The Tribune Editorial Board begins a series of mayoral endorsements in a selection of suburban contests in advance of the April 1 election.
Endorsements began Sunday with Evanston. We plan to also endorse in coming days in the mayoral races in Arlington Heights, Orland Park, Aurora and Oak Park as well as offer our guidance on some of the ballot initiatives suburban readers will find when they go to vote.
We also plan to discuss several other suburban election issues and races after our endorsements.
Below are the Tribune Editorial Board‘s endorsements for the 2025 contests. This list will grow as endorsements are announced.
Evanston mayor
Daniel Biss is well-known in Evanston and an experienced campaigner. Mayor since 2021, he once taught math at the University of Chicago and served as a member of the Illinois House and Senate for eight years prior to becoming mayor. He probably is best described as a pragmatic progressive, given his decision to compromise on the stadium and also his support for Evanston’s innovative approach to the question of reparations for its Black residents. Read the full editorial.
Arlington Heights mayor
Arlington Heights is one of the biggest municipalities in the state, and is home to a well-educated and relatively affluent constituency. The next mayor will need to work well with others while also representing the best interests of village residents, balancing the existing demands of running a popular suburb while preparing for the possibility of exponential growth if a deal with the Bears goes through. Jim Tinaglia has the blessing of Mayor Tom Hayes, who is not running for reelection. He has ours too. Read the full editorial.
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Orland Park mayor
The mayoral race playing out in Orland Park has been anything but civil. In some ways, this race feels like a proxy battle between business and unions for control over Orland Park. Jim Dodge has received a number of donations from labor groups while Keith Pekau is backed by local businesses. Both men have poured their own money into their campaigns. Read the full editorial.
Aurora mayor
We think incumbent Mayor Richard Irvin has consistently demonstrated pragmatic leadership, striking a balance between economic growth and responsible governance. He has led Aurora through challenges, from budgetary concerns to public safety issues, with a focus on long-term sustainability. His ability to bring together business leaders, law enforcement and residents to find commonsense solutions sets him apart from his opponent. At a time when many cities are struggling with governance issues, Aurora needs steady leadership – not political experiments. Irvin is endorsed. Read the full editorial.
Oak Park village president
The village needs its president to be a positive advocate and champion residents’ interests. This person needs to be able to coordinate with everyone from local business owners to concerned citizens to state officials who make decisions about how funding is dispersed.
To these ends, we believe incumbent village President Vicki Scaman is better qualified and found her to be passionate about her hometown. We have no doubt about her ability to bring people together. She describes herself as “a unique mix of progressive and pragmatic,” which seems exactly like what Oak Park wants and needs. Read the full editorial.
Suburban ballots’ advisory questions
On fair maps
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Illinois must adopt fair maps that lead to fair and representative elections. House Minority Leader Tony McCombie along with Reps. Ryan Spain, R-Peoria and Dan Ugaste, R-Geneva are championing a lawsuit filed in January that would throw out the current outrageously gerrymandered map in favor of a fairer one. They’ve asked the Illinois Supreme Court to declare today’s map unconstitutional and appoint an independent official to draw a new map. Regardless of the outcome in that lawsuit, the problem of gerrymandered maps – and politicians picking their voters – isn’t going away until we change the way political maps are drawn. Read the full editorial.
On pension reforms
The only way Illinois homeowners will ever see meaningful property tax relief is for the state to enact pension reform, which means a constitutional amendment. While supporting current retirees, this board has long said the state must amend a provision added to its constitution in 1970 that has made real progress on pensions practically impossible. This would not provide immediate property tax relief, but would stop pension costs from driving up property taxes in the long term. Read the full editorial.
On unfunded mandates
The state should not be forcing unfunded mandates onto local governments, especially because they so often lead to increased tax burdens for residents. Why should the state be allowed to pass a bill that requires spending someone else has to cover? For example, Illinois sets required wage rates local governments have to pay for public works projects-a mandate that takes away local control, significantly inflates costs and limits the ability to stretch taxpayer dollars. Read the full editorial.