State Owes Potter County $110,000 (And Counting)

State Owes Potter County $110,000 (And Counting)

Potter County Today

Potter County this month received a payment from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania of about $31,000, covering the final portion of the state’s long-overdue reimbursement of District Attorney’s 2011 salary. The state still owes Potter County $109,551 for 2012, representing 65 percent of the DA Andy Watson’s salary of $168,541. Another $111,976 will be due by year’s end, as the salary is now $172,271.

Act 57 of 2005 obligates the state to pay a portion. When those payments lag, the county has been covering the entire salary, a situation that does not sit well with the Potter County Board of Commissioners. Other counties with full-time district attorneys face a similar shortfall. According to a spokesman for the Office of Attorney General, “The Criminal Justice Enhancement Account does not currently have enough funds to reimburse the full amount . . . As the funds continue to accumulate in the account, we will begin to make partial payments for 2012.”