Miguel del Valle
Encyclopedia
Miguel del Valle is an American
politician and the former City Clerk of Chicago
. He was an Illinois State Senator for two decades, representing the 2nd district of Chicago from 1987 – 2006. Miguel lost his bid for mayor in Chicago's February 22, 2011 municipal elections
, coming in third with 53,953 votes.
and was brought to Chicago at the age of four by his parents. He grew up in the predominately working class Latina/o West Town
and Humboldt Park
neighborhoods of Chicago. After graduating from Tuley High School (now Roberto Clemente Community Academy
) in 1969 he went on to Northeastern Illinois University
. At Northeastern Miguel got involved as a student organizer, joining the Union for Puerto Rican Students and writing for the student publication Que Ondee Sola.
After earning a bachelor's and a master's degree in Education and Guidance from Northeastern, Miguel served as Unit Director of the Barreto Boys & Girls Club and then as Executive Director of the Association House, a non-profit organization
providing social services and educational programs on Chicago's northwest side. During his time as Executive Director of the Association House Miguel was heralded by the Chicago Tribune
as an "emerging young leader." In 1982, after organizing meetings, rallies, and lobbying Chicago's Chicago City Council
Miguel was successful in re-instating city funding for Association House's successful jobs program for unemployed youth.
In 2008, Miguel was awarded an honorary degree from National Louis University for his "inspirational leadership."
He currently sits on the Board of Directors for Advance Illinois and was appointed by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn as Chairman of the Illinois P-20 Council. Additionally he served on several non-profit organizational boards, including Josephinium High School, the Latino Institute and the Spanish Coalition for Housing. He has also served as Chairman of the Mayor Harold Washington’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs, and taught a class at Roosevelt University called “Latinos and Public Policy.”
Senator del Valle is married to Lupe, and has four children: Miguel Jr., Ivan, Esteban, and Vanessa.
Del Valle sponsored legislation to protect homeowners by stopping the forgery of quitclaim deeds which is the process of transferring the title or deed of property to another individual or company. He has also sponsored legislation to provide harsher punishment for ATM crimes; provide Illinois with more Early Childhood Teachers; provide comprehensive health coverage for every child in Illinois; and increase funding for Advanced Placement courses in Illinois high schools.
Del Valle is the founder of the Illinois Association of Hispanic State Employees (IAHSE). He is the co-founder of several Latino organizations, including the Illinois Latino Advisory Council on Higher Education (ILACHE); the Alliance of Latinos and Jews; and the Illinois Hispanic Democratic Council (IHDC). He also developed the annual Department of Children and Family Services Hispanic Families Conference.
Del Valle is the former Vice-Chairman of the Education Committee, Co-Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Education Funding Reform and the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus. He also served on the Senate Executive Committee, the Senate Labor Committee, and the Higher Education Committee.
In the 2006 Illinois primary elections Del Valle received local media attention for his support of Ramon Ocasio III
for judge over the preferred Democratic machine
candidate, Ed Lechowicz, son of former Cook County Commissioner and Illinois State Senator Ted Lechowicz. Del Valle, who sponsored legislation to create the subcircuit system state that the system was created to give women & minorities the opportunity to serve on the bench.
, as City Clerk of Chicago
after the elected sitting clerk was indicted on federal charges. It was highly Del Valle won a city-wide election to the post in 2007, becoming the first Latino
elected to the Chicago City Clerk's office.
As City Clerk, del Valle's office is responsible for maintaining official city government records, distributing approximately 1.3 million vehicle stickers and residential parking permits, and issuing city business licenses.
Clerk del Valle is focused on bringing more efficiency and visibility to City Clerk services by providing greater access to public records, including web casting of City Council meetings, expanding community outreach programs, modernizing operations to expedite the sale of dog registrations, city stickers and residential parking.
Significant City Council
transparency efforts include posting nearly 700,000 pages of searchable City Council records to the City Clerk website, www.ChiCityClerk.com. This includes every ordinance passed since 1981, the Byrne Administration
, as well as city budgets and Mayoral Executive orders
going back nearly 30 years. In addition, for the first time ever, City Council meetings can be watched live or on demand via a City Council video archive on the City Clerk website, www.ChiCityClerk.com.
