RITCHIE CALLS ON STATE TO PICK UP TAB FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY RAISES

State Senator Patty Ritchie has announced she is cosponsoring legislation that would stop Albany from passing the buck to counties by making the state cover the full cost of mandated salary raises for district attorneys (DAs).

“Requiring counties to cover the cost of state-mandated raises for DAs is just another example of Albany forcing our counties—and local taxpayers—to foot the bill for unfunded mandates imposed by the state,” said Senator Ritchie.

“Through this measure, we can help provide relief to counties, many of which are already struggling to balance budgets. I am pleased to cosponsor this measure, and am hopeful it will soon also be introduced in the Assembly.”

Salary boosts for local full-time DAs are the result of a recent action by the New York State Commission of Legislative, Judicial and Executive Compensation that increased judicial pay.  While the state has funded prior salary increases via the state budget, the Governor’s budget proposal and the final state budget did not include funds to help cover the raises.  As a result, counties are now required to cover this additional cost, which totals roughly $30,000 per-county—and $1.57 million statewide. 

Cosponsorship of the measure builds on Senator Ritchie’s other recent efforts to provide mandate relief to the counties she represents.  Currently, she cosponsors a measure (S.6341) that would require the state to cover the full cost of indigent defense, a change that would save the three counties she represents $5.6 million a year.

In addition, she also sponsors a measure (S.4964-B) that would provide mandate relief to counties by allowing them to retain more money collected at local DMV offices for work done on behalf of the state.