Jane Grover's Hollow Response To The CSNA Evaluations

While Jane Grover is rightly basking in her "highly recommended" evaluation ( not endorsement), let's take a look at her campaign site response to the CSNA evaluation.
Ms. Grover claims she will "be a disciplined and responsible steward of taxpayer dollars", she is for an "accountable & transparent City government" and she "will change the tone of discourse in Evanston". Jane also claims, she will be an "independent voice".
Let's compare Ms. Grover's promises with her campaign record. First and foremost, Ms. Grover's failure to speak out: about the police and fire pension funding crisis, the lack of hard budget cuts in the 2009-2010 budget (including the promise to 800 City employees that they'll keep their jobs for a year), sales tax rebates to certain developers, while other Evanston businesses struggle to pay their taxes without government generosity,  educating the citizens on TIF's or the fact that surpluses are there to ease the burden of tax increases and about Ald. Tisdahl (her political sponsor's) role and accountablity in the non publicizing and non action regarding these issues.
I find it hard to believe that Jane Grover believes she is an "independent voice". Mayor Morton and Ald. Tisdahl are joined at the hip as Ald. Tisdahl likes to put it, when Mayor Morton "out of the blue", " I've got something that will knock your socks off" (Ald. Tisdahl's mayoral stump speeches) decided to appoint Tisdahl to 7th Ward alderman in 2003 and anoint her as her (Evanston Machine)  2009 mayoral replacement. Rumor has it that Ald. Tisdahl was not too happy , when John Zbesko got in the race. I can only imagine Ald. Tisdahl's surprise, when I joined the race. To quote Dr. Milton Rakove's old political book title: "We don't want nobody, nobody sent!"
Jane should realize that the dishonest tone of discourse, the lack of transparency and accountability, and the undisciplined and irresponsible use of taxpayer dollars are Ald. Tisdahl and her fellow Council members fault. If Jane Grover is truly independent and truly believes that she will make a change, why can't she speak out about Tisdahl's record (Isn't she still our current 7th ward alderman). I believe this is a valid issue for all 7th ward voters: those that think the City of Evanston is doing great, vote for TIsdahl and Grover. Those that think we can do better for 7th ward alderman and mayor, well there are other candidates to choose and vote for.
I would also challenge Ald. Tisdahl to post her successes and failures here at the CSNA since being appointed in 2003. Your own campaign literature has more to say about your school board record than your aldermanic record and rightly so. Your aldermanic record speaks of your only successes as free beach tokens and your contributory vote to Climate Action Plan, however your failures for the 7th ward specifically and the City in general should be obvious any honest and objective citizen. Fiscal mismanagement, lack of accountablity, lack of transparency and openness, lack of commitment on issues early on (see Evanston Hospital incinerator, Evanston theatres, the Tower, the Civic Center replacement ( a new palace to the current Councils' arrogance and tone deaf response to the citizens) and the 1221 Isabella unsafe development.
 
Anyone looking for a voice of independence, honesty and change in Evanston government has only to look at Ald. Tisdahl's almost total silence on issues before the Council and committees to know that there will be more of the same in the future from Jane Grover. I challenge Jane Grover and Ald. Tisdahl to prove me wrong on any of these points. Why should they respond to a fellow citizen and candidate about their campaigns and Ald. Tisdahl's aldermanic record? Unless they don't want to debate the real issues, then let their silence be informative to all CSNA members. Without a doubt, the most frustrating thing about this campaign is the inability of a true no-holds barred debate between the candidates ( think Lincoln-Douglas, my fellow Illinoisians). What a shame! Probably, no candidates would accept that lack of control, except myself.
Kevin OConnor
7th Ward Aldermanic Candidate
www.rebootev.com