Announcing two layoffs in his office last Friday, Lewis County Prosecutor Michael Golden will ask the people where to allocate resources as he looks ahead to the 2010 budget.

    The office is expected to lose more than $480,000 of its total expenditures budget 2010, as compared to 2009’s estimated numbers, according to a budget report released last week.

    But Golden won’t be asking for more.

    “These are hard times, and nobody in government can complain about cuts right now,” he said.

    But he said he still needs help. The prosecutor’s office will request a citizen committee “within the next couple of weeks” to ask for help allocating the office’s resources next year.

    That includes asking the people what crimes his office should focus on prosecuting. For example, the office pursues every sex offender who fails to register when they’re scheduled to, giving them extended sentences with no exceptions. He asked if the community agrees with him allocating resources to the policy.

    “And what about property crimes, identity theft and others?” he said. “We don’t have the resources next year. How are we going to prosecute these cases?”

    Two paralegals were laid off last Friday as a new, automatic electronic ticketing system goes live with some law enforcement agencies Nov. 1. The office has to automate what it can to save money, Golden said.

    Still, deputy prosecutors can’t be automated, and Golden said he hopes he can save all his lawyers’ jobs next year.

    The cuts aren’t surprising to some. The county and the Twin Cities are reporting budget shortfalls next year.

    Chehalis City Manager Merlin MacReynold said he expects a 20 to 30 percent cut next year, which could mean layoffs citywide and in fire and law enforcement.

    Andy Campbell: (360) 807-8208