Sam Page, the St. Louis County Executive, emphasizes the urgent need for funding for the county prosecutor’s office to avoid “rolling layoffs.”
In a letter addressed to the County Council on Friday, Page warned that if no action is taken on the proposed supplemental funding at the upcoming council meeting, Wesley Bell’s office will struggle to meet payroll obligations until the year’s end.
“The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office’s capacity to handle cases—and thereby ensure public safety—will be significantly compromised with the current reduced staffing,” Page stated. He further noted that an already elevated jail population is likely to increase without timely prosecutions.
Page attributes the budget issues to a collective bargaining agreement that commenced in June, expenses related to retirement payouts, and the 2024 budget being set at $681,771 below the amount requested by the office.
Last week, Fox 2’s Chris Hayes reported on an internal communication from the office’s budget manager to staff that highlighted the serious financial crisis. It indicated, “Supplies cannot be ordered by any department…We are out of envelopes and paper…I just processed the last phone bill that can be paid this year.” The communication also mentioned that invoices to REJIS, a law enforcement database, were being left unpaid.
Chris King, a spokesperson for the office, informed Hayes that the shortfall arose partly due to the state government failing to remit $54,000 owed for work that the county prosecutors conducted in pursuing tax delinquents for Missouri’s Department of Revenue. This payment has remained unpaid since May.
King explained to SLM that this unpaid debt from Jefferson City adds further financial strain to the office, in addition to the factors highlighted by Page. “Both issues are valid but they pertain to different aspects of the office’s budget,” he stated.
No matter the source of the budget deficit, Page is urging the county council to take action during their meeting tomorrow. “Any further delay in decision-making will endanger public safety,” he warned.
