Endorsements: Elliott in DuPage County Board Dist. 4

A pair of excellent candidates, Republican Tim Elliott and Democrat Khizar Jafri, will face off this November for a four-year term in DuPage County Board District 4. Both are new to the county board scene but have an excellent understanding of the issues.

The advantage, though, goes to Elliott, an attorney from Glen Ellyn who has built a strong resume over the past 10 years serving as a village trustee and on the DuPage Water Commission. He is a fiscal conservative who supports the board's successful efforts to hold the line on property taxes and its attempts to pursue government consolidation. He wants to take a long-term view of what should happen at the county fairgrounds, he wants DuPage to focus on reducing its debt and he supports body cameras for sheriff's deputies - although he says improving the department's vehicle fleet is an even bigger priority.

Jafri is a finance and accounting consultant from Wheaton who lives up to his billing as a financial conservative and social moderate. He has a very good understanding of most of the issues facing the county. We'd like to see him appointed to a county advisory panel to help him gain experience to set up what can be a bright political future.

For now, though, Elliott is endorsed because of his knowledge, experience and independent voice.

District 4 covers all or parts of Addison, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn, Glendale Heights, Lisle, Lombard, Wheaton and Winfield.