Revised Five Year Plan to include massive cuts to courts, District Attorney and Public Defender
Philadelphia, August 19 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter was joined by District Attorney Lynne Abraham, President Judge Pamela Pryor Dembe, and Chief Defender Ellen Greenlee as they outlined the devastating cuts to the criminal justice system that will occur if Harrisburg does not approve the measures needed to balance Philadelphia’s budget. The revised Five Year Plan that will be transmitted to City Council tomorrow contains massive reductions to the First Judicial District, District Attorney, and Public Defender.
“If we have to make these cuts justice will be denied to those who need it the most,” said Mayor Nutter. “The impact to our criminal justice system would be felt across the region and that is why it is so important that Harrisburg give us the tools that we need to fix our own budget.”
The revised Five Year Plan – required by the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (PICA) – will reduce the level of funding for the First Judicial District to $24.7 million for FY10 to cover expenses incurred for the fiscal year to date, and will zero out funding for the remainder of the Plan.
Funding for the District Attorney’s Office will be reduced to $7.2 million from $28.9 million for FY10 and funding for the Public Defender will be reduced to $9 million from $35.9 million for FY10.
Funding for the District Attorney and Public Defender would be restored in FY11 for the rest of the Plan. These reductions will save the City $114 million this fiscal year, and almost $400 million over the life of the Five Year Plan.
Mayor Nutter, District Attorney Lynne Abraham, President Judge Dembe, and Chief Defender Ellen Greenlee also described at the press conference – held in Court Room 653 in City Hall – the impact on public safety of the kind cuts that would be required if Harrisburg does not approve House Bill 1828.
“We need to do whatever is necessary to avoid the layoffs of 927 Police Officers,” said District Attorney Lynne Abraham. “There would be irreparable harm done not only to the citizens of this great city, but there would also be a devastating impact to the entire five county region. If you care about justice, act now and pass the required legislation without further delay.”
“All of the justice partners have worked very hard to reduce costs to the maximum extent possible,” said President Judge Pamela Pryor Dembe. “We are at a point where further cut backs absolutely endanger public safety and because the legal business is a substantial economic engine in Southeastern Pennsylvania we are looking at significant long term destruction of our economy. This distraction will affect all of the surrounding counties, not only Philadelphia.”
“The budget impasse in Harrisburg creates a potentially devastating short-term and long-term crisis situation for the criminal justice system,” said Chief Defender Ellen Greenlee. “The effective functioning of the criminal justice system is of incalculable importance to the citizens of Philadelphia, and, specifically, to the tens of thousands of our poorest citizens who rely on the Defender Association to represent their interests. We strongly urge immediate passage of 1828 to alleviate this impending disastrous situation for Philadelphia’s citizens.”
