http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills info@washingtonwatch.com http://www.pjdoland.com/chai/?v=0.1 http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#45993 I can understand big corporations asking for and receiving a government break when they earn millions. That's what happens in our country. What I don't understand is how the assistant public defenders and assistant public defenders who earn $70,000 to over $100,000.00 have the gaul and chutzpah to ask for and receive a the large hand out when there are a multiple of people who truly need the assistance. They're supposed to be the good guys. It's like they were in a car accident and received only a scratch where their buddy next to them is critically injured--when the paramedics arive they yell "Help me first!" What an attitude. As a taxpayer I'm not sure I want these kinds of people in government.... 45993@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:31:53 EST http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#45774 With respect to Ms. Dicianni's comment above, it is unfortunate that President Obama will not be given an opportunity to use his scalpel on this bill which could have been good for America if it did not contain wasteful spending on highly paid attorneys. W already signed the bill. The problem could have been corrected to cover only underpaid attorneys instead of essentially every assistant states attorney in America. In Cook County, Illinios, for instance attorneys with not even 10 years of experience who work for these offices earn over $100,000.00 yet they will be receiving the $60,000.00 government handout. If you want to do something about it--Dick Dubin of Illinois spearheaded this government waste program. He's up for relection. If your in Illinois and reading this, please do the right thing and vote against Dick Durbin, the Illinois King of Pork, and against government waste.... 45774@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:56:54 EST http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#45615 This John R. Justice Bill which has become part of the amendments to the Higher Education Act is would be a good candidate for President Obama's scalpel. The waste could be taken out rather than taking an axe to the bill. Our congress has to stop passing silly bills-like this one in the first place. Is there any justification to spend money on welfare for the (relatively)wealthy state's attorneys and public defender's. The aid should be limited to the (relatively) few government attorneys in communities where their salaries are low and there are no significant increases. If the goal of the bill is to help underserved communites why give the same aid to the attorneys in New York and Chicago as the attorneys in rural Illinois and West Virginia?... 45615@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:47:17 EDT http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#45125 It is interesting that the people supporting this bill have a personal financial stake. No one is arguing that government attorneys can't use extra $. However, the point that, in general, they're in a better financial position than other people who also serve the public good-social workers, private attorneys you name it is well taken. In these troubled times what is the justification to give all assistant public defenders and states attorneys the $60,000.00 break? Why not spend the money on social workers, private attorneys who do public service and earn less on average for example? The criteria for aid seems to be geared to advance the special intests and political career of the supporters while not giving the general public value for their tax dollars. The criteria should not be who lobbies the best.... 45125@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:46:12 EDT http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#40286 PD's in NJ are State employees, with salaries oftentimes higher than the county prosecutors. Low end is $52k, up to $105k. I'm at $71k right now, less than 5 years.... 40286@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:20:37 EDT http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#40267 You know I graduated from law school over a decade ago and I still have $100K in student loans. Where was the help when I was a new attorney living in a studio apartment and having to defer my loans (and a huge capitalized long-run expense to me) in order to do public interest work. I still can't afford to buy a house where I live. I've been a renter my entire professional life. So I make a decent salary now, but you better believe it is fair to give me some student loan relief to make up for the YEARS of financial sacrifice I have put in already. Unlike the student loan interest tax deduction (which didn't exist for years after I graduated, so I couldn't benefit from it), this law has the promise of maybe making up for some of the monetary hits people like me have been taking for years.... 40267@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:29:20 EDT http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#39981 My story: 9 years as attorney, 6 as ADA, make $49k, have not received pay increase in 3 years. $55k in loans. With inflation at 3-4%, I can afford my job for another 18 months. If you want the trial for the guy that raped/murdered/assaulted your loved one to be by a brand-new prosecutor, by all means, buy into the "$80K" crap, and don't support the bill. Just don't come crying to me when the Defendant walks because the prosecutor was not experienced enough to get the conviction.... 