21 January 2015- Focus on the Judiciary Budget

A number of you have been asking about the judiciary budget in light of the rescissions in this fiscal year (ending 30 June) and the proposed base budget reduction in FY16 beginning 1 July. Here is a link to three letters from the Court Administrator’s Office and the Chief Justice going back to August 2014.

https://www.vtbar.org/UserFiles/files/Judiciary%20Budget%202015/1015_001.pdf

The first rescission in August was $181,335. The newest (see the January 12, 2015 letter) is for an additional $224,138, totaling a cut of $405,473. The administration is seeking a $500,000 general funds base budget reduction for next year. Here is the administration’s language in the budget adjustment bill:

Sec. 70. JUDICIARY SAVINGS

(a)      The Court Administrator will propose to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees by March 31, 2015, changes in judicial operations that will yield savings of at least $500,000 in General Funds in fiscal year 2016.  These savings shall represent a permanent and on-going reduction in expenditures.

You already know the judiciary cannot sustain cuts of this magnitude.

We already have three judicial vacancies, and the Judiciary has been required to maintain an extraordinary vacancy savings policy for court staff, as well.  There may well be another judgeship that opens before the legislative session ends. Your Board of Managers’ concern is the impact of these vacancies and cuts on access to justice for Vermonters. The Chief Justice’s letter of January 14th strongly states the court’s opposition to further cuts. Yesterday, in House Judiciary he said that this level of cuts will affect the court’s ability to meet its constitutional obligations.

Now is the time to contact your legislators and let them know of the danger inherent in these cuts. We talk a lot about access to justice and for many that means access for low income Vermonters. Right now we may be heading into a larger crisis in access for everyone. Let’s not let that happen.