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First Posted: 2/28/2012 Amid layoffs in other Luzerne County government offices, Chief Public Defender Al Flora is publicly advertising for a new assistant.
County Interim Manager Tom Pribula said Flora requested the advertisement because it takes time to receive and process applications, though he did not give him permission to hire. That decision will be left to incoming County Manager Robert Lawton, Pribula said.
The 11-member county council had agreed with Pribula's recommendation for a hiring freeze to continue scaling back staff through attrition.
A council majority approved a 2012 budget that raises taxes 2 percent, requires an estimated 56 layoffs and taps $1.4 million in past borrowed funds to help repay debt.
Council members warned further cuts will be necessary in 2013 because the $1.4 million won't be available again and another tax increase is unlikely.
Flora said he is soliciting help because he lost two assistant public defenders this year and another position has been vacant since 2009. He said he will proceed with interviews hoping the administration will agree to fill one or all three positions.
County Controller Walter Griffith said he complained about the job advertisement to county officials and will publicly object if Flora is permitted to fill vacant positions when other departments are losing workers.
Griffith said he has two layoffs in his office, which will slow up the completion of audits. The help-wanted ad goes against the county's mandate of a hiring freeze, he said.
"This year I think it's critical the public defender does more with less. His office is no different than the others," Griffith said.
Flora's office was projected to have two layoffs, but Flora avoided them by shifting money from another part of his budget &amp;#8211; primarily funding for special examinations and expert witnesses, he said.
Flora said his budget now allows $72,000 for examinations and witnesses, compared to the $138,366 spent last year.
Overall, the Public Defender's Office spent $2.68 million in 2011 and will receive $2.5 million this year &amp;#8211; a 6.7 percent reduction.
The public defender said he will try to contain spending on evaluations and witnesses but will have to come back to the county for additional funding if the reduced funding runs out. 
Pribula has made it clear departments can't expect more funding if they shortchanged on expense to save jobs.
"The public defender will have to continue to manage his budget," Pribula said.
Flora said layoffs would have forced him to close a model juvenile unit. He did not pursue litigation against the county over budget cuts but said he submitted written statements arguing his office doesn't have funding to meet constitutional mandates.
"It's a mess. I was put between a rock and hard place," Flora said.
The advertisement says the assistant public defender position will pay $40,000 plus benefits. Resumes are due March 9.

Chief public defender advertising for new assistant despite layoffs