Travis County Commissioners approve $1.8 million in taxpayer funds for DA’s Public Integrity Unit
Travis County’s Public Integrity Unit will drop at least 54 cases and cut nearly a dozen jobs as it operates with $2.5 million next year, a reduced budget that commissioners approved Tuesday.
On a 4-1 vote, commissioners on Tuesday approved spending $1.8 million from taxpayers and up to $734,422 from a fund of forfeited property that District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg controls to fund a small unit next year. (The American-Statesman reported on the plan Monday evening.) In June, Gov. Rick Perry vetoed the unit’s $3.7 million annual budget for the next two years after Lehmberg refused to resign following her drunken driving conviction in April.
“In April, I made a huge mistake,” Lehmberg told reporters after Tuesday’s vote. “I have worked steadfastly to regain the confidence of the community and I’m going to continue to do that. But it is not Rick Perry’s job to fire me or to remove me.”
Three of the unit’s formerly 34 employees will be laid off in early 2014, but Lehmberg said she is trying to find other positions for those employees. Others are quitting or being assigned to other areas within the district attorney’s office. The unit will ultimately have 24 employees.
More at http://www.statesman.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/commissioners-approve-18-million-in-taxpayer-funds/nZGNZ/ .
[font color=green]Gov. Perry and his corrupt pals will be disappointed that the county commissioners still believe in justice.[/font]