Jeff Smith

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About me

My interest in, knowledge of, and love for Evanston comes from many years of living in the area, chatting with thousands of residents, and helping innumerable clients on all manner of files. Except for 2 summers back home and 3 years of law school, I've lived in the Evanston-Rogers Park area continuously since 1974, and in the same Evanston home now for over 15 years. The Ab Mikva and Carter-Mondale campaigns in 1976 got me involved in civic affairs here; I've worked with dozens of campaigns and organizations over the next 3 decades, at every level. From 1986-90 I represented Evanston in the state Democratic Party as state central committeeman for the 9th Congressional District, but was considered an independent Democrat. In the early 90s I was the 6th ward chair for DPOE. In 4 tries for office, I was supported by Evanston voters each time, but not all communities are like Evanston :), and even Evanston has its minefields. While my kids were navigating the Evanston schools I was more involved in youth groups and school issues than partisan politics. I've been blessed with an extraordinarily broad and diverse legal career, including all manner of land use and governmental issues, and have been in a general practice of law locally since 1990; more details are on my website, www.jefflaw.com. Lately I've been more involved in neighborhood and city issues here. I am working with the Central Street Neighbors Association and agreed to serve as its first president. My politics, if they had to be labeled today, probably would be called populist, grassroots, and green. Labels usually oversimplify. I believe that most people have more in common than in difference.