DeKalb County, Illinois

Minutes of the
Public Policy Committee

September 4, 2003

The Public Policy Committee of the DeKalb County Board met on Thursday, September 4, 2003 at 6:30p.m. at the Legislative Center’s Freedom Room. Chairman Ruth Anne Tobias called the meeting to order. Members present were Pat LaVigne, Richard Osborne and Joseph Wiegand. Robert Pritchard and Patricia Vary were absent. State Representative David Wirsing was also present.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

Moved by Mr. Wiegand, seconded by Ms. LaVigne, and it was carried unanimously to approve the minutes from August 2003.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Mr. Wiegand asked to amend the agenda to speak on an update on the quarry issue. Ms. LaVigne asked to amend the agenda to speak on an old issue under Old Business. Moved by Mr. Osborne, seconded by Ms. LaVigne, and it was carried unanimously that the amended agenda be approved.

NEW BUSINESS:

Legislative Agenda 2003. Chairman Tobias said that she has compiled a list of the 2003 legislative agenda items and passed the list out to the committee. She said that some of the items are new and that the remaining issues are carried over from last year.

1. Property Tax Limitation Law Amendment. Mr. Wiegand noted that on the first issue, which deals with the PTELL, he would continue to take the same stand as last year, whereby he believed that state retirement and Tort liability are expenditures that the County does have some measure of control over. The first one is controlled by our chosen levels of employment and compensation, and the second one by philosophy and action to be taken, loss limitation and decisions that are made with regards to claims that are filed against the County. He said that when the voters voted on PTELL they probably understood that the limitation aspect on the levy was such that it incorporated all of the funds collected. Chairman Tobias said that in some ways Mr. Wiegand is right with regards to employees and compensation, but the County also exists to provide services that the County has to think about controlling. Ms. LaVigne said that she feels that there are a lot of people in the County that still do not understand PTELL.

2. Population Parameter – General Fund Tax Rate. Chairman Tobias asked Mr. Wirsing if he had any sense of this issue? She said that the County of DeKalb is now over the 80,000 population level and our General Fund Tax Rate goes down. What this issue is – is to look at this and change the population levels to the smaller counties and set the population levels back. Ms. LaVigne asked when the law was changed from 100,000 population level to 80,000? Mr. Wirsing said that he was not sure when the figure was changed. Chairman Tobias said that maybe this is something that we can research. Mr. Wiegand said that his sense was that the application of the population parameter, as an instigator of lowering of the rate, was that there was an assumption that with more people there would be more money coming in, so the general fund rate could stand the decrease; the provision of services was in growth and population and that it is not always the case of additional cost per unit added.

3. Purchase of Development Rights. Chairman Tobias said that this would be the ability for the County to ask for the right to initiate purchase of development rights program. Mr. Wirsing said that Kane County, in his assessment, got into this first of all because they had more money to work with. Kane County was growing and they “couldn’t get a handle on it” and looked at development rights issue as a way of slowing the growth down and stepped back and looked at it. The committee discussed how DeKalb County’s Comprehensive Plan has helped out our County by moving beyond communities just wanting to grow by now having industrial tax bases. With possible limits to growth this may not be a necessary item.

4. Seek legislative approval to impose a Special Election Levy to meet the unfounded mandates of the Help America Vote Act of 2003. Ms. LaVigne said that she feels that the legislation request came about because of having to have a handicapped machine at each polling place. She continued by stating that Ms. Holmes is not saying that she is going to do this, but is asking to have it on the books so that if the County has to, then we can. Ms. Tobias said that she was going to verify this with Ms. Holmes, DeKalb County Clerk and Recorder.

5. Develop legislation to have towns and cities share in medical cost for inmates confined in the County Jail due to an arrest in their jurisdiction. This is from the Sheriff’s Department and was on his list from last year. This will remain on the list yet.

6. Develop legislation that would mandate the State set aside funds to help Counties build or expand jail facilities. This is from the Sheriff’s Department and was on his list from last year. This will remain on the list yet.

7. Develop legislation to make methamphetamine production/manufacture a Class X Felony. Mr. Rich Osborne said that he spoke with the Sheriff and that he passed out copies of various items that he compiled while researching this issue. Mr. Osborne said that the Sheriff and the Sheriff’s Association would like to increase the penalty to a Class X Felony. This would even be for a first offense. Mr. Wirsing said that he thought that there was some legislation passed that increased the penalty to a Class 4. The committee agreed to leave this issue on the list. The committee discussed various agencies that might be interested in sponsoring this legislation other than the Sheriff’s Association like the State’s Attorney’s Association and DCPSafe, etc.

