Watseka- Voters in Iroquois county said no to a half cent public safety sales tax and now several county employees could lose their jobs. Four Iroquois county deputies and one correctional officer received a letter a day after the election, notifying them that their jobs are safe but for how long no one's sure. With the sales tax failing to pass they were supposed to be laid off immediately. But with such a close race unreturned absentee ballots could mean the difference between a job and unemployment.

Deputy Doug Brenner's job remains in limbo.

"We're living minute by minute to know whether we have a job or not," says the deputy who'd been on the force for two years.

Last month Brenner along with three other deputies received notice they would be laid off immediately if a half cent public safety tax did not pass.

"We thought it was going to be close but we were hoping that we were on top," says Nita Dubble who campaigned for the tax.

But with the tax failing by just nine votes and 65 absentee ballots still unreturned the fate of Brenner's job is unknown.

"They motioned to send out another 30 day notice to the deputies to give them time see whether or not this vote does pass in our favor," says Sheriff Eldon Sprau.

Once the vote is certified after 14 days and if the tax remains unpassed they will be out of work.

"So we'd be down to eight road deputies for Iroquois county which is the third largest county in the state," says Sheriff Sprau.

While some communities in the county, like Watseka, have their own police departments others like, Crescent City, rely solely on the sheriff's department.

"There's just not going to be enough officers definitely to go around," says Dubble.

For now, all Deputy Brenner can do is hope that he'll keep his dream job.

"It's kind of hard to take, you know something you've wanted to achieve your whole life," says Brenner.

Deputy Derek Hagen won the Republican primary for sheriff and will take over as sheriff December 1st. The half cent public safety sales tax would have generated more than $1 million per year specifically to retain deputies. More layoffs are expected this summer.

Reported by Kate Springer.
Vote Means Layoffs For Iroquois County