Latest news with #Biss
Chicago Tribune
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Evanston mayor breaks tie to OK appointee to Land Use Commission
New City Council members made it close, but not impossible, for Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss to cast a tie-breaking vote to approve his appointee to the city's Land Use Commission. The commission is currently charged with giving final approval for Envision Evanston 2045, an initiative that would increase density that Biss has strongly supported. Councilmembers Tom Suffredin (6th), Clare Kelly (1st), Parielle Davis (7th) and Matt Rodgers (8th) voted 'no' to Lutheran Grace Church Lead Pastor Luke Harris joining the Land Use Commission. Councilmembers Shawn Iles (3rd), Jonathan Nieuwsma (4th), Bobby Burns (5th) and Juan Geracaris (9th) voted to approve the mayor's pick. In Evanston, the mayor is responsible for appointing members to the city's Boards, Commissions and Committees. Those appointees are then voted on by the City Council, and need a simple majority of votes to join a board. Before casting their votes, city councilmembers gave their opinion on their vote. 'I have never had the privilege of being able to be underqualified for a position. I've never gotten a position over someone else who had higher credentials, and so I'll say that this is a soft spot for me,' Davis said. 'Quite frankly, I find this appointment to some degree insulting,' she said, because of Harris' lack of experience compared to other applicants to the commission. Previously, Biss allowed former Commissioner George Halik's term to expire in order to create a vacancy on the Land Use Commission. Biss also attempted to appoint to the commission an affordable housing expert who specializes in low income housing tax credits, but the appointee was met with significant pushback following the discovery of her social media posts that critics said were ageist and biased in favor of making Evanston more dense. Iles, the Overnight Shelter Director for Interfaith Action of Evanston, was under fire by some public commenters and Kelly who speculated that because of his employment and Lutheran Grace Church's ties to Interfaith Action, he could not cast an impartial vote to approve Harris to the Land Use Commission. Iles checked with Corporation Counsel Alexandra Ruggie to ask whether his vote would meet the city's standard of a conflict of interest. Ruggie said Iles' vote would not be considered a conflict of interest under the city's ethics code. 'It's just not there,' Ruggie said. 'It's just too far removed.' Lutheran Grace Church is one of 40 churches that provide funding to Interfaith Action, but a large portion of funding comes from individual donors, Iles said. Iles commented, 'He (Harris) has direct experience with affordable housing. I find him to be a passionate, informed, thoughtful member of our community. I think he can serve us well both as a younger person and as a renter,' he said. Rodgers said prior to the meeting, he met with Harris over coffee to discuss his interest in being on the commission. 'I was impressed with his commitment to affordable housing in Evanston, and making sure it's some place that people can move to and live.' 'However, I do have a number of reservations about his overall qualifications for this position,' he continued. 'Outside of recommending for the comprehensive general plan and the zoning ordinance, affordable housing is a very small part of what Land Use does.' 'I mentioned to the mayor in my letter to him that if Mr. Harris was nominated to (the) Housing and Community Development (Committee), I would be 100% supportive of that. I think that's a great place for them to do the work they are interested in doing and accomplishing great things for Evanston,' Rodgers said. Burns commented on the city's form of council-manager government, which some on the council have described as a 'weak mayor' government because the mayor does not vote or make motions, and does not typically give their opinion on agenda items during a council meeting. 'The one area where the mayor does have some influence, and obviously what you're seeing here today still needs to be confirmed by this council, is appoint people to BCC's (Boards, Commissions and Committees),' Burns said. 'In my opinion, that is the way a mayor with a limited influence in this form of government can try to think about how to compose a BCC in a way that helps to deliver on the things that he told his constituents in the community were important to him, important to them, etc.,' he said. 'I don't think there's anything improper with that. That's just to me the way that it works when you have that ability as a mayor,' Burns said. 'As council, up here, we have to use our own lens whether or not we feel we agree with that composition.'
