Criminals Should Not Benefit From the State’s Budget Crisis

On Saturday, we hand-delivered copies of a letter to members of the Senate Finance Committee, House Appropriations & Finance Committee and Bernalillo County's legislative delegation. Today, I want to share my letter with the citizens of Bernalillo County and the State in this, an open letter to New Mexico's legislators:

An Open Letter to New Mexico Legislators:

As we approach the upcoming Special Session of the Legislature called to deal with the State’s budget crisis, the task before you is daunting. Your decisions ultimately determine the level of services we will be able to provide. As the elected District Attorney of the largest judicial district in the state, I implore you to carefully consider the unique position of those working in the criminal justice system who are trying to keep our communities safe.


When the FY09 budget was cut in January, the District Attorneys were spared drastic reductions compared to other state agencies. Our 1.9% cut was mostly realized through cuts to training, office supplies and other operating costs. We were still forced to ask our employees to take 2,063 hours of leave without pay. Those same cuts were carried over into this year and we are now faced with critical choices. With only 5% of our budget going to actual operations, and much of that money already allocated for essential services, each new percentage point cut in our budget can only be realized by cutting personnel costs. This will result in hardship to employees, an inability to retain essential and skilled employees and a reduction of services; much to the detriment of those we serve.

Unfortunately, although resources are declining, the amount of work is increasing. Many employees are working 12-15 hour days. We do the work because the alternative is unacceptable. The public entrusts us to hold violators of our laws accountable for their acts. We are working diligently to see this happens, no matter the obstacles. Criminals should not benefit from the State’s budget crisis, nor should families and children pay by compromising their safety and well-being.

The Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office has one of the “trimmest” budgets among judicial districts in the State. Our office provides our own in-house training, saving an estimated $40,000 a year. I do not use a state vehicle and many of our employees pay for their own office supplies to keep costs down. We have no cushion and we’ve worked tirelessly over the years to ensure the public get the greatest benefit for their tax dollars. A recent study compiled by AODA, based on national standards provided by the National District Attorney’s Association, showed that even with full appropriations, our budget only provides for 80% of the staff needed to effectively and efficiently handle the almost 30,000 cases we managed in FY09. Yet, we are doing the work and celebrating successes.

As legislators, you have always seen fit to preserve those essential public services that the State provides, particularly regarding public safety. With such an unenviable task before you, I urge you to consider each agency, and particularly those of District Attorneys and the courts, according to their individual needs and the services they provide. The safety and security of our citizens and communities should be an absolute priority.