Gibson and Dow battle over SLO County District Attorney Office funding

May 20, 2026

By KAREN VELIE

San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Bruce Gibson and District Attorney Dan Dow clashed on Tuesday over funding for the prosecutors’ office, a partisan dispute that could result in a lawsuit.

Amid the past several years of budget cuts, Dow’s office cut five positions saving the county $3.5 million. Dow is now seeking an additional $857,839 — less than one-tenth of 1% of the county’s budget, for five positions needed to fulfill “legally mandated investigative and prosecutorial functions,” Dow said.

During an introduction of the county’s 2026-2027 fiscal year budget, Dow argued that staffing has not kept pace with “increases in workload — particularly the surge in digital evidence, body-worn camera footage, and in-car video that has transformed case preparation.”

“Consistent with Hicks v. Orange County, Scott v. Common Council of San Bernardino, Government Code sections 25303 and 29601, and the California Constitution, the District Attorney hereby places the county executive office and the Board of Supervisors on formal notice that a budget failing to fund these requests crosses from a legitimate fiscal decision into an action that unlawfully impairs the public prosecutor’s constitutionally and statutorily mandated duties,”  Dow told the SLO County Board of Supervisors.

Gibson responded to Dow’s request for additional funding with a demand to know he was threatening the board.

“Dan, that is an impressive display of posturing,” Gibson said. “But I have to ask with your formal notice to the board of supervisors, are you threatening to sue the county if you do not get your way?”

“It is not a threat, it is a legal reality,” Dow said. “But, if I do not advise your board of the constitutional requirements and impacts, I am not doing my job.”

Supervisor John Peschong recommend the county administrative office continues to work with Dow regarding additional funding. The SLO County Board of Supervisor budget hearing is scheduled for June 8.