Daniel McElhatton for District Attorney

HOW IMPORTANT is the race for district attorney?

That depends on how often you like your trash picked up or how important libraries are to you.

The city's recent budget woes have provided a grim reminder of the severe impact of the criminal-justice system in this town: 25 cents of every dollar the city spends is on police, the D.A.'s office, courts, prisons, legal services, and the sheriff's office. And without serious reform, these costs will continue to undercut the quality of life in this city.

Both policies and planning drive these costs. For example, the policy of locking up nonviolent offenders has swelled the city's prison population; another critical factor is the lack of coordination among branches of the criminal-justice system, leading to expensive inefficiencies. The D.A. can and must play a big role in fixing both.

Getting that cooperation to improve the system will be a big challenge. The "silos" that divide police, courts and the D.A.'s office are barriers, but are also necessary to ensure justice. We believe that Daniel McElhatton has the best shot at pulling it off. He has a track record for intelligence and integrity that must be the foundation for change in a complex system.

McElhatton spent three years in the D.A.'s office, and has spent the bulk of his legal career in private practice, handling civic and criminal cases. He is the only candidate who has held public office, as a one-term City Council member. He was the only candidate to stress the Constitution as the motivating factor for his entry into the race. He shows a deep understanding of the problems of the criminal-justice system, and vows not to shy away from tackling municipal corruption. We believe he has the gravitas to command respect and ensure justice for all.

This year's primary race for D.A. has produced a very strong crop of candidates. All have served at one time in the D.A.'s office. Former Inspector General Seth Williams is an energetic reformer whose good ideas need seasoning. For example, community-based prosecution, a centerpiece of his campaign, is no sure thing without the courts' cooperation. We're troubled by Williams' sloppy record-keeping - and his dismissal of its import- that momentarily kicked him off the ballot and resulted in a fine from the city's Ethics Board. (Story, Page 6.)

Another candidate just singled out for a big fine is Daniel McCaffery, for trying to conceal an excess political contribution. McCaffery, who has the support of many unions, is noted as being a smart, strong prosecutor, but we're troubled by his questionable ethics in the purchase of a house from an estate handled by his own law firm. Brian Grady is smart and passionate, though his passion has led to literal fisticuffs. Michael Turner has spent his career in corporate law; this could be an asset to managing the D.A.'s office, but he lacks vital criminal experience.

This race has highlighted important fixes for the D.A.'s office: more discretion for courtroom prosecutors to resolve cases, more seasoned prosecutors in the charging unit; more veteran prosecutors in the juvenile unit, and the integration of more community-based solutions to crime.

The D.A. must lead the charge in rethinking how and whom we punish while keeping public safety as the top priority. We enthusiastically endorse McElhatton for that job. *

EDITOR'S NOTE: In our endorsement yesterday of Brett Mandel for city controller, we neglected to mention John Braxton's candidacy in the race. We regret the oversight.