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: Grits for Breakfast

Dallas public defender office faces possible cuts thanks to underuse by judges

In the modern era, politicians must begin to choose between two historic mantras: "Tuff on crime" vs. "No new taxes." In Dallas this week, county commissioners announced a "no new taxes" stand that threatens to run head on into successful efforts to reduce overcrowding at the jail.With more than 6,000 inmates, the Dallas County Jail houses more people than the prison systems in a dozen states, so you don't really get to operate it on the cheap, but you wouldn't know it to read this article from the Dallas News ("Dallas County Commissioners pledge no tax increases amid budget deficit," June 4), where Kevin Krause reported that the county may slash the public defender budget to cut costs:Some ideas discussed Tuesday include self-imposed hiring freezes and cashing unclaimed tax refunds...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on June 04, 2008 (boomark / email).