Sponsor: County Attorney's Office
Title
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2025 Budget Adjustment for the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office
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Recommendation
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Authorize the County Manager to transfer up to $750,000 from the General Fund fund balance to the Attorney’s Office 2025 operating budget for salary and benefit costs, professional services, and attorney services and administrative costs.
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Background and Rationale
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In 2025, the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office (Attorney’s Office) is projected to exceed available appropriations by $3.2 million or 5.8% of the total expenditures, primarily due to increased salary and benefit costs associated with prosecutorial duties of the Attorney’s Law Office. This request is a one-time authorization for a transfer of funds to the 2025 budget and does not increase the Attorney’s Office budget in future years.
During 2025, the Attorney’s ’s Office, Office of Safety & Justice, and Finance met to review spending and monitor the budget, including reviewing quarterly year-end projections. Throughout the year, the Attorney’s Office worked toward reducing the amount that would be needed at year end by managing its spending throughout the year, leveraging grants and other revenue sources, and engaging in other efforts to manage the 2025 budget.
Throughout 2025, the personnel services budget was monitored closely. Even though the office has experienced a significant number of vacancies, the personnel services budget is approximately $2.7 million over budget. Additionally, professional services is projected to be over budget by approximately $500,000 due to costs for executing the prosecutorial duties of the Attorney’s Office. Specifically, significant caseloads continue to be experienced by the County Attorney’s Office and has resulted in increased costs for: outside counsel, investigative support for the prosecution teams, process services and attorney and administrative services costs for the Child Support Program.
The total expenditure deficit of $3.2 million for 2025 in the Attorney’s Office is off-set by approximately $2.0 million in revenue that is expected to be received above the approved 2025 Attorney’s Office revenue budget and a budget transfer of $450,000 from the approved county budget for anticipated personnel services expenditures.
The Attorney’s Office is now requesting up to $750,000 from the General Fund fund balance. The requested transfer is an up to amount to ensure adequate authority exists to cover all outstanding costs and close the books for the county for budget year 2025. The Attorney’s Office will work with Finance to finalize all transfers.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☐ Prosperity ☐ Opportunity ☒ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
Effective and transparent use of taxpayer dollars is critical to ensuring trust, accountability and transparency for Ramsey County and the Attorney’s Office. As an entity that disproportionately engages with communities of color in its work, racial equity can only be advanced by the Attorney’s Office through trust, transparency and accountability regarding the allocation and use of its authorized resources.
Community Participation Level and Impact
For this 2025 budget adjustment, the community participation level is to inform. However, there have been many opportunities for community to share input on the county’s budget during every biennial budget development process. Community input on spending priorities and results are always welcomed and encouraged.
☒ Inform ☐ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
For reference, the 2025 approved levy, before approved negotiated bargaining increases, was $33.89 million for the County Attorney’s budget. This action will reduce the county reserves; however, the county will remain in compliance with its fund balance policy.
Last Previous Action
On December 17, 2024, the Ramsey County Board authorized the County Manager and the Chief Financial Officer to transfer up to $1,000,000 to the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office 2024 budget from the General Fund fund balance (Resolution B2024-281).
Attachments
None.