Hon. Patrick O'Connor

Hon. Patrick O'Connor

Patrick J. O’Connor has been fighting for the people of Chicago for over 30 years as Alderman of the 40th Ward, representing the city’s 40th Ward in the City Council since 1983. Pat, a lifelong resident of the 40th Ward, graduated from Mather High School in Chicago and earned his B.A. and law degrees from Loyola University of Chicago. He is the proud husband of Barbara; father of five children, and four grandchildren. He is integrally engaged in his neighborhood, church, civic and community organizations and activities. Pat has used his abilities as a lawyer, community leader and alderman to advocate for change and to improve Chicago’s public school system; create new jobs and promote economic development; improve the vast health care system of the City; keep neighborhoods safe; and rebuild Chicago’s infrastructure. Pat has worked with the residents of the 40th Ward in securing millions of dollars which were needed to build and rehab schools; acquire, build and rehab parks as well as build a new library, firehouse and police stations. Over the past 30 years Pat has instituted Town Hall Meetings in which he goes out into the various communities to hear and address concerns of neighborhood residents. During his time in City Council, Pat has held numerous leadership positions. For over 20 years, Pat served as the Chairman of the Committee on Education and Child Development, where he worked on Chicago’s public school reform movement. Early on Pat recognized the relationship between quality public education and the economic development of the City. Nationally recognized as a leader in public education, Pat O’Connor has received countless awards from teachers and school administrators alike. In his first year as Education Chairman, Pat was a key figure in negotiating a settlement to the longest teachers’ strike in more than three decades. He has established a reputation for bipartisanship and an ability to find new solutions to longstanding problems. Pat was instrumental in bringing Northside College Prep, a high school which has quickly distinguished itself academically as the top high school in the state, to the 40th Ward. His efforts as an advocate for education funding in Illinois’ capital have resulted in better pay for teachers and an unprecedented period of cooperation between the Chicago Board of Education and labor unions that serve the school children of Chicago. Pat was one of the founding members of the National League of Cities Institute on Youth Education and Families, headquartered in Washington, D.C. Pat later served as Chairman of Traffic Control and Safety from 2008 – 2011. In 2011, Pat became Chairman of the newly created Workforce Development and Audit Committee, focusing its efforts on the city's labor force and regulations affecting labor. This committee deals with oversight of the numerous workforce issues which exist within the City, working to create a more efficient and cost effective city government. He also serves as vice-chair for the Committee on Finance and is an active member of the Aviation, Budget and Government Operations, Education and Child Development, and Rules and Ethics Committees. Pat believes that focusing on economic development, jobs, education, infrastructure, and health care promotes not only the development and health of the City of Chicago, but also ensures that every citizen has the ability to provide for their family and maintain a great quality of life.