State Bar Fees and Other Hidden Costs
In regard to the story, “D.A. Settles With State Bar Over Membership Fees” on July 20, I may be naive, but I was shocked to read that the Ventura County district attorney’s office pays the individual county prosecutors’ $478 annual dues for membership in the State Bar for a total of more than $37,000. I’m happy to know that the district attorney’s office will now get about $231 back.
I can understand the probable practice of large law firms, which operate for profit, paying their attorneys’ fees. But it distresses me to hear that a nonprofit government office is paying these individual fees for its prosecutors.
Now I’m wondering how many other hidden costs are in the budget. I’m also beginning to understand why the county is having financial problems and why the Board of Supervisors is calling for a 5% cut across the board.
It doesn’t seem right that we taxpayers are not only paying the salaries of the prosecutors but are also paying their dues to the State Bar.
ISABEL BEDOLFE, Oak View
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