Potter County Today
Potter County Commissioners continue to await payment from the state for its
share of District Attorney Andy Watson’s salary. Act 57 of 2005 obligates the
state to pay the 65 percent of a full-time DA’s salary, which was increased by
the state government to $182,184 in 2019. By law, the District Attorney’s salary
is $1,000 less than the salary of a county’s President Judge. When those
payments lag, the county covers the entire cost, a situation that does not sit
well with commissioners across the state.
The commissioners this week received a long-overdue payment of $116,544 from
the state as reimbursement for the D.A’s 2018 salary. Another $118,420 is due
for 2019. According to a spokesman for the Office of Attorney General, the
Criminal Justice Enhancement Account does not have enough funds to reimburse the
full amount in a timely manner. As the funds continue to accumulate in the
account, the state will make at least a partial payment for the overdue 2019
reimbursement.
