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District attorney says underfunding threatens public‑safety capacity; seeks large personnel increase
Summary
District Attorney Hiller Moore and CPA John Daly told Metro Council the DA's office is chronically underfunded relative to peer parishes, attributed staffing losses to pay and urged consideration of millage or legislative fixes to restore capacity (DA estimated an $11 million personnel increase would substantially raise prosecutorial capacity).
District Attorney Hiller Moore opened the office’s budget segment by describing the DA as a constitutional office that, along with courts and public defenders, is central to public safety. He introduced John Daly, the office CPA, who presented charts showing East Baton Rouge’s DA office is significantly smaller in per-capita funding and personnel than peers (Jefferson and Orleans parishes) and said personnel costs are the largest share of the budget — typically 85–95%.
Daly explained the office’s revenue mix is primarily city‑parish funding, then state support and self‑generated revenues (fines, forfeitures and fees). He argued state allocations to prosecutors are based on outdated formulas and that self-generated revenue has declined, making the office rely more heavily on local general funds. The DA’s 2026 request was described in the presentation as a large increase (presenter called it a 173% year‑over‑year increase in one slide), and the DA told the council that an additional $11 million targeted to personnel could increase capacity by an estimated 40–60% depending on hires.
In questioning, council members pressed the DA about staffing losses (the office reported a drop from ~150 historical staffing to about 125 now) and consequences of the mayor’s proposed reductions. Daly and Moore said they have already cut positions and used temporary funds to avoid backfills; if cuts are applied they expect additional layoffs (DA estimated a minimum of 15–25 staff reductions in a worst-case scenario) that would include assistant district attorneys and supervisory positions that would reduce courtroom throughput.
The DA urged collaboration with the council and state legislators including statutory changes and potential millage options to stabilize funding; presenters said they are engaging legislators and reviewing other parishes’ approaches to proportionate funding. The DA framed the request as necessary to maintain public safety and the functioning of the criminal justice ecosystem but acknowledged that some of the remedies will require state action or voter approval of tax measures.
Next steps: Council members asked for more detail on what positions would be cut or restored at different funding levels and discussed millage and statutory options; the DA agreed to continue conversations with the council and legislators on legislation and potential millage proposals.
