Below The Beltway

It looks like the best laid plans of Corey Strewart might not be coming together after all.

First, earlier this week, the Board Of County Supervisors took the first step toward cutting the budget for video cameras in county police cars:

Funding for illegal immigration enforcement in Prince William County was slashed almost in half last night when the Board of County Supervisors tentatively decided not to install cameras in county police cars.

In all, supervisors cut the proposed budget by $6.7 million. That amount brings the property tax rate to 97 cents per $100 assessed valuation. The change would amount to a 5 percent increase in the tax bill of the average homeowner.

Installing cameras and monitoring the footage would cost $3.1 million, which accounts for much of the $6.9 million in the coming year’s budget for illegal immigration enforcement. Police Chief Charlie T. Deane had requested cameras to protect the county against allegations of racial profiling as officers check the residency status of criminal suspects who they think are in the country illegally.

County Executive Craig S. Gerhart said of the illegal immigration enforcement: “One of the best defenses we have if we get sued is the video footage from the cameras. This may be a short-term savings that turns into a long-term expense.”

The cut is “contingent upon an acceptable recommendation from staff that would limit the county’s potential liability,” Chairman Corey A. Stewart said.

Then, the newest member of the BOCS announced plans to propose a repeal the enforcement provisions of the ordinance:

A Prince William County supervisor said yesterday that he will seek to repeal a key part of the county’s illegal immigration policy that directs police officers to check the citizenship or immigration status of criminal suspects they believe might be in the country unlawfully.

Frank J. Principi (D-Woodbridge), the only supervisor who was not on the board when it approved the crackdown in October, said he will offer a resolution Tuesday to rescind police enforcement.

It is the first time that a county board member has challenged the underpinning of the crackdown, which in addition to increasing law enforcement denies certain services to illegal immigrants. The policy, which took effect March 3, has led to crowding at the county jail and a request from the police for video cameras in patrol cars to protect officers from accusations of racial profiling.

Principi’s concern was prompted by a unanimous board vote Tuesday night to slash $3.1 million from the 2009 budget for enforcement of the policy, including the video cameras.

“If we turn off the budget spigot, we’ll need to revisit the policy as well,” Principi said.

Either that, or they’ll need to keep raising taxes and, at some point, I’m guessing county residents aren’t going to like that much.