HR1690 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1690 LRB095 23298 KXB 54008 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to recognize our esteemed colleague, State Representative Milton "Milt" Patterson, for his service and hard work on behalf of the people of the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Representative Patterson was first elected in 2004 to serve the people of the 32nd Representative District, which includes portions or all of the Englewood, West Englewood, Auburn-Gresham, Greater Grand Crossing, and West Chatham communities on the South Side of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, During his time in the House of Representatives, Milt Patterson fought to protect working families, senior citizens, and the disabled; he consistently supported increased funding for the Chicago Public Schools System, economic development efforts, equal and affordable housing, and job creation and retention programs; and

WHEREAS, Milt Patterson established himself as a leading voice for the State's elderly population; he helped expand prescription drug assistance for senior citizens, opposed efforts to privatize Social Security, and maintained a constituent service office that was always available to help senior citizens get the help they needed; and

WHEREAS, Milt Patterson strongly supported the efforts of the Hospitality Academy at McCormick Place, which provides local residents with employment opportunities and thriving careers in the hospitality industry; and

WHEREAS, After experiencing his own health challenges, Milt Patterson courageously and tirelessly worked to rehabilitate himself and became a strong advocate for the rights of the disabled, particularly for those suffering temporary disabilities as the result of a medical condition; and

WHEREAS, Milt Patterson previously served as Chief Electrical Inspector and Deputy Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Buildings and as the 17th Ward Committeeman; and

WHEREAS, Milt Patterson is a certified licensed electrician, a licensed real estate broker in the State of Illinois, and serves as an Adult Education Professor at Kennedy King College; and

WHEREAS, Milt Patterson earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Illinois University, a Master of Public Administration from the University of Illinois, and holds an Electrical Engineering Degree from Chicago Technical College; and

WHEREAS, Milt Patterson is a member of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus; and

WHEREAS, Because of Milt Patterson's efforts, community organizations in the 32nd Representative District received new State funding for after school programs, planning and community development, and welfare-to-work efforts; and

WHEREAS, Milt Patterson is deeply committed to helping those in need in his district; his office donated clothing items to help fire victims and hosted events to help parents who were having trouble collecting child support payments; and

WHEREAS, Milt Patterson served as Vice-Chairman of the Computer Technology Committee, and as a member of the Appropriations-Human Services, Appropriations-Public Safety, and the Electric Utility Oversight committees; and

WHEREAS, Milt Patterson believes in the importance of inspiring young people to achieve success; he is a strong supporter of the Young Eagles program, which seeks to encourage youngsters' interest in aviation by introducing them to airplanes and taking them on free flights; and

WHEREAS, Milt Patterson is admired by his friends, family, and constituents for his strong work ethic, his dedication to his community, and his belief that we, as citizens, have a responsibility to work together for a better future; and

WHEREAS, Representative Patterson will be remembered by the citizens of the 32nd Representative District and the members of the Illinois House of Representatives as a thoughtful, hard-working, and civic-minded advocate for improving the quality of life for all Illinoisans; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Representative Milton "Milt" Patterson on his retirement from the Illinois House of Representatives and wish him the best in his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to State Representative Milton "Milt" Patterson as a symbol of our respect and esteem.