CHENANGO COUNTY - County officials are putting pressure on the New York legislature to assist in the cost of a state mandated $22,800 raise for the county’s District Attorney.

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 previous years, 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 budget that was adopted in April. And since a raise wasn’t anticipated when the county adopted its budget back in January, local taxpayers are left to pick up the unexpected tab.

Chenango County Board of Supervisors Chairman Lawrence Wilcox said it’s typical to see troublesome issues when the timing of the local and state budgets don’t line up.

“It really is quite an imposition four months into our budget year to make that kind of change,” said Wilcox, noting that county officials are currently working with state representatives to have the DA’s salary increase reimbursed by the state.

The DA’s raise brings that position’s salary from the $152,500 that was adopted in the Chenango County 2016 budget, to a current salary of $175,300. A resolution authorizing appropriation of funds for the increase was passed by the Chenango County Board of Supervisors last month.