Bill Text: IL HR0157 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Commends Alderperson Tom Tunney for his work on the Chicago City Council. Thanks him for his years of dedicated service to the people of the 44th Ward and the City of Chicago.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2023-03-23 - Resolution Adopted [HR0157 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HR0157-Introduced.html

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HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
Representatives wish to commend Alderperson Tom Tunney on his
service to the 44th Ward as a member of the Chicago City
Council; and
WHEREAS, Ald. Tunney was born and raised on the South Side
of Chicago; he obtained his undergraduate degree in Restaurant
Management from the University of Illinois and his master's
degree in Hotel Management from Cornell University; he
returned to Chicago in 1980, settling in the Lakeview
neighborhood, where he has been a resident for over 30 years;
and
WHEREAS, Ald. Tunney took over the Ann Sather Restaurant
in 1981; during his ownership, he has successfully expanded
the business into a chain through the addition of two
restaurants and Ann Sather Corporate and Special Event
Catering; he continues to serve the community through his
business, allowing local groups the use of his restaurants for
meetings and forums; and
WHEREAS, Ald. Tunney was first elected to represent the
44th Ward on the Chicago City Council in 2003, becoming
Chicago's first openly gay alderperson; he was thereafter

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reelected in 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019, and he was elected
vice mayor of Chicago in 2019; and
WHEREAS, Since taking office, Ald. Tunney has been
committed to maintaining, upgrading, and ensuring proper
restoration of all public infrastructure throughout the 44th
Ward; he has invested over seven million dollars in upgrading
street lighting, accounting for nearly half of the 44th Ward's
annual infrastructure funding; he has also invested in
upgrading outdated traffic and pedestrian signals, installing
new traffic signals and pedestrian signage, and improving bike
and pedestrian infrastructure; further, he has worked with the
Department of Transportation to establish full street asphalt
restoration of streets after large-scale water, sewer, gas,
and communications upgrades; and
WHEREAS, Ald. Tunney has additionally been invested in
public safety, development, schools, and the quality of life
in the 44th Ward; he has fought to maintain and increase the
number of officers upon the merger of the Chicago Police
Department's 19th and 23rd Districts; he has worked to bring
in new food outlets, including Mariano's, Whole Foods, and
Target, in addition to securing Transit-Oriented Developments
(TODs) to reduce vehicular congestion; he has expanded the
number of affordable housing units to more than 800 units and
secured a $7 million grant for the renovation of the Merlo

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Chicago Public Library branch; he has regularly attended local
school events and was instrumental in securing funding for
Harriet Tubman Elementary School, Blaine Elementary School,
and Lake View High School; and
WHEREAS, Ald. Tunney has served as an advocate for
Chicago's LGBTQ+ community, including obtaining funding for
the LGBTQ+ senior center at Halsted and Addison, the Town Hall
LGBTQ+ senior housing projects, and for AIDS and LGBTQ+
support services; he has helped build the Boystown area,
supported Chicago's massive Pride Parade and related events,
and pushed for the creation of the AIDS Garden, which opened in
June 2022; and
WHEREAS, During his last term, Ald. Tunney has enhanced
the safety of the community by working with the Chicago Police
Department to create the Lakeview Entertainment Detail,
responded to community requests for more parks by building
three new playgrounds, and secured additional affordable
housing for his constituents; and
WHEREAS, Ald. Tunney has served as chair of the Chicago
City Council's LGBTQ+ Caucus and as chairman of the Committee
on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards, the Special
Committee on the Chicago Casino, and several joint committees;
he has also served as a member of the Committee on Budget and

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Government Operations, the Committee on Committees and Rules,
the Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development,
the Committee on Finance, the Committee on License and
Consumer Protection, the Committee on Public Safety, the
Committee on Special Events, Cultural Affairs and Recreation,
the Committee on Workforce Development, and several joint
committees; and
WHEREAS, Ald. Tunney has been actively involved in his
community in several organizations, including serving as
chairman of the Illinois Restaurant Association, founder and
former president of the Lakeview Center Business Association,
and as a founding board member and former chairman of the White
Crane Senior Center; he was one of the first volunteers of the
Open Hand Chicago program, which provided home delivery of hot
meals to AIDS patients, opening his restaurant to help with
the preparation and distribution of meals; he established
Restaurant Nights at the Illinois Masonic Hospital to serve
meals to AIDS patients and their families; he was also the
former fundraising chair for IMPACT, a gay and lesbian
political action organization; and
WHEREAS, Ald. Tunney has expressed plans to continue
serving as an advocate for the business community in his
retirement; therefore, be it

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RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
we commend Alderperson Tom Tunney for his work on the Chicago
City Council, and we thank him for his years of dedicated
service to the people of the 44th Ward and the City of Chicago;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
presented to Ald. Tunney as a symbol of our esteem and respect.