Publications & Sites 
Lipin runs as independent for Village Board
Lisa Lipin (right) was honored for her work in creating the residents' association Skokie Voice by the Niles Township Federation of Teachers. Lipin is now running for village trustee as an independent. | Allison Williams~For Sun-Times Media
Article Extras
Updated: November 5, 2012 6:05AM
SKOKIE — Lisa Lipin, chairwoman of the active residents’ association, Skokie Voice, and successful community and consumer activist, recently announced that she will run as an independent April 9 for a seat on the Skokie Village Board.
Lipin and six candidates slated by the ruling Skokie Caucus Party will vie for six open seats on the board. There is still time for other candidates to step forward, but Lipin’s announcement makes it certain that the race will be contested.
Skokie Voice remains a nonpolitical organization, Lipin stressed, and has no ties to her candidacy. In fact, Skokie Voice, which was formed to improve communication between residents and the village, does not endorse candidates and states directly on its website that it is nonpartisan.
In announcing her candidacy, Lipin said she will bring the same kind of passion to the people of Skokie as she has to her advocacy work.
“I want to work for the residents and businesses in Skokie to be their voice on the Village Board so that Skokie is a safe, viable and prosperous community,” she said.
An office manager for a financial-planning firm, Lipin has been active in Skokie affairs for years.
In addition to Skokie Voice chair, she has served on the Niles North Parent Advisory Committee, the Niles North Athletic Booster Club, the Niles North Fine Arts Parent Group, the Skokie School District 68 nominating committee as chair, the Old Orchard Junior High School and Devonshire School PTAs as chair, the Gan Yeladim Parent Board and Skokie’s Consumer Affairs Commission.
For some though, Lipin is best recognized as the tireless advocate who fought for toy safety after her son was involved in a near-tragedy in 2003 playing with a dangerous toy.
Her son, Andrew, was nearly strangled when the cord from a yo-yo water ball toy wrapped around his neck. Lipin pulled the cord off and learned there were other similar incidents across the country. She led the charge to have the toy banned in Illinois and then also helped get the toy banned in New York and New Jersey.
Working with local and national elected leaders and other officials, Lipin played a role in strengthening national toy safety standards that now include regulations about yo-yo tether toys.
“I believe the work I’ve done in the community and as a consumer advocate and community organizer can be a real benefit to Skokie,” she said.
Lipin is a member of the Skokie Caucus Party and was screened to be slated by the party. But she told Caucus Party leaders even before the process that she was planning to run for trustee whether or not she was slated. She wasn’t.
“Running as an independent is the best way I can make a difference so people can have a choice,” she said.
Lipin calls herself a “people person” who has been able to get things done.
“People want to have a choice,” she said. “They want the opportunity to become engaged and involved in their community.”
Lipin said she will provide more details about her platform and how people can become involved in the campaign in the weeks ahead.
For now, she said, she has selected her campaign slogan: “Live In Skokie Always,” the first letter of the words spelling out her first name.
