Kane County to consider new taxes to fund justice reform
Kane County residents may be forced to help pay for criminal justice reform with new taxes at the gas pump and on the sale of some retail items under proposals made by the county's law enforcement officials Wednesday.
Though they've highlighted concerns with recent criminal justice reform measures in Illinois, Kane County State's Attorney Jamie Mosser, Sheriff Ron Hain and the county's judges have put their overall support behind those efforts. Future changes include eliminating cash bail, requiring all police to wear body cameras, and more intense review and sharing of evidence between prosecutors and defense attorneys.
Last month, the county's justice officials added $5 million in new annual costs to the 2022 county budget proposal. On Wednesday, more details showed almost all of that will come in the form of more attorneys, court personnel and staffing to track people on electronic home monitoring while awaiting trial.
County board members asked justice system officials to help figure out a way to cover that $5 million expense. On Wednesday, justice officials outlined a three-pronged approach that could generate $13 million to $15 million.
The easiest of the strategies involves dedicating any sales tax revenue the county receives from local recreational marijuana sales to law enforcement.
The county board maxed out its sales tax rate for those sales this year and just received its first infusion of pot cash. County officials believe they can comfortably bank on about $1 million a year in new revenue from marijuana sales, based on what they see so far.
Another proposal would involve doubling the Regional Transportation Authority sales tax the county imposes on the sale of each gallon of gas.
That tax is now 4 cents per gallon. It nets the county about $8 million per year, but 75% of that money goes to the Kane County Division of Transportation to fund various construction projects each year.
The county's justice officials want to double that tax to 8 cents per gallon. That could raise up to another $8 million per year, though that revenue shrinks as more people convert to electric vehicles and spend less on gas.
The county board could vote to increase that tax without any binding input from voters.
"That may not be the most popular thing to do," said county board member Cliff Surges, who noted Illinois just doubled its motor fuel tax from 19 cents per gallon to 38 cents per gallon. The county is also benefiting by getting a cut of that statewide increase.
The final and most difficult proposal is to create a new retailers occupation tax, which would impose a 0.25% sales tax on a broad range of retail goods, such as clothes, furniture and cars purchased in the county.
County officials estimate that tax could generate up to $5 million in new money for the county. A county study showed 40 of Illinois' 102 counties have a retail occupation tax to support public safety. The tax rates vary from as low as 0.25% in Champaign County to as much as 1.5% in Winnebago County.
But voters would have to approve of the county creating the new retailers' occupation tax before it could go into effect.
County board member Ken Shepro, also chairman of the Kane County GOP, said the county's justice officials would have to heavily promote and support that tax for it to stand any chance of winning over voters.
"There is a deep-seated feeling by many people that they are taxed enough already," Shepro said.
The county board will consider the new taxes as part of its budget deliberations for 2022. Officials could decide to proceed with any of these proposals or none at all.