New traffic ticket fee in Kane County sent back for more work

A plan to tack on a new $30 court fee to traffic tickets and other offenses was sent back by the Kane County Board Tuesday Tuesday for more work.

The new fee is part of a plan by Kane County State's Attorney John Barsanti to help fund the Child Advocacy Center, the county's hub of investigations into sexual or physical abuse of children.

The loss of grant funding recently forced the county board to filter riverboat gambling proceeds into the center's budget for the first time.

The $30 fee received the cold shoulder in a county board committee last week and was booted back to that same committee Tuesday after more questions arose about the fee's necessity and if it's fair to charge it in cases in which was not utilized.

Board Member Cathy Hurlbut said she wanted a full study on how much money the new fee would raise. The $30 would be tagged onto traffic tickets as well as guilty findings on everything from felonies to misdemeanors and business offenses.

"It probably just charges money because it can," said County Board Member Deb Allan. "Now we'll have a business with an overflowing Dumpster paying this fee."

County Board Member Mike Kenyon, who oversees the committee where the idea for the fee originated, said he doesn't see a problem.

"Don't overflow your Dumpster if you don't want to help the Child Advocacy Center," Kenyon said. "It may seem unfair, but we have to find a way of funding this."

Barsanti said the questions are valid, but noted that other counties charge court fees for similar advocacy centers. The Child Advocacy Center can't handle its burden without more staff and more money, he added. He plans to bring a full report to Kenyon's committee about the funding needs for the center within the next 30 days.