Jane Grover: Thanks to CSNA, My remarks

Submitted by Jane Grover on Thu, 02/26/2009 - 12:12

Thank you to the Central Street Neighbors Association for bringing together the 6th and 7th Ward aldermanic candidates for a second time to talk about the issues that matter to all of us.  You are gracious hosts and I am grateful for the invitation. 
 
I include here my opening remarks from Tuesday's forum: 
 
I’m running for alderman because I, like you, am a frequent consumer of City services and close observer of our neighborhood, and there are some issues I'd like to talk about.  I wonder:

 
Why, in the almost 15 years I’ve lived in Evanston, I haven’t had a satisfying experience in Parking Services? 
 
Why my friend Tiffany had to move her homegrown, successful and expanding high-tech business out of Evanston so that it could succeed and expand in Chicago? 
 
How votes of the City Council on major issues can seem to run so against the grain of the opinions of the people who choose to express them? And if we value the citizen expertise on our boards and commissions, shouldn’t their advice be counted? 
 
Why it’s so hard to discern the routes of the busses that travel on Central Street, including Northwestern’s shuttles, and couldn’t that public transportation be more well-marked and coordinated? 
 
Why Evanston teenagers now have to travel to Skokie, Chicago or Deerfield to find a family planning center to obtain birth control? Is it any wonder that the teen pregnancy rates in Evanston have increased since the City’s family planning services were cut?
 
Why so many parents in the 7th Ward aren’t comfortable letting their children walk or ride bikes to the three schools in our ward, increasing congestion and pollution when we should be creating a pedestrian culture in this neighborhood?
 
Why we spent a quarter of a million dollars to get the water flowing at Fountain Square when we have higher and better uses for a quarter of a million dollars and when we should recognize that every decision is a budget decision? 
 
Why, in the many years I’ve been part of the City’s budget process, that we seem begin with a budget deficit and either brace for a tax increase or hope that City staff will pull a magic rabbit out of the hat at the last minute to save us from a tax increase? 
 
We know the answers to a lot of these questions. We must think differently about the business of government, ask the impertinent questions, and seek and create opportunities.  And as elected officials, we must be more than a conduit for residents’ concerns; we must amplify those concerns. 
 
As just as importantly, we need leadership on the City Council that is responsive and transparent and for whom asking a question is just the first step.  Thank you.

Forums:

JunadRizki

Thu, 02/26/2009 - 23:46

Jane you state the following

"Why Evanston teenagers now have to travel to Skokie, Chicago or Deerfield to find a family planning center to obtain birth control? Is it any wonder that the teen pregnancy rates in Evanston have increased since the City’s family planning services were cut?"
 
It is my understanding the High School Health Center provides birth control?  As I recall parents must consent.
Why do we need to pay for this service twice? The reason the council cut the health services because they felt they could be provide elsewhere.  We know some of that was to be provided by Cook County which never happen. ( what a surpise)
 
What are you proposing spending another $200,000 to provide this duplicate service?
 
Also on fountain square you state
 
"Why we spent a quarter of a million dollars to get the water flowing at Fountain Square when we have higher and better uses for a quarter of a million dollars and when we should recognize that every decision is a budget decision?"
 
When have you been there? - the fountains were not working , there were over ten different patches on the pavement, and the staff was proposing turning them into planters. So what would you have done to correct the problem other than to let it sit? 
 
By the way that is how the current group on the council works -they just let it sit and things keep on falling apart.
( Civic Center and Robert Crown are good examples) by the way go into Rodney Green's office ( city clerk) they have removed a huge section of plaster, which is suffering from water damage from the roof they allowed to leak for years.
 
By the way the branch libraries are screw up in the capital plan looks to me like next year they are going to attempt to cut them.  There is no date to start the work. Liz who you support for mayor, proposed the adjoining building we owned be sold for funds, ( bad idea should have been used to expand the facility) What are you planning to do?
 
Will you support our branch library over duplicate funding for birth control?
 
What "magic rabbit " do you plan for next year's budget if you are elected?