HR1023 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1023 LRB102 29853 ECR 42000 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Commissioner Peter Silvestri on the occasion of his retirement as commissioner of Cook County; and

WHEREAS, Peter Silvestri became the youngest member of a school board in the State when he was elected to District 401 in 1977 at age 20, beginning his esteemed career of public service; and

WHEREAS, Peter Silvestri received his bachelor's degree in Political Science from DePaul University and earned his Juris Doctorate from DePaul College of Law; and

WHEREAS, After earning his J.D., Peter Silvestri worked for the Illinois Department of Labor, the Illinois Department of Employment Security, and the Secretary of State in multiple roles; and

WHEREAS, In 1989, Peter Silvestri was elected president of the Village of Elmwood Park and served in this position for 24 years, accomplishing an advanced agenda with conservative spending and tax policies; and

WHEREAS, During Peter Silvestri's tenure as president, Elmwood Park experienced record high property values and low crime rates; he increased economic development opportunities, renovated the Civic Center building, and built new parks, a new aquatic center, a new public safety center, and a new library; and

WHEREAS, Peter Silvestri was elected commissioner of the 9th District of Cook County in 1994 and has served in that role since then, representing Elmwood Park, Harwood Heights, Norridge, Park Ridge, River Forest, River Grove, Rosemont, parts of Glenview, Melrose Park, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Prospect Heights, Schiller Park, unincorporated Maine, Norwood Park Township, and parts of the northwest side of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, As commissioner, Peter Silvestri serves as chairman of the Zoning and Building Committee, the Building Ordinance Commission, and the Litigation and Forest Preserve District Litigation Subcommittees; he serves as vice-chairman of the Homeland Security and Regional Security Committee; and

WHEREAS, Peter Silvestri sits on additional committees as a member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners and the Forest Preserve District; and

WHEREAS, In addition to his elected positions, Peter Silvestri also served as director of the West Central Municipal Conference until 2013 and president of the Leyden Norwood Municipal League until 1994; and

WHEREAS, Peter Silvestri also serves as director of the Italian American Political Coalition and served as a chairman of St. Vincent Ferrer Parish Religious Education Board; and

WHEREAS, Peter Silvestri is a member of the River Grove Moose, the Montclare Elmwood Park Lions, the Elmwood Park Kiwanis, and the St. Vincent Ferrer Roman Catholic Parish; and

WHEREAS, Peter Silvestri has supported conservative spending and controlled tax policies and actions, including consistently opposing new taxes and stressing reform before imposing more taxes; and

WHEREAS, Peter Silvestri supports greater public health access, expanding forest preserves, and greater cooperation between local and county governments; and

WHEREAS, Even with his years of success and accomplishment in public service, Peter Silvestri considers his most rewarding role to be that of being father to his son, Christian; and

WHEREAS, Peter Silvestri has served Cook County and the communities of the northwest side and northwest suburbs for decades and has brought prosperity, thoughtfulness, and efficacy to the offices in which he served; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Cook County Commissioner Peter Silvestri for his decades of public service; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we wish Peter Silvestri the best in his retirement and a bright future, and we thank him for his years of service to Cook County and the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Peter Silvestri as an expression of our esteem and respect.