A Republican challenger for Lake County Board District 19 says she will bring fiscal responsibility to the board, but the incumbent warns it’s “not the time for on-the-job training.”
District 19 includes Deer Park, Wheeling and portions of Buffalo Grove, Kildeer, Lake Zurich and Long Grove, and is currently held by Democrat Marah Altenberg.
Altenberg, of Buffalo Grove, was first elected to the board in 2020, winning a half-term seat after Democrat Adam Didech stepped down, citing health issues. Before then, she had covered Lake County for years as a reporter.
She said her motivations for being a reporter “translated well” into local government, and it’s been “a true honor to serve” with “really good people who truly care about the county’s future.”
It’s a tough political environment, Altenberg warned, with federal funding thrown up in the air causing interruptions and requiring leaders to get “creative with how to get more resources to keep all of the important programming and services.”
There is more work to be done, she said, and she has the commitment and experience, both personal and professional, to make decisions on the board. She emphasized community safety — lauding the decline in gun violence seen in communities under the Gun Violence Prevention Initiative — addressing the tax burden and rising costs, limiting the impact of data centers — such as through the new data center moratorium — as well as the county’s environmental efforts and human services work.
Altenberg voiced support for the county’s municipality consolidation efforts that she said save taxpayer dollars by centralizing services, and floated consolidating all township assessor positions, which she said could save “over a million dollars” across the county.
But while Altenberg said she’s “worked hard to keep the county budget frugal,” she noted the board only controls a small portion of residents’ tax bills, in comparison to school districts and other municipalities.
Altenberg argued her opponent lacks the years of experience she brings to the position.
“Now is not the time for on-the-job training,” she said. “We need people with experience in there making these tough decisions, because it’s a very tough time to be an elected official. I am somebody who meets the moment.”
Nikki Ziomek is a Long Grove resident with 25 years in IT management and is currently serving as an Ela Township Republican precinct committee person.
She’s “not a politician by trade,” Ziomek said, but instead is “a regular person that wants to make a difference in my community.” People have felt the “extremely suffocating” taxes and cost of living increases, and the county needs to be “good stewards” of the resources it has, she said.
Her priorities are fiscal responsibility, transparency, and reducing “wasteful” and “unnecessary” spending, she said.
Meeting with residents, Ziomek said some are feeling unheard under current leadership. She said that, speaking with farmer groups, they complained they were “not brought to the table” several years ago when the county consolidated several drainage districts.
There is also a sales tax referendum on the ballot this November, as well as a $40 million bond referendum from the Vernon Area Public Library District.
“People are being crushed,” Ziomek said. “They don’t want to see their taxes go up.”
Although she’s running against an incumbent Democrat as a Republican, Ziomek said she found that, when speaking to residents, most people are “on the fence,” whether independent or willing to vote for either party. At their core, most people share similar ideals, she argues.
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Another Republican on the board would bring some balance, she said. “More perspectives are important,” so that “we have views on both sides.” The board needs “fresh perspective,” Ziomek said, and she has the “energy and passion” for the work.
“I feel like I’m the best choice because I care so much about our community, and I want to make sure all of our community members’ concerns are heard and really taken seriously,” Ziomek said.