The Public Policy Committee of the DeKalb County Board met on Monday, October 21, 2002 at 6:30p.m. at the DeKalb County Legislative Center’s Freedom Conference Room. Chairman Ruth Anne Tobias called the meeting to order. Members present were James Barr, John Dlabal, Eileen Dubin and Pat LaVigne.  Members absent were Ed Brown and Jeff Metzger.  Others present were Ray Bockman, Paul Miller, Senator J. Bradley Burzynski, Representative Ron Wait and Representative David Wirsing.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

Moved by Mr. Dlabal, seconded by Ms. LaVigne, and it was carried unanimously to accept the minutes of the September 2002 meeting.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Moved by Ms. LaVigme, seconded by Mr. Dlabal, and it was carried unanimously that the agenda be approved.

PUBLIC COMMENT

No one was present for public comment.

NEW BUSINESS:

Visiting Various Community Meetings :  Chairman Tobias said that one thing that we have been doing has been visiting various communities and holding some of our meetings at the individual city council chambers.  She encouraged the committee members to attend various meetings throughout the county for about 2 or 3 times a year.  She said that she would like to revisit this topic at the next meeting.

OLD BUSINESS:

Legislative Agenda Discussion:  Chairman Tobias thanked the Senator J. Bradley Burzynski and Representative David Wirsing  for attending the meeting this evening.  She explained to the legislators that the committee has been working on the legislative agenda for 2003.  She passed out the updated paperwork on the 2003 legislative agenda to the three legislators and asked them to review it and see if there was anything that they could help push through.  Chairman Tobias then asked them if there was anything that they wanted to talk about that is going on in Springfield?

Representative Wirsing said that they are in the final days of the election and that will be all that is being talked about until it’s over.  Then the Fall veto session will be the week before Thanksgiving and the week after.  He feels that the most work he is doing right now is for the election.

Mr. Bockman, DeKalb County Administrator, asked the legislators if there is anything significant in the veto session?  Representative Wirsing said that he feels that after the election on November 5^th that some of them will be trying to figure out exactly where they are in the budget. 

Senator Burzynski said that there is a $2 billion deficit with regards to what they are saying about the budget.  He feels that they may be adding in last year’s numbers with it. He feels that anything major coming up will be relative to retirement plans and pension bills.

Chairman Tobias introduced Mr. Paul Miller with regards to his recommended item on Farmland Preservation - Item #4.  This is a request to develop legislation to grant counties the right to initiate Purchase of Development Rights programs, along with a funding mechanism, to further farmland preservation.    The Purchase of Development Rights, explained Mr. Miller, is basically a conservation easement where an entity goes to a farmer and pays the farmer the difference in the value of their land as farmland vs. developed land.  In return for that payment the farmer grants a permanent conservation easement that shall remain in farming in perpetuity.  The idea is that land that is primed for agriculture, that isn’t in the way of natural development, should be preserved for farmland.  Mr. Miller said that this program developed out East because of greater development demand.  It has reached Michigan and Wisconsin.  The State of Illinois, having some of the best farmland anywhere in the country and having a long history of farming being important to our state, deals with a major industry that provides thousands of jobs and billions of revenue, should not be behind the eight ball on the issue of the PDR’s, if you will, of techniques available to local governments to preserve farmland where it might have to do so. 

Mr. Miller handed out a fact sheet from Ohio State University regarding Purchase of Development Rights.  Most of these are funded by some sort of tax, whether it be a cigarette tax or something like that.  Kane County’s doing it on their own right now.  Senator Burzyski said that the problem is finding the funding mechanism.  Mr. Miller said that you could also make it a local referendum and place it on the ballot.  You could say that the tax would say, “Shall we impose a $1 per capita tax to fund this Program?”  Chairman Tobias asked if it would be binding?  Mr. Miller said yes, let the citizens take whatever they want from the program.  At least they can say that it’s on the books as an option, Mr. Miller continued. 

Mr. Barr asked how much money do we need a year to make this a viable program?  Mr. Miller said that it is based entirely on how ambitious a PDR program is going to be.  For example, an average piece of land in DeKalb County would go for approximately $4,500.00 an acre for farmland.  In Paw Paw Township, where there are no development pressures, you may be able to purchase land for $1,000.00 an acre.  What we are talking about tonight is making an option.   Grant monies might be able to be used, but in most cases counties use tax means.

Representative Ron Wait arrived at 6:57p.m.

Chairman Tobias then referred to some items that have appeared on the agenda for years that the county doesn’t seem to be able to get passed through. 