8. Support legislation to raise or index Motor Fuel Tax to the price of fuel or generate local tax to cover decreasing MFT revenue. Mr. Wiegand asked if the County Engineer is suggesting that when the price goes down, does the MFT go up and visa versa? Chairman Tobias said no she didn’t think so. The committee agreed to keep this issue on the list.

9. Legislation to prevent predatory lending. This is still an issue to deal with the committee agreed. Keep on the list.

10. Seek Support for County Home Rule status. The committee asked Mr. Wirsing if this could be a possibility? Mr. Wirsing said that he didn’t know because a County has never asked him this question before. Chairman Tobias said that she would possibly be inviting Mr. Jim Bannovetz to the committee’s meeting in October to discuss this subject further.

11. Seek support for state funding for the Public Defender’s office and the Jail, & other court system functions. Chairman Tobias said that the Public Defender is asking for this because of the presence of N.I.U. in the community and the use of these facilities. (This is similar to increased funds to the State’s Attorney’s Office because of N.I.U.’s presence.) Keep on the list for now.

12. Support federal legislation for consistency to guidelines for deportation of illegal immigrants. The Sheriff’s Department asked for this last year but the committee didn’t do anything because it is a federal issue. Chairman Tobias said that the legislation is seeking more help for the Immigration Department. The names of immigrants should be inputted locally not federally, is one suggestion. This year the committee will be researching federal issues and therefore, this item will remain on the list.

13. Support full funding to counties for bioterrorism funds (NACO). Chairman Tobias will check on the NACO website for monies to be received by the federal government. She will also check with Ms. Karen Grush, Public Health Director and Mr. Dennis Miller, ESDA Coordinator, on this issue and whether or not they would receive federal dollars for bioterrorism.

14. Support the collection and distribution to states and counties of current sales taxes due on purchases made by mail order and over the Internet – Streamlined Sales Tax System. This legislation would be to urge states to pass model Sales Tax Legislation (NACO). The state loses money on the sales tax monies if the purchases are done on the Internet and mail order. Mr. Wiegand said that this is not an item that he supports. He said that locally Senator Rauschenberger has chaired this legislative issue and is an advocate of this legislation.

Legislative Breakfast Discussion: The committee discussed with Representative Wirsing whether or not to hold the next Legislative Breakfast in October of this year? He felt that if February of 2004 would be the best time. The committee would look at this date further, it was decided.

Family “Eat Dinner with your Kids’ Day” Proclamation. Chairman Tobias said that the proclamation encourages families to eat dinner with their children each evening and more specifically September 22, 2003.

Moved by Mr. Wiegand, seconded by Ms. LaVigne, and it was carried to forward this proclamation to the full board to be read at the September County Board Meeting on September 17, 2003.

Mr. Wiegand thanked the committee for their help regarding the Quarry concern in Ogle County. Mr. Wiegand told the them that the Planning Committee level met last evening and voted 3 to 2 to approve the issue. He said that the issue now goes before the Platting Committee for review and approval.

Ms. Supple, approached the committee and told them that she spoke with Mr. Berkes-Hanson, IMO Director, about placing a link for the Spanish speaking population of DeKalb County on the Website. The most frequently asked questions could be translated to Spanish and published so that the Spanish speaking population could be helped via the Internet. This could be one more way of reaching as many people as possible in the County via the Internet and have people get used to visiting our website. The committee suggested that Ms. Supple contact the NACO site and see if they can let us know if our county would be the first in the state for introducing something like this on their website and if there is a recognition award given out annually. It was also suggested by Mr. Wiegand to call the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to see if they recognize anyone at the state level for this. It was also suggested that Chairman Tobias would contact the Latin Studies Department at N.I.U. to see if any Spanish Student Majors could do volunteer work to translate the questions.

OLD BUSINESS:

Ms. LaVigne said that she has received numerous phone calls from voters who are unhappy about the new G.I.S. Website. They don’t like the fact that a person can punch in an address and then they can see what the taxes are and how much people have paid for their homes, etc. Mr. Wiegand said that the Administrative Services Committee approved this issue. All of this information was already available to the public if they came into a county building and used the “guest computers”. Ms. LaVigne said that people that have called her feel that an extra step needs to be taken to ensure their privacy because now they feel like “Big Brother” is watching them. They felt better when someone had to go into the county building to find out this information. This makes them feel very vulnerable, Ms. LaVigne explained.

Before adjourning Chairman Tobias and the committee thanked State Representative David Wirsing for visiting with them this evening and contributing to the discussion regarding legislative issues.

ADJOURNMENT

Moved by Mr. Wiegand, seconded by Mr. Osborne, and it was carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting.

Respectively submitted,

_____________________________
Chairman Ruth Anne Tobias