District Attorney

Total Expenses
$28,851,437
8%
1
Total Revenues
$6,979,806
-19%
2
General Fund Contribution
$19,976,631
10%
3
District Sales Tax Contribution
$0
0%
4
Other Fund Contributions
0
-100%
5
Funded Staffing
107.00
-3.00
6

Overview

Mission Statement

The District Attorney promotes and ensures public safety through ethical and just prosecution.

Department Overview

The District Attorney represents the People of the State of California in all criminal prosecutions in Santa Cruz County. The District Attorney’s Office (DAO) is responsible for filing criminal charges, appearing in court on all felony and misdemeanor cases, and representing the People in all trials and sentencing proceedings in the Superior Court of Santa Cruz. To fulfill its mandates, the DAO has three divisions: Criminal Prosecutions, Victim-Witness Assistance, and Consumer Protection.

Budget Summary

Department Budget Overview

Overall Budget Summary

The Proposed Budget recommends a reduction of staffing to 107.0 full-time-equivalent (FTE) positions, including negotiated salary and benefit increases. Appropriations total $28,851,437, funded by revenues of $6,979,806, a General Fund Contribution of $18,657,695, a one-time use of General Fund Reserves of $1,318,936, and a use of Other Fund Contributions of $1,895,000.

Compared to the prior year Adopted Budget, revenues decreased by $1,609,303, which is offset by a one-time transfer of restricted trust funds. Expenses increased by $2,035,976, including an increase of $1,554,007 in workforce costs for negotiated salaries and benefits to retain a trained and skilled workforce and remain competitive in the job market. The salary and benefit increases are partially offset by a staffing reduction of 3.0 FTE vacant positions by unfunding 1.0 Victim Services Representative, 1.0 Attorney III, and 1.0 Departmental Administrative Analyst.

Emerging Issues

Emerging Issues

Potential Federal Funding Risks: Federal funding remains uncertain due to a rapidly changing landscape. While no additional reductions are confirmed, future changes may impact the Victim-Witness Assistance Program and require service or staffing adjustments in Fiscal Year 2026-27 and beyond.

Federal Immigration Policies: Potential federal actions related to sanctuary policies remain unclear. Ongoing monitoring and legal review may increase workload and require additional resources to protect community members’ rights.

State Legislative Impacts: State mandates, including California Penal Code Section 741 requiring race-blind charging and additional case review, increase workload and operational complexity. Continued legislative changes may require further process adjustments and resources.

Department Operations and Performance

Divisions
Services
Criminal Prosecutions
Expenses
$26,687,697
Victim-Witness Assistance
Expenses
$1,502,392
Consumer Protection
Expenses
$661,348
Operational Plan Objectives and Accomplishments
This division supports various department objectives
Completed/Accomplishment
Proposed/In-Progress/Amended
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Services
Close
Objective

Major Budget Changes

Divison: Division Name
Sort By Division:
Major Changes Net FTE
Changes
2026-27 Ongoing Budget
Increase / (Decrease)
2026-27 One-time Budget
Increase / (Decrease)
Option

Budget Details

The charts below show department expenditures and revenues by division and service. Click on the pie charts to drill down for more detail. Complete detail can be found on the County's Transparency Portal.

Expenses by Service

Expenses and Revenues over time

Staffing Chart and Data

The chart below provides the department personnel detail by division, service, and classification.

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