Will County Gazette

House GOP leader Jim Durkin discusses another aspect of the Safe, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today Act, better known as the SAFE-T Act. Republicans are pushing to reform the SAFE-T Act due to its potential to burden taxpayers. 

The SAFE-T Act was passed on Jan. 13, 2021. It was supported by the Black Caucus and the Democrat majority. In January, Illinois Republicans filed a House resolution asking to repeal the SAFE-T Act, calling it damaging and dangerous.

According to Capitol News, Illinois Democrats disagree, saying Republicans are simply fearmongering because the bulk of the bill has not even gone into effect yet.

Rep. Jim Durkin explains that the SAFE-T Act will spike inflation since there are unfunded costs to local governments. In addition, $8,600 in inflation will cost the average American family over the next 12 months. 

“The SAFE-T Act is forcing local governments to either reduce Public Safety Services, increased taxes or both,” Durkin said. “This is showing up throughout the state of Illinois -- the complications that local governments are having to comply with this.”

“We have had two police departments, one in Clark County, the Westfield Police Department and the other one in Knox County, the East Galesburg Police Department, who disbanded,” Durkin said. “They shut off their services because they cannot comply with the cost of the SAFE-T Act. That means less police on the streets. It's called defecto defunding and there's more to come.”

“With record inflation and the highest grocery price increases since 1979 and a nearly 15% rise in electricity prices this last year, the SAFE-T Act is just one more bill Illinois families cannot afford. JB Pritzker and the legislative Democrats have now proven the following phrase: Crime does pay to the detriment of taxpayers and law-abiding citizens.”

“The SAFE-T Act is not safe. The SAFE-T Act is a costly burden to taxpayers.”