Arthur Schultz
Encyclopedia
Arthur "Art" Schultz was an American Republican
politician. He was a fifth-term mayor
of Joliet, Illinois
, which is the fourth largest municipality in the state, behind Chicago
, which is located 35 miles (56.3 km) to the northeast, Aurora
and Rockford
. He was last elected in April 2007. He did not run in the 2011 election, and was succeeded by Thomas Giarrante. Prior to his first election, he served in the United States Navy
and in the Joliet Police Department.
His first attempt at public service was highly controversial because he finished as first runner-up in the Joliet City Council
election of 1989. When a sitting councilwoman died a few months after the election, he was passed over several times for the nomination which customarily is given to the runner-up in the most recent election. He returned to elective politics to defeat the mayor who refused to nominate him in the subsequent election in 1991.
In his time in office, the Joliet economy turned around from the economy of a stagnant prison town with declining population to a fast growing entertainment and tourism economy. The city benefited from the casino
industry which has provided unexpected revenue bounties. Residential and commercial construction has blossomed and the community has seen racing tracks, a baseball stadium and several civic works develop as a result of the booming economy.
s in the city. He was an altar boy. Schultz, like the two Joliet Mayors who preceded him, is a graduate of Joliet Catholic High School. After high school, he served four years in the United States Navy during the Korean War
. He then worked for the Joliet Police Department for 29 years before being elected mayor in 1991.
Schultz and his wife were married on November 6, 1954 at The Cathedral of St. Raymond. As of his fiftieth wedding anniversary in 2004, Schultz had five children and eight grandchildren. His children are Debbie (married to Richard) Fonck, Nancy (Steve) Voots, Art (Nancy) Schultz, Dan (Sue) Schultz and Mike Schultz. On November 15, 2006, a grand jury
in Will County, Illinois
indicted his son, Arthur Schultz Jr., for official misconduct and tampering with public records, in a case involving fixing traffic ticket
s. His daughter Nancy Schultz Voots, who celebrated her 25th anniversary a few months before her parent's 50th, is the Will County Clerk.
On November 16, 1993 Schultz had a laryngectomy
after having had vocal chord tumors removed the previous May. Schultz lost his voice for a period before regaining it after several months of home recuperation with the aid of a voice prosthesis
that was inserted into a neck valve.
As of the July 1, 2007 United States Census Bureau
population estimates, Joliet had a population of 144,316, which ranked it as the 162nd largest incorporated municipality in the United States and the fourth largest in the state of Illinois.
On November 14, 2011, Schultz suffered congestive heart failure
, which required hospital care. He died on November 26.
to the general election
in what the Chicago Tribune
described as a surprisingly strong showing, but he finished fourth in the six-way April 4 general election race for three seats. In August 1989, Joliet Councilwoman Margaret Short died with two years remaining in her term and Joliet Mayor Charles Connor had the responsibility of nominating a replacement for consideration by the remaining councilmen. Instead of following the custom of nominating the first runner-up in the most recent council election (Schultz in this case), Connor nominated a political ally in September. The council did not support the nomination and after some delay she withdrew her own name on September 19. When Connor's second nomination was again not one of the runners-up, it was again defeated, which led to council legislation to strip him of his power to nominate councilmen. On October 17, Connor became the first Joliet Mayor since the mid-1970s to refuse to sign legislation passed by the Joliet City Council. On November 21, there was unanimous agreement on a compromise candidate who was also not one of the runners-up.
At the time of the non-partisan February 26, 1991 Mayoral primary election, the Chicago Tribune described Joliet as suffering from stagnant economy and sagging population. Between 1980 and 1990 the population had declined to 76,836 from 77,956, according to the United States Census Bureau
. Connor was challenged by three candidates, including Schultz. Schultz narrowly won the primary election by a 2,709–2,545 (38%–36%) margin over Connor, but both candidates advanced to the April general election since they finished first and second in the primary. On April 2, Schultz won by a 6,081–5,534 margin.
