John Rice (c. 1968 – May 30, 2015) was an American politician. He was

alderman An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law with similar officials existing in the Netherlands (wethouder) and Belgium (schepen). The term may be titular, denotin ...

of the City of

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, representing the 36th

ward Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...

on the city's far northwest side, from 2009 to 2011.

Political career

Rice was a member of the 36th Ward Regular Democratic Organization, one of Alderman William Banks' (36th)

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Career in government

Rice worked for the

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Highway Department from 1991 to 1997. Rice had worked for the City of

since October 1, 1997. Rice worked as a city

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inspector from 1997 to 2005. Rice was a long-time employee of the

Chicago City Council The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the Law and government of Chicago, government of the Chicago, City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 alderpersons elected from 50 Wards of the United States, wards to serve four-year t ...

with a title of "Assistant to the Alderman," working as a driver to Banks.

Appointment to City Council

In late April, 2009, Banks announced his intention to retire from City Council. Banks asked Mayor

Richard M. Daley Richard Michael Daley (born April 24, 1942) is an American politician who served as the 54th mayor of Chicago, Illinois, from 1989 to 2011. Daley was elected mayor in 1989 and was reelected five times until declining to run for a seventh ter ...

to appoint Rice as his replacement.

Rice organizes retirement party for Banks

While Rice was under consideration by Daley for appointment as alderman, Rice organized a $200-a-ticket retirement party for Banks at a

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restaurant. Rice sent out invitations instructing those purchasing tickets to "make checks payable to William J. P. Banks (Memo -- Retirement Party)" and mail the checks to Rice's house. Days after a report in the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...

'', the party was cancelled.

Appointment, confirmation, and swearing-in

Daley announced the appointment of Rice, then 41, as the new 36th Ward alderman on Tuesday, October 6, 2009. The City Council unanimously approved the appointment the next day, Wednesday, October 7, 2009, and Daley swore in Rice. The appointment of Rice drew criticism from some in the local media. After Rice took office, he voted consistently in support of Mayor Daley's positions. On April 5, 2011, Chicago firefighter Nick Sposato defeated Rice with 56% of the vote, 5,629 to 4,378. "It's a sad day for the people of the 36th Ward, because the people have no idea what they just did to themselves," Rice said.

Post-aldermanic career

On November 21, 2011, Rice applied for and, on the same day, started a newly created, $84,420-a-year position as a deputy director of traffic safety with the

Illinois Department of Transportation The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is a state agency in charge of state-maintained public roadways of the U.S. state of Illinois. In addition, IDOT provides funding for rail, public transit and airport projects and administers f ...

in the

James R. Thompson Center The James R. Thompson Center (JRTC), under reconstruction as Google Center or Googleplex Chicago and originally the State of Illinois Center, is a postmodern-style building designed by architect Helmut Jahn, located at 100 W. Randolph Street in ...

across the street from Chicago City Hall. The opening was never posted. Rice died at his home in River Grove on May 30, 2015.

References

External links

36th Ward
ward map and contact information {{DEFAULTSORT:Rice, John Chicago City Council members Illinois Democrats 1960s births 2015 deaths