39981@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Sun, 10 Aug 2008 03:27:52 EDT http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#38512 Are you guys serious with this 80K a year average nonsense???? IN NYC, arguably the busiest area in the nation for crime, the ADA's and Public Defenders do not start anywhere near 80K, nor do most ADAS or Public defenders ever see 80K as their salary. They hardly ever get raises. They start at 50K, and usually hover in that area for 3 or more years. Compare that to working at a firm in NYC where the starting salary could be as high as 165K. Gimme a break. They are by far the lowest paid lawyers in town. This bill helps a lot.... 38512@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:14:35 EDT http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#36001 As a public defender who makes less than $36,000 per year I applaud this, our director makes about $80,000.00 per year but he has been doing this for thirty years. We work thirty hours per week for them and then have to work another 30 hours per week to pay the bills. Chicago is the exception, not the rule for most of us, I have to cover my own health insurance and have NO retirement, a little relief in paying my student loans, exceeding $90,000.00 even after 9 years in practice.... 36001@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Fri, 30 May 2008 20:14:25 EDT http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#31600 With two working adults (prosecutor and teacher) in NJ we are barely making it. The bill is a MUST.... 31600@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:12:43 EDT http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#30893 Jill, There is a link to the bill at the top of this page: http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#30864 I think the cap is $10,000 per year with a total cap of $60,000... 30893@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Mon, 25 Feb 2008 18:27:11 EST http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#30864 Being a second year law student who will have over 85 grand in loans upon graduation, the passing of this bill will be critical to my decision to go into the public sector. If it passes I would love to take a job as a prosecutor, if it doesn't pass I honestly don't see myself taking the job as the starting salary in Georgia will be less than $40,000. The passage of this bill will allow less privileged law students to consider entering the public sector. I just don't think it's fair to see so many young lawyers struggle to make ends meet while working for the government. Speaking from first hand experience, the majority of students who consider taking jobs in the public sector are those on scholarship or those who have someone else paying for law school and this just shouldn't be the case.... 30864@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Mon, 25 Feb 2008 12:05:34 EST http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#30147 According to "Steve" who posted a commnet on the Washington Watch page regarding the college cost reduction act, there is a cap of $65,000.00. Can anyone verify this.... 30147@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Mon, 04 Feb 2008 19:12:13 EST http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#30139 Check the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. There is a $40,000 gap between the average salary for assistant public defenders and assistant tate's attorneys, and the lowest paid assistant state's attorneys and assistant public defenders. There is no doubt that in Alabama and Georgia the average salary for these attorneys is not close the average nationwide salary. My question is why include the relatively higher paid attorneys with the lower paid attorneys when providing Federal aid? It does not help the lower paid folks to give a higher paid attorneys the break as well, and could hurt the goal of encouraging attorneys to practice in areas where attorneys have not been paid so much (because the pay gap remains the same since the $10,000 yearly break applies everywhere). And--in regions where public defenders and state's attorneys are alread well paid, i only encourages people who have no care or concern about public service to obtain or keep these jobs.... 30139@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:16:40 EST http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#30032 Ted, could you please tell us where you get your figures from? I don't know whether they are right or wrong for the country as a whole but I do know the average PD salary in Georgia is nowhere near $80,000.... 30032@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Thu, 31 Jan 2008 07:04:51 EST http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#30015 If this bill is not pre election special interest spending, I don't understand the reason behind this bill. Why are all public defenders and state's attorneys, with their $80,000 average salary, which is about double what the average American earns, and a greater average salary than the typical career private attorney, being given a $10,000.00 break. It seems this bill could only damage the public interest by adding to the deficit without any public benefit. What ever happened to ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country. This bill reaks of trickel down economics which doesn't work.... 30015@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Wed, 30 Jan 2008 19:46:55 EST http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#25880 Pete, Is there any reason DOJ, who is administering the money if I remember correctly, couldn't implement needs testing? I had always assumed that is what they would do since $25 million at $10k per person would only cover 2,500 attorneys.... 25880@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Sun, 30 Dec 2007 18:05:04 EST http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#25873 The problem with this bill is that unlike similar bills for teachers, firefighters, and attorneys who are not asas and assitant pds is that there is no needs requirement in this bill. There are many people in all profession who are in similar situation as TPD above who will not receive any aid, while many asa's and assitatn pd's earn high salaries relative both to the rest of America and to the legal profession and will receive the extra $60k. If the politicians cared to be senible they would craft a bill to benefit folks based on need. Its seems that a terrible precedent is now set and aid is based on lobby efforts alone.... 