Ed Schock

Edward "Ed" Schock (born circa 1947) is an Illinois politician and former elementary school principal.^[1] He began service on the Elgin City Council after winning election in 1993,^[1][2][3] and he was re-elected in 1997.^[4][5] In 1999, Schock successfully contested incumbent Kevin Kelly for the office of Mayor of Elgin.^[6][7] He was re-elected in 2003 and 2007.

He married his wife Karen in June 1971.^[8] Schock is a lifelong Elgin resident and the couple has three adult children.^[9]

The Elgin government is dominated by Republicans and no City Council member was opposed by a Democrat or independent when he ran for re-election.^[10] During his time on the City Council, he was part of a 4–3 majority opposition block to Mayor Kevin Kelly.^[11] In the mid-1990s, Elgin had extensive debates on how to manage its casino revenues.^[12][13] As a city councilman, his proposal that seniors be given a property tax rebate because of surplus riverboat tax revenues made news outside of Illinois.^[14] Schock remained principal of Coleman Elementary School while on the city council.^[15]

His starting annual salary as mayor in 1999 was $7000,^[7][16] and he continued to serve as a principal until he retired in 2003.^[9] Day-to-day responsibilities fell to the full-time city manager.^[16][17] As a mayor, his city's success at managing its gambling-dependent economy and its relationship with the Grand Victoria Casino Elgin was well chronicled throughout the country.^[18][19] Revenues from the casino have helped pay for the Elgin Police Department building and a new town recreation center.^[20] In 2000, he lured Motorola to bring its distribution center to Elgin by using an Illinois state economic incentives package.^[21]

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