Endorsements: Polit, Matuszak, Zadel for Mount Prospect board

Mount Prospect is about to undergo a seamless transition of power in the mayor’s office — Irvana Wilks will step down after April 9, and current trustee Arlene Juracek will step up as her very able replacement. On the village board however, six candidates are running for three seats. There are two sides represented in this campaign — one side represents the establishment, the other embodies a desire to cut property taxes at the village level, in some cases by draconian means. In this case, we side with the establishment. Mount Prospect has a balanced budget, and yet it has enviable public services. The board has cut spending when the revenue wasn’t there, it has kept a healthy amount of cash in reserve and has maintained the village’s strong ISO and bond ratings. Not every suburb can say that. Nobody can argue with lower property taxes, but we don’t want cuts for the sake of cuts. We don’t want fewer police officers and firefighters working in town. We like the speed and quality of snow removal. Four of the six candidates represent the more balanced approach. They are incumbent trustees Steve Polit, John Matuszak and Mike Zadel, and former library board trustee Kevin Grouwinkel. Each incumbent is different in his approach to government but have all proven to be good stewards of public funds. Grouwinkel, a Shining Star winner, Lions Club member and hospice volunteer, would make an excellent trustee. But who would he replace? None of the three on the board presently deserves to be defeated, and so we endorse Matuszak, Polit and Zadel.