Cook County Board District 9: Capparelli

Since 1989, Republican Peter Silvestri has been the Cook County Board member from District 9, which includes part of Rosemont and some of southeast Des Plaines.

He has been an independent member, forming alliances with reform Democrats, voting against the sales tax hike, opposing patronage and pursuing property tax reform. However, Silvestri is also the Elmwood Park village president, an elected position he intends to retain, and the Daily Herald is committed to its policy that candidates holding more than one elected position cannot be endorsed.

We have some reservations about Democrat Cary Capparelli's lack of experience, but he says he'll limit himself to two terms and inject a dose of “private-sector thinking” into the county board.

A successful businessman, self-described moderate conservative and the son of longtime state representative Ralph Capparelli, Cary Capparelli is therefore mildly endorsed. The Green Party candidate, Brock Merck, did not return the Daily Herald questionnaire.