Veteran Democrat faces Republican on 1st run for office in Lake County Board Dist. 13

Two Lake Bluff residents, one with 10 years of experience and the other making his first attempt for elected office, are running to represent District 13 on the Lake County Board.

Democratic incumbent Sandy Hart was elected to the board in 2012. She was named board chair in late 2018, the first Democrat to hold the position. Her selection by fellow board members capped a historic rise by Democrats to seize a majority on the county board.

She is being challenged by Republican Richard Ruzich, a patent attorney, former trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice and lieutenant commander with the U.S. Navy Reserves.

Hart says high property taxes and flooding are main issues in the district, which covers parts of Lake Bluff, Gurnee, North Chicago and Waukegan. Ruzich, who moved to Lake County last November, says the board has lost its way and puts politics over people.

"I really enjoy being able to help people and being the connection between government and someone who needs assistance," Hart said.

During her time as chair, Hart says the board has kept property taxes flat, increased transparency and accountability by video-recording meetings and eliminating board credit cards, dissolved outdated taxing bodies, and invested in projects to reduce traffic congestion and flooding.

"We're really proud (that) we took a stand and said, 'We're not going to increase property tax,' and we've done that for three years," said Hart, who served as on the Lake Bluff park district board.

Ruzich said he is running because the county board "has lost its way and had devolved into an unworkable partisan body that puts politics over people and party over issues."

He contended politicians shouldn't make more than constituents and said, if elected, he would donate his salary to Lake County charities and families in need.

"I'm going to walk the walk, so to speak," he said. Ruzich added, he would limit his time to two terms on the board.

"It's important to have turnover and fresh ideas," he said.

Repealing the county's 4-cent per gallon gas tax, which disproportionately hurts lower and fixed-income people, reducing flooding, making people safer and the county more business friendly were his other priorities, Ruzich said.

Hart said flooding is "an enormous problem and is predicted to get worse."

Lake County's Stormwater Management Commission has received more than $120 million in state and federal funds, she said, and the county continues working with partners to address current and future damage.

County board members double as Lake County Forest Preserve District commissioners.

Hart noted the forest preserves play a critical role in managing stormwater and would support a referendum to ask voters if they would pay more in taxes to protect and restore more land.

"It's off the charts how much people value the forest preserves," she said.

Ruzich said direct democracy is a meaningful way to decide many types of "yes or no" issues at the local level, including whether money should be spent on large projects.

"With this in mind, I think said a referendum is a proper approach for addressing these decisions," he said.