Ed Smith (alderman)

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name = Ed Smith


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caption = Alderman Ed Smith
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occupation = Alderman of the 28th Ward
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Ed H. Smith is alderman of the 28th ward in Chicago; he was first elected in 1983.

Early life

Smith earned his bachelor’s degree from Alcorn State University in Lorman, Mississippi and his master’s degree from Northeastern Illinois University. Smith has written two books: "Love the Town Couldn’t Stop" and "Looking for Daddy". Smith is also the executive producer of the film, “Love Relations.”

Public service

Before becoming alderman, Smith was a school teacher and worked for the Chicago Economic Development Corporation.

Aldermanic career

Smith was elected alderman in 1983 after he ran unsuccessfully in 1972, 1976, 1979 and 1980. In that 1983 election, running alongside Harold Washington, he ran a progressive campaign publicly committed to smashing the old system of patronage and corruption within Chicago. [http://www.chicagodefender.com/page/commentary.cfm?ArticleID=10058]

As alderman, Smith was the main sponsor of Chicago's Smoking Ban, passed in 2005 by a vote of 47-1. He also pushed the state legislature to pass a statewide ban.

Smith has been remarkably free of scandal in the City Council; at twenty-four years he has the longest tenure of any elected African-American official in Cook County and he has never been mentioned or implicated in any of the city council's corruption scandals.

Smith is also Chicago’s representative on the Transportation, Infrastructure and Service Steering Committee to the National League of Cities. The National League of Cities works towards “strengthening and promoting cities as centers of opportunity, leadership, and governance.”

Smith is Chairman of the Health Committee where he has led campaigns to promote awareness about sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Smith is Vice-Chairman on the Zoning committees, and serves on five additional committees: Budget and Government Operations; Finance, Buildings; Committees, Rules and Ethics; and Aviation.

Smith is currently running in the Democratic primary for Cook County Recorder of Deeds. He is challenging the incumbent. The primary is February 5, 2008.

References

External links

* [http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/portalEntityHomeAction.do?BV_SessionID=@@@@0646100273.1156158359@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccccaddiilggieicefecelldffhdfhg.0&entityName=Ward28&entityNameEnumValue=73 City of Chicago: Alderman Ed Smith]
* [http://www.edsmithforrecorder.com Campaign for Recorder]