HOORAY FOR THE COUNTIES! 
PUSH-BACK ON FOOTING THE BILL FOR THE D.A. PAY RAISES...

statutory provisions relating to D.A. compensation

GENESEE COUNTY

April 7, 2016:
"State commission mandates 20-percent pay hike for all NY district attorneys, local legislators 'apalled'"
The Batavian (Billie Owens)

CJA's April 8, 2016 e-mail --
(also sent to Senator Ranzenhofer & to Assemblyman Hawley)
"Subject: Safeguarding the Taxpayers of Genesee County
from unlawful, fraudulent, and unconstitutional district attorney salary increases"

click here for:
VIDEO:  CJA's 10-minute testimony before the Legislature at its Feb. 6, 2013 budget hearing,
testifying as to the statutory tie between judicial salaries and district attorney salaries.  
[last speaker: at 7 hours, 20 minutes].     

and the response is --

April 23, 2016:
"Hawley introduces bill to make state reimburse counties for district attorneys' mandated pay raises",
The Batavian (posted press release from Hawley)  

May 9, 2016 Hawley press release         
“Our hard-working district attorneys deserve this..."

May 10, 2016:
"County leaders statewide call on the State to reimburse counties for district attorney salary increase",
The Batavian (Billie Owens)

* * *

May 10, 2016:
"Hawley bill would take DA raise off the books"
Daily News
          "Our state judges and district attorneys do a superb job enforcing the law and
 bringing criminals to justice, but, as a proponent of local control, I contend that bureaucrats should not
be telling our counties what they must pay local officials.”"

  April 13, 2016
"Genesee County legislators object to state-mandated raise for DAs..."
Buffalo News

LIVINGSTON COUNTY

April 11, 2016:
"NYS Socks Livingston County with $30K Raise for District Attorney",
Genesse Sun (Conrad Baker)
["County Administrator Ian Coyle said that if the county chooses not to pay McCaffrey the additional money, 
there could be legal issues with New York State.
       “If we just didn’t pay we’d be in conflict with state law,” said Coyle. “Somebody would likely come down from New York State and force us to pay it or file a law suit. […] I can tell the state that the legislating body in Livingston County was not in favor of the increase.”

April 12, 2016:
"Defiant supervisors may challenge state on D.A. increase",
Livingston County News (Ben Beagle)   
"...the county's highest paid employee...) 

CJA's April 12, 2016 e-mail --
(also sent to Senator Young & Senator Gallivan, & to Assemblyman Nojay)
"Subject: Safeguarding the Taxpayers of Livingston County
from unlawful, fraudulent, and unconstitutional district attorney salary increases"
& also

and the response is --

Assemblyman Nojay's April 13, 2016 e-mail -- "Subject: your idiotic email"

Assemblyman Nojay's April 13, 2016 e-mail -- "Subject: RE: your idiotic email"

CJA's April 13, 2016 e-mail to Assemblyman Nojay --
"Subject: Assisting the Livingston County Board of Supervisors
in Protecting Taxpayer Dollars: D.A. Pay Increase"

April 13, 2016
"Association of Counties demands state pay for DA salary increases",
Livingston County News (Ben Beagle)

April 14, 2016
"Livingston County supervisors seek support for budget amendment to pay DA salary increase"
The Daily News (Ben Beagle)
“'I will support a Chapter Amendment to either repeal the DA salary provision
or require State reimbursement of any additional salary costs,' Nojay wrote."

April 15, 2016
"Young asks governor to absorb cost of DA salary increase", Watertown Daily Times (Ben Beagle)

April 29, 2016
"Bill would require the state to cover DA salary increase"
Livingston County News (Matt Leader)

May 27, 2016
"Payback time: State should compensate counties for increased DA salaries"
The Journal (Johnson News Service, with additional reporting by The Livingston County News)

July 15, 2016
"Livingston County revisiting mandated DA raise"
Livingston County News (Ben Beagle)

August 3, 2016
"Livingston County weighs shifting funds for D.A. salary mandate"
Livingston County News (Ben Beagle)

YATES COUNTY

April 14, 2016
"Dennis protests cut to DA salary payback"
Chronicle-Express (Gwen Chamberlain)

              April 19, 2016: Yates Co. resolution
 

CAYUGA COUNTY

April 21, 2016
"Cayuga County legislators voice budget, state mandate concerns to Assemblyman Gary Finch"
Auburnpub.com (Gwendolyn Craig)

 CJA's April 22, 2016 e-mail to Gwendolyn Craig --
"Follow-up to your excellent, informative article
about the Cayuga County Ways & Means Committee meeting"
 

 Craig's April 22, 2016 e-mail

April 21, 2016
"County officials worry indigent defense eligibility, DA salary increases
could cause financial stress"
Watertown Daily Times  (Brian Molongoski)

April 29, 2016
"Ritchie cosponsoring bill to reimburse county for DA salary increase"
Watertown Daily Times (Brian Molongoski)   Oswego County Today

May 1, 2016 
"Salary boost for local DAs ordered by state should be paid by state, Sen. Ritchie says"
North County NOW

May 3, 2016 
"St. Lawrence county legislators say state should pay for mandated District Attorney pay hike"
North Country NOW (Jimmy Lawton)

April 29, 2016
"New York legislators seek to help counties cover district attorney salary increases"
 Citizen (Auburnpub.com) (Robert Harding):

"As for why the aid wasn't included in the current state budget, Seward blamed Gov. Andrew Cuomo
for the omission. He said the governor didn't include the funding in his executive budget proposal,
which put legislators in a difficult position during budget negotiations."

