Lafayette Live: LCG Council Votes To Cut 15th JDC Funding (Audio)
An ongoing battle between the City-Parish Government and District Attorney Keith Stutes will continue in court after the council voted to cut $500,000 of funding from the parish budget.
The council voted 7-1 to cut the funding to Stutes' office, with councilman William Theriot being the only dissenting vote.
LCG Council Chairman Jay Castille said with the council is facing a hole in funding the parish government and cutting the 15th JDC was the only item that the council could make immediate cuts to.
We looked at the funds that he [District Attorney Keith Stutes] is taking in. and the Criminal Court Fund," Castille recounted. "There seems to be a sizeable amount of money that can be used to subsidize his department--like the old DA had done.
Stutes filed a suit against the council last month that says the City-Parish Government is required, by mandate, to fund the 15th JDC.
The issue heads to the Lafayette Parish Courthouse on June 14, Castille said.
The salaries and benefits that Stutes is asking the council to fund was covered by internal discretionary funds.
Castille said the council's decision to cut the DA's funding was not an easy decision--but it was also not a personal one.
If a judge decides that LCG must return the funds that were cut, Castille said he is unsure of where the funds may come from to cover the expense.