Of the three Republican candidates for Lake County commissioner in District 2, Jerry Tippy stands out.
Running in this race, along with Schererville Councilman Tippy, are Kenneth Stevenson and Daniel Langmesser.
As the owner of Classic Taxi*, Stevenson has some insights into regional transportation. One option, he said, would be to subsidize riders rather than buses, and pay for the cheapest means of travel. A county income tax for this purpose should be absolutely the last resort.
Langmesser is no stranger to the political process. He has run for office before. He sees the buses as empty, though he also sees the need for easy access to and from Chicago for commuters.
Tippy wants to investigate county spending. "I learned how much fat there is in government and where it's at, or at least where to start looking," he said.
Part of the solution is to put government contracts online, he said. That would let potential bidders know what's being done now, and for how much, so they could know where to start in the next round of bidding.
Tippy also believes creating a human resources department could improve the hiring process by requiring the most qualified, rather than the most politically connected, candidates for a position be hired. That would help eliminate a lot of fat and waste in county government.
Tippy wants to bring private sector ideas into government for more creativity. That's what government truly needs.
Stevenson has run for office before and should run again. Langmesser isn't a bad candidate, but Tippy stands out. Tippy's experience in local government, along with his pragmatism, would serve the county well.
We endorse Tippy for the Republican nomination for Lake County commissioner in District 2.
*Editor's note: This editorial has been changed from the original. Kenneth Stevenson is the owner of Classic Taxi.
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