DuPage law enforcement heads call for tax increase

DuPage County law enforcement officials joined together today in revolt against proposed budget cuts they say will cripple the court system and create a more dangerous community for local residents.

A new budget proposal calls for more than 200 county employees to lose their jobs. The majority of them would come in the county's public safety departments.

DuPage County State's Attorney Joseph Birkett said he refuses to even consider cutting his staff further. "We're not even going to talk about that today because they have to do something," Birkett said.

Birkett once again encouraged the county board to ask voters for a quarter-cent public safety sales tax on non-essential goods and services.

He was joined in that call by Chief Judge Ann B. Jorgensen, Circuit Court Clerk Chris Kachiroubas, Coroner Pete Siekmann and Sheriff John Zaruba.

Zaruba did not appear at a press conference with the other officials. However, he shared his disdain for the cuts in a written statement.

"This budget, as proposed, is unacceptable," Zaruba said. "My staff is in the line of fire every day. I will not allow them to go without the resources they need. I cannot and will not stand by and let cuts of this magnitude stand."

Siekmann said staff cuts to his office would translate to delayed autopsies and possibly the closing of the coroner's office on weekends.

"People aren't going to quit dying," Siekmann said. "If people die in the hospital or their residence we can't just let them lay. We need to respond."

The major flaw with relying on a voter-approved tax increase at this point would be the associated time delay. Any money from such a tax increase wouldn't be available until about halfway through the new fiscal year.

County board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom said it's too late for a sales tax increase.

"The problem is, historically, taxpayers have said no to tax increases," Schillerstrom said. "The earliest we could go to referendum is February. That doesn't alleviate any of the problems with this budget."

The county's fiscal year begins Dec. 1, when the proposed cuts would take affect.

Jorgensen said at that point several courtrooms won't even have the prosecutors, public defenders or clerks necessary to handle cases.

That reality would reflect a circuit court clerk's office devoid of nearly 40 employees Kachiroubas said it could use. He warned local governments that they should expect major delays in receiving their share of revenue from traffic citations if the cuts become reality.

"This is beyond Draconian," Kachiroubas said. "Draconian would be a walk in the park."