Probation Department gets boost

House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo included the money in a budget package even though Governor Deval Patrick has twice vetoed similar appropriations. The governor, prompted by weak tax revenues, said last week that he may have to cut as many as 2,000 jobs across state government to close a budget shortfall.

But, if the money survives a potential veto by Patrick this time, the Probation Department will be spared, according to court officials.

The funding was included in a $71 million supplemental budget that lawmakers approved to close the books for fiscal 2009, which ended June 30. The money came in part from surpluses from prior years, legislators said.

Also included in the budget measure was more than $5 million for cities and towns to run a special election to choose Edward M. Kennedy’s successor in the US Senate and $18.8 million for the Legislature to spend on capital expenses and operations. That money was carried over from a previous year.

The Probation Department has long enjoyed a close relationship with the Legislature. The wives of two members of DeLeo’s leadership team, House Speaker Pro Tempore Thomas Petrolati and Michael Costello, the House chairman of the Joint Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee, work for the department. The son of one of DeLeo’s top aides, Leonard Mirasolo, is an acting chief probation officer. State Senator Steven Baddour’s wife also works for the agency.

Last year, the Legislature approved a budget for the department of $142 million, nearly $8 million higher than the trial court, which oversees the agency, originally requested. Eventually, the governor reduced the budget as part of the statewide cuts he was forced to make, and probation was cut by $20 million. The nearly $4.5 million that was approved yesterday will help offset that loss.

This year, probation saw its budget reduced along with other departments.

Even as human service agencies, teachers, and municipal officials implored lawmakers and the governor not to cut aid or vital services, lawmakers approved the funding for the Probation Department yesterday with little debate.

“If you read the newspaper, you’d see there’s a huge budget deficit here in the Commonwealth,’’ said Senate minority leader Richard R. Tisei, who voted against the measure. “The governor is going to implement a bunch of cuts. . . . People outside the building would be under the impression we have no money. Yet we’re about to take up a bill that spends more money. I’d like an explanation where is this money coming from and why are we putting this money aside?’’

State Senator Stephen Brewer, vice chairman of the Joint Ways and Means Committee, said that “the administration of justice’’ requires “adequate probation services out there.’’

“We understand that having people ready to reintegrate into society can save us money,’’ said Brewer, adding that keeping inmates in jail cells costs more a Harvard education.

According to probation records employees provided to the Globe, the number of probation officers has declined over the past decade, while the number of officials working in the commissioner’s office has increased.

Probation Commissioner John O’Brien did not respond yesterday to written questions from the Globe.

But Robert Mulligan, the trial court’s chief justice for administration and management, said O’Brien sent out 142 layoff notices last week. More than half of the notices went to probation officers. The additional funds approved yesterday, Mulligan said, “will allow those people to remain in place.’’

Mulligan said the trial court collects about $50 million in annual fees, a large percentage of it from people being supervised by probation officers. This year, however, fees are coming in much lower than expected, Mulligan said.

“It’s important we have probation officers to impose and collect those fees and make sure people don’t get too far in arrears,’’ he said.

House members were given a somewhat different explanation for why the money was needed. A written description distributed to House members said it was “for the commissioner of probation to continue the implementation of the statutorily mandated GPS tracking program.’’

DeLeo spokesman Seth Gitell said the increased funding will be used to retain probation officers who work in the GPS program, which allows the department to monitor those on probation through the use of ankle bracelets. “The full implementation of this important public safety program requires 24-hour monitoring,’’ he said.

Patrick administration spokeswoman Cyndi Roy said the governor will review the budget measure in light of “our current fiscal climate.’’

“Given the unprecedented economic challenges facing the Commonwealth, including a $600 million revenue shortfall this year, we must ensure that every additional dollar is spent responsibly and in line with the Commonwealth’s priorities,’’ she said.

Andrea Estes can be reached at estes@globe.com.