CONTACT: Rep. Patrick Snyder (608) 266-0654
Madison… Following the Evers Administration’s allocation of the newly funded Assistant District Attorney (ADA) positions, Rep. Pat Snyder (R-Schofield) made the following statement:
“Time and again Governor Evers has prioritized Madison and Milwaukee over citizens in the rest of the state, and this decision is no different. Governor Evers has, once again, blatantly disregarded the needs of my community by making decisions that benefit his base at the expense of Marathon County. His administration’s allocation of these positions directly pulls one position that was assigned to Marathon County to make it available to Milwaukee and Dane Counties.”
Through 2019 Wisconsin Act 9, the state’s biennial budget, the Legislature funded over 60 new ADA positions, which were assigned to counties throughout the state based on need. Under the Legislature’s plan, Marathon County would have received funding for 4.5 ADA positions.
In July, Governor Evers used his veto authority to remove the position assignments, and directed his administration to make recommendations for reassigning the positions. The allocations were announced on Tuesday morning.
“In the past several weeks alone Marathon County has seen serious incidents of violence; continued escalation of drug-related crimes; and victimization of children,” Rep. Snyder added. “The additional 4.5 ADA positions in the Legislature’s budget were critical to ensuring that our law enforcement officers have the resources that they need to bring prompt justice for victims. The Governor’s reallocation is a step backward and a huge detriment to Marathon County.”
According to the most recent Legislative Audit Bureau District Attorney Workload Study, staffing in Marathon County was only 62% of estimated need, while staffing in Milwaukee and Dane Counties were 115% and 85% respectively.