Item 3: Resolution 4890 Expressing Support for Measure 20-114, a Measure to Change the Charter of Lane County Government

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· Parole and Probation officer caseloads average more than 100 criminal offenders each. · Youth Services has 32 out of 96 possible detention beds in use because of a lack of funds for staffing. Each year, over 1,000 juvenile offenders are released from detention early; 32 percent of juvenile offenders are girls and there are no county-funded drug treatment beds for them. · Substance Abuse and Mental Health Treatment - About 25 to 40 percent of inmates at the County jail have a diagnosable mental health disorder. Lane County Mental Health staffing has been reduced by 30 percent over the past three years. There are long waiting lists to enter substance abuse programs. After considering a report by a joint City/County Public Safety Task Force comprised of elected officials from 12 cities, the Board referred the Charter Amendment to the ballot and enacted an income tax -- to address the use and criminality related to illegal drugs (especially methamphetamine) and alcohol I~ ~I ) abuse. The tax would expand the public safety system's capacity in the following ways (For a full list see . l, (0 I <http://www.lanecounty.org/documents/BCCPSafetyreport.pdb) : · ~ $15.28 MILLION - Dedicated to targeting the illegal drug producers, dealers and users as ~ well as property criminals. Examples include: Fund staff to open 96 jail beds; double-bunk to add another 79 beds; Open 32 more juvenile beds and enhance central control (adds about 38 staff for three shifts to cover 24 hours/day); Add staff for more supervision of juveniles not in detention $2.88 MILLION - To reduce the incidence offamily violence, abuse and neglect. Examples include: Add Family Violence Detective and Domestic Violence Prosecution Team in the DA's Office; Hire staff in Youth Services for more family therapy for juveniles; more funding for crisis nurseries; Add staff to improve supervision of family violence and sex offenders $2.19 MILLION - To enhance access to treatment for offenders in the adult and juvenile criminal justice systems. Examples include: Staff for more intensive supervision of juveniles with drug or alcohol problems; Contract for intensive alcohol and drug treatment for juveniles; Staff to expand mental health crisis response for about 200 additional adults/year; More drug court funding $1.62 MILLION - To expand prevention programs that serve children, families and at-risk youth to reduce future crime. Examples include: Support and Connections for Families-support for rural families for whom child abuse/ neglect is a concern; Increased capacity within Family Resource Center Network; Staff for Healthy Start program $1.16 MILLION - To improve court facilities and construct child advocacy center. The combined cost of new or expanded public safety programs is $23.1 million a year. The balance of the estimated $45 million derived from the County income tax funds existing county Public Safety operations currently in the County general fund and the tax code, exemptions, deductions and credits. The operations of the Sheriff, District Attorney and Youth Services will move to the new fund dedicated to public safety. The amount of net, additional taxes paid by individual taxpayers will vary widely depending on variables such as income level, assessed valuation of property, filing status, and whether or not the individual or household itemizes deductions on state and federal income tax forms. To get a rough idea, there is a tax estimator on the county's Website at www.lanecounty. org. Look under Quick Links and 'Income Tax:' There are also examples online at http://www. la neco u nty.o rg/ docu ments/I nternet_Posti ng. pdf. HOW TO FIGURE OUTVOUR INCOME TAX ~ ---..... I ~ Joint tax return, Oregon taxable income of $38,400, and property assessed value of $ 123,600= $214 County income tax ~ Single return, Oregon taxable income of $32,500, and a property assessed value of $ 123,000 = $236 County income tax ~ Joint return, Oregon taxable income of $ 100,000, and a property assessed value of $250,000 = $960 County income tax. ~ Joint return, Oregon taxable income of $ 12,000 = no County income tax. ~ Single return, Oregon taxable income of $8,237 and a renter = no County income tax. Lane County Government .125 E. 8th Ave., Eugene OR 97401 . Phone: (541) 682.4203