Supervisors reject DA’s request for five additional staff positions
By Camille DeVaul · Thu Jun 18 2026
Board cites competing priorities and fiscal uncertainty despite concerns over elder abuse prosecutions and rising caseloads
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — San Luis Obispo County Supervisors convened Monday, June 8, for the 2026-27 Fiscal Year Recommended Budget hearing, ultimately rejecting a request from the District Attorney’s Office for additional staffing despite weeks of discussion over workload pressures, funding sources, and long-term capacity needs.
The decision came after San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow requested funding for five positions he described as critical to meeting rising caseloads and increasingly complex legal mandates.
Dow previously addressed the Board of Supervisors on May 19, requesting funding for five new or restored positions within his office: a paralegal, victim witness advocate, administrative assistant, felony deputy district attorney, and an elder abuse vertical prosecutor. He described the positions as both restorative and preventative in nature — three restoring capacity cuts in prior budget cycles and two addressing emerging caseload demands.
During that meeting, Dow said the estimated cost of $857,839 was necessary to keep pace with growing state mandates, evolving legal requirements, and increased prosecution demands across the county.
Among the positions highlighted was a dedicated elder abuse vertical prosecutor, which Dow said was increasingly necessary given the county’s aging population and the rise in dependent adult abuse cases.
"I am not advocating for me. I am advocating for your District Attorney’s Office team of justice professionals who are passionate about our mission: to bring justice and safety to our community by aggressively and fairly prosecuting crime and protecting the rights of crime victims," Dow reiterated to the Board of Supervisors.
However, at the June 8 hearing, county staff did not recommend approval of any new or reinstated positions. Staff did present limited funding options for three of the five positions, suggesting the use of opioid settlement funds and Proposition 172 public safety trust funds, which supervisors later turned down.
Those options would have supported the restored positions, but did not include funding for the elder abuse prosecutor or administrative assistant roles.
According to the county’s budget presentation, the District Attorney’s Office was recommended to receive a 3% budget increase, bringing its total FY 2026–27 allocation to approximately $28.3 million. However, these funds will support an approved county-wide wage increase given to existing positions.
During Monday’s hearing, Supervisor Bruce Gibson expressed concern about the effectiveness of current operations, citing court outcomes and efficiency.
"There's ample evidence among them of a very low conviction rate over at the courts across the street," Gibson said. "That office may not be deploying its resources as efficiently as it possibly can or as effectively."
The following morning, after the hearing, Dow's office issued a press release saying the county's felony conviction rate has remained strong and consistent over the past five fiscal years, ranging from 81.8% to 85.8%, while traffic misdemeanor conviction rates steadily increased from 76.2% in FY 2020–21 to 79.9% in FY 2024–25. According to data from the California Judicial Council, the DA's Office averaged an 83.3% felony conviction rate between FY 2021–22 and FY 2024–25, outperforming the statewide average of 75.5%. Traffic misdemeanor convictions also exceeded state averages, with SLO County averaging 77.2% compared to California's 69.3%.
"The profession of prosecution is one of the most rewarding callings in the law precisely because we are called to seek truth — not a particular outcome," Dow said in the press release. "We do not measure success by verdicts alone. We measure it by whether justice was done. Equally rewarding is the profound privilege of serving and supporting crime victims who have often endured the most difficult moments of their lives. They come to us at their most vulnerable, and they deserve our respect, our kindness, and our most passionate, fair advocacy. Every case we bring is an act of service — to the victim, to the community, and to the truth."
The reports can be found at slocounty.ca.gov/departments/district-attorney
During the hearing, Supervisors Dawn Ortiz-Legg and Supervisor Jimmy Paulding joined Gibson to voice concerns about prioritization.
"We have this uncertainty coming from the federal government," Ortiz-Legg said.
Paulding emphasized the need to support the Nipomo Sheriff's substation.
“We need to make that a priority,” Paulding said.
Supervisor John Peschong made a motion to approve the District Attorney’s additional staffing requests, with support from Supervisor Heather Moreno. Additionally, Peschong argued the elder abuse prosecutor position was especially important given demographic trends.
"We shouldn't lose the fact that we have elderly in our community right now that are being taken advantage of, and we need a prosecutor," Peschong said. "This is not a lot of money we're talking about. I've been on this board where we have sat up here and spent millions of dollars that were outside of the budget and brought back into it, and there was actually a board member who participated in that."
The motion ultimately failed in a 3-2 vote.
Following the failed motion, Paulding moved to approve the staff-recommended budget and requested that county staff return with a staffing plan for the Nipomo substation once construction is completed, currently targeted for 2028.
That motion passed, with supervisors also directing staff to incorporate opioid settlement funds into the county’s broader strategic planning process.
With the budget now approved, the District Attorney’s Office will move forward without the additional requested positions, though supervisors left the door open for future adjustments through strategic planning and mid-year budget review processes.