After submitting a Withdrawal of Candidacy form that afternoon, the 26th Ward alderman officially left the race.
Since 2009, Maldonado has served on the Chicago City Council, representing a district that includes parts of Humboldt Park, Logan Square, West Town, and Hermosa.
In a statement, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in part, “Throughout his nearly three decades in office, Alderman Roberto Maldonado has done an outstanding job of representing and advocating for residents of our city’s West Side….
Alderman Maldonado’s empathetic approach to public service has only deepened throughout his thirteen years as 26th Ward Alderman, as evidenced by his fierce advocacy for more affordable housing and push for anti-gentrification legislation to protect his constituents from displacement. I appreciate his tireless service to our great city as mayor over the years.”
Chicago Ald. Roberto Maldonado Not Seeking Reelection
Roberto Maldonado, who represents the Northwest Side on the City Council, has decided not to run for reelection this year.
This afternoon, the alderman for the 26th Ward turned in a document requesting that he be removed from the ballot.
Since 2009, Maldonado has been a member of the Chicago City Council, where she has represented portions of Humboldt Park, Logan Square, West Town, and Hermosa.
The statement that Mayor Lori Lightfoot issued included the following, in part: “Alderman Roberto Maldonado has been tirelessly representing and advocating for West Side residents for nearly three decades….
During the past 13 years that he has served as the Alderman for the 26th Ward, Alderman Maldonado’s empathic approach to public service has only grown deeper.
This is evidenced by his fierce advocacy for more affordable housing and push for anti-gentrification legislation to protect his constituents from displacement. I am grateful to him for the many years that he has spent enthusiastically serving as a leader in this wonderful community.”
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Ald. Roberto Maldonado Withdraws From Race For Chicago City Council
Another member of the Chicago City Council is going to be stepping down.
On Friday, Ald. Roberto Maldonado (26th), who was running for the 26th Ward seat, withdrew his candidature by submitting the necessary paperwork to the Chicago Board of Elections. Since 2009, when Mayor Richard M. Daley appointed Maldonado to the Council, Maldonado has been serving in that capacity.
Maldonado is the sixteenth member of the Council who was seated following the previous municipal election but will not be there when the new Council is convened after this year’s election. That meeting will take place in 2020.
On Friday afternoon, people trying to get Maldonado’s opinion on his choice called him on the phone, but he did not immediately return their call.
Following Maldonado’s withdrawal, the competition is now down to five contenders: Julian Perez, Jessica Fuentes, Kirk J. Ortiz, and Anthony N. Rivera. Angee Gonzalez Rodriguez is also in the running.
The present Northwest Side ward encompasses portions of a number of neighbourhoods, including Humboldt Park and Logan Square, amongst others. The revised map includes a portion of that region, but it also extends further to the west, beyond Cicero Avenue, and incorporates a portion of Belmont Cragin.
In recent years, when the Council has gone through the process of redistricting, Maldonado has argued against the use of an independent panel to establish the boundaries of the wards.
Maldonado was also one of the people who sponsored a bill to significantly raise the amount of money required for destruction along the Bloomingdale Trail, better known as the 606.
This was done in an effort to slow down the rate of development in the region. The popularity of the trail has prompted plans to create new housing or rebuild existing housing along the route, which has raised concerns about gentrification.
After ground was broken on the 2.7-mile-long urban oasis in 2017, a study conducted by the Institute for Housing Studies at DePaul University discovered that housing prices west of Western Avenue climbed by 48.2% percent after construction began on the urban oasis.
The former elevated freight route has been transformed into a recreational paradise for pedestrians, skateboarders, runners, and cyclists. The cost of homes located east of the route has increased by about 14%.
In 2015, Maldonado was successful in lobbying for merchants using pushcarts in the city to be required to obtain licences. The measure was crafted by people who sell their wares from pushcarts as well as their legal defenders.
“At a time when the national debate has turned towards demeaning our immigrant population, we must strengthen our laws to bring our immigrants and entrepreneurs out of the shadows and give them the respect and legitimacy they deserve,”
Maldonado told his colleagues at the time, projecting the city’s take at between $2 million and $8 million per year. Maldonado’s comments came at a time when the national debate had turned towards demeaning the country’s immigrant population.
Other Council members who have resigned or stated they will not run for reelection in recent months include the following:
The following incumbents have decided not to run for reelection: Leslie Hairston (5th District), Susan Sadlowski Garza (10th District), Ed Burke (14th District), Howard Brookins (21st District), Ariel Reboyras (30th District), Carrie Austin (34th District), Tom Tunney (44th District), James Cappleman (46th District), and Harry Osterman (46th District) (48th).
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Already resigned: Convicted Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson (11th); Michael Scott Jr. (24th); Michele Smith (43rd); George Cardenas (12th) has resigned after winning a seat on the Cook County Board of Review, and his chief of staff, Anabel Abarca, has been appointed to replace him as the representative for the district.
In order to run for mayor, the following members of Council are resigning their seats: Sophia King (4th); Roderick Sawyer (6th). Alderman Ray Lopez, who represents the 15th District, initially submitted paperwork to run for mayor but has since withdrawn from that contest in order to run for reelection to the Council.
Final Words
Northwest Side alderman Roberto Maldonado will not run again this year. The 26th Ward alderman withdrew his candidature this afternoon. Since 2009, Maldonado has represented Humboldt Park, Logan Square, West Town, and Hermosa in Chicago City Council.
Lori Lightfoot stated, “Alderman Roberto Maldonado has tirelessly represented and advocated for West Side residents for nearly three decades.
His empathetic approach to public service has only grown during his 13 years as 26th Ward Alderman, as shown by his fierce advocacy for more affordable housing and anti-gentrification legislation to protect his constituents. I appreciate his years of enthusiastic leadership for this great city.”
