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Cochise County attorney seeks small county subsidy as VOCA grant faces possible cut
Summary
County Attorney Lori Zuko asked the Board of Supervisors for roughly $10,000 to cover a potential shortfall in VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) funding for victim‑advocate services after staff said the state pass‑through could be drastically reduced for the coming federal fiscal year.
Cochise County Attorney Lori Zuko asked the Board of Supervisors on May 6 for a modest county subsidy to shore up the county’s victim‑witness program in case VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) federal awards are reduced.
Zuko, the county’s elected county attorney, said the county’s victim‑services staff provide notification, transportation, court accompaniment and help preparing victim impact statements under Arizona’s victims’ rights provisions, and that those duties cover both felony and misdemeanor cases. "This is a very popular and very important program that we do in our office," Zuko told the board.
Why it matters: the victim‑advocate unit handles heavy caseloads, Zuko said, citing two felony advocates with about 187 and 168 victim cases and reporting roughly 1,387 active victim cases across the office. Those volumes, she argued, make consistent grant funding essential to meet constitutional and statutory notification and participation obligations.
What Zuko asked for: staff described a reduced VOCA award cycle and asked the board for a one‑time county contribution of about $10,003.69 to cover a shortfall in the current budget year while staff await final grant numbers. Zuko said the county typically must provide a 25% local match for VOCA awards.
Funding uncertainty: presenters told supervisors that an April notice from the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC), the state agency that distributes VOCA pass‑through funds, indicated VOCA funding for the coming federal fiscal year may be funded at roughly 32% of prior levels. Staff warned that if that reduction is realized, the county could face a larger gap than the modest request before the board.
Board response and context: Supervisors and county administrators acknowledged the importance of victim services and said salary and budget issues would be reviewed in an upcoming funding work session. No formal vote or binding action was taken in the work session.
Next steps: staff and the budget director said VOCA funding and other salary or market adjustments will be considered in the county’s scheduled budget work sessions in mid‑May.
