McHenry Times

The SAFE-T Act, set to go into effect on Jan. 1 of next year, has been subject to criticism from state’s attorneys to candidate campaigns. The provision in the bill that abolishes cash bail has been the key recurring talking point for both sides. In lieu of cash bail is a system where the "burden of proof" for pretrial detention falls to the state. 

Gov. JB Pritzker has expressed that the bill as a whole will bring equitable change to Illinois’ justice system. The opposition has been adamant that the SAFE-T Act will not make citizens more safe, but simply provide the opportunity for violent criminals to be released back onto the streets, overburden police departments and raise property taxes via unfunded mandates.

The Telegraph reported on a press conference that took place in Edwardsville on Monday where Illinois Republicans talked about the SAFE-T Act and property taxes. Republican elected officials and candidates sang the same tune, the SAFE-T Act will not make citizens safer and they will be paying more in taxes for it.

During the press conference, Madison County Treasurer Chris Slusser spoke about Madison County’s success in lowering property taxes and seeing record returns on county investments, between $4 million and $6 million annually offsetting property taxes. He continued to report that Madison County Circuit Clerk Thomas McRae is concerned the SAFE-T Act will cause an increase of $1 to $2 million in personnel costs.

According to The Center Square, the Kane County Board is discussing its first property tax hike in a decade, claiming they need it to fill a $3 million deficit created by unfunded mandated reforms in the SAFE-T Act.

Over five years it will cost DuPage County $63 million to implement the SAFE-T Act, ABC 7 reported.

“Democrats looked yet again to their favorite funding source — taxpayers — to pay for their latest unfunded mandate, the so-called SAFE-T Act. When Democrats passed this massive, short-sided legislation, they did so with a complete disregard for how it would be paid for,” Illinois State Sen. Craig Wilcox (R-McHenry) told McHenry Times. “In nearby DuPage County, the local cost of implementing the Act has been estimated to be $63 million over the next five years. And next door in Kane County, they’re considering a huge tax increase on residents to fund the new staff and additional courtroom space that will be required for compliance. What will taxpayers get in exchange for turning over more of their hard-earned money? Higher crime, fewer protections for local police officers and a revolving door justice system that puts dangerous criminals back out on the streets within hours of their arrest.”

Wilcox currently is offering a petition to halt the SAFE-T Act on his office website. The website says it is “offering every Illinois resident an opportunity to weigh in now on this controversial bill, with hopes that we can convince Senate and House Democrats to repeal this dangerous legislation.”

One mandate cited, when unfunded mandated reforms are referred to, is the body camera requirement for all law enforcement agencies by 2025 whether or not funding is made available, according to Police 1.

One hundred of 102 Illinois State’s Attorneys oppose the SAFE-T Act and multiple have filed suit, according to Just the News.

The Center Square reported that on a recent campaign stop, Pritzker said if "making changes to the language" helps people to understand the bill and keeps the state safe he would be open to it.