Public Safety Sales Tax Increase off April Ballot

Belvidere, Illinois - In an eight to three vote, the County Board decided to remove the referendum from the April ballot. Currently the sales tax rate is 6.75%. The referendum was looking to increase that to 7.25%. The proposed tax increase would have been used to create more space in the public safety building and courthouse, as well as to bring in more sheriff deputies. But members on the board say some recent changes opened up space in the building and some additional funds were set aside in the budget to help with the space issue as well. County Administrator, Ken Terrinoni said, "The County does have some reserves that can be spent for such things as the expansion of the parking at this facility, renovating the building [that] we do own on Logan Avenue to accommodate storage or a county department. We can also move departments around from within the courthouse to take some of the immediate pressure off." Some board members said it would be wrong for them to ask voters to approve a tax increase when they have space in the courthouse that has recently opened up. Terrinoni said, "We had one of our departments move to the city of Belvidere [that] freed up almost 2,000 square feet here so as we look at shuffling some departments here that space will be used." County Board Chairwoman Catherine Ward said extra space is really needed. "The county is growing rapidly and every single space in this courthouse we find our officials coming to us again and again saying we need more space, so we`re trying to meet those space needs and certainly provide safety for the people of this county," said Ward. The three board members who voted to keep the referendum on the ballot said the additional space and the 250-thousand dollars set aside to handle some of the space issues would just act as a temporary band-aid and would not hold out in the future. County Board Member Marshall Newhouse said, "The alternative plans that are in place are important and are a good first step, but they in no way take us decades down the road so I do believe that we need to continue this initiative, so I will vote to maintain it on the ballot." The only way the public safety tax initiative could be put on the April ballot is if the citizens take action and initiate a back door referendum.