PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — Multnomah County commissioners held a budget work session with the District Attorney’s Office on Tuesday.

According to the DA’s Office, reductions in the proposed budget total nearly $3.5 million and nearly 18 full-time employees.

An amendment could result in the loss of four more full-time employees.

Altogether, those employees are 9% of the DA’s Office workforce.

Most of the office’s budget — more than 82% — goes toward personnel. That’s where they say cuts would have to come from.

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DA Nathan Vasquez also touted increased convictions and reduced crime rates but said continuing that progress requires maintaining service levels.

“I want to be blunt. When you invest in this office, we deliver results,” Vasquez said. “Over the past several years this community has made real progress, particularly in reducing violent crime and improving livability. That progress reflects coordinated work across systems, and it’s something we should be working to sustain and improve upon.”

The DA acknowledged the constrained budget environment and said his office approached their proposal with that in mind.

He said he focused on core functions prioritizing work that directly supports victims and reduces harm. However, he said the budget proposal requires layoffs. And fewer prosecutors means fewer cases prosecuted.

The DA urged the county to avoid cuts and propose amendments to preserve services.

Commissioner Shannon Singleton, who is running for county chair, discussed an amendment she plans to introduce.

“I will be bringing forward a budget amendment on pretrial services so that we can get a system that actually functions the way that hearing from you, the judges, our DCJ folks, public defenders as well as LPSCC to make sure that we are putting together a program that makes sense, because we don’t have dollar amounts to those needs yet,” she said.

Here’s what’s next for the county budget.

There are several weeks when commissioners will hold work sessions and public hearings. Two more work sessions will be held this week, as well as that first public hearing on Wednesday night at 6.

The board is scheduled to adopt the budget by June 4. It will go into effect July 1.