Democrat Elyse Hoffenberg wants a seat on the Cook County Board of Commissioners.
Republican Liz Doody Gorman wants her old seat back on the board after an 11-year absence.
The District 17 race in the Nov. 3 election will be interesting as it always is because it’s one of the few districts that elects Republicans to the top-heavy Democratic board.
Since 1994, the Republicans have had a stranglehold on the seat with Herb Schumann, Gorman and Sean Morrison winning election after election.
Hoffenberg, who said she grew up in Orland Park and LaGrange, hopes to end that streak. The Lyons Township clerk believes she has the chops to serve as a commissioner.
“I bring legal experience, prosecutorial experience and a proven record of public service,” she said. “As an attorney and former Cook County assistant state’s attorney, I understand contracts, accountability and the importance of ensuring systems work as intended.”
She added that she had served on a school board and is president of the Lyons Township Mental Health Commission.
“My experience has taught me how to ask difficult questions, scrutinize spending and distinguish essential services from unnecessary bureaucracy,” Hoffenberg said. “I believe in practical, accountable government that puts residents first.”
Orland Park’s Gorman also has impressive credentials, having had the job from 2002 until 2015, when she resigned to work in the public sector.
Being an outnumbered Republican on this board could be problematic to some, but after looking at the lay of the land, Gorman doesn’t find it daunting.
“It’s really not the Republican voice anymore,” she said. “It’s going to be me working with the moderate Democrats against their own party, which is the socialists on the other side. They are battling within themselves.
“There is an independent voice that is needed to be there for our constituency.”
Both candidates are aiming to have the suburban voice heard more and both are aware of soaring property taxes being a problem.
“Affordability is the most pressing issue facing the 17th District,” Hoffenberg said. “Families and seniors are struggling with property taxes, rising insurance premiums, utility bills and everyday expenses. Cook County must get its property-tax system working accurately and on time and ensure local taxing bodies receive their revenue when promised.”
Gorman wants to consolidate governments to try to solve the problem.
She said there are more than 500 agencies in Cook County that are seeking tax dollars and she would like to implement an independent analysis to try to curb duplication of services.
“How can we combine all of those services?” she said. “I’m not talking about getting rid of them. It’s not about eliminating them but how can we consolidate the shared services?”
Hoffenberg is on a similar wavelength when trying to tackle budget problems that the county faces.
“We face a $550 million budget deficit for 2027, making fiscal responsibility essential,” she said. “I would prioritize a department-by-department spending review, eliminate waste and duplication, strengthen public safety, improve infrastructure and ensure essential services deliver measurable results.”
Even though she has been gone for more than a decade, Gorman said she is able to communicate with other commissioners.
“I’ve always been known to have that reach, which is why people asked me to run to do this again,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed the last 10 years being quiet on the sidelines but let’s go out there and use my experience, which is extensive, in government.
“I bring a lot of public and private needed experience to that board.”