Officials with Georgia’s public defender system say they may need Governor Perdue to call a special panel to help them deal with deep budget cuts. System leaders say a gathering of the Fiscal Affairs Committee may be the best chance at this point to help them cope with the situation. The state-funded public defender system is facing lagging support from state legislators and mounting funding problems amid the economic downturn. It was also slapped with a lawsuit last month that seeks to halt prosecutions in hundreds of northeast Georgia cases until lawyers are provided to represent the defendants.
Showing posts with label Public defenders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Public defenders. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Monday, June 9, 2008
Public defenders council set to lose jobs
Georgia’s public defender council will lay-off 16 attorneys and five staff members--it’s all in the effort to help deal with budget cuts. Employees of the Georgia Public Defender Standards Council were told Friday the jobs would be cut June 30th. Those losing their jobs are from the Metro Conflict Office, which helps with multi-defendant cases. A nine-million dollar budget for that division only got 5.4 million from the state this year. Nearly 19-hundred defendants could be affected with no legal representation.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Public defenders' budget slashed
A key Senate committee slashed the budget of Georgia's public defenders today. The midyear budget that passed the Senate Appropriations Committee contained just over a half-million dollars for public defenders to get them through the June 30th end of the fiscal year. Governor Sonny Perdue had recommended 3.6 million dollars. The budget could be boosted once all lawmakers have a say in the midyear budget.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Accused courthouse killer trial pushed back again
There will be another delay to the start of the trial for accused courthouse killer Brian Nichols because funding problems continue to plague the defense.
Jury selection will now begin October 1st--it had been scheduled to start September 10th. Opening arguments wouldn’t begin until early next year.
Nichols is accused of escaping from the Fulton County courthouse in Atlanta in March 2005, killing four people, including a federal agent. Nichols’ lawyers have demanded that there needs to be enough state money to pay costs for their client's defense. State officials last month estimated a price tag of nearly 2-and-a-half million dollars to defend Nichols.
Jury selection will now begin October 1st--it had been scheduled to start September 10th. Opening arguments wouldn’t begin until early next year.
Nichols is accused of escaping from the Fulton County courthouse in Atlanta in March 2005, killing four people, including a federal agent. Nichols’ lawyers have demanded that there needs to be enough state money to pay costs for their client's defense. State officials last month estimated a price tag of nearly 2-and-a-half million dollars to defend Nichols.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Nichols trial costs dispute goes to state high court
The argument over who should pay the bills for the trial of accused Atlanta courthouse killer Brian Nichols will be heard by the state’s high court today. The many legal costs have already led to a trail delay. There have been cuts to the budget of the public defender system which have affected the proceedings. It’s believed the costs amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Fulton County has been ordered to pay a portion of the state’s expenses for the trial.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
No special session: Perdue strikes property tax cut before signing budget
Gov. Sonny Perdue used his line-item veto power Tuesday to strike a tax cut before signing the 2007 amended budget, which contains emergency funding for education and the Peachcare child health plan.
Perdue's action reverses his earlier veto of the entire budget, which dictates state spending until July. He said this was not what he had wanted to do. He had hoped to call lawmakers back to the Capitol for a special session on the midyear budget, but ruled it out after meeting resistance from House leaders.
"It would've been tough on the members of the House and Senate, who are citizen-legislators, to come back not knowing how long that would be," Perdue said. "It would've been a show of power. It would've been futile."
Perdue denies his decision is a personal rebuke to House Speaker Glenn Richardson, who accused Perdue of showing lawmakers "his backside" by vetoing the budget. Richardson, who was once Perdue’s House floor leader, now uses softer words.
"Sometimes friends disagree, but the House will not compromise when it comes to defending the taxpayers of Georgia," he said in a written statement. He expressed disappointment that Perdue has vetoed $142 million one-time tax credit for property owners.
"The House still believes that if we can't all agree on how to spend the money, the best thing to do is to return it to the people who sent it to us," he said. "We would rather have it go back to the taxpayers than be hoarded for the government to spend another day."
