Attorney General Matt Denn has lobbied state lawmakers for months to approve his $36 million plan to help fight the immediate and underlying effects of crime.
But the money, which came from two legal settlements, has been seen by some as a way to help alleviate short-term budget pressures.
After the Joint Finance Committee recessed last week, they’re still down $64.7 million from the governor’s recommended budget.
The attorney general’s office got a fraction of its request from JFC for a similar settlement plan in 2014, but Denn says he hasn’t put a number to what he’d consider a success.
“I haven’t tried to gauge what percentage would cause us to declare victory," said Denn. "Our focus, at this point, is continuing to let the committee know how important we think it is and hoping that they decide to allocate it in the way that we’ve suggested.”
There is hope that some programs may be funded, which include hiring more teachers for high-need elementary schools and increased foot patrols in Wilmington neighborhoods.
Denn has never publicly disclosed which programs he would prioritize, but notes some are more time sensitive than others.
“For example, the monies that we would use for neighborhood foot patrol for neighborhood foot patrols for Wilmington police officers, [the money we would use] for summer programs for juveniles. The summer is effectively here already,” Denn said.
JFC co-chair Sen. Harris McDowell continues to reject using one-time money for operating costs. All final budget decisions will be made at the end of June.
