Chief Justice of Kentucky John D. Minton Jr. used his budget remarks today to remind legislators that nearly all of the Judicial Branch’s Court Operations unit – 88% – is tied up in salaries and benefits for justices, judges, circuit court clerks and court personnel.
“While the Judicial Branch represents only 3% of the state’s total budget, it accounts for 10% of the state’s workforce,” Chief Justice Minton said in his remarks before the House Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice, Public Safety, & Judiciary at the Capitol Annex.
He said that significant cuts to Court Operations would require employee layoffs and have a damaging effect on the court system’s ability to carry out its constitutional and statutory duties.
With the court system struggling to compete in a tight job market and judges’ salaries ranked 50th among other states, Chief Justice Minton said the Judicial Branch budget recommendation for Fiscal Biennium 2020-2022 focuses on improving compensation for elected and non-elected personnel with a 2.5% increase in each year of the biennium (in addition to the 1% required by the budget instructions).
He said the Judicial Branch is also seeking funding to fill dozens of vacant positions and to cover the required defined calculations, which are the 1% annual increments, retirement contributions, and health insurance premiums.
The request for capital projects included funding to build new judicial centers in Butler, Clinton and Owsley counties and for renovations/additions in Crittenden and Jessamine counties.
The Judicial Branch is also requesting funds to create a maintenance pool for the Administrative Office of the Courts to use for planned and unanticipated non-capital projects, like new roofs, new boilers, chillers and HVAC systems.
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