With the threat of state budget cuts looming, state district attorneys say the top item on their legislative agenda will be job security for Tennessee prosecutors.
More than 30 positions in district attorneys’ offices statewide could be at risk if the state enforces its worst-case scenario — a 3 percent budget cut. The state has told local offices to plan for cuts between 1 percent and 3 percent.
“Our attorneys are overbooked right now,” said Wally Kirby, executive director of the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference. “The only thing we can cut out is people, and when we do that court cases are delayed. The cases can’t get the attention they deserve.”
As the 107th General Assembly, which opened Tuesday, gets under way, district attorneys across the state have other issues in mind besides how to stave off budget cuts of any kind. The district attorneys will debate and agree on a package of between 10 to 12 bills to push in the state Legislature over the next two weeks.
“People say we need to lock (criminals) up longer and throw away the key, but (they) don’t want to pay any more taxes,” said Hamilton County District Attorney Bill Cox. “(Legislators) have to view proposals in light of the fiscal realities of the times. … No one knows what the budgetary situation is.”