Northumberland County District Attorney's Office Faces Cuts
January 26, 2012
The Daily Item
---- — SUNBURY -- Despite support from a dozen law enforcement officers from across Northumberland County and concerns that crime will rise if District Attorney Anthony Rosini's staff is cut by 20 percent, the county salary board voted Wednesday to eliminate one assistant district attorney.
By a vote of 4-1, the position that pays about $80,000 annually in salary and benefits was eliminated.
"You're taking a drastic step here by cutting the office. Believe me, it will come back to haunt you later. There will be problems in the court system," said Rosini, who cast the only vote to retain the position.
Lifting a pair of handcuffs above his desk for the audience to see, Commissioner Vinny Clausi said taxpayers "don't have to be handcuffed" by Rosini before Clausi and Commissioners Rick Shoch and Stephen Bridy and Controller Tony Phillips voted to cut the job.
In all, 11 county positions have been eliminated this year and taxes will rise by 1.95 mills to cover a projected $1.4 million deficit in the $71.67 million 2012 budget.
A nearly hour-long discussion, which escalated into a debate between Rosini and Clausi over union contract negotiations, preceded the salary board vote.
The board was not swayed by appeals to keep the assistant prosecutor from Steve Mazzeo or Craig Lutcher, police chiefs in Sunbury and Milton respectively, the presence of other officers from Mount Carmel, Shamokin, Kulpmont and Ralpho Township, a letter from Susquehanna Valley Women in Transition CEO DiAnn Baxley or a petition with 500 signatures.
The police chiefs echoed Rosini's argument that all of his five assistant prosecutors are needed to handle preliminary hearings at the four district judge courts across the county.
"We've spent years building a criminal justice system that meets the needs of Northumberland County," Rosini said, adding that he needs a full staff of five attorneys to handle more than 1,500 adult criminal cases a year and cover three county courtrooms, treatment court and the Children Advocacy Center in Point Township.
But Shoch said he's heard the other side as well, telling Rosini that the administration has received off-the-record calls from law enforcement officials who say his office could do without one assistant.
Rosini also raised the board's ire when he cited caseload comparisons to other fifth-class counties and faulted newly elected commissioners Shoch and Bridy for making a rush decision on eliminating the position, calling them "blind and in the dark" for not having an accurate financial picture.
"I take exception when you say we're not doing our due diligence. I've asked you for data and gotten nothing back from you," Bridy shot back.
Shoch added that the board did a criminal caseload comparison and found Rosini's office was at the lower end.
"This is an issue of budgetary concerns weighed against the needs of criminal justice system," he said.
Rosini tangled with Clausi, who complained that the district attorney hadn't spoken up when the county lost in arbitration and had to pay higher union salaries.
"Perhaps you ought to look at who's representing you in negotiations," Rosini said, suggesting the county officials would do better if they engaged in "reasonable" contract talks.
Rosini has until Monday to notify the county which assistant district attorney will be cut. If he doesn't, the county will eliminate the position of the most recent assistant district attorney hired, Michael Toomey.
Email comments to mmoore@dailyitem.com.
Below is the text of the letter Transitions sent to the Commissioners:
DA's plea fails
By Marcia MooreThe Daily Item
---- — SUNBURY -- Despite support from a dozen law enforcement officers from across Northumberland County and concerns that crime will rise if District Attorney Anthony Rosini's staff is cut by 20 percent, the county salary board voted Wednesday to eliminate one assistant district attorney.
By a vote of 4-1, the position that pays about $80,000 annually in salary and benefits was eliminated.
"You're taking a drastic step here by cutting the office. Believe me, it will come back to haunt you later. There will be problems in the court system," said Rosini, who cast the only vote to retain the position.
Lifting a pair of handcuffs above his desk for the audience to see, Commissioner Vinny Clausi said taxpayers "don't have to be handcuffed" by Rosini before Clausi and Commissioners Rick Shoch and Stephen Bridy and Controller Tony Phillips voted to cut the job.
In all, 11 county positions have been eliminated this year and taxes will rise by 1.95 mills to cover a projected $1.4 million deficit in the $71.67 million 2012 budget.
