Lake County Board Dist. 19 candidates would seek help for taxpayers if elected

Candidates vying to represent the newly redrawn Lake County Board District 19 said they would work to ease the burden on taxpayers, if elected, but through different means.

Incumbent Marah Altenberg, a Buffalo Grove Democrat, is facing Joseph Janicki, a Lake Zurich Republican, on Nov. 8.

Janicki, who owns an independent insurance agency, said the district is a great place to live with good schools, but the costs of living there are ever increasing.

"We need to do everything we can to find ways to make Lake County more affordable for all those who live here," Janicki said.

Janicki said he would focus on eliminating waste and redundancy so the county board could eliminate the 4-cent per gallon gasoline tax.

Altenberg voted in favor of the gas tax in March 2021. County officials said the tax would generate $8 million to $11 million per year and help address a backlog of partially and unfunded road projects. Lake County didn't have authority to impose a gas tax until 2019 and was the last of the collar counties to do so.

Altenberg said her top priority is to provide more property tax relief. She cited her work with Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim to create a temporary option for property owners to pay their taxes in four installments to help relieve financial burdens caused by the pandemic. Altenberg said she will advocate for the four-payment option to return if reelected.

Altenberg, a former reporter and editor for Pioneer Press, was appointed in March 2020 to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of board member Adam Didech. Later that year in the race to serve the rest of Didech's term, Altenberg handily defeated Republican challenger Soojae Lee by more than 3,000 votes.

The redrawn District 19 includes much of Buffalo Grove and Long Grove, and extends as far west as the Cuba Marsh Forest Preserve and includes portions of Deer Park and southern Lake Zurich.