HR1378 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1378 LRB098 23470 GRL 62632 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives have learned of the death of an Illinois resident who holds the distinction of being the person elected to serve as the mayor of the largest American city to be governed by a woman; and

WHEREAS, Jane M. Byrne highlighted a lengthy career of public service and civic involvement by serving as Mayor of Chicago from 1979 until 1983; she is remembered as a dynamic leader, loving mother and grandmother, innovator, and friend; and

WHEREAS, During her mayoral term, Jane M. Byrne tackled issues like collapsing school finances and contentious labor relations head on; she also moved into the Cabrini Green public housing project to focus the need for better police and public service in troubled neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS, Jane M. Byrne understood the need to showcase the unmatched natural beauty of the City's Lake Michigan shoreline; she also helped create the "Taste of Chicago" and propelled the City into becoming a leading domestic tourism destination, which enabled Chicago to be recognized as "America's Most Livable City" by the U.S. Conference of Mayors; and

WHEREAS, Jane M. Byrne's vision of Chicago as a modern international destination led to the creation of unique direct rapid transit links to O'Hare and Midway Airports; and

WHEREAS, Jane M. Byrne recognized the need for new jobs to take Chicago from being a manufacturing hub to a prosperous center of creativity through efforts like the High Tech Task Force; and

WHEREAS, Jane M. Byrne is recognized as a pioneer on gun safety for approving the first ordinance to get handguns off the streets; and

WHEREAS, While breaking gender barriers was a highlight of her career, Jane M. Byrne was by any standard a dynamic elected official; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we express our sympathies to Jane M. Byrne's daughter, Kathy Byrne, her grandson, Willy, her brother Edward Burke, and her sisters Carol Burke Sexton and Jill Burke Wolf, and honor Jane M. Byrne for her years of service and for making Illinois a better place; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Jane M. Byrne as an expression of our deepest sympathy.