Budget cuts could mean court service closures

By: 
Kim Brooks
Express Editor

     Could Jones County’s court services be shut down?

     Last week the State Court Administration released information concerning a proposed de-appropriation under Senate Study Bill (SSB) 3089 of $4.8 million against the state’s Judicial Branch. The reduction is proposed to affect their current budget for FY 2018.

     The total amount of the cut recommended for all of the Justice System Appropriations is $7.7 million. At $4.8 million, the Judicial Branch is absorbing 63 percent of that total. The overall de-appropriation amount being recommended by SSB is $50 million.

     The letter from the State Court Administration stated that the Judicial Branch is being asked to absorb a little more than 9 percent of the reduction for all of the state. However, the Judicial Branch only receives 2.5 percent of the overall general fund. That means that the Judicial Branch portion of the budget is over 350 percent larger than the portion of the funding Court Administration receives.

     While area legislators Rep. Lee Hein, Sen. Dan Zumbach and Sen. Tod Bowman felt the de-appropriation may not happen, it could mean the closure of court services in as many as 30 courthouses throughout the state, across the state’s eight judicial districts. The courthouses being targeted have yet to be named. Jones County Auditor Janine Sulzner clarified that this does mean closure of the courthouses themselves, but state court services.

     Personnel, such as clerks of court, could also be without jobs. Those services closed will be based on caseload volume in each county served. Those services would then be shifted to neighboring county courthouses within the same judicial district.

     “This would really create a problem,” noted County Supervisor Lloyd Eaken. “Those services are already back-logged.”

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