Fans of preserving Evanston Township went down to defeat for the second time in less than a month Tuesday when their choice for annual town meeting moderator drew just 15 percent of the vote.
They had lost by a two to one margin last month when voters approved an advisory referendum supporting the town board’s efforts to dissolve the township and have the City of Evanston take over its duties.
Township fan Kevin O’Connor loudly protested that town board members had lined up city employees to vote to select Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl as town meeting moderator rather than his favorite, Kendall tree defender Padma Rao.
Fire Chief Greg Klaiber was among the electors who favored Tisdahl for moderator.
But even without the votes of several city employees — who as city residents also are town electors qualified to vote — Tisdahl’s selection would have been approved easily.
Beyond the moderator vote, the rest of the hour-and-45-minute meeting was anticlimactic, with no action scheduled or taken on the dissolution issue.
The town’s elected administrators — Supervisor Patricia Vance and Assessor Bonnie Wilson — presented reports praising their own performance, and Town Clerk Rodney Greene reported that the town took in slightly more in revenue than it spent last year on a budget totalling $1.4 million.
City officials have claimed they could trim about $400,000 from that spending while preserving current services if they took over the township’s functions — a claim township fans hotly dispute.
Town Supervisor Pat Vance said the township averaged 93 general assistance clients a month.
The next annual meeting for the township was scheduled for the third Tuesday in April 2013, because the traditional second Tuesday date falls on the municipal election day.
Township lovers?
One council member state to me I was a township lover, my issue is not keeping the township, my issue is it is very apparent the city is not in this to save us money. They are basically are going to take township money to use for their own purposes. Already they are using township funds to fund city social service programs which have nothing to do with the township, they took $400,000, and last they claimed they spent $200,000.
This is about money for the council to control not saving us money!
It’s time voters think for the greater good
I think it's odd that Evanston has a reputation for being liberal yet we have consistently voted to end something that provides useful services to residents in need.
I don't think the voters realize how much the township does and the specific services it offers. It helps residents find jobs, saves them from evictions, provides temporary assistance to low income families with energy and food expenses, and much more.
It's time voters think for the greater good and our residents in need, instead of simply trying to save a buck. The high income voters of Evanston are obviously only thinking for themselves, how about we find ways of taxing them more instead of cutting services that help lower income families? That probably wouldn't fly, though.
There are other, better ways to save money; think of the systemic consequences before cutting useful services.
Don’t Worry
Most Evanston voters are still way left of center, when compared to most places in the U.S.A.. It is just that they think like consevatives when they believe someone is trying to pick their pockets, like theTownship and the school board.
Eliminate Evanston Township
Currently Evanston Township has a $1,400,000 budget according to the article. The article states that the City of Evanston can save $400,000 each year by consolidating the current Evanston Township under the City of Evanston.
And the same services and same level of services will be provided.
So if our community can continue to provide the same services to people who need them (General Assistance & Real Estate Tax Assessment Questions/Complaints) and taxpayers can save $400,000 let's eliminate the Township.
The world has changed since Townships were created. We now have technology that can improve service and eliminate redundancies.
Our City and State is in a challenged financial situation.
Our government needs to rethink, redo and retool how they provide and deliver necessary services.
Taxpayers need to conserve their money for rising expenses (last time i filled up my car with gas it cost $4.50 per gallon for the cheap stuff and the total bill was $60) college bills are looming for 4 kids, and how and when will i ever be able to retire?
Let's get into the 21st century and eliminate Evanston Township. This one is easy.
What am i missing?