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Macejko rebukes Gains over $197K in pay raises
YOUNGSTOWN
With more than a year to go until next year’s Democratic primary, city Prosecutor Jay Macejko is sounding like a candidate to challenge Paul J. Gains for the Mahoning County prosecutor’s job.
Although he hasn’t declared his candidacy, Macejko, a lifelong Democrat, said he is considering running for that job, and if he runs, it will be in the Democratic primary.
“I am considering it, but there’s been no decision made yet. I have decided to sit back and talk with my family and other people in the community whose opinions I value,” he added.
Gains, a Democrat who has been county prosecutor since 1997, said he will run for a fifth four-year term as county prosecutor next year.
In a Friday afternoon news conference in front of the county jail, which he announced on city prosecutor’s letterhead stationery, Macejko characterized Gains’ recent granting of $197,000 worth of raises to his assistant prosecutors as “fiscal irresponsibility in these precarious economic times.”
Macejko said he decided to have the news conference because Gains has said raises are necessary to retain veteran assistant county prosecutors, who, on average, are being paid less than their colleagues in the city and in the Trumbull County prosecutor’s office.
“Paul Gains has granted these windfalls to his loyalists at a time when 214 beds in this facility remain unoccupied due to the layoffs,” with 53 deputies currently on furlough, Macejko said. “These are 214 beds that could be used to house criminals, who rob, burglarize, shoot and kill people.
“Mahoning County does not need better-paid lawyers. Mahoning County needs deputies.”
Macejko urged Gains to: “Do the right thing and rescind the raises.”
Macejko acknowledged that he earns $68,000 a year, and none of his assistant prosecutors earn less than $60,000 annually. Neither he nor any of his senior assistant prosecutors have received raises in more than three years, however, he said.
“If you compare his top-level staff to top-level staff at the city, they blow us away,” Macejko said.
City prosecutors try misdemeanor cases; county prosecutors try felony cases.
Gains earns about $115,000 a year, unchanged from last year. His salary is set by state law.
Rebecca Doherty, an assistant county prosecutor, received a 22 percent increase to $81,000 a year when she was recently promoted to criminal-division chief. Doherty succeeded Robert E. Bush Jr., who left to become director of the county Job and Family Services.
After Macejko’s outdoor event, Gains replied in his own news conference in his office, where Macejko was an assistant prosecutor under Gains before becoming city prosecutor.
“Apparently, the campaign for Mahoning County prosecutor has already started earlier than the presidential campaign,” Gains said.
Characterizing Macejko’s written statement as a “manifesto,” Gains said: “This is a 21/2-page document that took a substantial amount of time to write. ... I’m glad that he has the time to do this while city prosecutor.
“Since I’ve taken office, we have been putting more people in prison from this county than have ever been sent, and we’re continuing to do so, and I will continue to see that these people [criminals] go to prison, where they belong.”
Gains said he prefers to have fewer, better and more-productive prosecutors that he can retain with competitive salaries.
“I want my lawyers that have the experience here, that learn here; I want them to remain here, because that’s what benefits the people of Mahoning County — experienced, qualified lawyers,” Gains said.
Gains said the pay cuts for him and his staff through furlough days have ended. Pay cuts went from 15 percent to 10 percent Aug. 1 and ended Dec. 31, he said.
“Even with these increases [in pay], I have chosen not to fill 10 vacant attorney positions, and I have not filled 14 support-staff positions. No money is coming out of any other department to pay these lawyers,” he added. “We are doing more with less.”