Lake County state's attorney Eric Reinhardt urges budget investments to retain prosecutors and plan for emerging tech

Eric Reinhardt, Lake County's County State's Attorney, used his three minutes of public comment to press the board to prioritize public safety in the FY27 budget and to address what he described as “maxing out” of pay grades for experienced prosecutors. "The number 1 goal of the county's strategic plan is the safety of the community," Reinhardt said, and he warned that experienced prosecutors are losing "thousands and thousands of dollars" when pay‑grade maximums do not keep pace with the cost of living.

Reinhardt asked the committee to consider three areas in the coming budget deliberations: long‑term planning for safety, preparing for the rise of new technologies including artificial intelligence, and investing in the county's public servants who he said are underpaid compared with the private market. He said his remarks are an early notice as the board finalizes the FY27 budget in the next five weeks and that he will follow up in future comments.

Committee leadership acknowledged the state's attorney's remarks and said compensation and staffing needs will be part of the committee's budget discussions. Chair indicated the committee and board have been responsive to prior requests for pay increases and that any additional investments will be considered in the upcoming budget process. No formal action was taken at this meeting beyond the pledge to address the topic during budget deliberations.