Objective Opinions On Dan's Race: Please Forward To Your Friends

In 2010, Republican Dan Patlak ousted an incumbent Democrat to capture the so-called suburban seat — District 1 — on Cook County's tax appeals board. This three-member Board of Review weighs complaints from taxpayers who think their properties have been assessed unfairly. It's a boring but important and easily exploited mission: Too often, politically clouted lawyers have run roughshod at the board and won huge assessment reductions for their commercial clients.

Patlak's deep experience before joining the board — he had worked there as an appeals analyst for nearly eight years and had served as Wheeling Township assessor — has helped him make an impact: Many county officials, Democrats included, tell us Patlak has been a force for modernization, including a long overdue online appeals system that's a big plus for taxpayers.

Patlak's challenger is Sean Morrison, the Palos Township Republican committeeman, whom Patlak defeated in the 2010 primary. Morrison, a security firm executive, has radio ads that suggest he will lower everyone's property taxes. The ads are misleading. The job is to review assessment appeals so property tax bills are fair.

There's a race here because one faction of Cook County Republicans is feuding with another faction.

There is no reason for voters to unseat Patlak. Morrison evidently knows that: He has built his campaign primarily on serial mud-slinging that doesn't speak well for his judgment. That is one of this job's core necessities. Patlak is endorsed.

The Republican primary in the District 1 race for the Cook County Board of Review is a rerun of the contest two years ago, with a few twists.

The three-member board of review operates largely below the radar, but performs a key function, reviewing appeals of assessment office findings related to the value of property.

Last time around, Dan Patlak of Wheeling, an assessment expert who long worked for the board of review and later was Wheeling Township assessor, ran against Palos Park businessman Sean Morrison, who is founder and CEO of a security business. While the two had platforms that were similar in several respects, we endorsed Patlak based on his experience.

Patlak went on to beat the Democratic incumbent and now Morrison is running against him largely for being an insider.

In fact, Patlak, while pointing justifiably to improvements he has pushed, does seem a little too comfortable with the status quo. But Morrison hasn't made a strong case for replacing him, and some of Morrison's charges have been wide of the mark or unsubstantiated.

We endorse Patlak, based on his experience, and his record in helping improve how the office runs and its timeliness completing review.