150 workers lobby for DuPage Co. to hike sales tax for public safety

Prosecutors, sheriff's police and probation officers mostly populated a crowd of more than 150 at the DuPage County government complex today to protest budget cuts.

The proposed county budget calls for layoffs of 235 employees, mostly in law enforcement, to address a revenue shortfall.

"We're not here to rally to protect ourselves, but to protect the people we serve," State's Attorney Joseph Birkett said.

One alternative to the so-called "doomsday budget" is holding a referendum in the Feb. 5 primary and asking voters to approve raising the sales tax a quarter-cent to fund public safety. This would net more than $40 million annually, an option Birkett said he would back.

"It's up to all of us to ask voters to do the right thing," he said.

The county board is expected to hold a special meeting Thursday to talk over the budget and possibly vote on the referendum.

"I think we'll put it on the ballot, and then it's up to the people to decide," county board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom said following the rally.

Another alternative is establishing a $50 vehicle sticker fee, that could generate about $25 million. Officials last week discussed the idea of instituting the vehicle sticker fee as a stopgap measure and eliminating it -- if the sales tax hike passes.

But while momentum for a referendum is growing, support for a vehicle fee is iffy among board members.