State Senator Jim Seward announced Thursday that he is co-sponsoring newly introduced legislation to aid counties in paying mandated salary increases for full time district attorneys. Salary increases for local full time district attorneys are tied to increases for judicial pay and set by the New York State Commission of Legislative, Judicial, and Executive Compensation.  In the past, the State has funded the DA salary increases in the State budget; however, costs associated with recently adopted raises were not part of the governor’s 2016-17 budget proposal or the final adopted budget. Senate bill 7408 would provide 100 percent state aid to counties to cover the increase in salary costs – approximately $30,000 per county or $1.57 million statewide. The bill has been referred to the Senate Local Government Committee.

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