Chicago Tribune
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss touts safety, future density, in State of the City address
Hours before announcing his bid for U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky's seat in next year's election, Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss touted Evanston's accomplishments and aspirations, from a proposal for greater density to more informed police responses, at a standing-room-only State of the City address on Wednesday. It was his first such address after winning about 63% of the vote in last month's mayoral election. The address, held at Evanston Space, brought in over 100 people to the city-sponsored event. Biss said it has been two years since the city has seen a murder, a feat not accomplished since the 1970s, and pushed for more affordable housing in Evanston, while taking shots against President Donald Trump. In his next four years as mayor–which could be curtailed if he wins the Congressional election — Biss will continue his efforts to lead and pass Envision Evanston 2045, an effort which updates the city's zoning code and serves as its comprehensive plan for the next 20 years. It has received a mix of support and criticism from Evanston residents when it comes to constructing bigger buildings and increasing density throughout Evanston. Biss will also need to balance the next year's budget without American Rescue Plan Act funding from the federal government after the Covid-era dollars ran out. Some city leaders noted, after Biss announced his run for Congress, that campaigning will take a significant amount of the mayor's time and energy, and they wondered aloud where that would leave Evanston. Biss touted the achievements of the Crisis Alternative Response Evanston (C.A.R.E) team, whose members have the training to respond to mental health and non-violent 911 calls. The team went through training at Oakton College last summer and has since responded to over 1,500 calls, Biss said. 'It's been a game changer in this community,' Biss said, adding it has opened lines of communication in Evanston for trust to be established. In April, the Evanston Police Department was selected the 2025 Illinois Crisis Intervention Team Department of the Year by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training & Standards Board. Prior to that, Evanston Police Chief Schenita Stewart was awarded Police Chief of the Year by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police. 'More important than any prize or any word or any speech is that violent crime has plummeted in the city of Evanston,' Biss said. 'These changes are making a difference.' Biss then spoke about Trump, whose administration attempted to cut federal funds to Evanston and other municipalities, he said, but was blocked by a federal judge from doing so. 'The administration in Washington is terrifying people across Evanston… It's making the management of city government much harder — as we don't know what we're going to find out tomorrow about missing revenues.' 'In Evanston, we believe in fighting back. We believe in fighting back in any way we can. Before Donald Trump even took office on January 20, we had passed the strongest Welcoming City Ordinance in the state, possibly even in the country, to ensure that we are not doing anything to collaborate with or assist civil immigration enforcement that is counter to our community's values.' Biss said the city must ready itself for potential threats to federal grants, but also remain on course to implement innovative programs such as the C.A.R.E. team. 'This brings me to one of the main live topics that exists in our city government right now, which is Envision Evanston 2045: A hard issue, a complicated issue, an issue that has all kinds of nuance and all kinds of tactical components and all kinds of subtlety and all kinds of intense emotional balance,' Biss said. Biss repeated pillars of the comprehensive plan: to allow for more housing in Evanston, to create more housing in Evanston and to implement sustainable practices in Evanston in alignment with the city's Healthy Business Ordinance. 'There is a lot of good that will come in this, but it's hard work, and it's complicated and it's contentious, and there have been tough conversations.' 'My message to the community is very simple,' Biss said. 'We have to stay in these conversations. We have to welcome every voice to the table. We have to make sure that every point of view is represented and heard… We cannot accept the idea that it's too hard, it's too controversial… We're just going to ultimately back down.' 'We have to remember who we are. As Evanston, we see society's toughest challenges, we study society's toughest challenges and then we do what we can to address society's toughest challenges.' He cited an example from Evanston's history when Connections for the Homeless was formed in 1984. With a lack of support from municipal leaders to house the homeless, Biss said faith leaders took it upon themselves to use their houses of worship as shelters. 'The city said, 'Great idea. Too bad about the zoning,'' Biss said. 'A familiar sentence, that turns out.' Faith leaders found a loophole then, Biss said. 'The zoning did not permit a shelter. The zoning also did not prohibit an all-night prayer vigil. And how about one tomorrow night? How about the night after that? And how about the night after?'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
After Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss announced run for Congress, locals have mixed reactions
Just 17 days after Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss took an oath of office to serve his second term, his announcement that he is running for Congress drew ire from his opponents and approval from some on the City Council. Biss announced Thursday morning that he is running for Illinois' 9th Congressional district, 10 days after U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky announced she would be retiring at the end of her term. Election day is not until November 2026, but some leaders expect that the solidly blue district's race could be decided in the Democratic primary in March 2026. Leaders in Evanston said the city and its surrounding area could benefit from having a local represent them in the U.S. Congress, but some expressed concern that Biss might prioritize his campaign over his role as mayor for the next year and a half. In the event Biss gets elected, an acting mayor would be appointed by the City Council to fill the vacancy, said 4th Ward City Councilmember Jonathan Nieuwsma. Newly elected 8th Ward City Councilmember Matt Rodgers said he was split on whether or not Biss running for Congress is a good move for the city and its residents. 'I think it's very beneficial anytime you have someone who's local in a national office and they understand Evanston, they fully get Evanston,' Rodgers said, adding that it can boost the amount of federal grants the city could receive from the federal government, particularly at a time when the feds are looking to make cuts. However, Evanston will head into its budget season again in the fall, Rodgers said, and having a distracted mayor could complicate things if Biss is preoccupied with his Congressional race, he said. 'He's announcing today because he's going to start running (for Congress) over the summer,' Rodgers said. 'The summer is when you're out there, meeting people, engaging people, because the election really is in March, because that's the (Democratic) primary.' 'I just don't want him to be distracted, and I'm hoping that he's weighed all that in his mind when he's made this decision and has figured out how he does both,' Rodgers said. During Biss' campaign for re-election, Biss' critics were skeptical that the office of mayor would be enough for Biss, a former Illinois Senator and Representative who ran for governor in 2018. 'A number of people had accused the mayor of using Evanston as a stepping stone in a political career,' said former Evanston mayoral candidate Jeff Boarini, who lost to Biss in the April 1 election. 'He (Biss) studiously avoided answering the question as to whether or not he was going to run (for higher office), and finally saying that he intended to stay, and he expected to stay for his four year term,' Boarini said. 'His focus for the next 18 months is going to be on getting elected, not on Evanston. And I think that's grossly unfair to residents to have that kind of split focus,' Boarini said. Fourth Ward City Councilmember Jonathan Nieuwsma said Biss' run for Congress wouldn't likely change day-to-day operations for the city or council, citing Biss' role in a council-manager government where the City Council makes decisions on how to run the city and the city manager executes those decisions. 'Evanston is going to be fine. We have nine council members who vote on things and the city manager, who reports to the council as a collective, so the city is going to be fine. I have no doubt about that,' Nieuwsma said. Nieuwsma, whose views have aligned with Biss when it comes to making downtown Evanston more residential and dense, said it wasn't unexpected that Biss will be running for Schakowsky's seat given her reputation as a progressive liberal. Nieuwsma also said Biss' role in implementing Envision Evanston 2045 and balancing the budget won't be the be all and end all for the City Council to do its work. 'The mayor is an important part of that conversation, for sure, but more important than any one individual is the community at large,' he said.
