The total savings is estimated at about $57,000, which won't go far to help close the $46 million budget shortfall still being predicted for the current fiscal year, said Jane Woodruff, the executive director of the Department of State's Attorneys and Vermont Sheriffs' Departments.
"It's more of a gesture," said Woodruff.
Both the state's attorneys and the sheriffs made the decision in separate meetings on Monday to take the pay cuts, which will last through the end of the fiscal year June 30.
The offices of Vermont's 14 state's attorneys have not been reduced in the two rounds of budget cuts already completed by the administration of Gov. Jim Douglas and lawmakers.
"We were held harmless and we were very grateful," Woodruff said. "We are an integral part of law enforcement and public safety. You can't cut there when you have the public calling out for a Jessica's-like law." She was referring to a public clamor for stiffer penalties for certain sex crimes.
Lamoille County Sheriff Roger Marcoux, the president of the Vermont Sheriff's Association, said the sheriffs held a conference call on Monday. The sheriffs had already given up their salary step increases in July, he said.
"That's really beginning to be a chunk of change out of the sheriffs' salary," Marcoux said. "It hurts us, but we all realize there are some people who are going to lose their jobs."
Earlier this month the Douglas administration decided that all exempt state employees who make more than $60,000 a year would be given 5 percent pay cuts. Woodruff said she was asked by the administration last week if the prosecutors and sheriffs, all elected officials, would also take the cuts.
Vermont's 14 state's attorneys offices have a total budget of just under $10 million and there are 124 employees, Woodruff said.
Before the cuts, 11 of Vermont's full-time state's attorneys make $89,020 a year. The Chittenden County State's attorney is paid $93,069 while part-time prosecutors in Grand Isle and Essex counties make $66,766, Woodruff said.
The state pays $3.4 million for 38 sheriffs employees and a portion of the cost of transporting prisoners, Marcoux said.
The Chittenden County sheriff is paid $69,646, 11 other sheriffs who are full-time certified law enforcement offices make $65,812 while two sheriffs, in Grand Isle and Orleans counties, who aren't certified, are paid 90 percent of that figure and so aren't affected, Woodruff said.
Woodruff said that the prosecutors are aware their budgets could be cut in the next round of budget cuts, expected after the Legislature returns to Montpelier next week.
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