How Mountsier, Rotheimer differ on issues
When it comes to traffic congestion, land preservation and other key issues facing the Lake County Board, the two candidates for the 17th District seat have very similar stances.
In some ways, however - particularly political experience - Republican incumbent Stevenson Mountsier and Democratic challenger Denise Rotheimer are miles apart.
Mountsier, of Lake Barrington, and Rotheimer, of Barrington, are competing for a 4-year term. County board members also serve on the Lake County Forest Preserve District board.
The 17th District is in the southwest corner of Lake County and includes the Barrington-area municipalities, Tower Lakes, Deer Park, Island Lake, portions of Lake Zurich and parts of Wauconda Township.
Mountsier and Rotheimer fielded questions about the issues facing the district and the county at large in questionnaires for the Daily Herald and in follow-up interviews.
Mountsier and Rotheimer both consider traffic congestion the top problem here.
They both feel the forest board should keep its promise and rebuild a golf course at the Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve near Highland Park.
They also agree the county board and forest board should split once the county's population reaches a certain threshold.
The two candidates aren't mirror images, however.
At 78, Mountsier is more than twice as old as the 36-year-old Rotheimer. He's lived in the district for 43 years, while Rotheimer said she moved to the district two years ago.
Mountsier has much more political experience than Rotheimer, having served on the county board since 1996 and previously on the Barrington School District 220 and Cuba Township boards.
Rotheimer is making her first bid for public office. A licensed insurance agent, she's made headlines as a community activist and victims' rights advocate.
During the current campaign season, Rotheimer has focused not on Mountsier and the 17th District but on her crusade against Lake County State's Attorney Michael Waller, who she claims has not done enough to keep sex offenders behind bars for longer sentences.
Waller has rejected the accusation.
Despite the time and energy she's spent talking about crime victims and criminals, Rotheimer has said she isn't concerned about being branded a one-issue candidate.
She's said the county and forest boards need to put the needs of residents first and be more fiscally responsible.
"You have to have transparency," she said.
Mountsier insisted county business already is handled openly.
"Everything's on the Web ... and any financial issues that come up are done in public meetings," said Mountsier, who leads the forest board's finance committee and has held other leadership and committee posts during his tenure. "And the county board meetings are televised. I don't know how much more transparent we can get."
As for accountability to taxpayers, Mountsier pointed to recent public forums about the county's future plans and other issues as proof he and his peers listen to the public.
"Hopefully we have a good feel for what our constituencies are concerned about," he said.
Mountsier also said the boards operate with balanced budgets, something other county agencies in the Chicago area have been unable to accomplish.