Chicago Tribune
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
After Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss announced run for Congress, locals have mixed reactions
Just 17 days after Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss took an oath of office to serve his second term, his announcement that he is running for Congress drew ire from his opponents and approval from some on the City Council. Biss announced Thursday morning that he is running for Illinois' 9th Congressional district, 10 days after U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky announced she would be retiring at the end of her term. Election day is not until November 2026, but some leaders expect that the solidly blue district's race could be decided in the Democratic primary in March 2026. Leaders in Evanston said the city and its surrounding area could benefit from having a local represent them in the U.S. Congress, but some expressed concern that Biss might prioritize his campaign over his role as mayor for the next year and a half. In the event Biss gets elected, an acting mayor would be appointed by the City Council to fill the vacancy, said 4th Ward City Councilmember Jonathan Nieuwsma. Newly elected 8th Ward City Councilmember Matt Rodgers said he was split on whether or not Biss running for Congress is a good move for the city and its residents. 'I think it's very beneficial anytime you have someone who's local in a national office and they understand Evanston, they fully get Evanston,' Rodgers said, adding that it can boost the amount of federal grants the city could receive from the federal government, particularly at a time when the feds are looking to make cuts. However, Evanston will head into its budget season again in the fall, Rodgers said, and having a distracted mayor could complicate things if Biss is preoccupied with his Congressional race, he said. 'He's announcing today because he's going to start running (for Congress) over the summer,' Rodgers said. 'The summer is when you're out there, meeting people, engaging people, because the election really is in March, because that's the (Democratic) primary.' 'I just don't want him to be distracted, and I'm hoping that he's weighed all that in his mind when he's made this decision and has figured out how he does both,' Rodgers said. During Biss' campaign for re-election, Biss' critics were skeptical that the office of mayor would be enough for Biss, a former Illinois Senator and Representative who ran for governor in 2018. 'A number of people had accused the mayor of using Evanston as a stepping stone in a political career,' said former Evanston mayoral candidate Jeff Boarini, who lost to Biss in the April 1 election. 'He (Biss) studiously avoided answering the question as to whether or not he was going to run (for higher office), and finally saying that he intended to stay, and he expected to stay for his four year term,' Boarini said. 'His focus for the next 18 months is going to be on getting elected, not on Evanston. And I think that's grossly unfair to residents to have that kind of split focus,' Boarini said. Fourth Ward City Councilmember Jonathan Nieuwsma said Biss' run for Congress wouldn't likely change day-to-day operations for the city or council, citing Biss' role in a council-manager government where the City Council makes decisions on how to run the city and the city manager executes those decisions. 'Evanston is going to be fine. We have nine council members who vote on things and the city manager, who reports to the council as a collective, so the city is going to be fine. I have no doubt about that,' Nieuwsma said. Nieuwsma, whose views have aligned with Biss when it comes to making downtown Evanston more residential and dense, said it wasn't unexpected that Biss will be running for Schakowsky's seat given her reputation as a progressive liberal. Nieuwsma also said Biss' role in implementing Envision Evanston 2045 and balancing the budget won't be the be all and end all for the City Council to do its work. 'The mayor is an important part of that conversation, for sure, but more important than any one individual is the community at large,' he said.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Evanston mayor announces run for Schakowsky's seat
Daniel Biss (D), the mayor of Evanston, Ill., launched a campaign Thursday to succeed retiring Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky (Ill.), adding another candidate to the race to succeed the longtime incumbent. Biss, who has served as mayor of the Chicago suburb since 2021, said in a video he decided to run because the country needs Democrats who 'won't flinch, won't fold, won't forget what we're fighting for.' He added that people gave up on government because they saw politicians from both parties 'give up on them,' allowing President Trump to win. 'The only way out of today's crisis is to reverse the behavior that got us here in the first place,' the mayor continued. 'Instead of resigning ourselves to the idea that nothing can really change, that this whole situation is inevitable, we need to fight for real solutions to our toughest problems.' Biss is the latest candidate to throw their hat in the ring to represent Illinois's 9th Congressional District. Progressive influencer Kat Abughazaleh launched a bid for the seat in March, before Schakowsky announced her retirement earlier this month. One other prominent candidate is state Sen. Laura Fine (D), who joined the race this month and has notched a few endorsements from fellow state legislators. Environmental health and safety professional Justin Ford is also in the fold. Biss touted his record as mayor in a release, noting his action to enact campaign finance reform and a 'Healthy Buildings Ordinance' to cut carbon emissions. While serving in the state House and state Senate, he said he's worked to protect abortion access, create protections for LGBTQ rights and add technology privacy requirements. He previously ran for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2018, losing to sitting Gov. JB Pritzker (D). 'I am running for Congress to stand up to Donald Trump and his MAGA cronies. I've never backed down from a fight, and I've won some big ones—on LGBTQ+ rights, campaign finance reform, protecting abortion access, defending the environment, and more,' Biss said in his announcement. 'In Congress, I'll take on billionaires and corporate power, lower costs for working families, and fight tooth and nail to protect our civil rights,' he added. Whoever wins the Democratic primary should be the clear favorite to win the seat in the solidly Democratic-leaning district. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
