Referred to the People by the
Board of Commissioners

Marion County Basic Law Enforcement Four-Year Levy

Question: Shall Marion County levy $14 million per year for four years beginning in 2003 to fund basic law enforcement services? This measure may cause property taxes to increase more than three percent.

Summary: Levy for criminal program focusing on arrest, prosecution, imprisonment, mandatory alcohol/drug treatment and intensive community supervision of high-risk offenders.

Levy could fund:

144 beds: 72 maximum security beds at the Marion County jail, 72 minimum security beds at Work Release Center, adds 20.25 corrections staff.

24 deputy sheriffs and staff for enforcement, investigation, reduction of gang/drug related criminal activity, including countywide narcotics team.

Five criminal prosecutors and staff for gang/drug networks to hold criminals accountable; five full-time crime victim advocates supporting victims through court proceedings.

Four adult parole/probation deputies and staff to provide intensive community supervision of high-risk offenders; mandatory alcohol/drug treatment for juvenile and adult offenders to treat 70-100 juveniles and 300 adults annually; and $400,000 in technology and law enforcement equipment upgrades annually.

$400,000 annual reserve fund for unanticipated costs including up to $200,000 for potential operational costs of the new juvenile detention facility.

Marion County faces budget deficits, which would result in reduced funding for criminal justice programs. This levy could be used to mitigate those cuts.

Levy raises $56 million total.

Rates are anticipated to decline over the 4-year period. The estimated rate will be approximately $1.00/$1,000 valuation in 2003; $0.97/$1,000 valuation in 2004; $0.94/$1,000 valuation in 2005; and $0.91/$1,000 valuation in 2006.