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Budget panel approves amended Public Defender supplemental after hours‑long debate
Summary
The Budget & Finance Committee voted (3–2) to approve an amended supplemental appropriation to the Public Defender to cover salary shortfalls and temporary salaries, with the Budget & Legislative Analyst recommending a $94,003.54 reduction in not‑yet‑incurred temporary salary funding.
The committee considered an ordinance (Item 6) appropriating $751,312 from the General Fund Reserve to the Public Defender’s Office for FY2012‑13 salaries and expenditures. The request prompted an extended debate about budget discipline, constitutional obligations to provide defense counsel, and the operational consequences of staffing shortfalls.
Chief Assistant Gonzales explained the request as a combination of permanent salary shortfalls — primarily unanticipated step increases and premium pay — and…
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