25873@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Sun, 30 Dec 2007 16:36:24 EST http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#25457 I think the point is that assistant public defenders and states attorneys already earn on average $10,000.00 per year more than attorneys in the private sector. The loan problem is not unique to these higher paid attorneys. Meanwhile, there a people who legitamately need government aid. I think either the bill has not been signed by GWB yet, or it has just been signed as part of an umnibus Christmas spending package where GWB gets his pork war dollars and congress gets its pork spending all at the expense of the general public.... 25457@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Wed, 26 Dec 2007 12:55:47 EST http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#24849 It passed in the house on 5-15-07. Check out the following link: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-916 It was attached as an Amendment to S. 1642 (The Higher Education Amendments of 2007) and was passed on 7-24-07. Check out the following two links for that: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s110-1642 and http://www.govtrack.us/congress/amendment.xpd?session=110&amdt=s2377 The whole legislative process give me somewhat of a headache but I think this means that it has passed and needs only to be funded. Of course, I could be wrong.... 24849@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Mon, 17 Dec 2007 22:32:35 EST http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#24811 Has anyone heard the latest status of the bill? The last I heard was May 16, 2007: Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 149. With every passing month, it looks less likely this will pass. I am an ADA in Alabama and an heard a rumor that it would not be reached. Personally, I have been with the DA's office six years and make 49k a year. My student loans are over $800 a month. I've been unable to afford buying a home and drive the same car from college barely able to afford repairs. My wife, kids and I had to make it through all last week with $20 in the bank account until payday. I love my job and this bill gave me hope that I would be able to remain. Does someone have any new information on the status of the bill?... 24811@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Mon, 17 Dec 2007 16:43:13 EST http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#23643 There is intrinsic value in having competent DA’s/PD’s, and we must pay them accordingly. What is the value to the general public in having one more private law firm? Whatever the value, certainly it isn’t so great that government funds should go to private firms instead of government prosecutors/defenders. If a firm cannot pay you what you need, that firm is failing and the market can deal with it. If a firm can (but won’t) pay you what you need, why should the government subsidize that business practice? Government attorneys do not bill by the hour the way that private firms do. It takes legislative action for us to get a pay raise. We can’t just charge our clients more or change our business plan. Private firms should not be given federal aid just because they can’t compete. These are businesses; let the market deal with it. Finally, if the pay at these private firms is so low, leave! Come work for the government, since we are paid so well already!... 23643@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Sat, 24 Nov 2007 13:07:11 EST http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#23642 I fully support this bill, and the claim that small private firms need this aid more than prosecutors/PD’s is absurd. Private firms participate in a market; if new lawyers are not satisfied with their small firm pay, they can go to another firm, or go solo. There is no comparable market for government work; you can’t be a “solo” prosecutor/PD, and there usually are not competing prosecutor’s offices within the same jurisdiction. Private firms are profit-driven, and if a private firm isn’t paying you what you are worth, you switch to a private firm that can pay you what you need. In contrast, lawyers committed to government service as DA’s/PD’s but who need more money, can switch counties (but they will likely face the same problem) or go private. Meanwhile, the public suffers.... 23642@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Sat, 24 Nov 2007 13:05:30 EST http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#22605 this bill would be a life saver for me. Federal Prosecutors already have this perk, and our Senator Voinovich has intro'd a bill that would make this perk for Federal Prosecutors not be counted as 'taxable' income. what really needs to happen folks, is major reforms for student lending. Sallie Mae is way out of control...student loans are virtually never dischargable in bankruptcy, and collectors are not bound by the same rules as other lenders.... 22605@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Tue, 30 Oct 2007 05:20:24 EDT http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_442.html#21737 Maynard Saxby has it wrong. The National Republicans have decided not put much funding in the 2008 race against Durbin. If your from Illinois, against this bill and Dick Durbin's approach to student loan reform, and want to Dump Durbin in 2008 the best way may be to vote against Durbin in the Democratic primary.... 21737@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Mon, 24 Sep 2007 12:58:32 EDT