Cook County treasurer: Pappas

Maria Pappas runs the Cook County treasurer's office like a business, consistently reducing spending, cutting staff by half over a dozen years and increasing revenue. Her drive to automate operations put reams of information at taxpayers' fingertips online.

She predicted this fall's record-late tax bills, then lent staff to the county assessor and board of review to help prod the process along. We endorse Pappas, a Democrat, over Republican challenger Carol Morse of Western Springs, whose solid credentials are outmatched by Pappas' record.