayor — from teaching math at the University of Chicago, to knocking on doors of swing state residents, to finally being an Evanston representative.
Having been active in politics for nearly 20 years, Biss said he’s glad his constituents hold him to a high standard and expect him to make change.
“I’m friends with the mayor of Glenview, and he’s like, ‘My constituents want me to pick up the trash and plow the streets,’” Biss said. “But I’m like, ‘My constituents want me to fix climate change.’”
Biss highlighted a series of policies he’s particularly excited to see take shape in Evanston, from affordable housing and climate protection to racial reparations and beyond.
When the floor was open to questions from the audience, NU students were eager to engage in conversation with the mayor.
Many students were particularly concerned about the most recent Monday’s City Council meeting, during which the vote for a building emissions ordinance was postponed. Opponents to the bill — including NU — claimed it could be financially prohibitive for landlords, schools, businesses and hospitals.
“We’re not gonna have a thriving Evanston without a thriving Northwestern,” Biss said. “But on the flip side, a lot of residents are asking, ‘Are we benefiting from having Northwestern around or are we suffering?’”
Biss said he wasn’t shocked that the vote was delayed. It’s expected that the council would feel nervous to pass something the school district doesn’t support, he said.
However, Biss said he also found it “absolutely sensible” for NU and the council to want to negotiate further.
Biss further urged students to become involved in local politics and help bridge a greater connection between the Evanston and NU community.
“The University is a loose affiliation of human beings, and you guys (as students) have a ton of power,” Biss said.
NU College Democrats co-President and Weinberg junior Clark Mahoney said speaking to local politicians is a fantastic way to “get out of our bubble” and connect with Evanston.
Mahoney added that hosting Biss as a guest speaker was a great opportunity to show the impact of student involvement in local politics.
When asked about the Chipotle buffet choice, NU College Democrats co-President and Weinberg junior Adam Durr said it was a great avenue to encourage students to come to the event.
“We took a vote. We are a democracy,” Durr said. “We gave our members an option, and they chose Chipotle.”
NU College Democrats frequently host speaker events that are open to both members and the broader NU community. Currently, the organization is seeking to set a date for an open debate with NU College Republicans.
Durr said he is hoping the debate can take place sometime within the next month, and they are looking to work with the University’s chapters of Young Americans for Freedom and BridgeUSA.
“Trying to coordinate all three of those (student groups) can get a little bit complicated,” Durr said. “But there is no shortage of a desire to have these conversations and have these debates.”
Email: alexiasextou2028@u.northwestern.edu
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