But the total taxpayer tab may reach nearly $250,000 if the county reimburses Workman for her defense costs, as her attorney requested.

County lawyers were supposed to decide that issue Friday but, like the hordes rushing to the post office on tax day, they asked for an extension.

John Soltis, director of civil litigation, says he needs 10 more days to review whether defense attorney Greg Skordas' $196,800 bill is reasonable and if the county is liable.

"We have a right to question his bill," said Democratic District Attorney David Yocom, who drew Republican fire last year when he leveled two felony charges against the GOP mayor.

Workman, who abandoned her re-election bid last fall before being acquitted in February, says Yocom might have thought twice about pressing the case if the money came out of his pocket or his budget.

"It's enough to break me," she said Friday. "There should be accountability for Yocom, but not to the taxpayers."

Workman still is awaiting word from the District Attorney's Office on how she can spend the $174,873 in political contributions she withdrew when she closed her campaign account.

Skordas, Workman's attorney and a former Yocom deputy, says his client would have been billed the same six figures had they lost the criminal case. Now, he expects the government to pay.

"If not, I'll sue the county," he vowed. "And I'll win."

Ultimately, county Mayor Peter Corroon must make the call on cutting the check, but says a proper claim has yet to be filed. "We're still waiting for documentation."

Meanwhile, Skordas challenged the veracity of the county's prosecution estimates, obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune under the Government Records Access and Management Act.

Time logged by special prosecutor Michael Martinez cost $28,636, according to the estimates. The investigation totaled $14,824 and charges for witness subpoenas and in-house attorneys brought the total to $49,632.

"They don't tell the whole story," Skordas said. "I'm sure our expenses are very, very similar."

But Patrick Leary, chief administrator for the District Attorney's Office, says the costs are not "an apple-to-apple" comparison.

"All these government employees were being paid their government wages for this work," he said, noting the numbers reflect salaries and time, not overhead.

Skordas maintains his fees were closer to the prosecution's total in January, but more than doubled as his staff geared up for the trial.

Workman, noting her defense team worked nights and weekends, calls the tab "really reasonable."

"The whole office was engaged in the thing. The dollar signs were just rolling," she said. "I thought the bill could be twice as large."

Half as much may be too much for the county.

djensen@sltrib.com