Another longtime Chicago alderman has announced her retirement — and this time, she isn’t staying out the rest of her term.
Ald. Michele Smith, whose 43rd Ward encompasses Lincoln Park and Old Town, said in a Thursday newsletter that she is stepping down on Aug. 12 and not seeking a fourth term. It was the third time in a month that a council member representing a North Side lakefront ward announced a decision not to run for reelection next year.
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“My decision to retire prior to the completion of this term is a difficult and deeply personal one,” she wrote. “At this point in my life, I have deepening responsibilities towards family and friends. These personal issues mandate that I step down now.”
Among the accomplishments she touted in her announcement were the revitalization of the areas around the former Children’s Memorial Hospital site and the Armitage and Halsted commercial corridor; the additions of new preschools, new infrastructure for existing schools and new affordable housing; and the passage of legislation on government ethics, most recently on Wednesday.
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Smith’s resignation means Mayor Lori Lightfoot will be tasked with filling a third seat on the City Council this year: 11th Ward Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson was convicted of felony tax fraud and forced to vacate his seat, and 24th Ward Ald. Michael Scott stepped down to take a private sector job. Since then, the mayor tapped Scott to join the Chicago Board of Education.
Smith did not detail what her next steps would be but said she would remain committed to “causes in which I believe.”
“I moved to this community in 1979 as a single woman newly graduated from law school,” Smith said. “Over 43 years living in Lincoln Park and the Gold Coast, I became a professional, a mother, and now a grandmom. My whole life has been bound up in our tree-lined streets.”
Smith first was elected alderman of the 43rd Ward in 2011. Most recently, she tried to push through an overhaul of the city’s ethics code but was blocked by Lightfoot allies. Then Smith and the mayor negotiated a watered-down version that passed the full City Council Wednesday.
Smith also has opposed the casino complex that is planned for neighboring River West.
Among her biggest legislative battles outside of ethics reform: the Lincoln Yards megadevelopment just outside her ward boundaries. Smith voted against council approval of both zoning changes and the redevelopment agreement for the project in 2019, demanding more park space for neighbors and urging city officials to slow down approval of tax increment financing subsidies for the project.
Lightfoot put out a statement on Twitter Thursday saying Smith was a “fierce champion” of ethics reform. The mayor said she will announce a formal process Friday to search for the outgoing alderman’s replacement.
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“I have known and respected Michele for decades and her retirement is a great loss for her ward and our city, but she leaves behind a great legacy of service,” Lightfoot wrote. “… She and I share the same dedication to creating a more equitable city through social equity and good governance.”
Smith joins several members of City Council who have said they are either retiring or not seeking another term on the council to run for a different office. Last week, Ald. Harry Osterman, who has represented the 48th Ward for more than a decade, said he is stepping down at the end of his term next year.
Earlier this month, fellow North Side Ald. James Cappleman, 46th, also announced he is not running for reelection.
Ald. George Cardenas, 12th, will likely be exiting the council before the end of his term. He won the Democratic primary last month to serve on Cook County’s Board of Review and is so far unopposed in the November election.
Still others, such as Ald. Raymond Lopez, 15th, and Ald. Roderick Sawyer, 6th, are running for mayor next year against Lightfoot, so they are unable to run for reelection as City Council members.
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Scott, the former 24th Ward alderman, was replaced by his sister Monique Scott through Lightfoot’s appointment. Meanwhile, Daley Thompson was succeeded by Nicole Lee, also by mayoral decision.
There are at least two other aldermen tangled up in corruption probes, too.
Ald. Carrie Austin, 34th, who was indicted on federal bribery charges, has also announced she’s retiring at the end of the term. Ald. Edward Burke, 14th, the longest-serving alderman in city history, also is under scrutiny after being charged with racketeering and other counts in 2019. But his trial is not set until after the 2023 election. He has not announced whether he is seeking a 14th term as alderman.
