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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The Illinois House of Representatives wish to 
3honor our esteemed colleague, State Representative Michael J. 
4Zalewski, for his 14 years as a state representative and thank 
5him for his dedicated service to our State and to his 
6community; and
  
 
7    WHEREAS, Rep. Zalewski was born in Chicago; he earned his 
8Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of 
9Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his Juris Doctor from John 
10Marshall Law School; and
  
 
11    WHEREAS, Rep. Zalewski began his legal career as a 
12prosecutor in the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, where 
13he handled a variety of matters; he continues to serve as a 
14professional attorney of counsel who focuses on municipal law 
15and local governmental compliance; and
  
 
16    WHEREAS, Upon being elected in 2008, Rep. Zalewski 
17established himself as a trusted negotiator, a policy expert, 
18and a friend to all; he  has never let partisanship get in the 
19way of serving, and he has led and organized efforts with 
20legislators from both sides of the aisle to establish 
21solutions and resolve issues; and
  
 
 
 
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1    WHEREAS,  Rep. Zalewski, having served as chairman of the   
2House Revenue and Finance Committee since 2017, is regarded as 
3one of the foremost experts in the area of the State's revenue, 
4budgeting, and tax policy; he has used his skills and 
5abilities to help improve the lives of Illinoisans and to put 
6the State of Illinois back on stronger financial footing; and
  
 
7    WHEREAS, As a member of the Illinois House, Rep. Zalewski 
8negotiated some of the largest and most complex pieces of 
9legislation, including the legalization of sports betting in 
10Illinois, establishing the State as the second largest sports 
11betting market in the United States, which has and continues 
12to bring millions of dollars of needed revenue for Illinois; 
13and
  
 
14    WHEREAS, Rep. Zalewski used his expertise in revenue and 
15finance to provide needed tax relief for property tax owners, 
16including negotiating and passing a tax relief package 
17designed to save Illinois taxpayers nearly two billion dollars 
18following the COVID-19 pandemic and record national inflation; 
19and
  
 
20    WHEREAS, Rep. Zalewski's legislative accomplishments, 
21while paramount for the State, pale in comparison to his roles 
22as a loving husband to his wife, Carrie, father to his 
23children, Reese, Henry, Mae, and Cecila, and son to his 
 
 
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1parents, Michael R. and Millie Zalewski; and
  
 
2    WHEREAS, Rep. Zalewski's interests outside the legislature 
3include his culinary achievements in the kitchen, his savvy 
4skills at utilizing social media to communicate, and his 
5fascinating commentary as a Chicago sports fan, especially as 
6a lifelong fan of the Chicago White Sox; and
  
 
7    WHEREAS, Rep. Zalewski  made the State of Illinois a better 
8place to live and work; he set aside ego and partisanship to 
9successfully navigate and negotiate complex issues, using 
10humor and humility in his work, which will leave a lasting 
11legacy throughout Illinois; therefore, be it
  
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
13HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
14we congratulate Representative Michael J. Zalewski on his 
15retirement from the Illinois House of Representatives and 
16offer our profound thanks  for his 14 years of dedicated 
17service to the people of Illinois; and be it further
  
 
18    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
19presented to Rep. Zalewski as an expression of our esteem and 
20respect.