Schultz has been approved handily in his re-election bids. In 1995, he earned 67 percent of the vote in the primary election and 68 percent in the general election. He was unopposed in 1999. In 2003, he became the first four-term mayor for Joliet, which was incorporated in 1852, by taking 83% of the vote in a four-way contest. In 2007, he earned 73% of the vote in a three-way contest. He did not run in the 2011 election, and was succeeded by Thomas Giarrante.
approved riverboat gambling by passing two bills that permit gambling along the Mississippi
, Illinois
and Des Plaines River
s. Both houses of the Illinois General Assembly
agreed on riverboat gambling in January 1990, but gambling did not commence in Joliet until June 17, 1992. However, by January 1993, gambling in Joliet was so successful that Schultz described Joliet as "the riverboat-gambling capital of the world". In October 1993, Schultz noted that crime in the city declined with the advent of gambling. The first few years of gambling were so successful that by 1995, before Indiana
approved gambling, Joliet expected to be debt free in 2001. Schultz described the surprisingly sizable gambling industry revenues as "manna
from Heaven" and encouraged other cities to try legalized gambling.
Between 1993 and 1997 Schultz only received a total of US$1,500 in gambling-related political contributions. During the 1990s, Joliet was one of the fastest growing cities in the state, and in 2000 its residential and commercial construction were at record-setting levels, according to Schultz. Schultz also credits gambling revenues with having enabled the city to halt tax increases for a decade and to build a new police station and three new firehouses. Despite the success and growth Joliet has seen there have been disappointments such as the fact that Harrah's Joliet Casino did not build its hotel nearly as quickly as Schultz would have liked.
In 1999, the Joliet City Council approved the construction of the Chicagoland Speedway
on 930 acres (3.76 km²) of land next to the Route 66 Raceway
. Between 2000 and 2002 Joliet was the tenth fastest growing city in the United States. Under Schultz, the city ended nearly 150 years as a prison town with the closure of the Joliet Correctional Center and focussed its economy on entertainment and tourism.
Silver Cross Field
, which was built in 2002 to host the Joliet Jackhammers
of the Northern League is located at 1 Mayor Art Schultz Dr.
Joliet's growth is partly due to a series of successful but contentious annexations that occurred under Schultz. In the early 1990s the city annexed 55 acre (0.2225773 km²) for the construction of the Empress Riverboat Casino complex. In 1999, the city annexed 923 acres (3.7 km²) for the construction of the Chicagoland Speedway, which when combined with the Route 66 Raceway made Joliet the only racing facility host in the United States capable of hosting races from each major category in professional auto racing
. In 2001, the city acquired 12 parcels totaling 8 acres (32,374.9 m²) through expedited condemnations
to build Silver Cross Field. In 2005, the city annexed 988 acres (4 km²) to provide a growth corridor for commercial and residential growth. By 2007, the recent history of prosperous growth and prospects of continued future growth necessitated that Joliet agree on borders with one neighboring municipality and that it consider future borders with others.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician. He was a fifth-term mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Joliet, Illinois
Joliet, Illinois
Joliet is a city in Will and Kendall Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, located southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County. As of the 2010 census, the city was the fourth-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 147,433. It continues to be Illinois' fastest growing...
, which is the fourth largest municipality in the state, behind Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, which is located 35 miles (56.3 km) to the northeast, Aurora
Aurora, Illinois
Aurora is the second most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the 112th largest city in the United States. A suburb of Chicago, located west of the Loop, its population in 2010 was 197,899. Originally founded within Kane County, Aurora's city limits have expanded greatly over the past...
and Rockford
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
. He was last elected in April 2007. He did not run in the 2011 election, and was succeeded by Thomas Giarrante. Prior to his first election, he served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and in the Joliet Police Department.
His first attempt at public service was highly controversial because he finished as first runner-up in the Joliet City Council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
election of 1989. When a sitting councilwoman died a few months after the election, he was passed over several times for the nomination which customarily is given to the runner-up in the most recent election. He returned to elective politics to defeat the mayor who refused to nominate him in the subsequent election in 1991.
In his time in office, the Joliet economy turned around from the economy of a stagnant prison town with declining population to a fast growing entertainment and tourism economy. The city benefited from the casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
industry which has provided unexpected revenue bounties. Residential and commercial construction has blossomed and the community has seen racing tracks, a baseball stadium and several civic works develop as a result of the booming economy.
Personal
He was born and raised in Joliet and attended parochial schoolParochial school
A parochial school is a school that provides religious education in addition to conventional education. In a narrower sense, a parochial school is a Christian grammar school or high school which is part of, and run by, a parish.-United Kingdom:...
s in the city. He was an altar boy. Schultz, like the two Joliet Mayors who preceded him, is a graduate of Joliet Catholic High School. After high school, he served four years in the United States Navy during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. He then worked for the Joliet Police Department for 29 years before being elected mayor in 1991.
