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26th Ward Ald. Roberto Maldonado withdraws from race for Chicago City Council

The Chicago City Council is losing yet another member.

Ald. Roberto Maldonado (26th) on Friday filed paperwork with the Chicago Board of Elections to withdraw his candidacy for his 26th Ward seat. Maldonado has served on the council since being appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley in 2009.

Of the council members seated after the last municipal election, in 2019, Maldonado now is the 16th who won’t be there when the new council convenes after this year’s election.

Maldonado did not immediately return a phone call Friday afternoon seeking comment on his decision.

In recent years, he had argued against using an independent commission to draw ward boundaries when the Council went through redistricting, and also had worked to limit gentrification along the wildly popular Bloomingdale Trail.

Maldonado was among the sponsors of a measure to dramatically demolition fees along the trail, commonly known as the 606. It’s popularity has sparked efforts to build new housing — or replace existing housing — in the vicinity.

A the time, in 2017, a study by the Institute for Housing Studies at DePaul University found that housing prices west of Western Avenue increased by 48.2% percent after ground was broken on the 2.7-mile urban oasis. The converted elevated freight line has become a mecca for bicycle riders, skaters, runners and pedestrians. Housing prices east of the trail are up by nearly 14%.

Ald. Roberto Maldonado (26th) speaks with Mayor Lori Lightfoot during a Chicago City Council meeting at City Hall in December.

In 2015, Maldonado also successfully backed licensing for pushcart vendors in the city. The measure, drafted by pushcart vendors and their legal advocates, was championed by Maldonado.

“Legalizing food carts will have a powerful, long-term impact on the city of Chicago,” Maldonado said at the time.

Citing the Illinois Policy Institute, Maldonado said lifting the ban could generate more than 6,000 new jobs and as much as $8.5 million in local sales tax revenue.

Maldonado’s departure leaves five candidates in the race: Julian Perez, Jessica Fuentes, Kirk J. Ortiz, Anthony N. Rivera and Angee Gonzalez Rodriguez. The current Northwest Side ward includes parts of the Humboldt Park and Logan Square communities, among others. The new map covers some of that area but stretches further west, across Cicero Avenue, taking in parts of Belmont Cragin.

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