. He was the first candidate to air a campaign ad on television, the first to have a website
and Facebook
page, and the first (and only) candidate to publicly declare he will not accept campaign contributions from companies that do business with the city.
In the election he came in third in a field of six, with about nine percent of the vote. In his concession speech he promised to continue to push for a progressive agenda, though he would soon leave office as city clerk.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician and the former City Clerk of 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...
. He was an Illinois State Senator for two decades, representing the 2nd district of Chicago from 1987 – 2006. Miguel lost his bid for mayor in Chicago's February 22, 2011 municipal elections
Chicago mayoral election, 2011
The city of Chicago, Illinois held a nonpartisan mayoral election on Tuesday, February 22, 2011. Incumbent Mayor Richard M. Daley, a member of the Democratic Party who has been in office since 1989, did not seek a seventh term as mayor....
, coming in third with 53,953 votes.
Early and personal life
Del Valle was born in Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and was brought to Chicago at the age of four by his parents. He grew up in the predominately working class Latina/o West Town
West Town, Chicago
West Town, located in Chicago, Illinois, northwest of the Loop, is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas. Its name may refer to Western Avenue, which was the city's western boundary at the time of West Town's settlement, but more likely was a convenient abstraction by the creators...
and Humboldt Park
Humboldt Park, Chicago
Humboldt Park is one of 77 officially designated community areas located on the northwest side of Chicago, Illinois. The Humboldt Park neighborhood is widely known for its large Puerto Rican presence...
neighborhoods of Chicago. After graduating from Tuley High School (now Roberto Clemente Community Academy
Clemente High School
Roberto Clemente Community Academy is a public secondary school located in the West Town community area of Chicago, Illinois, United States.-Improvement:...
) in 1969 he went on to Northeastern Illinois University
Northeastern Illinois University
Northeastern Illinois University is a public state university located in Chicago, Illinois. The main campus is located in the community area of North Park with three additional campuses in the metropolitan area. Tracing its founding to 1867, it was first established as a separate branch of a...
. At Northeastern Miguel got involved as a student organizer, joining the Union for Puerto Rican Students and writing for the student publication Que Ondee Sola.
After earning a bachelor's and a master's degree in Education and Guidance from Northeastern, Miguel served as Unit Director of the Barreto Boys & Girls Club and then as Executive Director of the Association House, a non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
providing social services and educational programs on Chicago's northwest side. During his time as Executive Director of the Association House Miguel was heralded by 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...
as an "emerging young leader." In 1982, after organizing meetings, rallies, and lobbying Chicago's Chicago 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...
Miguel was successful in re-instating city funding for Association House's successful jobs program for unemployed youth.
In 2008, Miguel was awarded an honorary degree from National Louis University for his "inspirational leadership."
He currently sits on the Board of Directors for Advance Illinois and was appointed by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn as Chairman of the Illinois P-20 Council. Additionally he served on several non-profit organizational boards, including Josephinium High School, the Latino Institute and the Spanish Coalition for Housing. He has also served as Chairman of the Mayor Harold Washington’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs, and taught a class at Roosevelt University called “Latinos and Public Policy.”
Senator del Valle is married to Lupe, and has four children: Miguel Jr., Ivan, Esteban, and Vanessa.
Senate career
In 1987, del Valle was elected the first Hispanic Senator in the Illinois General Assembly where he served for 20 years. He was the Assistant Majority Leader in the Illinois Senate, and he was the first Latino to hold that position. He served as an outspoken advocate for Latino representation in the legislative and judicial branches of government. He was the Co-Chair of the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus and was the only Latino member of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus. His leadership in redistricting cases in 1981, 1991 and 2001 led to the creation of Latino majority districts on the city, county, and state levels.Del Valle sponsored legislation to protect homeowners by stopping the forgery of quitclaim deeds which is the process of transferring the title or deed of property to another individual or company. He has also sponsored legislation to provide harsher punishment for ATM crimes; provide Illinois with more Early Childhood Teachers; provide comprehensive health coverage for every child in Illinois; and increase funding for Advanced Placement courses in Illinois high schools.
