Editorial: Our choices for county

Thursday, Oct. 26, 2006 | 7:57 a.m.

Races for the Clark County positions of assessor, clerk, recorder, treasurer and public administrator will be decided on Election Day. Here are our endorsements:

Property values became red hot in 2004, which raised a serious concern for most homeowners planning to stay put - their taxes could rise up to 50 percent. Assessor Mark Schofield took charge of the issue, suggesting that the Legislature place a cap on the taxes. The 2005 Legislature ran with his idea and adopted a cap that defused the issue. Schofield, a Democrat who was appointed to his post in 1993 and has been elected continuously since then, is the right person for this job. The Sun endorses Mark Schofield.

Also red hot in 2004 was the recorder's office, with Recorder Fran Deane being charged with seven ethics violations, of which she admitted to one in a settlement. And last month Deane was ordered by a judge to vacate the office after being indicted in June on corruption charges. Republican Jim Edwards served a year beginning in 2001 as the public information officer in the recorder's office. He is a decorated 24-year veteran of the U.S. Army who has experience in what the recorder's office desperately needs - a transition to more efficient technology. We respect Edwards' plan to hire the office's former auditor, Democrat Bob Spencer, as his second in command if elected. Spencer, after blowing the whistle on Deane, was fired by the former recorder. The Sun endorses Jim Edwards.

Efficiency is an essential quality for the office of county clerk, whose many duties include keeping records for District Court and issuing marriage licenses. Shirley Parraguirre, a Democrat in her second term, demonstrates that quality in both her filing duties and her dealings with the public. The Sun endorses Shirley Parraguirre.

The county treasurer, among many other duties, is responsible for collecting and distributing tax revenue and investing any available county money. Treasurer Laura Fitzpatrick, a Democrat who served seven years as the deputy treasurer of Michigan, is in her second term. She has earned the public trust. The Sun endorses Laura Fitzpatrick.

The public administrator secures the property of people who have died and left no heirs or whose heirs are not immediately known. This job requires administrative as well as investigative skills. We believe Democrat John Cahill, who retired after 30 years as a manager within the Clark County Juvenile Justice Services Department, has a good background for this job. The Sun endorses John Cahill.