Horcher's choices in Feb. 2 primary

I generally don't make recommendations for elections but as I've met some of the candidates and actually know others, please consider these.

Dan Patlak for Board of Tax Review: Dan is currently the Wheeling Township tax assessor. He is very accessible and intelligent. Exactly the kind of person you want to be able to talk with about your property taxes. I know he will understand the best ways to help people with property tax issues.

Gregg Goslin for Cook County commissioner: Longevity is no reason to keep someone but he has used his time to help with intergovernmental agreements with Wheeling, uses good judgment to reason through issues like county hospital management forest preserve management. Most importantly in talking with him he admits when he doesn't know something and asks where to find the info.

John Garrido for Cook County Board president: Garrido has about 20 years under his belt as a Chicago cop: a lieutenant, homicide detective, lawyer. Garrido has no ties to business-as-usual Chicago politicians. He wants to balance the county budget by cutting salaries of certain discretionary possessions and eliminating others altogether. The cuts are to begin with the salary of county president - a 10 percent pay cut for president, and then no one makes more than the president. His plans for the budget are basically cut spending anywhere it doesn't save money. Also he is very interested in getting businesses back into Cook County with tax incentives.

Stella Black for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District: She seems to think doing more with less is a good way to manage an agency like M.W.R.D; basically, establish a sound clean water standard, and allow local municipalities to implement the standards, doing spot checks to ensure compliance. This would reduce overall presence required of the M.W.R.D. (less payroll).

Black understands increased oversight does not mean improved standards, just delayed review times for development. At a time when business development needs to be encouraged Stella Black wants to embrace sound scientific practices to regulate clean water, but still encourage business.

Pat Horcher

Wheeling