TASK DEFINITION: Given a sentence and an entity, the task is to select the authors sentiment towards the enity. Sentiments can be Positive, Neutral and Negative. Select Positive if the sentence expresses a positive view towards the given entity or praises its quality or skills. Select Neutral if the sentence expresses no clear view towards the entity or has equal amounts of positive and negative statements or expressing some fact/quote by someone else. Select Negative if the sentence expresses a negative view towards like harsh remarks, criticizing entities action/decision etc. Note that URLs in the text have been replaced with [Link].
PROBLEM: What is the sentiment of the following document towards the entity Philip AlstonPhilip Alston ?  ALSTON : I have to admit that sometimes I fear that such superb and much-needed initiatives  they are taking the pressure off the state. And the state can sort of sit back and say  well  there's no need in that area. It's being done by these guys.

SOLUTION: Positive

PROBLEM: What is the sentiment of the following document towards the entity Chris Kennedy ? Thatâs not how property taxes work. Schools set an overall levy  and that amount is divvied up among all the property taxpayers in the district. When your tax bill goes down after an appeal  everyone elseâs goes up fractionally to compensate. Candidate Daniel Biss  a state senator from Evanston  explained this clearly to  Kennedy  during a similar session Wednesday before the Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board.

SOLUTION: Neutral

PROBLEM: What is the sentiment of the following document towards the entity Scott Ostrem ? Chaos erupted inside the store and  Ostrem  fled the scene in a red Mitsubishi before he was arrested the following day  (Helen H. Richardson/AP)

SOLUTION:
Neutral