Eric
Sounds like Tisdahl is far less than mediocre as a "conductor." I find it a bit insulting, actually, as a life-long musician myself, that she would use that metaphor. Music requires discipline and thousands of hours of concentrated effort. This requires a strength of character obviously lacking in Tisdahl and hundreds of like-wise imposter "leaders" which currently litter our political landscape.

Nice article. A shame it is the truth, though.
Evanston believes in diversity. Just not diversity of thought. Eric, we are pulling for you on Tuesday.

Should be no surprise to anyone. The mayor ran as an independent but her entire support team consisted of lefties. She just feels more comfortable coming out in the open now that Evanston is a little San Francisco. I just hope that any public nudity ordinance limits permissible ages to between 18 and say 24 years of age.

Since when is a mayor expected to not support one political party over another? Perhaps someone should share that with Chicago's mayor. I think it's safe to say that Mayor Tisdahl is of the same affiliation of the vast majority of her constituents.

On a side note, Mr. Lieberman, if you hope to represent the fine people of Evanston I suggest you learn about spellcheck. There's a pretty high expectation around here.

Biss doesn't want to debate Farkas. It is my understanding that Mayor Tisdahl "loaned" ( "on loan"; Biss's words) a Mayor's office paid Summer intern to work on the Daniel Biss campaign. This intern seemed like a nice and capable person and was highly visible at several Dan Biss events, but it seemed totally inappropriate for this intern to be on loan from the Mayor's office at the taxpayers expense. On the other hand, Biss wants to duck the public with his call for a new, much higher Progressive Illinois Tax AND support for much higher property taxes by cost-shifting Pension Liability to school districts. No wonder he doesn't want to debate Glenn Farkas.

This is in response to Sally's reply:

Sally, thanks for pointing out that I can be a bad speller when I am in a hurry and passionate about a subject. When I was in 2nd grade at Oakton School, my teacher criticized my spelling. "Look, teacher," I said "if I ever am so important that anyone cares what I say, I will have a secretary to correct my spelling." Well, eventually, I did have a secretary who made me look perfect. Later on, the secretary was replaced by spell check. I write most of my blogs in Pages and use the spell check there....but sometimes it fails. Plus - and I have discussed this with Patch - their technology sometimes does weird things to text I paste in. Like, in the article you are commenting on, when I pasted in my blog from Pages, the word "Evanston" was deleted in every instance I used it.

Anyways, thanks for pointing this out. I will try to do better. Oh, and, by the way, you may have misspelled "spell check". You spelled it as one word, when I look it up, it appears to be two words. Go figure.

As to the Mayor subbing for Dan Biss, I am not the only one this bothered. (And, I sure hope you don't hold up Emanuel as the model for a good mayor.) Here is what the Chicago Jewish Star said in their latest issue - in which, by the way, they endorsed me over Gabel: "It was not explained why organizers followed the unusual practice of permitting a candidate to be represented by a proxy."

I find that those who proclaim to be Liberals are just that way, when it suits them.

The mayor ran as an independent. Had she said then that she was a democrat independent, she might have had a republican independent opponent.

Tisdahl is obviously without vision, passion or creativity, but that's par for the course. Eric's energy has probably scared this timid woman. Now where is that Mayor....she must be around here somewhere...Oh Elizabeth...don't be afraid. It's going to be ok.

Biss supports much higher property taxes. Frankly, we need new smart and honest leadership in Springfield ;and it surprises me that Tisdahl wants to associate herself with someone who wants to significantly raise property taxes in Evanston, and across Illinois, through his scheme of cost-shifting pension liability to Evanston school districts and others. Bisss is no friend to teachers with his scheme. People should be asking questions of her reasoning and motives behind being the "proxy" for someone who supports a much higher Illinois Progressive tax structure and wants to dump pension liability onto the strapped Evanston school district. She needs to answer to her constituents on these issues.

At the Haven debate, Glenn Farkas raised the issue of how we can reasonably expect a candidate (Biss) who takes money from the teachers unions to negotiate in good faith on behalf of taxpayers. Biss' proxy was not able to answer this fundamental question--which is why we are in the financial mess we are in.

Elections in Evanston for city council are non partisan affairs---yet it's clearly obvious what side of the political fence our mayor sits on, and as Sally accurately states--"is of the same affiliation of the vast majority of her constituents"----so it goes and Tisdahl has the right to govern according to her political beliefs and for those who elected her

But just for the heck of it I'd like to state the role of Evanston's mayor has always been more of a figure head position with the primary tasks being to oversee city council meetings and attend ribbon cuttings----while the city manager oversees how the city is run

But anyway, why is Tisdahl sitting in for a Democrat candidate running for State Senator in debates???----and while doing so also threw in a plug for another Democratic candidate running in different district???----wow!----I can only guess Tisdahl decided to increase her role as symphony conductor and it's geographic nature

FLASH: Mayor Tisdahl phoned me shortly after noon. We agreed to me after the election. Eric

And, why did Tisdahl's office "loan" Biss' campaign an intern? Did Biss report this on his disclosure documents? Why doesn't she meet with you tomorrow? Too busy working on Biss' campaign? She obviously supports his radical proposal to cost-shift pension liability to Evanston and other local school districts and Biss' fuzzy math support for a higher Progressive Income Tax on top of the recent 67% state income tax hike. Doesn't sound very non partisan to me. The residents of Evanstons need to question her close relationship with the "professor" Biss.

All is not Bliss; there is no way Dan Biss, as a candidate who takes significant contributions for teacher's unions can negotiate Pension Reform on behalf of his constituents. Ironically, he is no friend no teachers as they, and local school districts, have no clue what Biss fuzzy math will produce in his scheme to shift pension cost liability to local school districts like Evanston school districts. Biss wants to come across as a moderate, but is really gunning on using OUR local property taxes as Springfield's Pension ATM Machine. .

The whole pension shift issue is like an insolvable math problem: there is no good answer. Keeping the funding responsibility on the state is like giving the gun back to the guy that has just robbed us. Unless and until the control of state government is changed, the money meant to be for pensions will continue to be used for other purposes. Putting the burden on local districts will put even more of a strain on communities already to struggling to have $$$/pupil ratios that will allow education to maintain and exceed current capabilities. It is like being asked if you want to got shot in your left eye or your right. Either way, it will blow your brains out. There are a few reasons why being shot locally may be preferable - but neither choice is perfect.

All indications are that the Illinois legislature will adopt a resolution shifting liability to the local districts in the lame duck session following the election. It should be called a lame "goose" session, since our collective geese are going to be cooked.

Biss's scheme; Your home is Springfield Pension ATM Machine,
so vote him out office and protect our local school districts and property taxpayers
from his pension cost-shifting support. A friend of teachers? You have to be kidding.

Supporting Biss, Tisdahl supports higher property taxes. Biss wants to shift pension liability onto the backs of Eavanston's and Illinois local school districts-- the result of which will be significantly higher property taxes for all. And, she must also support his call for a much higher Progressive Illinois Income Tax. Really, Mayor?

Eric, Pls. ask the Mayor why she loaned Dan Biss' campaign a Summer intern when you see her- was it at taxpayer expense? Paid out of campaign funds?