Illinois Democratic Women salutes the hard work and service of State Sen. Susan Garrett (D-29)! Earlier this month the state senator from Lake Forest announced she would not seek re-election in 2012.
“I woke up one morning and thought, I don’t want to be a career politician,” Garrett told the Lake Forester. “I’ve done a lot, I’ve worked hard — it’s probably a good time for me to move on.”
While we will sincerely miss her service in the Illinois General Assembly, we agree that she has done a lot during her years of service.
Garrett began her journey in Illinois politics in 1998 when she was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives. In 2002, she was elected state senator and earned re-election twice.
Throughout her political career Garrett placed an emphasis on quality-of-life issues particularly, accessible health care, quality education, well-planned communities, and economic development. She also made it a priority to be accessible to her constituents. You could always find her at town hall meetings, parades and supporting other candidates running for office when she wasn’t in Springfield.
Garrett has often been described as thoughtful and open-minded and when asked about her legacy she stated, “I’ve got relationships with Democrats and Republicans. I’m able to work in a very bipartisan way. It’s always been important to me that I won’t become a partisan politician. Because of that, I think that I’ve been able to be more effective. I think that’s my legacy.”
With a little over a year left in her term, Garrett continues to work to improve the lives of Illinois residents. On August 24, 2011, Governor Quinn signed House Bill 248–sponsored by Rep. Karen May and Sen. Susan Garrett—into law. The law allows the North Shore Sanitary District to supply sustainable, environmentally-friendly treated wastewater to identified partners. The recycled wastewater will save large volumes of treated drinking water.
This is just the most recent piece of legislation that Garrett has passed. She has passed everything from government and ethics reform to legislation to improve education, the environment and improved services to people with developmental disabilities. She has been a leader in so many parts of our lives and Illinois government that we are sad to see her go. Take a moment to look at some of her bills that are now Illinois law.
Her service has been remarkable. We thank her for everything she has done and look forward to seeing what she is up to next.
By the way, she is receiving the Mikva Political Courage Award at the Tenth Dems’ Annual Fundraiser on September 18. Click here to buy your ticket today!
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