The list of Chicago aldermen not seeking re-election in February now has three names, with the addition of a longtime City Council member from the Far South side.
"Sixteen years in the council is enough," Ald. Matt O'Shea told WBBM Newsradio Thursday of his decision to leave his 19th Ward seat at the end of his term in May. "It's time for me to do something else."
O'Shea represents parts of Beverly and Morgan Park, and said his decision came after a discussion with his wife and three children about the demands of the job: "There's essentially no time off. Even if you're on vacation, you're on the phone. You've got to be accessible to your community, you've got to be at City Hall advocating ... and it takes its toll."
He also observed that it's becoming harder to take action on the city's most pressing issues because of the challenge in finding common ground with his City Council colleagues.
"People don't want to compromise," said Ald. O'Shea. "It's increasingly more difficult to accomplish things. That does take its toll."
Ald. O'Shea's been a leading voice in the self-proclaimed Budget Accountability Coalition, which has butted heads with Mayor Brandon Johnson over the city's spending priorities.
At least two other City Council members - 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn and Ald. Mike Rodriguez from the 22nd Ward - have said they will not run again. Ald. O'Shea said he'll still be on the job through the end of his term: "I'll leave it all out on the field."
Far South Council member cites workload, lack of "compromise"
Far South Council member cites workload, lack of "compromise"
