District Attorney Bill Cox on Monday asked the County Commission to fund six new prosecutors for his office.

He said it would "allow more time to be spent on each case and achieve a better result."

Mr. Cox said it would also help in cutting the backlog of cases and aid in curbing jail overcrowding.

Under the request, his budget would go from $802,323 to $1,187,338.

The office now has 24 prosecutors.

Mr. Cox said the addition would help move toward his goal of "vertical prosecution" - in which one prosecutor follows a case all the way through.

Mr. Cox said the county now funds 18 percent of his personnel budget and the percentage would rise to 29 percent. He said that is still behind the contribution of other large counties in the state.

Commissioner Fred Skillern noted that the district attorney is supposed to be state funded, and he said he "hates to see the burden falling on the county taxpayer."

Commissioner Curtis Adams supported the move, saying additional education dollars are expected from the state, thus freeing up funds for other areas.

He said, "I hope we can do it. We should have more money from the state for education this year. Every year for us that has been the big thing."

Mr. Cox said his prosecutors currently handle more cases each than those in Atlanta, Detroit and Chicago.

Officials noted that when there is additional local funding to the district attorney, the public defender must get additional money equal to 75 percent of the new funds for the DA.

Public Defender Ardena Garth said she is seeking additional attorneys - making the local contribution go from $322,092 to $755,687.

Commissioner John Brooks brought up the idea of a new court fee that would bring in some $250,000 per year to the public defender's office. Commissioner Adams said the commission already tried that twice and could not get it out of committee.

Four court clerks have plugged in $10,000 pay raises for themselves based on a state law that allows the extra pay for clerks with two courts.

The new pay listed for Juvenile Court Clerk Ron Swafford, Criminal Court Clerk Gwen Tidwell, Circuit Court Clerk Paula Thompson and Clerk and Master Lee Akers is $104,238.

Under the law, that has to be approved by the County Commission.

Commissioners asked several questions about that item, but did not indicate whether it will be approved.

The commission is holding budget hearings this week. The budget will be set at the end of June.

Here are requests heard Monday (do not include pay increases that may be approved later):

Medical Examiner $818,220 to $$860,395
Clerk & Master $736,986 to $682,780
Circuit Court Clerk $1,025,864 to $1,111,269
County Clerk $1,531,569 to $1,537,413
Register $374,332 to $336,913
District Attorney General $802,323 to $1,187,338
Election Commission $1,654,171 to $1,610,704
Criminal Court Clerk $1,224,797 to $1,253,209
Public Defender $322,092 to $755,687
General Sessions Court $1,096,108 to $1,137,979
Juries $180,000 to $200,000
Criminal Court Judges $182,474 to $185,186
Chancery Court Judges $10,500 to $12,000
Circuit Court Judges $240,360 to $231,999
Sheriff $24,252,490 to $27,635,766