Champaign County elected officials are asking voters to approve a sales-tax increase.
Officials estimate the sales-tax increase would generate $7 million a year. The new revenue would be used for pubic safety.
Revenue from the sales tax increase can support a variety of services.
This includes the Veteran’s Assistant Commission, which is is dedicated to improving the economic well being and quality of life for the veterans of Champaign County. Revenue from the Public Safety Sale Tax could allow the County to reconfigure allocations so additional funding can be provided to the Veterans Assistance Commission. Funding would also go to the Sheriff’s Department and revenue from the Public Safety Sales Tax could add two additional deputies to the Sheriff’s Office to provide more service to the County.
Revenue would also go to the Public Defender’s Office and would add additional attorneys to the Public Defender’s Office. Based on the Office’s caseload, there should be at least 11 additional attorneys.
The Office of the State’s Attorney would also receive money from the sales-tax increase which would add attorneys to the State’s Attorney’s Office to assist in efficient and effective criminal proceedings.
The Public Safety tax has been in use in Champaign County since 1999. It’s currently a quarter of a cent, so for every $100 spent in Champaign County 25 cents goes to public safety. With the increase, 50 cents would go to public safety. Yearly, the current tax generates between $6.5 and 7 million a year for the County to use on public safety.
The tax does not apply to groceries, titled or registered personal property and prescription and non-prescription medicines, medical appliances, and insulin.
Officials say the increase is needed because the County is responsible for funding and operating the criminal justice system, that includes the court facilities, circuit and judicial clerks, court services and probation, jail, juvenile detention facility, and the offices of the sheriff, state’s attorney, and public defender. Other municipalities in the County do not contribute funds to these entities, but all criminal and civil charges are funneled through this one County-funded system.
Recent reform of the criminal justice fines and fees system has led to a significant reduction in the amount of court costs paid by individuals. Additionally, Champaign County is not a home rule county, and this limits the ability of the County to maintain a stable rate of revenue that keeps pace with the County’s growing population.
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