Endorsement: DuPage County Board Dist. 6 Republican

Republicans Pamela Fenner, Robert Larsen and incumbent James Zay are seeking their party's nomination for two seats in DuPage County Board District 6. The district serves all or portions of Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Hanover Park, Bartlett, Wayne, West Chicago, Winfield and Warrenville.

The Daily Herald endorses Zay for one of these seats.

Zay has been actively involved in a number of important initiatives, both on a countywide level and within his district. He has been a leader in stormwater planning. While we are not sure about his proposal to explore implementing a user fee to fund stormwater projects, he has at least offered a specific solution to a problem in need of one.

He supports using sales tax revenue to fund fiscally strapped public safety operations, and to provide property tax relief. At the same time, he wants to put a cap on county board salaries, and has said he has made financial sacrifices of his own in the past by not accepting raises and stipends. Zay merits nomination on the strength of his record on the county board.

Fenner has been a Carol Stream village board trustee since 1993, and the village has benefited from her strong leadership. Her long governmental experience is a key qualification. She is strong on constituent services and building consensus.

Larsen, a Milton Township trustee, wants the county to be better managers of tax dollars by putting together a long-term financial plan that produces balanced budgets.

But we endorse Fenner on the basis of her strong and lengthy background in elected office and potential to be an independent voice on the county board.

The winners of this primary will face Democrat Dirk Enger in November.