FUNDS, RAISES OK'D FOR DRUG COURT ATTORNEYS

Hinds County District Attorney Ed Peters and Public Defender Tom
Fortner joined forces Wednesday and successfully received continued
funding for drug court attorneys.

The Hinds County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a request
from Peters and Fortner to continue funneling federal funds to the
county's 4-year-old drug court.

"It is important to fund drug court because drugs are our biggest
problem," said Board President Doug Anderson.

More than $300,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds is being
spent annually to pay the salaries of three drug court prosecutors and
three public defenders who handle about 1,200 cases each year.

Peters and Fortner were seeking renewal of the salaries and raises for
the six positions.

Four of the positions currently pay $52,000 annually.

Two others receive $50,000 per year.

Peters and Fortner said the raises were needed to keep the attorneys
from taking higher-paying jobs.

"These attorneys handle about half our cases each year," Peters said.
"Other attorneys in our office receive up to $80,000 a year."

Supervisors approved the requests for renewing the posts and a $5,000
increase in salary for each of the positions.

However, the measure hinges on the county receiving adequate funds
from the U.S. Justice Department next year.

The city of Jackson and Hinds County have equally split nearly $1
million in block grant funds over the past few years.

District 1 Supervisor Charles Barbour wanted assurance that if the
amount of the grant wasn't increased next year, the additional funds
for the salaries wouldn't be taken out of the county's general fund.

Anderson said some changes in the spending of the grant money would
eliminate such a problem.

"We could make adjustments in the number of law enforcement cars we
purchase," Anderson said.

"I'd rather do that than not give them the raises and risk losing them
to somewhere else."