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MADISON - Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen
said Wednesday he's trying to convince legislators to restore cuts to
the state Justice Department's budget.
Van Hollen, a Republican, is trying to
persuade the Legislature to rescind $5.4 million in cuts Democrats on
the Joint Finance Committee made to his agency's spending over the
2009-2011 budget.
Van Hollen said those cuts will force
him to layoff 80 people and could result in evidence backlogs at the
state crime labs, agency attorneys turning down cases and delays in
responding to local police's requests for help.
During a conference call with reporters
Wednesday, he said he has personally lobbied a number of lawmakers. He
spoke with Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville, Tuesday
evening. Sheridan didn't make him any promises, Van Hollen said, but
the attorney general said he felt confident Sheridan would help the
agency as Democrats review the budget this week.
Sheridan said in a statement he would
keep Van Hollen's concerns in mind, but the Justice Department always
has been well-funded and will have to "tighten its belt" as
the state grapples with a $6.6 billion deficit.
Van Hollen also said Justice Department
employees have been lobbying legislators as well. He said he hasn't
told them what to do, but he isn't discouraging them, either.
"These people are fighting for,
quite frankly, their jobs," Van Hollen said. "Far be it from
me to tell them they can't do that."
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