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Franklin County public defender warns state rules could raise 2026 budget to about $2.4 million
Summary
Larry Ziegler, administrator for Franklin County’s Office of Public Defense, told commissioners the office faces mandate-driven costs after a recent state rule shortened arraignment windows and that the county should plan a significantly larger 2026 budget to maintain coverage.
Larry Ziegler, administrator for Franklin County’s Office of Public Defense, told the Board of County Commissioners on Oct. 24 that recent state-level rule changes and other mandates are forcing the county to anticipate higher costs and to expand coverage for court appearances.
Ziegler said the office’s working budget does not reflect recent mandates and other changes from Olympia and the state Supreme Court. “Basically what we did was the budget I submitted was for the 01/2008, and then when the 600,000 came in that the auditor said we were gonna be short. I’m basically saying for starting purposes right now, I think we ought to count on at least a 2.4, maybe higher for 2026,” Ziegler said. He later described a Supreme Court-driven change that shortened some…
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