DA gets small budget increase

The FY 2012-2013 budget proposed by Coweta Judicial Circuit District Attorney Pete Skandalakis has been approved by the Coweta County Commission. The $781,758 budget contained no pay increases or additional staffing.

The budget proposal was made by the District Attorney Operations Manager Linda Tipton, who noted that the $781,758 budget represented an increase over the current budget that totals $725,033.

The difference in the two, Tipton said, comes from increases that are beyond the control of the District Attorney’s office.

“The state’s healthcare costs, retirement and administrative costs all increased this year. And because of those increases we are not requesting salary increases for our employees, even though this is the fifth year in a row that our staff has not received an increase. Nor are we requesting additional staff, even though this office remains understaffed,” Tipton said.

The budget proposed by Skandalakis begins July 1.

The commission’s vote on May 15 to increase the budget was unanimous.