Schultz and his wife were married on November 6, 1954 at The Cathedral of St. Raymond. As of his fiftieth wedding anniversary in 2004, Schultz had five children and eight grandchildren. His children are Debbie (married to Richard) Fonck, Nancy (Steve) Voots, Art (Nancy) Schultz, Dan (Sue) Schultz and Mike Schultz. On November 15, 2006, a grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
in Will County, Illinois
Will County, Illinois
As of the census of 2000, there were 502,266 people, 167,542 households, and 131,017 families residing in the county. The population density was 600 people per square mile . There were 175,524 housing units at an average density of 210 per square mile...
indicted his son, Arthur Schultz Jr., for official misconduct and tampering with public records, in a case involving fixing traffic ticket
Traffic ticket
A traffic ticket is a notice issued by a law enforcement official to a motorist or other road user, accusing violation of traffic laws. Traffic tickets generally come in two forms, citing a moving violation, such as exceeding the speed limit, or a non-moving violation, such as a parking violation,...
s. His daughter Nancy Schultz Voots, who celebrated her 25th anniversary a few months before her parent's 50th, is the Will County Clerk.
On November 16, 1993 Schultz had a laryngectomy
Laryngectomy
Laryngectomy is the removal of the larynx and separation of the airway from the mouth, nose and esophagus. The laryngectomee breathes through an opening in the neck, a stoma. This procedure is usually performed in cases of laryngeal cancer...
after having had vocal chord tumors removed the previous May. Schultz lost his voice for a period before regaining it after several months of home recuperation with the aid of a voice prosthesis
Prosthesis
In medicine, a prosthesis, prosthetic, or prosthetic limb is an artificial device extension that replaces a missing body part. It is part of the field of biomechatronics, the science of using mechanical devices with human muscle, skeleton, and nervous systems to assist or enhance motor control...
that was inserted into a neck valve.
As of the July 1, 2007 United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
population estimates, Joliet had a population of 144,316, which ranked it as the 162nd largest incorporated municipality in the United States and the fourth largest in the state of Illinois.
On November 14, 2011, Schultz suffered congestive heart failure
Congestive heart failure
Heart failure often called congestive heart failure is generally defined as the inability of the heart to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the needs of the body. Heart failure can cause a number of symptoms including shortness of breath, leg swelling, and exercise intolerance. The condition...
, which required hospital care. He died on November 26.
Elections
He ran for the election to the Joliet City Council during the Spring 1989 municipal elections. Schultz advanced from the February 28, 1989 primary electionPrimary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
to the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
in what the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
described as a surprisingly strong showing, but he finished fourth in the six-way April 4 general election race for three seats. In August 1989, Joliet Councilwoman Margaret Short died with two years remaining in her term and Joliet Mayor Charles Connor had the responsibility of nominating a replacement for consideration by the remaining councilmen. Instead of following the custom of nominating the first runner-up in the most recent council election (Schultz in this case), Connor nominated a political ally in September. The council did not support the nomination and after some delay she withdrew her own name on September 19. When Connor's second nomination was again not one of the runners-up, it was again defeated, which led to council legislation to strip him of his power to nominate councilmen. On October 17, Connor became the first Joliet Mayor since the mid-1970s to refuse to sign legislation passed by the Joliet City Council. On November 21, there was unanimous agreement on a compromise candidate who was also not one of the runners-up.
At the time of the non-partisan February 26, 1991 Mayoral primary election, the Chicago Tribune described Joliet as suffering from stagnant economy and sagging population. Between 1980 and 1990 the population had declined to 76,836 from 77,956, according to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
. Connor was challenged by three candidates, including Schultz. Schultz narrowly won the primary election by a 2,709–2,545 (38%–36%) margin over Connor, but both candidates advanced to the April general election since they finished first and second in the primary. On April 2, Schultz won by a 6,081–5,534 margin.
Schultz has been approved handily in his re-election bids. In 1995, he earned 67 percent of the vote in the primary election and 68 percent in the general election. He was unopposed in 1999. In 2003, he became the first four-term mayor for Joliet, which was incorporated in 1852, by taking 83% of the vote in a four-way contest. In 2007, he earned 73% of the vote in a three-way contest. He did not run in the 2011 election, and was succeeded by Thomas Giarrante.
