HR1054LRB102 30057 ECR 42258 r

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
 

 

 

HR1054- 2 -LRB102 30057 ECR 42258 r

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

 

 

HR1054- 3 -LRB102 30057 ECR 42258 r

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.