Marion County State’s Attorney Tim Hudspeth says he will do additional research on who can receive proceeds from the county’s quarter-cent public safety sales tax.
Board member Cody Rose brought up requests from two fire departments and the Marion County ESDA to be able access the money for their needs at Tuesday night’s Law Enforcement Committee meeting.
Hudspeth had written a letter to then County Board Chair Debbie Smith in July of 2021 mainly to confirm the quarter cent sales tax did not sunset with the pay off the bonds issued to pay for construction of the new jail. In the letter he also indicated the monies collected are limited to ‘public safety purposes’ as that phrase is defined in the Illinois Counties Code. The statues defines’ public safety purposes’ as crime prevention, detention, fire fighting, police, medical, ambulances, or other emergency services.
While some county officials felt the money was limited to county public safety purposes because the information was in the Illinois Counties Code, Hudspeth says he’s not sure and more research is needed.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Department has been utilizing the money to make jail improvements and to fund some personnel.
The issue is expected to be further discussed before the full county board where Hudspeth will provide the results of his additional research.
Also to be determined is if some of the quarter cent sales tax money is lost what impact it would have on the county’s struggle to balance the budget for the fiscal year beginning December 1st.