Service
In June 1989, with the blessing of Will County officials, the Illinois SenateIllinois Senate
The Illinois Senate is the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the state of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. The Illinois Senate is made up of 59 senators elected from...
approved riverboat gambling by passing two bills that permit gambling along the Mississippi
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, Illinois
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
and Des Plaines River
Des Plaines River
The Des Plaines River is a river that flows southward for through southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois in the U.S. Midwest, eventually meeting the Kankakee River west of Channahon to form the Illinois River, a tributary of the Mississippi River....
s. Both houses of the Illinois General Assembly
Illinois General Assembly
The Illinois General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois and comprises the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Illinois has 59 legislative districts, with two...
agreed on riverboat gambling in January 1990, but gambling did not commence in Joliet until June 17, 1992. However, by January 1993, gambling in Joliet was so successful that Schultz described Joliet as "the riverboat-gambling capital of the world". In October 1993, Schultz noted that crime in the city declined with the advent of gambling. The first few years of gambling were so successful that by 1995, before Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
approved gambling, Joliet expected to be debt free in 2001. Schultz described the surprisingly sizable gambling industry revenues as "manna
Manna
Manna or Manna wa Salwa , sometimes or archaically spelled mana, is the name of an edible substance that God provided for the Israelites during their travels in the desert according to the Bible.It was said to be sweet to the taste, like honey....
from Heaven" and encouraged other cities to try legalized gambling.
Between 1993 and 1997 Schultz only received a total of US$1,500 in gambling-related political contributions. During the 1990s, Joliet was one of the fastest growing cities in the state, and in 2000 its residential and commercial construction were at record-setting levels, according to Schultz. Schultz also credits gambling revenues with having enabled the city to halt tax increases for a decade and to build a new police station and three new firehouses. Despite the success and growth Joliet has seen there have been disappointments such as the fact that Harrah's Joliet Casino did not build its hotel nearly as quickly as Schultz would have liked.
In 1999, the Joliet City Council approved the construction of the Chicagoland Speedway
Chicagoland Speedway
Chicagoland Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Joliet, Illinois, USA, southwest of Chicago. The speedway opened in 2001 and currently hosts NASCAR racing including the opening event in the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup. Until 2011, the speedway also hosted the IZOD IndyCar Series, recording...
on 930 acres (3.76 km²) of land next to the Route 66 Raceway
Route 66 Raceway
Route 66 Raceway is a motorsports facility located in Joliet, Illinois. The facility consists of a dragstrip and a dirt oval. The drag strip hosts several drag racing events including the NHRA. The dirt oval hosts many weekly dirt racing events...
. Between 2000 and 2002 Joliet was the tenth fastest growing city in the United States. Under Schultz, the city ended nearly 150 years as a prison town with the closure of the Joliet Correctional Center and focussed its economy on entertainment and tourism.
Silver Cross Field
Silver Cross Field
Silver Cross Field is a baseball field located in Joliet, Illinois. The stadium was built in 2002 and holds 6,016 people. It is the home of the Joliet Slammers.In December 2010 the Joliet Jackhammers were sold to Steel City Baseball LLC...
, which was built in 2002 to host the Joliet Jackhammers
Joliet JackHammers
The Joliet JackHammers were a professional baseball team based in Joliet, Illinois, in the United States. The JackHammers were a member of the Northern League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. From 2002 to 2010, the JackHammers played their home games at Silver Cross...
of the Northern League is located at 1 Mayor Art Schultz Dr.
Joliet's growth is partly due to a series of successful but contentious annexations that occurred under Schultz. In the early 1990s the city annexed 55 acre (0.2225773 km²) for the construction of the Empress Riverboat Casino complex. In 1999, the city annexed 923 acres (3.7 km²) for the construction of the Chicagoland Speedway, which when combined with the Route 66 Raceway made Joliet the only racing facility host in the United States capable of hosting races from each major category in professional auto racing
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
. In 2001, the city acquired 12 parcels totaling 8 acres (32,374.9 m²) through expedited condemnations
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
to build Silver Cross Field. In 2005, the city annexed 988 acres (4 km²) to provide a growth corridor for commercial and residential growth. By 2007, the recent history of prosperous growth and prospects of continued future growth necessitated that Joliet agree on borders with one neighboring municipality and that it consider future borders with others.