Editorial: For the Cook County Board. Deer, Gordon, Podgorski, Daley, Hu, Morita, Britton, Jagielski, Morrison

Democrats have a stranglehold on Cook County governance. From Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle on down, every executive office is held by a Democrat.On the current county board, Democrats have 15 of the 17 commissioner seats. Four incumbents — three Democrats and one Republican — are not running for reelection. Whether Republicans can make any gains is up to voters on Nov. 8. Here are the Tribune Editorial Board’s endorsements in the races for Cook County commissioners.

1st District

Democratic incumbent Brandon Johnson has announced he’s running for Chicago mayor, but he’ll be on the ballot Tuesday. His opponent is Libertarian James Humay of Chicago. No endorsement.

2nd District

Crime is a dominant issue in this district, which includes parts of the South and West sides. Democrat incumbent Dennis Deer says violence prevention programs and street outreach must be part of the solution to violent crime. Republican Evan Kasal, a Chicago software salesman, says if the sheriff’s department wants resources to hire more police, “I am for it.” Deer is endorsed.

4th District

Democratic incumbent Stanley Moore of Chicago did not participate in the Tribune’s endorsement process. He’s running against Chicago Republican Lynn Franco, a library assistant. No endorsement.

5th District

This South Side and Southland district has communities that have been battered by decades of disinvestment and a dwindling tax base. It’s an open seat now that Commissioner Deborah Sims is retiring amid a complaint alleging retaliation against one of her workers who had reported sexual harassment in her office. Democrat Monica Gordon of Chicago Heights is director of governmental affairs at Chicago State University. She says Southland communities could become an economic hub for Cook County, if the county ramps up job training and workforce development in the south suburbs. Gordon is endorsed over Libertarian Jason Decker.

6th District

Democratic incumbent Donna Miller of Lynwood faces Republican Anna Biedrzycki of Palos Hills. No endorsement.

9th District

GOP Commissioner Peter Silvestri is retiring. Can Matthew Podgorski keep this seat Republican? We think he should. Podgorski, a logistics director from Chicago, displays a commitment to fiscal responsibility and bipartisanship that’s needed on the county board. He’s against relying on tax increases and says the better approach is to ease the tax and regulatory burden on businesses to encourage economic growth, and ultimately expand the county’s tax base. His opponent, Democrat Maggie Trevor from Rolling Meadows, says her main focus is to improve Cook County’s health care system. Podgorski is endorsed.

10th District

Republican Laura May Kotelman of Chicago says the best way to whittle down the county’s pension debt is to make extra payments when possible. That’s good, but the county already has been doing that. She sees merit in Preckwinkle’s guaranteed income pilot program for qualifying suburban Cook County residents, but wants to track its performance and, if warranted, make sure it can be funded once American Rescue Plan funding gets used up. Democratic incumbent Bridget Gainer, who heads up the troubled Cook County Land Bank Authority, did not respond to our questionnaire. No endorsement.

11th District

We like the energy shown by Chicago Republican Declan Smith, a 22-year-old college senior who wants to establish a more business-friendly environment to build up the county’s tax base. He’s up against a member of the Daley clan — longtime board member and Democrat John Daley, who chairs the county’s finance committee. County finances is Daley’s forte, and he correctly cites as a county achievement the board’s policy of making extra pension payments to help stabilize the county’s pension system and improve its credit rating. Daley is endorsed. Also on the ballot is Libertarian Brandon Sizelove.

12th District

Republican Xiaoli “Alice” Hu is a global supply chain executive who would bring strong financial acumen to the board. She says the way to revive struggling Southland communities is to create economic opportunity zones to bolster micro-business and small business growth. She also supports relying on real estate tax credits to encourage businesses to set up shop in vacant buildings in Southland suburbs. We endorse Hu over Democratic incumbent Bridget Degnen.

13th District

Democrat Josina Morita of Skokie has done an admirable job as a commissioner at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, pushing for the establishment of an MWRD inspector general’s office. Along with her experience at the reclamation district, she would bring to the board a strong background in urban planning. Morita is running against Chicago Republican Andrew Border, who would push to trim funds set aside for commissioners’ offices and repeal the 10% pay hike for commissioners. Those are good ideas, but Morita has experience the board needs, and gets our endorsement.

14th District

Fighting violent crime should entail a mix of fully funding law enforcement, ramping up violence prevention programs, and including mental health specialists on police calls to individuals in the midst of a mental health crisis, says Democratic incumbent Scott Britton of Glenview. That’s a multitiered approach we support. Britton’s Republican opponent, Wilmette hedge fund manager Benton Howser, points out that Britton was one of 15 commissioners to back a post-George Floyd resolution stating that the county should “redirect funds from policing and incarceration to public services not administered by law enforcement that promote community health and safety equitably.” That was a symbolic, nonbinding measure that did not take money away from law enforcement. Britton is endorsed.

15th District

For this northwest suburban district, Democratic incumbent Kevin Morrison of Mount Prospect faces Republican businessman Chuck Cerniglia of Hoffman Estates. No endorsement.

16th District

We can’t endorse Democratic incumbent Frank Aguilar for this west and southwest suburban district primarily because of the way he got the job. Jeffrey Tobolski previously represented this district, but stepped down after federal investigators looking into the red-light camera scandal raided his house and the McCook Village Hall, where Tobolski sat as mayor. Then Cook County and Chicago Democratic Party officials met quietly at a private club in Berwyn and handpicked Aguilar to replace Tobolski. Hardly a transparent process.

Republican Kimberly Jagielski, a Cook County probation officer from Brookfield, says violent crime is a top issue in the district. Her strategy includes an expansion of mental health services combined with ensuring law enforcement is fully funded. Jagielski, who has an uphill battle against the incumbent, is endorsed.

17th District

Republican incumbent Sean Morrison of Palos Park has been a strong supporter of ratcheting up the county’s yearly pension contributions beyond the legally required amount, which has led to better credit ratings for the county. He has always offered a strong counterpoint to Democrats’ tax-and-spend approach. Morrison faces Democrat Daniel Calandriello, a southwest suburban Orland Park trustee. Our endorsement goes to Morrison.

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