Marah Altenberg: 2026 candidate for Lake County Board District 19

Bio

Office sought: Lake County Board District 19

Party: Democrat

City: Buffalo Grove

Age: 59

Previous offices held: Lake County Board Member

Q&A

Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you?

It has been an honor to serve our community as your Lake County Board Member for the past six and a half years. I am running for re-election because I believe there is more work to be done and I remain deeply committed to serving the community I have called home for more than 25 years.

As a mother, small business owner, former journalist and longtime Lake County resident, I bring both personal and professional experience to the decisions we make on the County Board. My priorities include keeping our communities safe, working to limit the tax burden on residents, addressing the pressures of rising costs and limiting the impact of data centers on our communities. I also care deeply about building on our infrastructure to decrease road congestion and reducing the impact of climate change.

I believe public service means looking beyond the immediate challenges before us and considering the kind of community we want to leave for our children. That means protecting our environment, strengthening our democracy, promoting the health and safety of our residents, supporting responsible economic development and making Lake County an even better place to live, work and raise a family.

If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of any important initiatives you’ve led. If you are a challenger, what would you bring to the board and what would your priority be?

As the chair of the Planning, Building, Zoning and Environment Committee, I have led on issues of sustainability and climate change, environmental health, the county’s carbon footprint, stormwater management, solid waste, land-use planning, building and zoning. Under my leadership we were able to legislate a moratorium on the building of data centers in unincorporated areas. This moratorium will allow our county time to make sure that our residents are not adversely impacted by the construction of centers that could negatively impact our environment and cause our electric and water bills to spike.

I am also proud of the work I have done to assure that our streets are safe for our families. I was a leader in implementing our county’s Gun Violence Prevention Initiative (GVPI). I supported Lake County State’s Attorney Eric F. Rinehart's efforts to launch the initiative in 2022. It uses community partnerships, violence-intervention programs, and other services aimed at people at elevated risk of gun violence. Lake County has seen a 61 percent decline in firearm homicides and nonfatal shooting injuries fell 63 percent in the County as a result of this work.

What initiatives would you support to increase revenue and/or save money?

To be clear, I oppose increasing the burden on Lake County taxpayers beyond what is necessary to keep pace with inflation. Property taxes are already making homeownership increasingly difficult for many families.

I am proud of the work Lake County has already done to make government more efficient and reduce duplication. We have eliminated or consolidated special districts, including the Lakes Region Sanitary District, whose dissolution eliminated a $1.25 million annual property-tax levy. We also consolidated the Recorder of Deeds functions into the County Clerk’s Office and have pursued more efficient county facilities and operations.

In the future, we should consider the fact that Lake County taxpayers could save a minimum of $1.46 million a year by eliminating 18 township assessor positions and even more savings can be had by consolidating the operations on a county level.

Is there a specific service or amenity that is lacking in the county? If so, how do you propose to provide and fund it?

We need to work with our municipalities and developers to grow the supply of affordable and market rate housing. I am proud to be supporting the Housing Lake initiative, which is trying to help increase all types of housing units across the county. Increasing all types of housing will help the county attract more businesses and more job opportunities.

Does there need to be more bipartisanship and cooperation on the county board? If yes, what would you do to help make that happen?

I pride myself on my ability to work across party lines to achieve results for our county. Many of the issues we deal with at the county are not naturally partisan in nature. We are doing the basic blocking and tackling of local government management and there should be no barrier to bi-partisan cooperation.

As chair of the Planning, Building, Zoning and Environment Committee, I have insured that all of our policy direction includes all voices and we strive to reach consensus from all of our members.

What is your stance on county board members' pay? Is it too high, too low, or just right? Would you propose any changes?

I oppose an increase in county board salaries above any adjustments for cost of living.

What is the most important issue facing the county in your district and how should it be addressed?

The number one thing that people care about is the economy and inflation. We are focused on economic growth and affordable housing. The county works hard each day to help bring in more businesses, which affects our bottom line. Lake County is an attractive place for employers to invest and grow because we have a highly skilled and highly educated workforce and it is a wonderful place to live.