Del Valle is the founder of the Illinois Association of Hispanic State Employees (IAHSE). He is the co-founder of several Latino organizations, including the Illinois Latino Advisory Council on Higher Education (ILACHE); the Alliance of Latinos and Jews; and the Illinois Hispanic Democratic Council (IHDC). He also developed the annual Department of Children and Family Services Hispanic Families Conference.
Del Valle is the former Vice-Chairman of the Education Committee, Co-Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Education Funding Reform and the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus. He also served on the Senate Executive Committee, the Senate Labor Committee, and the Higher Education Committee.
In the 2006 Illinois primary elections Del Valle received local media attention for his support of Ramon Ocasio III
Ramon Ocasio III
Ramon Ocasio III is judge of the 6th Judicial Subcircuit in Cook County, Illinois. The 6th Judicial Subcircuit is located on Chicago's North Side.-Early life:...
for judge over the preferred Democratic machine
Cook County Democratic Organization
The Cook County Democratic Organization is one of the most powerful political machines in American history. Historically called the "Chicago Democratic machine", or simply the "Chicago Machine", the organization has dominated Chicago politics since the 1930s...
candidate, Ed Lechowicz, son of former Cook County Commissioner and Illinois State Senator Ted Lechowicz. Del Valle, who sponsored legislation to create the subcircuit system state that the system was created to give women & minorities the opportunity to serve on the bench.
City Clerk
In 2006, Miguel del Valle was appointed, by Mayor Richard M. DaleyRichard M. Daley
Richard Michael Daley is a United States politician, member of the national and local Democratic Party, and former Mayor of Chicago, Illinois. He was elected mayor in 1989 and reelected in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007. He was the longest serving Chicago mayor, surpassing the tenure of his...
, as City Clerk of Chicago
City Clerk of Chicago
City Clerk of Chicago is in charge of record keeping for the city and elections. While the Chicago City Council is in session, the City Clerk serves as secretary...
after the elected sitting clerk was indicted on federal charges. It was highly Del Valle won a city-wide election to the post in 2007, becoming the first Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
elected to the Chicago City Clerk's office.
As City Clerk, del Valle's office is responsible for maintaining official city government records, distributing approximately 1.3 million vehicle stickers and residential parking permits, and issuing city business licenses.
Clerk del Valle is focused on bringing more efficiency and visibility to City Clerk services by providing greater access to public records, including web casting of City Council meetings, expanding community outreach programs, modernizing operations to expedite the sale of dog registrations, city stickers and residential parking.
Significant City Council
Chicago City Council
The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 aldermen elected from 50 wards to serve four-year terms...
transparency efforts include posting nearly 700,000 pages of searchable City Council records to the City Clerk website, www.ChiCityClerk.com. This includes every ordinance passed since 1981, the Byrne Administration
Jane Byrne
Jane Margaret Byrne was the first and to date only female Mayor of Chicago. She served from April 16, 1979 to April 29, 1983. Chicago is the largest city in the United States to have had a female mayor as of 2011.-Early political career:...
, as well as city budgets and Mayoral Executive orders
Executive Orders
Executive Orders is a political and military thriller novel by Tom Clancy. It was published in 1996, and is a canonical part of the Jack Ryan universe.-Plot summary:...
going back nearly 30 years. In addition, for the first time ever, City Council meetings can be watched live or on demand via a City Council video archive on the City Clerk website, www.ChiCityClerk.com.
Campaign for Mayor
After Mayor Daley announced that he will not run for another term, del Valle was the first to declare his candidacy in the Chicago mayoral election, 2011Chicago mayoral election, 2011
The city of Chicago, Illinois held a nonpartisan mayoral election on Tuesday, February 22, 2011. Incumbent Mayor Richard M. Daley, a member of the Democratic Party who has been in office since 1989, did not seek a seventh term as mayor....
. He was the first candidate to air a campaign ad on television, the first to have a website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
and Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
page, and the first (and only) candidate to publicly declare he will not accept campaign contributions from companies that do business with the city.
In the election he came in third in a field of six, with about nine percent of the vote. In his concession speech he promised to continue to push for a progressive agenda, though he would soon leave office as city clerk.