HomeMy WebLinkAboutFY 2021 Budget Presentation (Office of the Prosecuting Attorney)County of Kauai
Office of the Prosecuting Attorney
Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Presentation
April 3, 2020
Justin F. Kollar , Prosecuting Attorney
Jennifer S. Winn, First Deputy
Rebecca Vogt Like , Second Deputy
Diana Gausepohl-White , Victim/Witness Program Director
FY 2020 BUDGET AND OPERATIONS SYNOPSIS
1. FY 2020 to FY 2021 BUDGET COMPARISON
FY 2020 FY 2021 $+I -0/o +I -
Salary and Wages 2,764,808 2,926,073 161,265 5.8%
Benefits 1,718 828 1,898,952 180,124 10.5%
Utilities 16,680 16,380 -300 -1.8%
Vehicle/Equip, Lease 15,286 15,286 0 0.0%
Operations 270 732 268 067 -2 665 -1.0%
4,786 334 5 124,758 338,424 7.1%
FY 2020 Operating Budget FY 2021 Operating Budget
2,500,000
2,000,000
1,500,000
1,000,000
500,000
0
•Salary and
Wages
•Benefits
•Utilities
•Vehicle/Equip,
Lease
FY 2020 and FY 2021 Comparison
•Salary and
Wages
•Benefits
•Utilities
•Vehicle/Equip ,
Lease
FY 2020
ti FY 2021
Salary and
Wages
Benefits Utilities Vehicle/Equip , Operations
Lease
FY 2021 Budget Presentation -Office of the Prosecuting Attorney Page 2
2. MAJOR CHANGES AND/OR VARIANCES IN OPERATIONS BUDGET
Regular Salaries, Position No. E2903, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
This position leads OPA's Sex Assault Prosecution Unit (SAPU) under the
Edward Byrne Justice Division Grant. Grant funds are set to expire on June
30, 2020. At this time, we do not anticipate receiving additional funds to
fund this position, which is crucial to the prosecution of sex crimes on our
island, and are requesting to fully fund this crucial position using General
Funds.
3. OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES
Unfunded Mandates From the State
The State Department of Attorney General has implemented an additional
five percent (5%) restriction in FY 20 on top of the 5% restriction already
imposed in FY 19 on general funded discretionary appropriations. This
resulted in a 10 % restriction on each County's Career Criminal Prosecution
(CCP) and Victim Witness (VW) program allocations for FY 2020, or a
reduction in funding of $11,132.00 and $3,722.00, respectively. While we
have not requested funding for this reduction at this time, the reduction
could have a potential impact on our Victim Witness Counselors whose
funding comes from State, VOCA and County General Funds.
Expiration of Crime Prevention Justice Division Grant
Grant funds for the Drug Nuisance Abatement Unit (DNAU), which was
established by OPA in April 2017 , are set to expire on September 30 , 2020.
Grant funding was established through the State of Hawai'i, Department
of the Attorney General's Crime Prevention Justice Division grant with the
Department of Justice , and were utilized to fund one full time Special
Investigator in OP A. The DNAU Special Investigator is responsible for the
investigation and processing of Drug Nuisance Abatement complaints,
assisting in the prosecution of these complaints and raising community
awareness on how to effectively report drug nuisance in our community.
Just recently, our Special Investigator held community meetings
throughout the island of Kaua'i, in partnership with Kaua'i Police
Department and Life's Choices Kaua'i to share awareness and combat
homes believes to be a drug nuisance in the community. Without funding ,
we will no longer be able to support this essential position in our budget.
FY 2021 Budget Presentation -Office of the Prosecuting Attorney Page 3
4. TOP 3 OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS FROM FY 2020
1st Highlight: Conviction and life sentence in Safadago case. The jury
found Safadago guilt for manslaughter, leaving the scene of a fatal crash, auto
theft, resisting arrest, driving under the influence, reckless driving, inattention to
driving, and driving without a license.
2nd Highlight: Implemented new internal charging policies that align with
OPA's mission to temper justice with compassion and seek alternatives to
incarceration where possible for non-violent offenders who do not pose a public
safety risk.
3rd Highlight: Successfully secured additional grant funding for salaries
and operational costs, including:
• Sex Assault Prosecution Unit grant in the amount of $4 7,677;
• Stop Violence Against Women Grant in the amount of $21,212.00;
and
• 2018 Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant in the amount of $35,300.
FY 2021 Budget Presentation -Office of the Prosecuting Attorney Page 4