Mallory, Pepper exchange blows on the issues, too

An audience of about 95 people watched the liveliest mayoral debate yet in Evanston Tuesday night.

In their four debates since they emerged as finalists from the Sept. 13 primary, the sharpest attacks between Mark L. Mallory and David Pepper have been about the two candidates' legislative records. Put simply, it's been a contest about "the chaos at City Hall" versus "the mess in Columbus."

Even when they manage to talk about issues, as they did at the NAACP/Woman's City Club debate Tuesday night, the rhetorical thrusts and parries seem to come back to issues of leadership, experience and qualifications.

When Pepper said he was proud to help re-establish the annual Neighborhood Summit as a way to get City Hall to listen to neighborhood leaders, Mallory pounced.

"I think listening is the first part. Acting is the second. My opponent has demonstrated that he's willing to listen. It's the acting part that he has the trouble with," Mallory said. He said Pepper listened to Pendleton residents who didn't want a barricade on 13th street and to neighborhoods who said Fountain Square wasn't a priority, and voted to go ahead with both anyway.

On human services, both candidates pledged to fight to restore a 23-year-old city policy - ended last year - of setting aside 1.5 percent of the city's general fund to social services.

"Here's what I don't like about the talk of human services," Pepper said. "Some will say we don't need human services, we need basic services. To a lot of the community, the basic service is the battered woman's shelter. To many, the basic service is the program that takes them from poverty to a job."

Mallory countered, "My opponent talks about his commitment to human services, but we know that he voted for a $33,000 cut in AIDS funding, and we all know that AIDS is devastating to certain communities, especially the African-American community."

Though the question changed, Pepper couldn't let that go. He said that while the city had to reduce AIDS spending from its original 2005 budget because of federal cuts to human services, spending on AIDS actually increased this year from 2004.

"That AIDS vote is an example of chaos politics. Calling something a cut when it isn't a cut is chaos. This was a game," he said. "It was a wedge issue. Imagine trying to make political hay by saying city council cut AIDS funding when it didn't." He said Mallory accused Mallory and others of "trying to divide the community on an issue we all know is so important."

Mallory called that "spin."

The evening got off to a testy start. The two campaigns are in final negotiations about a list of a dozen or more debates. But after Pepper showed up 20 minutes late to Tuesday's matchup, Mallory said he would insist that both candidates show up on time for future events.

Pepper said he had scheduled an interview with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees before Tuesday's debate was put on the calendar.