Jane Grover's blog

Creating a separate taxing body, whether for the libraries or recreation (as in Wilmette), or a community mental health board, doesn’t necessarily lead to increased taxes. And while we have an excess of taxing bodies in Illinois, the separate existence of a taxing body increases the expectation of transparency and accountability for that entity’s levy and budget. 

Rather than shying away from the "third rail of the 7th Ward" – the North Branch library– we should be engaging in a full and open discussion of the whole Evanston library system and the consequences of our commitment to branch libraries for the city’s budget. 

I hope that economic realities and community planning lead us to the conclusion that the Civic Center should stay where it is, but we can't be afraid to ask the hard questions that get us there.  Short-sighted thinking dictates preservation of the Civic Center in the former Marywood Academy at all costs and without questioning the long-term repercussions for Evanston's finances and implications for this community's aspirations as a sustainable community. 

As a long-time advocate for open and transparent government, working both from within and outside government, I understand our elected officials' duty to satisfy the public's right to information and accountability.  The business of the public must be conducted in full view of the public (Open Meetings Act) and citizens must have access to all public records (Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)). 
 

• Thursday, February 17, 7 to 9 pm
     Coffee hosted by Joan Slavin and Chuck Marcotte, 2021 Colfax

• Saturday, February 21, 11:30 am to 3 pm
     Kids Campaign Kickoff!
      Join Jane and her family for door-to-door 
      campaigning in the 7th Ward, beginning at 2703 
      Prairie, followed by gym activity and pizza at
      Chandler-Newberger. 

• Sunday, March 1, 2 to 4 pm

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

Evanston is at a critical juncture, one that presents enormous challenges, but also opportunities. The City faces another year of tight budgets, unprecedented liability to its police and fire pension funds, and overdue investment in infrastructure. While I have a realistic perspective on the City's dire budget landscape, we must also look to new opportunities and resources outside the silo of government to identify solutions to Evanston's challenges.

I'm in the "Serve Evanston, Build Something Great at Fountain Square, Just Not so Tall" group. I suspect there are more of us out there who are well-informed and interested and don't consider ourselves in opposition to the development proposal for 708 Church. There's just no yard sign slogan that expresses positive ambivalence about it.