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Tax cuts mean hundreds go free Jo County DA hopes voters approve money boost Sept. 19 The Associated Press GRANTS PASS � Voters in May slashed Josephine County�s taxes by $18 million over three years, but it also reduced by one-third the number of criminals who can be prosecuted. Hundreds of suspected criminals are escaping trial while District Attorney Clay Johnson waits for voters to approve a $369,000 property tax increase on Sept. 19. The money would restore three prosecutors and two legal secretaries who were let go after the cuts in May. Meanwhile, Johnson has slashed his maximum load to 250 new cases per month � down from about 400. He is forced to prioritize suspected criminals, letting go those who have no criminal records or whose victims are unwilling to testify. "I don�t think citizens quite understand what�s happening yet. But when the cases get older, I expect to hear more dissatisfaction," Johnson said. The $369,000 tax would cover only the DA�s office, and only until the fiscal year concludes in June 2001. The Sept. 19 ballot also will propose a $1.96 million property tax to make up for similar cuts in the Sheriff�s Office for the rest of the fiscal year. Voters would be defeating themselves by passing only the sheriff�s levy, Johnson maintains, because additional sheriff�s deputies would end up sending him more cases he can�t afford to prosecute. Ballots were mailed to voters on Friday. Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA