Editorial: GOP for county treasurer: Stolman

Two candidates are vying in the Republican primary to succeed retiring Lake County Treasurer Robert Skidmore. Lake County Board member David Stolman, a Buffalo Grove attorney, and Fremont Township Trustee Jeri Atleson, a CPA from Mundelein, will square off March 18. The winner will face Democrat Cynthia Plouche. Stolman has been a county board member for 21 years, including as chairman and vice chairman, and touts his knowledge of local government. Atleson has been a township trustee since April after serving about three years on the Fremont Library District Board, including as its treasurer. She says her accounting experience would be an asset and promises to freeze the office budget and increase outreach efforts to educate taxpayers. Both say the office needs to play a greater role in helping to cut property taxes and both promise to resign their current office if elected. We endorse Stolman because his broad political and business background and his leadership experiences in Lake County government give him tools best suited for this administrative post. Among his issues, he pledges to improve the office's transparency and reduce its budget through efficiencies and new technology. Stolman said he will advocate ways for taxpayers to be informed and involved in local government budgeting to help force property tax reductions.