Letters to the Editor
Treat City Attorneys Equally

To the Editor:

Queens District Attorney Richard Brown is to be commended for pushing legislation to allow Assistant District Attorneys (ADAs) in the outer boroughs to reside outside New York City. As you pointed out in your April 27 editorial, it is unfair to allow Manhattan ADAs to live anywhere, while outer-borough ADAs must live in the city.

It is likewise unfair that two-thirds of attorneys employed by the City of New York may live outside the city, while the remainder must live in the city.

There are approximately 800 unionized attorneys in various city agencies who are members of the Civil Service Bar Association. Those members who work in Family Court for the Administration for Children's Services (more than 200) are allowed to live outside the city. The attorneys at the Housing Authority (more than 40) are not required to live in the city. Attorneys at the Department of Probation may also live anywhere.

In addition to the attorneys mentioned above, there are more than 800 attorneys employed by the New York City Law Department. When Giuliani was Mayor, his administration granted a residency waiver to the attorneys who work for the New York City Law Department, but not to any other city attorneys.

The city should allow the rest of its attorneys to reside outside the city as well. Law school graduates, unlike employees in most other city titles, are carrying student loan burdens averaging $100,000. While city attorneys are not compensated at a rate anywhere near that of the private sector, they earn too much to be eligible for subsidized housing. Because they cannot afford to live here, they soon leave for "greener pastures."

The city should have a consistent residency policy toward all its attorneys, one which would encourage them to stay and continue to make a meaningful contribution to the city.

GLORIA JOHNSON, President, Civil Service Bar Association