Wayne County cuts: Safety at risk?
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy says she's being dealt a tough hand with layoffs in her office.
ACROBATS, MORE IN THE 6:00 HOUR. BACK TO YOU. Guy: NOW TO THE DEVELOPING STORY IMPACTING THOUSANDS ACROSS METRO DETROIT. WE'VE GOT WAYNE COUNTY PROSECUTOR KYM WORTHY SAYING THAT THE LAYOFFS ARE PUTTING FAMILIES IN DANGER. Rhonda: AND SHE WILL ADDRESS THE WHOLE COUNTY TODAY. WE HAVE A PREVIEW OF WHAT SERVICES HAVE BEEN CUT AND HOW IT COULD AFFECT ALL OF US. GOOD MORNING! Shawn: WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW AND WHAT PEOPLE MAY BE ASKING AND WE'RE CERTAINLY ASKING THIS MORNING, HOW SHE DOESN'T HAVE A PROSECUTOR TO WALK ACROSS OVER TO 36th DISTRICT COURT AND GO TO TRAFFIC COURT. TWO ALLEGED DRUNK DRIVERS WERE THROWN OUT OF COURT YESTERDAY, GOT BACK IN THEIR CARS AND LEFT VERY HAPPY BECAUSE NO PROSECUTORS SHOWED UP IN THE MIDST OF BUDGET CUTS. IT'S A BATTLE BETWEEN WAYNE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ROBERT FICANO AND THE COUNTY'S HIGH-POWERED PROSECUTOR KYM WORTHY. CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE, YOUR SAFETY. COUNTY GOVERNMENT INSIDERS SAY WORTHY IS SPENDING BEYOND HER MEANS AND IS ALREADY A MILLION DOLLARS OVER BUDGET THIS YEAR. WORTHY SAYS BUDGET CUTS HAS FORCED HER TO LAY OFF 23 ATTORNEYS, 3 INVESTIGATORS AND 1 CLERICAL STAFF MEMBER. WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS WEEK IS HARD TO BELIEVE. THE PROSECUTOR SAYS SHE NOW CAN'T STAFF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURT AND HASN'T STAFFED TRAFFIC COURT AT 36th DISTRICT COURT ALL WEEK. IT'S UNCLEAR WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THOSE CASES. ROBERT FICANO'S TAKE ON THIS: IT'S UNFORTUNATE SHE IS USING SCARE TACTICS AS A COVER FOR HER DEFICIT SPENDING AND HER LACK OF RESPONSE TO THE PROPOSAL. FICANO SAYS WORTHY WAS PUT ON NOTICE LAST YEAR TO CUT 20% FROM HER BUDGET. FICANO HIMSELF IS CATCHING HEAT FOR TRYING TO HIGHER A NEW DRIVER FOR $55,000, A FORMER COUNTY EMPLOYEE WHO WILL NOW BE DOUBLE-DIPPING, TAKING A PENSION AND A COUNTY SALARY. BACK HERE LIVE, PROSECUTOR WORTHY WILL BE TELLING HER SIDE OF THIS AT A 10 A.M. NEWS CONFERENCE. LOCAL 4 WILL HAVE IT FOR YOU. YOU CAN WATCH IT LIVE ON CLICKONDETROIT.COM. PLENTY OF QUESTIONS HERE, ESPECIALLY WITH COURTROOMS WAITING FOR PROSECUTORS TO SHOW UP. AND THIS IS WORTHY SAYING SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE MANPOWER TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. LIVE DOWNTOWN, SHAWN LEY, LOCAL 4. Guy: MEANTIME, THE STATE IS LOOKING AT WAYNE COUNTY'S
