Endorsement: Pierog for Kane County Board chair

Kane County Board Chair Corinne Pierog was swept into office four years ago as part of a “blue wave” that installed her and fellow Democrats into four countywide elected offices long held by Republicans and gave their party a majority on the board.

In her bid for a second term, the former school board member and management consultant from Batavia faces a spirited challenge from South Elgin Republican Lance Bell, a software company CEO who is critical of county spending and its response to the unprecedented arrival of migrants to the region.

Pierog took office at the height of the pandemic and — albeit with significant help from federal COVID relief — admirably steered the county through the crisis. She's also seen her share of successes elsewhere, including the recent completion of the long-awaited Longmeadow Parkway across the Fox River in Algonquin, without the imposition of a toll.

Pierog also has made some notable missteps. Her push for the creation of a “First Amendment area” outside county headquarters earlier this year was an unnecessary blunder, and a common complaint we've heard from county board candidates this fall concerns the excessive length of meetings and occasional struggles to obtain a quorum due to absent members. While the board chair cannot force board members to attend meetings, or prevent lengthy debates and public comment, we wonder whether she could exert leadership to bring these issues under control.

Political newcomer Bell is an unabashedly passionate advocate for the issues he trumpets, including fiscal responsibility, government transparency and, perhaps most of all, the country's need for immigration reform. We don't disagree with him on that need. We do, however, question whether the Kane County Board — or any county board — is the best place to address it. Immigration is primarily the purview of the federal government, and while one can debate whether Democrats on the national level ought to be held accountable for the current situation, we don't see how the responsibility — as Bell suggests — also falls on the shoulders of Pierog based on her party affiliation.

Ultimately, in a choice between two competent but imperfect candidates, we lean toward experience. Pierog has significantly more experience in government leadership, a firm understanding of county operations and a track record we can comfortably cite to defend our choice. We endorse Pierog.