Phila. DA's office calls proposed cuts to its budget "devastating"

By: Tom MacDonald

Mayor Nutter is proposing a series of cuts as part of the budget he’ll present to City Council on March 19. The District Attorney’s office calls a proposed cut to its budget “devastating.”

By: Tom MacDonald
tmacdonald@whyy.org

Mayor Nutter is proposing a series of cuts as part of the budget he’ll present to City Council on March 19. The District Attorney’s office calls a proposed cut to its budget “devastating.”

Caption: Philadelphia District Attorney Lynn Abraham

Transcript:
The cut to the DA’s office could be 12 percent, which would be on top of a five percent cut the office took to close this years budget deficit. Assistant District Attorney Al Toczydlowski says a 12 percent reduction would paralyze the office.

Toczydlowski: “It would be devastating. Every aspect of our operation would be drastically effected. We’d have the  inability to staff the courtrooms, handle the cases prepare them adequately handle investigations, handle appeals.”

Mayor Nutter has suggested using drug forfeiture funds to close the budget gap, but Toczydlowski says that money is already used for the DA’s narcotics operation, and to fund the police department.

Listen:
Click on the play button below or right click on this link and choose “Save Link As” to download. [audio: reports20090316da.mp3]