Kankakee Times

The SAFE-T Act, set to go into effect on January 1st 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. 

Illinois Governor J.B. 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 SAFE-T Act is one of the worst pieces of legislation that Springfield democrats have ever created," Philip Nagel, candidate for state Senate in district 40 wrote in an Oct. 11 Facebook post. "This dangerous law will embolden violent criminals, letting them off easy and dumping them back into our communities before a trial can be held. Now that local governments are being forced to implement the law, they have no other option but to pass the millions of dollars in mandated costs on to taxpayers. When this dangerous law takes effect, residents of Will, Cook, and Kankakee counties will have to pay the government more of their hard-earned money and will be less safe because of it - completely

Philip Nagel is a veteran, former EMT/fireman, and currently works as a migration specialist for a worldwide company. He is a lifelong resident of Will County striving to preserve an Illinois where the constitutional rights of citizens are respected and upheld, according to his campaign website.

The Telegraph reported on a press conference that took place in Edwardsville on Monday the 10th 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 - $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.

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.