For 14 years, I owned a business in downtown Evanston that greatly benefited from the existence of Northwestern University. The university supported me in ways that went beyond patronizing my business, and they made me feel as though I were part of the NU family. I grew up in the shadow of NU, and I have always admired what the university stood for. My relationship with the university is deeply rooted even though I never went there.
One regret I have in those years is that I remained silent while my fellow citizens and some elected officials blamed the university for Evanston's continued fiscal woes. Their comments and criticism, which are often over-the-top and irrational, have always gone unchallenged - but not anymore.
The unfortunate reality is many citizens have now bought into this misguided belief. Though these well-meaning but completely misguided people are few in number, they get the most attention because they "make the most noise." Evanston has a long history of cowering before the people who complain the loudest. My goal is not to change these people's attitudes, which can't be done. My goal is to make you aware that they do not represent conventional wisdom in Evanston. We all know who "butters our bread," but we are just not willing to admit it.
Over the years, NU has offered the city of Evanston millions of dollars in economic opportunities that the city has often rejected because of the attitudes I mentioned above. These people want payments, not opportunities. The undeniable fact is that NU is a multi-million dollar net gain for the city of Evanston, and demanding the university pay additional payments is nonsense. Besides, it won't happen.
Evanston is in turmoil with the recent defections from City Hall, and if ever there were a time to make a change, this is it. And the good news is the changes have already begun.
The Evanston Chamber of Commerce has a young, brilliant president who was instrumental in bringing a Bicycle Grand Prix race to downtown Evanston last summer. This event would never have happened 10 years ago. The Chamber has always advocated we pursue the economic opportunities NU brings to Evanston. We just need to support their efforts.
2008 Woodie Awards
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Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 44
vito b
Vito Brugliera
posted 5/27/08 @ 8:00 AM CST
Mr. Fischl has not only remained silent, but must have forgotten the advisory Fair Share Referendum where a majority of voters insisted that Northwestern do more. (Continued…)
Mr. Who Knows
posted 5/27/08 @ 8:27 AM CST
Mr Fischl is correct. For too long, a noisy group of activists has tried to blame NU for all of the problems in Evanston.
Vito's crude comments entitle him to the Darwin Finance Award. (Continued…)
Brian
posted 5/27/08 @ 8:57 AM CST
It's this self-righteous stubbornnesses that's put BOTH sides into this situation and prevented them from actually making this town something both sides can really considered their own. (Continued…)
vito b
vito b
posted 5/27/08 @ 10:36 AM CST
I see that Mr. Who Knows cowardly hides his identity here, as well as on EvanstonNow, as testimony to his firm convictions.
My comments may be "crude" to you, but to most rational citizens of Evanston they are to the point. (Continued…)
billyjoe
posted 5/27/08 @ 5:00 PM CST
Im a townie who's found a way to access two of NU's facilities for free, and to make money on one of them in the process. I know Im the prime beneficiary, but I like to think Im extracting these funds and freebies on behalf of my fellow property tax-paying residents. (Continued…)
vito b
vito brugliera
posted 5/28/08 @ 9:04 AM CST
Tom,
You are assuming that I and FairShare advocates have little knowledge of NU's involvement with Evanston. That assumption is wrong. As an NU graduate from McCormick and an involved resident here since 1965 I have had ample opportunity to witness that involvement and interaction. (Continued…)
bob guritz
posted 5/28/08 @ 11:49 AM CST
Whatever the merits of the debate over NU's contributions to Evanston's wellbeing and vice-versa, NU students should be reminded that it was the Fair Share crowd who passed the obnoxious
tuition tax ordinance 20 years ago, only to have it vetoed by a sensible mayor. (Continued…)
Mimi Peterson
posted 5/28/08 @ 3:49 PM CST
Bob- There are plenty of merits to the neverending debate over the treatment by Northwestern University of its host community. I won't belabor the points. (Continued…)
Mr. Who Knows' Brother
posted 5/28/08 @ 7:56 PM CST
Mr. Fischl,
I am an Evanston resident, and I am very interested in this "Willie Friendly" campaign. I actually thought that was what the "WildCard" program was all about, but I guess you are implying that it's really just a cynical ploy to part naive NU students from their money? Never having had a WildCard, I wouldn't have known. (Continued…)
Kurt
posted 5/28/08 @ 11:31 PM CST
I have seen a lot of angry complaints about the tower. As a citizen of Evanston, I think that we should have allowed the tower to go in as tall as proposed originally so it could hold more NU students -or anyone else who enjoys this great town. (Continued…)
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