DA’s Office Wants Increases
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
The St. Landry Parish District Attorney’s Office is asking the parish to provide $1.374 million that will be used for salaries, capital outlay projects and operating expenses in 2025, according to a written request presented to the Parish Council Finance Committee earlier in February.
That revenue request is about $170,000 more than what has been approved by the Council for 2025 DA’s Office expenditures during a special meeting Feb. 3.
District Attorney Chad Pitre made parish officials aware of the 2025 office funding request in a signed letter that was provided by him prior to the committee meetings.
Each council member and media representatives who report on Parish Council matters were given copies of the budget request letter.
Council members did not discuss the DA’s Office budget request during any of the committee meetings.
Parish president Jessie Bellard also did not reference the matter during his report during the committee meetings.
Pitre did not return a phone call made to the DA’s Office on Monday, seeking additional comment.
The parish is responsible for funding each reasonably mandated funding request made by the DA’s Office and other agencies that include state district courts, parish jail expenses, Coroner’s Office, the Clerk of Court, Opelousas and Eunice city courts and Registrar of Voters.
During a special meeting held Feb. 3, the Council passed an amended 2024 operating budget and the 2025 budget which became effective Jan. 1.
The 2025 budget approved by the Council shows that the parish plans to spend $1.2 million to fund the DA’s Office.
A Council-approved 2024 amended budget indicates the parish paid $1.476 million last year for DA’s Office expenses, while in 2023 $1.251 was spent to fund the DA’s Office.
The Feb. 3, 2025 letter remitted to the Council indicates that the DA’s Office wants $782,750 for staff salaries, $114,000 for assistant district attorney salaries, $386,625 in operating expenses and $91,390 for capital outlay.
In 2024 the amended budget shows that the DA’s Office received $627,389 for salaries, while the 2025 budget indicates the parish plans to spend $764,707 for DA Office salaries.
There is $339,926 that has been placed in the 2025 budget for DA’s Office operating expenses, but there is no line item in the same budget for capital outlay or assistant district attorney salaries.
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