Primary Department: Management and Budget
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Daniel Ramos, Executive Director
Secondary Department: District Attorney
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official: Sean Teare
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Financial Authorization
Project ID (if applicable):
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable):
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable):
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable):
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable):
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): Choose an item.
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request for approval to transfer 30 ARPA positions to the General Fund and a corresponding supplemental budget transfer of $2.6M for the District Attorney’s Office.
end
Background and Discussion:
The District Attorney’s Office (DAO) has been a recipient of ARPA funding for several years to assist with reducing the court backlog, improving evidence management, and triaging upcoming judicial matters. In 2022-2024, the DAO expensed $5.1M, $11.4M, and $9M, respectively, in labor. In FY25, the demand for this work continues, but the District Attorney’s Office was approved for only $1.4M in ARPA funding, and those funds have been depleted as of January 2025. Additionally, the department’s FY25 budget did not account for moving ARPA positions to the General Fund.
There are currently 30 filled positions which have a total annual cost of $3.9M, and a prorated cost of $2,547,986.44 (assuming a transfer date effective January 25, 2025). It’s important to note that the $3.9M amount includes the $2,500 base salary increase for 14 eligible employees. All 30 of these positions are extremely important for the DAO to keep operations at a high standard.
Expected Impact:
The work being performed by the previously ARPA-funded employees continues to benefit Harris County by providing enough prosecutors and support staff to effectively and efficiently adjudicate allegations of criminal conduct. The expected cost for FY2025 is $2,547,986.44.
Alternative Options:
Without the requested funding amount, the department will be required to layoff personnel critical to the administration of justice.
County Strategic Plan Goal: 1. Make Harris County safer and more just.
County Strategic Plan Objective: E: Increase efficiency across the legal system.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): Choose an item.
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): Choose an item.
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): Choose an item.
Health Initiative (Goal 4): Choose an item.
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): Choose an item.
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): Choose an item.
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any):
|
Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
|
10/12/2021 |
18 |
Request for discussion and possible action on the criminal case backlog including 1) update on the status of initiatives to reduce the backlog; 2) request to provide $657,465 in ARPA funding for 31 temporary positions to process evidence at the DA as well as 3 programmer positions effective October 23, 2021, while they finalize the technology improvements needed to create a permanent solution; 3) request to approve $1,637,519 in ARPA funding and positions for Associate Judges for the District Criminal Courts effective January 7, 2022. |
|
9/13/2022 |
13 |
Approved ARPA allocation for continuation and expansion of Court Backlog reduction activities; $12,502,078 to DAO |
|
6/6/2023 |
363 |
Approved ARPA allocation for continuation and expansion of Court Backlog reduction activities; $10,132,902 to DAO |
|
12/5/2023 |
23-7192 |
Approval to use existing ARPA triage funding for DA Intake; $725,662.08 |
|
10/8/2024 |
24-6237 |
Approved ARPA allocation to continue Court Backlog activities in FY2025; $1,400,000 |
Location: Criminal Justice Center
Address (if applicable): 1201 Franklin St., Houston, TX 77002
Precinct(s): Precinct 1
|
Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
|
Service Name |
|
|
|
|
Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
|
|
Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
Recurring Expenses |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
Existing Budget |
|
|
|
|
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Total Existing Budget |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
|
|
1000 - General Fund |
$2,547,986.44 |
$ |
$2,547,986.44 |
$ 3,897,172.44 |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Total Additional Budget Request |
$2,547,986.44 |
$ |
$2,547,986.44 |
$ 3,897,172.44 |
|
Total Funding Sources |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Grants - Proposed Budget (For Grants Items only) |
|
|
Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
No. of Grant Years |
|
Local Match Source - Existing Budget: Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
Local Match Source - Additional Budget Request: Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total) |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
|
|
Current Position Count for Service |
872 |
- |
872 |
872 |
|
Additional Positions Request |
30 |
- |
30 |
30 |
|
Total Personnel |
902 |
- |
902 |
902 |
Anticipated Court Date: 1/23/2025
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): 1/25/2025
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Choose an item.
Contact(s) name, title, department: Daniel Ramos, Executive Director, OMB
Attachments (if applicable):