Lake County DA Resigns, Citing Severe Funding Crisis

Lake County district attorney says chronic underfunding and limited staffing made the role impossible to sustain long term

LAKEVIEW, Ore. — Lake County District Attorney Paul Charas has announced his resignation a little more than one year into his four-year term, citing chronic underfunding that he says has made it increasingly difficult to properly prosecute criminal cases.

According to reporting by Oregon Public Broadcasting, Charas said the lack of resources has affected his ability “to do my job ethically and morally.”

“It’s untenable down here in terms of what resources have been allocated to this office,” Charas told OPB.

The Lake County District Attorney’s Office operates on an annual budget of about $202,000. Charas said most of that funding goes toward employee-related expenses, leaving little remaining for actual prosecution costs.

Charas is also the county’s only prosecutor, serving a jurisdiction roughly the size of New Jersey with a population of around 8,000 residents. He said the workload often involves managing dozens of cases at once.

The office reportedly has just $2,500 annually available for trials and witnesses. Charas told OPB that amount limits his ability to hire expert witnesses and properly pursue some cases.

Since taking office in January 2025, Charas said he has asked the Oregon Department of Justice to handle 10 major cases, including homicides, because local resources were insufficient.

Lake County Commissioner James Williams told OPB that budget challenges extend across county government, not just the district attorney’s office. He said local officials have discussed a potential public safety levy, but questioned whether residents could absorb additional taxes.

Many rural Oregon counties continue facing similar challenges, including staffing shortages and limited prosecution resources. Union County District Attorney Kelsie McDaniel told OPB that her office currently has two vacancies and has also operated with minimal investigation funding.

Lake County has faced broader economic strain in recent years due to its limited tax base, large amount of public land, and the bankruptcy of the Ruby Pipeline, which reduced local revenue. As a result, several public services have already been scaled back.

According to OPB, the town of Lakeview has reduced staffing by 74% to nine employees, 911 dispatch services have been outsourced to Klamath County, and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office has fewer than 10 deputies.

Gov. Tina Kotek announced this week that applications are now being accepted to fill the district attorney vacancy. Applications are due May 8.

Charas said he plans to remain in office until Aug. 4.

Cover image: townoflakeview.org

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