GOP warns SAFE-T Act may raise taxes

Signed into legislation final yr, the Security, Accountability, Equity and Equality In the present day Act — or SAFE-T Act — covers three areas of felony justice reform: policing, pretrial and corrections (jails and prisons). It was borne partially out of the nationwide outcry over what occurred to Black suspects akin to George Floyd and in response to those that demanded policing reforms. 

One among act’s options, modifications to Illinois’ money bail system, takes impact begins Jan. 1, 2023. Republicans say the act consists of unfunded mandates that may go prices on to taxpayers. In addition they say the act’s required police physique cameras and related information storage prices will imply some counties could have to lift property taxes to pay for them. 

Beginning Jan. 1, a defendant can solely be detained in jail pretrial if they’re charged with particular kinds of felonies, akin to homicide or sexual assault, and if prosecutors can show to a choose {that a} defendant is a flight danger or “poses a particular, actual and current menace to any individual or the neighborhood.” Opponents say the bar is ready too excessive for somebody to be tagged as a flight danger.

Supporters say the act will hold these presumed harmless from having to struggle their circumstances from jail cells and it’ll decrease jail populations statewide, in response to injusticewatch.org. Nonetheless, tweaks to the preliminary legislation have already been proposed in at the very least three trailer payments. 

“Illinois’ controversial SAFE-T Act, handed simply hours earlier than I took workplace, is making headlines all through the nation for the danger it poses to the bodily security of Illinois residents,” stated Elik.

She stated the newly-created Cross-River Crime Process Pressure will discover its work a lot more durable after Jan. 1, noting she and Durkin have heard issues from law enforcement officials concerning the legislation. Since its passage, she stated, lawmakers have discovered concerning the act’s unfunded mandates and the elevated prices related.

Slusser stated Madison County has achieved one thing replicated in few different Illinois counties: decrease property taxes.

“Previously six years, we lower the property tax levy by $1.8 million and froze it for the final six years,” he stated. “I do not suppose there is a county within the state that may say that it has executed that. 

“We did that by on the lookout for efficiencies,” he stated. “We lower waste from division budgets and regarded for methods we may get monetary savings.”

Slusser stated the county has seen document returns on county investments, to the tune of between $4 million and $6 million yearly, to offset property taxes.

“I do not wish to see all of these document positive factors get overturned, taken away and worn out by a legislation that ought to have by no means been handed within the first place,” he stated.

Slusser stated Madison County Circuit Clerk Thomas McRae is worried the SAFE-T Act could develop into burdensome in his workplace, costing $300,000 to $500,000 yearly in misplaced income. He cited a dramatic rise in staffing necessities, together with weekend work for judges, circuit clerks, bailiffs, prosecutors, public defenders and courtroom employees. His workplace estimates the legislation will generate between $1 million to $2 million yearly in personnel prices.

Harriss, presently a Madison County Board member, stated Illinois has the second highest property taxes in the US trailing solely New Jersey. That’s what initially motivated her to run for the state’s 56th Senate District workplace. She’s going to face state Sen. Kris Tharp, D-Bethalto, on Nov. 8.

She additionally cited a few of her bonafides since being on the board: growing the county sheriff’s funding by $3.8 million and $13 million in county jail renovations.

“This helps hold our prisoners and legislation enforcement officers secure,” she stated.

She stated the SAFE-T Act is harmful for households, saying 100 of 102 state’s attorneys in Illinois have come out in opposition to the legislation, and legislation enforcement officers from across the state has warned elected officers concerning the results.

“No matter the place you stand on the so-called SAFE-T Act, one factor is for certain: the taxpayers are going to pay for it, a technique or one other,” stated Korte who’s difficult state Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, on Nov. 8.

She stated there’s a stark distinction between Democrats and Republicans in subsequent month’s elections.

Durkin referred to the SAFE-T Act as Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s “ticking timebomb, set to go off Jan. 1.

“Other than being a slap within the face to victims desperately security, it saddles our native governments with payments they can not afford,” he stated.

He stated he and different Republicans have been capable of get no reply from Democrats on how a lot the SAFE-T Act will value Illinois over the subsequent two years. 

A former Cook dinner County prosecutor, Durkin stated he’s conscious about staffing, follow-up procedures and the prices of shifting people by the state justice system. Democrats deleted money bail with no various answer, he stated. DuPage County should pay $63 million to adjust to the act over a five-year interval, he stated.

Municipalities additionally can be affected, he stated. including the $125 million Pritzker has stated has been put aside to assist cowl native governments’ compliance prices will disappear shortly and never utterly cowl the act’s mandates. He stated there is no sundown clause within the legislation, so it’ll proceed to value taxpayers on compliance.

He famous at the very least eight lawsuits, together with one in Madison County, have been filed difficult the act’s constitutionality.

Durkin stated he and Elik are dedicated to Illinois Home Decision 598 which urges the Common Meeting to repeal the SAFE-T Act.

“The decision hasn’t been known as for a vote; no shock there,” Durkin stated. “On the finish of the day, this anti-police laws is only one extra invoice Illinois households can not afford. 

“This is not a partisan subject,” he stated. “It is simply plain flawed.”

Durkin stated Republicans will make their case to voters on make the state a safer, extra inexpensive place to dwell. 

“If we’re profitable and we win sufficient seats, we will drive this invoice to be negotiated and do the precise factor,” he stated. “I’m not in opposition to reform; nobody in my caucus is in opposition to reform.”