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Chief Justice Minton takes his budget case to House subcommittee, says court system needs funding


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.
 
Find the full address here.
 


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