Martin Sandoval

Early life

Sandoval was born in The Back of the Yards, a neighborhood on Chicago’s Southwest Side. He graduated from Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary South High School and went on to Loyola University, Chicago where he earned a bachelor's degree in psychology.

Public service

Sandoval’s career has included appointments to the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and ten years at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He was also a leader in various federal labor unions.

As a Federal Administrator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs – Sandoval exercised strong financial management and strategic planning skills with impeccable professional ethics. Successfully implemented national programs, policies and regulations and had direct responsibility for managing the transparency, accountability and integrity of multimillion-dollar federal procurement processes in the context of complex and politically sensitive environment.

In 1999, Sandoval was appointed as Commissioner to the Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago through Bipartisan appointment between then-Republican Governor George Ryan and then-Mayor Richard M. Daley. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation serves 5.1 million people, 124 suburban municipalities in addition to Chicago and the commercial/industrial equivalent of 4.5 million more by processing more than 1 billion gallons of waste water every day for an area of 872 square miles; the District owns and maintains seven treatment plants, including the largest waste water treatment plant in the world in Stickney; controls more than 76 miles of navigable waterways; and owns 547 miles of intercepting sewers and 94 miles of underground tunnels as part of the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan, the nation's largest public works program for flood control.

As Commissioner, Sandoval also chaired the District’s Committee on Engineering and the Committee on Public Health and Welfare, which provided policy and budget direction in the planning and design of the District’s complex, multimillion-dollar infrastructure projects as well as security of all plant facilities. Sandoval approved the District's annual budget of $1.3 billion and provided ultimate managerial oversight of more than 2,300 employees. He assisted in planning and approving the final completion of the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (Deep Tunnel). Sandoval participated in the strategic planning process to secure storm water management authority from the Illinois General Assembly for Cook County, the second largest county in the country. Ensured the District maintained its excellent financial condition, reflected in its AAA bond rating and continuing awards from the Government Finance Officers Association.

He was reelected to that position in 2000.

Sandoval served as chairman on the District’s Committee of Engineering as well as the Committee on Public Health and Welfare. These committees provide policy and budgetary direction in the planning and design of the District’s construction projects as well as security of all plant facilities.

Sandoval continues to sponsor science fairs and provides resources to local schools. He serves on the board of Catholic Charities of Chicago, Advocate Bethany Hospital and the Save-A-Life Foundation.

Senate career

Sandoval was elected in 2003 as state senator.

As senator, he has sponsored a bill to reduce harmful mercury emissions by requiring automobile manufacturers to establish a program to collect mercury switches out of used vehicles to be scrapped or recycled.

Sandoval supported increased funding for early detection of breast cancer. The increased funding would be used to help low-income and uninsured women get tested early for breast cancer.

One of Sandoval’s biggest priorities is education, so he has worked to secure more education funding for the students in his district who need new facilities to replace the overcrowded schools of the Southwest Side.

Sandoval questioned the work ethic of Governor Rod Blagojevich during the 2007 budget crisis, as Blagojevich returned to Chicago rather than staying in Springfield for the remainder of the session.

Sandoval is the Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee and a member of Energy, Gaming, Agriculture and Licensed Activities Committees.

As Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, Sandoval provided leadership for the improvement of Illinois’ multi-faceted transportation system in coordination with Congressman Dan Lipinski, member of the US House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and former Republican Congressman and current Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. These efforts resulted in continual accurate projections and effective planning of the state’s annual multi-year programs that establish far-reaching goals for transportation in Illinois.

Sandoval Authored one of the nation's first traffic safety laws that banned texting while driving.

Sandoval also secured $300 million for CREATE, $150 million for Amtrak improvements and $400 million for high-speed rail in the capital bond program in direct negotiations with President Cullerton and Speaker Madigan.

Personal life

Senator Sandoval lives in the Gage Park neighborhood with his wife Marina, their twins Martin Jr. and Angie, and their daughter Jenny.