TD City Council defunds Wasco DA office; ‘It’s not personal'; It's typical

The Dalles City Council voted unanimously to stop paying the Wasco County District Attorney’s Office some $90,000 annually at its regular meeting on Jan. 22. DA Ellis said the loss of that amount would lead to eliminating a staff position in his office.

By Tom Peterson

The Dalles, Ore., Jan. 26, 2024 — The Dalles City Council voted unanimously to stop funding the Wasco County District Attorney’s Office with more than $90,000 in the upcoming fiscal year.

Wasco County District Attorney Matthew Ellis

The result could lead to the loss of an attorney in the prosecutor’s office, which means there would be fewer people to level charges in cases if Wasco County does not backfill the funding. 

Wasco County District Attorney Matthew Ellis, who attended and spoke at the council meeting on Jan. 22, did not appear surprised by the action as most cities in Oregon do not fund District Attorney offices.

The burden of financing the office typically lands on county government. The DA is the only position in the agency funded by the State of Oregon.

About 60 percent of all cases handled by The DA’s office are referred from The Dalles City Police, Ellis told Council. 

He also gave the Council this report outlining the impacts of the decision if $90,000 is lost in funding.

“Regardless of the Council’s decision, Wasco County District Attorney will work closely with our city partners, and make all efforts to continue to review and prosecute all the referrals that come to the office,” he said. 

Politically Motivated?

City Staff, Councilors, and Mayor Rich Mays, who has publicly said he would like to see Ellis replaced, said the decision was strictly budget-based and was not politically motivated.

May’s wishes for Ellis’ replacement became mute last week when Ellis threw his hat in the ring for the Hood River District Attorney seat. Elections will be held this May. Kara Davis has announced her bid for the Wasco County DA.

Why did the city make payments to the DA’s Office at all?  

Five years ago, the Council agreed to fund the DA’s office ‘long-term’ with an intergovernmental agreement with the DA’s office because the city chose to eliminate its municipal court. That decision, in turn, sent more cases to the DA’s office.

The Budget Committee has another say 

Councilors made sure to include a caveat within the motion to defund that requires the city’s budget committee to consider funding for the DA during the next budget process this spring.

The decision by the council to defund had to be made before February as time was running out because the payment agreement automatically renewed in February.