The Population Parameter – General Fund Tax Rate – This item from the Finance Department is a request to keep the rate the day the law was adopted.   She said that it is based on the 1990 Census figures and if the county goes over 80,000 in population then we get a reduction in our General Fund Tax Rate from .27 cents down to 25cents. So we lose about $250,000.00 from that every year.  We either want to think about keeping the law based on the 80,000 population figure or eliminating the population parameter.  Senator Burzynski said that the only way that he could see to change that would need to be tied to the counties that have tax caps. 

Mr. Bockman, County Administrator, said that he wanted to talk about the issue relating to CASA.  He feels that it is a wonderful idea and it started out as a volunteer operation.  They now need money and we said no, that we didn’t have the funds and that the county will revisit the issue next year.  The problem is that it’s a service that our citizens did not ask us to perform.  Our citizens adopted a tax cap, which they have in Springfield too.  You, as our legislators, need to tell us how we are going to pay for not our citizens’ ideas, but yours. 

Representative Wait asked if the county was paying for anything towards CASA?  Mr. Bockman said no.  Representative Wait said that Boone County was paying and then they started hurting and cut the amount in half to $12,000.00.  CASA asked them what they were going to do to make up the difference?  They decided to only pay for one coordinator and everyone else is a volunteer, he further stated.  For us here, said Mr. Bockman, what it means is, we give $25,000.00 to CASA that then gets rid of a ½ a position in the Sheriff’s Department or somewhere else, that’s the situation. No one feels good saying no to something that is such a good idea, continued Mr. Bockman.  We will try to find a way to fund it eventually.  What has changed though, said Mr. Bockman, is that, do the local legislators have the will and the courage to raise taxes for good ideas, for theirs or yours or anyone’s?  It used to be that we could get 13 board members put their hands up on a November evening saying that they could do anything they wanted to do, it was a measure of political will.  That’s gone now, because of the tax cap. Now we have case after case where if you have a good idea, you’re hand goes up to lay somebody off in another department. 

Senator Burzynski asked if the county was looking at a child advocacy center, separate from CASA?  Chairman Tobias said that she saw that in the MidWeek. Senator Burzynski said that they don’t have the funding yet, but they are working on it and he doesn’t know where those funds are coming from.  He further stated that when he first heard about the concept, it sounded a lot like CASA.  Chairman Tobias said, yes, very much so.  Senator Burzynski, said then why duplicate a service that’s already being done on the volunteer sector unless you are going to take it over and fund it.  Chairman Tobias said child advocacy center is talking about a meeting place for parents and families to come to.  CASA is different where they go out to the homes and do visits and go to courtrooms for the kids, said Chairman Tobias.   

Mr. Dlabal said that in the State of Michigan he believed that they shifted gears several years ago in terms of their basis for taxation to provide services that we desire, want and need.  What is that and shouldn’t we be looking at something like that at the state level?  Are we in a position to do this? 

Representative Wait said that Michigan had a lower sales tax and a big break on property tax.  They have room in the sales tax, we don’t.  Representative Wirsing said that Michigan also created a statewide property tax. 

The committee discussed Item #3 – Contributory Negligence allowed in Worker’s Compensation – to limit claims where wages are lost and settlements for permanent injuries, after the employer pays reasonable medical bills, if it has been proven that the employee was negligent in following prescribed safety procedures on the job.  Senator Burzynski said that on the surface it’s a great idea, but he feels that it’s very difficult.    Reality speaking, it’s what can be done and what can’t be done, he said.  Chairman Tobias said that we will still include this item, but realize that nothing will be done with it next year.

With regards to Item #1 – Property Tax Limitation Law – be amended to exempt tax levies where the unit of government, such as funding State Retirement Programs and paying Tort, cannot control the expenditures and Liability claims.  Mr. Bockman said that what we are looking for is to cap the things that we control locally.  Give us the control and put it under the cap or keep it and take it out. 

Mr. Dlabal asked the legislators what was on the list that would be passable?  Senator Burzynski said that he couldn’t really answer that.  He said to continue to work with Metro Counties to make sure that some of the County’s initiatives are included in their agenda.  The other thing to realize, he continued, is that some of the things that the County has here on the list would have a direct impact on municipalities who have more representation, if you will, because there are more of them then there are counties.  You need to realize that and look to where you can make your coalitions be successful.  Senator Burzynski continued by stating that the committee needs to find 4 or 5 items that you feel very strongly about, work with your organizations, and work with a cross-section of counties from all over the state, to try and make a major impact.

Before adjourning, Chairman Tobias thanked Senator Burzynski, Representative Wirsing and Representative Wait for coming this evening and sharing their thoughts on the proposed 2003 Legislative Agenda.

ADJOURNMENT

Moved by Ms. LaVigne, seconded by Ms. Dubin, and it was carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting. 

Respectively submitted,

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                                                                             Chairman Ruth Anne Tobias                                    

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Mary C. Supple, Secretary