[Vision2020] Public Defender Religious Issues

[Saundra Lund]

Sunil,

You are correct that the contracted $154,000 for two years (payable in
monthly installments) each of the PDs receive isn't salary -- sorry I wasn't
clearer about that:  as taxpayers, we shell out $154,000+ per year for
public defender services.

However, since the attorneys also have private practices, associated costs
must be prorated.

As taxpayers footing the bill, I think we have a legitimate interest in what
our $154,000+ per year (there's a third contract I'm not familiar with, but
my *limited* understanding is that this would be a kind of "alternate public
defender" kind of thing and the compensation rate is $70/hour) for public
defense services gets us.

Not only should we not be subsidizing a private attorney's practice, I want
to know if the private attorneys providing PD services are subsidizing the
county.


JMHO & Looking Forward to Learning More,
Saundra Lund
Moscow, ID

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do
nothing.
-Edmund Burke
 
-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-admin@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com] On
Behalf Of Sunil Ramalingam
Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2004 12:09 PM
To: thansen@moscow.com; sslund@adelphia.net; dgray@uidaho.edu;
vision2020@moscow.com
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Public Defender Religious Issues


Tom,
I don't know for sure that each Latah County PD makes $77K, but I want
people to know that is not a salary.  That covers all the expenses the
attorney has: employee salaries, benefits, workers' comp ins, employment
taxes, office rent, income tax, copies, etc.  
No one is getting a $77K salary from Latah County for PD work.
Sunil

>From: "Tom Hansen" 
>Reply-To: 
>To: "Saundra Lund" , "'Debbie Gray'" ,   "'Vision 2020'" 
>Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Public Defender Religious Issues 
>Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2004 05:53:36 -0800 
> 
>Saundra Lund stated: 
> 
>"For instance, I want to know what makes a public defender in Latah County,

>Idaho "worth" about $77,000 a year while a state of California PD in Los 
>Angeles only makes $38,000-86,000 per year?" 
> 
>Excellent question, Saundra.  I didn't realize that a Latah County Public 
>Defender's pay is comparable to a Los Angeles County Public Defender, whose

>client list is obviously more burdensome than his counter-part in Latah 
>County.  A "max end" of $86,000 in LA compared to $77,000 here?????????? 
> 
>Rose:  Could you ask our County Commissioners how they justify such a 
>salary?  Thanks. 
> 
>Take care, 
> 
>Tom Hansen 
>Not On The Palouse, Not Ever 
> 
>******************************************** 
>The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds the most 
>discoveries, is not Eureka! (i.e. I found it!) but 'That's funny...' 
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