CROWN POINT | Lake County's sheriff said he is complying with almost all recommendations of a Good Government Initiative study but argues he cannot give up take-home cars for patrol officers.

"It provides greater safety and no overtime costs. That is a dual benefit," Sheriff Rogelio "Roy" Dominguez said Wednesday while presenting his third status report regarding how his department in complying with the Good Government Initiative -- an efficiency push privately financed by the county's largest corporate taxpayers and supported by U.S. Rep. Peter Visclosky, D-Ind.

It is the third time the sheriff has defended take-home cars since the Good Government study, published in early 2007, recommended replacing the vehicles with a pool of police cars used only by on-duty officers.

The issue gained new relevancy this month because as the Lake County Council Finance Committee recommended eliminating all police take-home cars for a savings of $225,000 annually. The recommendation was among several the committee made in an effort to trim $15 million from current spending because of a property tax shortfall.

The sheriff said he will oppose any effort to eliminate take-home cars for patrolmen. He dubbed the Finance Committee "an ad hoc committee to promote political agendas and save political jobs."

The 2007 Good Government study concluded that police take-home cars cost the public more because the county needs to purchase and replace three times as many police vehicles at a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The sheriff said he will soon post on his Web site an online "report card" regarding how he is complying with more than 40 other recommendations of the Good Government study.

Thomas Dabertin, a consultant the sheriff paid $500 to report on Good Government compliance, said the report card won't give the sheriff a letter grade. But if pressed to do so, "He would get an A for what he has accomplished and his effort and commitment," Dabertin said.