'Eight years is a long time': Naperville mayor won't seek reelection in 2023

Two-term Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico announced Monday he won't run for reelection in 2023.

Chirico, 62, said it's a decision he reached months ago. He decided to make the announcement now to give potential candidates sufficient time to build up their campaigns.

Chirico, a former city councilman, was first elected in 2015 and replaced George Pradel, who decided not to run again after being mayor for 20 years. Pradel died in 2018 at the age of 80.

"Eight years is a long time, and I believe in term limits," he said. "It's hard to always bring the right energy and your A-game all the time, every day, for that long.

"At some point, you just have to look at it and say it's time for another vision and another person's energy and direction to come in and see what they can do to take us to the next level."

In announcing his plan to step away after eight years as mayor, Chirico stressed the accomplishments achieved as he focused on financial stability. He noted the city's low property taxes and how cash reserves were built up while debt was reduced in balanced budgets.

Chirico, 62, emphasized the priority the city has placed on infrastructure improvements, sustainability and making Naperville a destination spot for development.

Chirico, however, also said the last few years have been trying times for Naperville. He guided the state's fourth-largest city through two years of the pandemic, as well as the social unrest following the killing of George Floyd.

The city also just commemorated the anniversary of last year's devastating tornado that tore through subdivisions and damaged dozens of homes.

"The last two years have been a difficult time to be mayor," Chirico said. "It wears you down."

Chirico said, if there's a need, he'd be willing to stay on as a liquor commission member or remain with the Naperville Development Partnership. His plan, though, is to make a clean break and focus on the flooring company he owns.

"When you're an independent business person like I am, you give up a lot of opportunities," he said. "So I'll focus on getting back into that while I still have some earning capacity left in my working life."