ALLEGANY COUNTY 

March 29, 2016
 Legislators debate state-mandated DA raise
Orleans Time Herald (Bob Clark)

March 29, 2016
"Allegany County oks district attorney salary hike"
Wellsvile Daily Reporter (Brian Quinn)

May 15, 2016
"Allegany County grants district attorney Keith Slip a raise"Wellsville Daily Reporter (Brian Quinn)

LEWIS COUNTY 

April 27, 2016
"State Mandate Increases Lewis County D.A.'s Salary to $183K Per Year"

July 11, 2019 
"Editorial: It's About time -- Lewis County legislators finally increase DA Moser's salary"
NNY360

August 3, 2016
"Lewis County legislators oppose mandated DA raise, citing no state funding"
Watertown Daily Times (Steve Virkler)

August 3, 2016
"Feedback: Lewis County Lawmakers Reject DA Moser's Pay Hike"
Channel 7 News/Fox 28

October 6, 2016
"Lewis County legislators begrudgingly approve D.A. salary increase" 
Watertown Daily Times (Steve Virkler)

October 20, 2016
"It's the law: Lewis County legislators increase DA Leanne Moser's salary"
Watertown Daily Times

ORLEANS COUNTY

May 5, 2016
"Orleans, NY counties want state to pay for D.A. salary increases"
Orleans Hub.com (Tom Rivers)

MADISON COUNTY

May 12, 2016
"Madison County supervisors want state to pay for DA’s $26,243 raise"
Oneida Dispatch (Caitlin Traynor)
 

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

April 26, 2016 resolution

NIAGARA COUNTY

"Large temporary pay raise for acting Niagara DA Brenner",
Buffalo News, May 17, 2016 (Thomas J. Prohaska)

"A County Legislature committee voted Monday in favor of a measure that would schedule a public hearing for June 21 on setting the district attorney’s pay at $183,400 a year, retroactive to April 1. ...Joerg said he thinks a local law with a public hearing is needed to adjust the salary, and that would have been the case even if Violante were still in office. 'You’re not supposed to give elected officials a midterm increase without a public hearing,' Joerg said."

            County Law  §359? 

May 24, 2016
"County legislators urge state to pay for DA salary increase"
 Rome Sentinel (Dan Guzewich)

TOMPKINS COUNTY

Tompkins County Resolution 6267 -- April 21, 2016

SCHENECTADY COUNTY

Schenectady County Resolution -- May 6, 2016

ULSTER COUNTY

"District attorneys in Ulster and Dutchess Counties getting hefty pay raises"
Daily Freeman (Patrica Doxsey)

DUTCHESS COUNTY

Dutchess County Resolution -- May 9, 2016

ONEIDA COUNTY

May 29, 2016
"Mandated DA Salary Hikes Puts Counties in Tight Spot"
Observer Dispatch (Michaela Parker)

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April 12, 2016
"No easy fill in 54th District",
Finger Lake Times (Josh Durso) 

CJA's April 13, 2016 e-mail to Josh Durso --
"2016 ELECTIONS: A very 'easy fill in the 54th District' -- & beyond!"
(also sent to Senator Nozzolio, Assemblymen Oaks & Finch)

Josh Durso's April 13, 2016 e-mail 

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April 19, 2016
"Small counties in 'chaos' over required DA raises, Onondaga Co. says no big deal"
Syracuse.com (Douglass Dowty)

April 19, 2016
 "Onondaga Co. DA Fitzpatrick gets a $23,000 raise; other local DAs get even more"
Syracuse.com (Douglass Dowty)

April 20, 2016
"State decision sticks counties with DA pay raises"
Press Republican (Denise Raymo)

April 22, 2016
"DA Raises Triggered by Judicial Pay Hikes, Angering Counties"
New York Law Journal (Joel Stashenko)

"We still have not been given a rational explanation as to why it was excluded," Stephen Acquario, executive director of the New York Association of Counties, said this week. 'What we were told is that it was an oversight.'  ...'There is some confusion,' Acquario said. 'Some are saying that the intent of the commission was not to raise the DAs' salary, therefore it was not increased automatically.The issue may need to be clarified in the courts. I hope it doesn't get to the point that litigation is needed but, for the past 50 years, the state has always paid for it. To avoid confusion, they should simply appropriate the money for it now"

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May 17, 2016
"Large temporary pay raise for Acting DA Brenner"
Buffalo News

April 20, 2016: 
"State should rethink judicial salary structure"
Post-Star (editorial)

April 13, 2016: 
 "Genesee Co. Manager: unfunded mandate to increase DA's pay will result in cuts to other programs"
News 10-WHEC Rochester (Brett Davidsen)

              "...Gsell also says they've looked into it and don't feel they have a legal leg to stand on in trying to fight the mandated increase. They're just hoping they can convince the governor and the legislature to come back and pass an amendment that would fund the increases."

April 12, 2016: "Smaller counties struggle to pay for mandated raise for DA"
News 10-WHEC Rochester (Brett Davidsen)

 April 14, 2016
The Daily News (Ben Beagle)
“'This was an unintended consequence of the demands of meeting an on-time budget, and it can be fixed with a simple chapter amendment that can be passed when lawmakers return in May,' said Cherry."  

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New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) website

2016-2017 "District Attorney Salaries" -- Fact Sheet

District Attorneys Association of New York (DAANY) website

 Association of Counties' April 13, 2016 press release

April 19, 2016 joint letter of NYS Association of Counties
& District Attorneys Association of the State of New York;  
here's draft resolution

CJA's May 31, 2016 e-mail to Steven Acquario, Executive Director/NYSAC --
"Protecting County Taxpayers -- Repealing the Statutory Link Between District Attorney & Judicial Salaries, Etc."

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MENU OF CJA's JUDICIAL COMPENSATION WEBPAGES