Endorsement: Sean Morrison for Cook County Board, District 17

Just as Cook County Board District 17 stretches north to south across nearly the entire county, the candidates seeking to represent it hold positions stretching across the political spectrum.

Incumbent Republican Sean Morrison of Palos Park, a longtime GOP official appointed to the seat in 2015, calls for sharp reductions in spending, opposes a county-imposed minimum wage hike and mandatory sick time and proposes "aggressive" privatization of some county services.

His challenger, Democratic newcomer Abdelnasser Rashid of Justice, says the county must be careful when it comes to budget cuts and maintaining "critical services." He supports the county's paid sick leave and minimum wage ordinances and says creating a property tax system that more fairly spreads the burden is his top priority.

Both candidates have strengths and flaws, but Morrison would continue to serve as a much-needed counterbalance to a Democratically controlled board that has pushed through wildly unpopular tax increases, including the doomed soda tax, in recent years. We endorse Morrison.