But by striking the tax cut from the budget, Perdue says the money will enable the state to prop up its reserves at a time when economic growth is slowing.
"I think it's prudent at this time to be fiscally conservative," he said.
House leaders contend the reserves are in good shape now. Speaker Pro Tem Mark Burkhalter says he can't support the governor's decision.
"Aside from the fact that it's vetoing a tax cut, trying to understand how you can veto legislation, after sending out a press release and line-item veto something that’s a portion of what you already vetoed."
Burkhalter says House members are considering their next move, and they still want a tax cut.
Perdue's decision won praise from Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, who presides over the State Senate.
"Leadership is about stepping forward with solutions in situations where compromise seems beyond reach. The Governor exercised strong character and courageous leadership today," said Cagle. "Every Georgian should be proud of the outcome of this process."
But Perdue was not as proud.
"Who said I felt positive about it?" Perdue asked. "It's the only option I believe that takes care of Peachcare and midyear educational reserves, but it still leaves some needs unmet."
Perdue says state workers-including prosecutors and public defenders-could face furloughs.
He has not decided yet whether to sign the 2008 budget lawmakers approved. He says he will take "corrective action" if necessary.
Perdue's action reverses his earlier veto of the entire budget, which dictates state spending until July. He said this was not what he had wanted to do. He had hoped to call lawmakers back to the Capitol for a special session on the midyear budget, but ruled it out after meeting resistance from House leaders.
"It would've been tough on the members of the House and Senate, who are citizen-legislators, to come back not knowing how long that would be," Perdue said. "It would've been a show of power. It would've been futile."
Perdue denies his decision is a personal rebuke to House Speaker Glenn Richardson, who accused Perdue of showing lawmakers "his backside" by vetoing the budget. Richardson, who was once Perdue’s House floor leader, now uses softer words.
"Sometimes friends disagree, but the House will not compromise when it comes to defending the taxpayers of Georgia," he said in a written statement. He expressed disappointment that Perdue has vetoed $142 million one-time tax credit for property owners.
"The House still believes that if we can't all agree on how to spend the money, the best thing to do is to return it to the people who sent it to us," he said. "We would rather have it go back to the taxpayers than be hoarded for the government to spend another day."
But by striking the tax cut from the budget, Perdue says the money will enable the state to prop up its reserves at a time when economic growth is slowing.
"I think it's prudent at this time to be fiscally conservative," he said.
House leaders contend the reserves are in good shape now. Speaker Pro Tem Mark Burkhalter says he can't support the governor's decision.
"Aside from the fact that it's vetoing a tax cut, trying to understand how you can veto legislation, after sending out a press release and line-item veto something that’s a portion of what you already vetoed."
Burkhalter says House members are considering their next move, and they still want a tax cut.
Perdue's decision won praise from Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, who presides over the State Senate.
"Leadership is about stepping forward with solutions in situations where compromise seems beyond reach. The Governor exercised strong character and courageous leadership today," said Cagle. "Every Georgian should be proud of the outcome of this process."
But Perdue was not as proud.
"Who said I felt positive about it?" Perdue asked. "It's the only option I believe that takes care of Peachcare and midyear educational reserves, but it still leaves some needs unmet."
Perdue says state workers-including prosecutors and public defenders-could face furloughs.
He has not decided yet whether to sign the 2008 budget lawmakers approved. He says he will take "corrective action" if necessary.
Public defender's office cuts jobs and budget
Due to a smaller budget than originally expected, the state public defender's office says it will have to cut jobs and many expenses. Four-and-a-quarter million dollars in cuts was voted-on by the Public Defender Standards Council to get within the 35.4 million dollar amount granted by the Legislature for the next fiscal year.
Officials say the majority of the cutbacks will result in the elimination of 41 full-time positions, and all part-time jobs. To also meet the tighter budget, across the board cuts in operating expenses is expected.
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