A nearly hour-long discussion, which escalated into a debate between Rosini and Clausi over union contract negotiations, preceded the salary board vote.
The board was not swayed by appeals to keep the assistant prosecutor from Steve Mazzeo or Craig Lutcher, police chiefs in Sunbury and Milton respectively, the presence of other officers from Mount Carmel, Shamokin, Kulpmont and Ralpho Township, a letter from Susquehanna Valley Women in Transition CEO DiAnn Baxley or a petition with 500 signatures.
The police chiefs echoed Rosini's argument that all of his five assistant prosecutors are needed to handle preliminary hearings at the four district judge courts across the county.
"We've spent years building a criminal justice system that meets the needs of Northumberland County," Rosini said, adding that he needs a full staff of five attorneys to handle more than 1,500 adult criminal cases a year and cover three county courtrooms, treatment court and the Children Advocacy Center in Point Township.
But Shoch said he's heard the other side as well, telling Rosini that the administration has received off-the-record calls from law enforcement officials who say his office could do without one assistant.
Rosini also raised the board's ire when he cited caseload comparisons to other fifth-class counties and faulted newly elected commissioners Shoch and Bridy for making a rush decision on eliminating the position, calling them "blind and in the dark" for not having an accurate financial picture.
"I take exception when you say we're not doing our due diligence. I've asked you for data and gotten nothing back from you," Bridy shot back.
Shoch added that the board did a criminal caseload comparison and found Rosini's office was at the lower end.
"This is an issue of budgetary concerns weighed against the needs of criminal justice system," he said.
Rosini tangled with Clausi, who complained that the district attorney hadn't spoken up when the county lost in arbitration and had to pay higher union salaries.
"Perhaps you ought to look at who's representing you in negotiations," Rosini said, suggesting the county officials would do better if they engaged in "reasonable" contract talks.
Rosini has until Monday to notify the county which assistant district attorney will be cut. If he doesn't, the county will eliminate the position of the most recent assistant district attorney hired, Michael Toomey.
Email comments to mmoore@dailyitem.com.
Below is the text of the letter Transitions sent to the Commissioners:
Dear Commissioners:
We are writing to respectfully ask that you reconsider
cutting the Assistant District Attorney’s position in the Northumberland County
District Attorney’s Office.
Transitions provides services to victims and survivors in
Union, Snyder, and Northumberland Counties. We are needed in all three
counties, but Northumberland County has an especially high need for our
services. In 2010, we served 260 victims in Northumberland County by
providing advocacy in the criminal justice system, far more than the 192
victims in Union and Snyder Counties combined.
A loss to the District Attorney’s Office, especially the loss of an
Assistant District Attorney is a huge loss to victims of domestic violence and
sexual assault in Northumberland County. Often these crimes take place
with limited, if any, witnesses and in a private residence. This makes
them especially difficult to prosecute. These cases need an attorney who
has the time and resources to dedicate to such victims. Eliminating an
Assistant District Attorney would place undue pressure on the District Attorney
and the remaining Assistants that he may have. We believe this would
result in more domestic and sexual violence offenders being empowered by
“beating the system.” Without a dedicated Assistant District Attorney to
prosecute these cases to the fullest, the District Attorney’s Office may have
to drop charges, or offer pleas to cases they would have otherwise
pursued. This results in survivors being less apt to participate in
the criminal justice system in the future. Participating in the
criminal justice system can be an empowering experience for a victim—when their
voices are heard. When the community says that victims are not important
enough to warrant their offenders being prosecuted, how can we ask them to
report crimes? How can we expect victims to use their voices when they
are silenced in the criminal justice system? The loss of an Assistant
District Attorney is a gain for defendants, because they will be facing a
harried, overworked, and possibly under-prepared District Attorney who may not
have the resources or time to dedicate to the abundance of cases that will fall
into his lap. Domestic and Sexual Violence victims deserve their cases to
be thoughtfully and thoroughly prosecuted by an adequately staffed District
Attorney’s Office.
Thank you for your consideration.
Comments
Post a Comment