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Good News Dallas
Commissioners Demand Deeper Budget Cuts from D.A. Watkins PDF Print E-mail
by Tom McGregor    Tue, Jul 29, 2008, 01:11 PM

Car Wreck Watkins.jpgThe Dallas County Commissioners’ Court is faced with a $34 million budget shortfall for the 2008 fiscal year. By law, the County Commissioners must balance the budget. They also pledged to not raise property taxes this year. Hence, all County departments were requested to submit a plan to enact a minimum of 5 percent budget cuts.

Many department heads have fulfilled their duties to the proposed budget cuts, which means the goal of ending the $34 million shortfall has been 75 percent achieved. But, Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins has been using delay tactics to avoid instituting 5 percent budget cuts in his department to the dismay of the Commissioners’ Court.

As of Tuesday, July 29, here are the only budget cuts that D.A. Watkins proposed: 1. “Eliminate Civil Division paralegal – savings of $56,314;” 2. “Eliminate Family Violence Division Case Manager II – savings of $63,855.” While other departments have initiated millions of dollars in costs cuts, the district attorney’s office have shown just $120,169 in savings.

Nevertheless, County Commissioner Maurine Dickey, a Republican, appeared startled to discover that D.A. Watkins would eliminate a position in the Family Violence Division. She said, “This sends a chilling message to our community.” She feared for the safety of battered women in their attempts to get protective orders from judges.

Yet, the Family Violence division would continue to exist, but faced with budget cuts. The eliminated position would entail that those continuing to work in the division must assume greater responsibilities, but would not get a raise in their salaries.

County Commissioner Mike Cantrell appeared to be the most vocal supporter of the budget cuts in the family violence division of the district attorney’s office. He angrily rebuked Bobbie Villareal, the head of the family violence division, for speaking out against D.A. Watkin’s proposal. This happened to be a rare moment when Cantrell raised his voice on any particular issue during a public hearing of the Commissioners Court.

Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez made a surprise appearance at the Commissioners’ Court today. Actually, she hid in the lobby during the meeting and did not officially enter into the Court until after County Commissioner John Wiley Price exited from the premises. Her avoidance of Price appeared humorous to a certain degree.

She wasn’t wearing a sheriff’s uniform, which made it more difficult to recognize her. Thus it raises the question: “Should a sheriff wear a uniform to look like a sheriff?”

The County Commissioners will not hold a public hearing next week, but will meet again on Tuesday, August 12.

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Comments (13)add comment
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written by Deputy , July 29, 2008

You sir are either a liar or a moron, but either way, WRONG. Sheriff Lupe Valdez arrived in Commissioners Court around 930 am and sat IN THE COURT ROOM throughout the entire budget discussion. In case you missed it, she was seated on the right side of the room, back row, seat number two (as counted from the wall),next to her executive chief deputy. She did eventully step out into the lobby to converse with her other staff, but that was after budget items when general briefing began. Get it righ next time, liar.

As far as the uniform is concerned, it is very very rare for the Sheriff of Dallas County to wear a uniform, I can think of only two that have, and Valdez is one of them. She alternates between the two, but usually wears the uniform unlike almost all other sheriffs of Dallas County. I, for one, respect her greatly for her willingness to wear the uniform when so many other sheriffs have not.



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written by Tom McGregor , July 29, 2008

Apparently, Valdez was seated right behind me, according to the Deputy. I never recognized her until I stepped outside in the lobby during the public hearing. I arrived at 9:45 am and I didn't see her sitting in the Court room. Anyway, if she really was sitting behind me, then I stand corrected.


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written by ME , July 29, 2008

I thought today's meeting would address why as of 10-04-08 that there would no longer be a patrol division in the Dallas County Sheriff's Office. All patrolmen are to be assigned to traffic. No patrol section? Not a very bright budget cut. I thought the safety of the citizens were Lupe's main concern. What a joke!!! I guess more tickets more money. A few weeks ago it looked like no tickets were getting paid. I thought it was said that office was a black hole. Oops I forgot thats racist.



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written by Been There , July 29, 2008

Concerning the entire budget thing, please note that EVERY YEAR I worked in the County (over ten years), each department would get a letter from the court saying how much the budget shortfall was going to be and we would all have to cut 5-10%. Each and ever year, like clockwork. Each year, toward the end of June, we would joke, "Have we gotten the shortfall letter yet?"




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written by George W , July 29, 2008

It would be a horrible event if the the prosecutors salary is cut. It has never happened before and I hope Mr Watkins fights and fights hard to keep it from happening this year. If the salaries are cut then morale will plumment even further in the office. Public servants can't take a pay cut. DA Watkins needs to go to the media. He needs to go to his supporters. He needs to go to other politicians and fight for his employees. Since we haven't seen anything in the media I'm afraid nothing has been done. I hope this is not true. The prosecutors should not have to pay for poor planning on the Commissioners part. Fight DA Watkins fight!


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written by Jonathan Green , July 29, 2008

Tom McGregor you write frivolous garbage! Besides if Watkins cuts the budget white folks will cry foul, to much crime. What you and other white folks want is a way under the table to stop investigating innocent men incarcerated. Get off your frivolous speculations of what ifs.


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written by Read Between the Lines , July 29, 2008

So what part of the DA's Office is expendable? What a difficult position to be in.. Should the DA reccommend cuts in personnell that help prosecute cases involving family violence or child abuse? How about drugs, murder or even dwis? Or maybe even the unit that's freeing all of those innocent people? Either way it would be a public outcry and rightfully so. I remember the DA saying on many occasions that his office needed more staff. Hw could he now recommend cuts? Isn't the balancing of the budget the responsiblity of the commissioners? I keep hearing different commissioners say that Dallas County has the lowest county wide tax rate in the state. Doesn't Texas have more than 400 counties. As much as I hate to admit it, maybe it's time to raise county taxes. Of course that's not politically convenient. Likewise, it won't be politically convenient for them if the commissioners unilaterally impose cuts on the DAs staff or the Sherriff's staff by 5%. Times are tough. There are no easy answers on this one but I'd rather pay higher taxes than get a reduction in county services, especially if its the Sheriff and the DA that has to bear the cuts.


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written by MRN , July 29, 2008

254 counties to be exact.

Dallas County has something no other county has--Parkland Hospital, which effectively doubles its effective tax rate.

How many of you holding everything Watkins does sacrosanct have seen the DA's budget?



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written by Concerned , July 29, 2008

Well today they did cut patrol service out and effective in October those people will not have regular patrols around their homes and families.

Oh but wait a minute, Sheriff Valdez said her #1 priority was the publics safety! Sheriff, I'm confused, you have sum splaining to do!



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written by Really? , July 30, 2008

The last couple of years, the sheriff has gotten more than its share of the budget. From the sounds of it, the hospital is next. Why should every department have to cut equally when the benefits are not distributed equally? How can the DA make equal budget cuts when it doesn't have enough help as it is? When will the commissioners listen and give the DA's office it's "time"?


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written by Concerned , July 30, 2008

They could solve the problem if they would raise the taxes a little. I don't like taxes but I don't like public safety cut at all! Citizen safety comes first. Thats means Sheriff and the DA services.


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written by Holy Roller , July 30, 2008

I find this whole conversation laughable. The County is in a shortfall. They want depts to cut stuff. But then what they proposed cutting is rebuked? You can't have it both ways folks. Either pay more taxes to keep what you have, or get ready to lose some services.


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written by written for victims of DV , July 30, 2008

Domestic violence should not happen to anybody. Ever. Period. But it does - and when it does, THERE IS HELP. Thanks to EVERYONE that works in the Family Violence Division in the District Attorney's Office.



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