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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives wish 
3to recognize former Alderperson Michele Smith of the 43rd Ward 
4on the occasion of her retirement from the Chicago City 
5Council on August 12, 2022; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Upon her graduation from the State University of 
7New York at Buffalo in 1976, Michele Smith moved to Chicago to 
8begin law school at the University of Chicago Law School; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, Upon her graduation from the University of 
10Chicago Law School in 1979, Michele Smith clerked for Judge 
11William J. Bauer of the United States Court of Appeals for the 
12Seventh Circuit for two years; and
  
 
13    WHEREAS, Michele Smith began her legal career in Chicago 
14in the U.S. Attorney's Office, where she prosecuted over 400 
15narcotics, white-collar criminal, and political corruption 
16cases; and
  
 
17    WHEREAS, Michele Smith spent the next 16 years at Navistar 
18International Corporation, where she became general counsel 
19for a $2.5 billion subsidiary, the Engine Group; and
  
 
20    WHEREAS, Michele Smith was initially elected as 
 
 
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1alderperson of the 43rd Ward in 2011; she was reelected by her 
2constituents for additional terms in 2015 and 2019; and
  
 
3    WHEREAS, During her tenure, Michele Smith placed a premium 
4on grassroots community engagement and providing direct 
5services to her constituents; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Michele Smith advocated for and succeeded in 
7obtaining infrastructure improvements and increased public 
8safety resources for her community and constituents; she also 
9worked to secure funds to expand and improve the schools and 
10parks in the 43rd Ward; and
  
 
11    WHEREAS, Michele Smith chaired the City Council's 
12Committee on Ethics and Governmental Operations, where she 
13worked to make Chicago more equitable and transparent, 
14including spearheading a series of governmental ethics reform 
15ordinances; and
  
 
16    WHEREAS, Michele Smith has lived in the 43rd Ward for over 
1740 years, raising her daughter and remaining active in the 
18community; therefore, be it
  
 
19    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
20HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
21we recognize former Alderperson Michele Smith on her 
 
 
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1retirement, thank her for her exemplary service to the 
2residents of the 43rd Ward and the City of Chicago, and wish 
3for her continued health, happiness, prosperity, and success; 
4and be it further
  
 
5    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
6presented to Michele Smith as an expression of our esteem and 
7respect.