Email: "More cuts to Iowa Courts"
*To:		<--TO Email REQUIRED!
*From:		<--FROM Email REQUIRED!

tamatoledonews.com- It appears the Tama County Clerk of Court Office will only see the hours reduction to be put into effect across the state. Some Clerk's offices are having office hours shortened more: See acompanying pdf for a list of those counties.


Additional cuts in staff were also announced in a news release. However, it was not immediately made clear  what those cuts would mean in Tama County. The Tama County Clerk's Office has been sharing the Clerk of the District Court position with Marshall County since the retirement of Ann Hendricks last year. Kim Halverson, Marshall County Clerk, has been filling both positions.


NEWS RELEASE--------------


Des Moines, November 12, 2009— Today, the Iowa Judicial Branch initiated further steps to reduce its operating expenses for the current fiscal year to help address the state's severe financial problems. (See Supervisory Order) The judicial branch will lay off 105 employees, will cut 100 vacant staff positions, and will reduce the hours of 58 employees. All told, these cuts equate to a 9.3% reduction in workforce. (See charts). Today's actions are in addition to the ten days of court closures and unpaid leave for all judges, magistrates, and court employees announced earlier this week. 

 

These and other cost-cutting measures will reduce the judicial branch FY 10 operating budget by $11.4 million, or 7.1%. The 7.1% cut corresponds with the state's revenue shortfall as estimated by the State Revenue Estimating Conference last month.  Legislative leaders have indicated to court officials that the legislature expects the judicial branch to make substantial cuts in response to this estimate. 

 

The supreme court initially considered making cuts commensurate with the governor's 10% across-the-board reduction ordered for executive branch agencies, which is designed to build a cushion that can be reallocated to critical executive branch agencies and to serve as a hedge against future cuts. As a separate branch of government, the judicial branch is not subject to the governor's 10% across-the-board cut. Ultimately, the supreme court decided a 7.1% reduction was a more prudent option given the vital nature of court services, yet would still be sufficient to meet the current revenue shortfall.

 

"The Court thoroughly examined and earnestly considered the actions we would need to take to meet a 10% cut," said Chief Justice Marsha Ternus. "At 10%, the cost in terms of public service would be enormous, decimating our workforce and crippling our ability to resolve critical cases and provide essential services. As it is, a 7.1% cut requires draconian measures that will result in long delays, gaps in service, and reduced public access to the courts."

 

Chief Justice Ternus added: "The judicial branch is concerned about the state's financial crisis, and is doing all that it can reasonably do to reduce expenses. Budget cuts, however, typically have a disproportionate effect on the judicial branch because we have no reserve funds to tap and no programs to eliminate. We have people¯employees and judges who are the life blood of the court system, directly providing the court services Iowans need. Even with a 7.1% cut the judicial branch will lay off more employees, cut more jobs, and require more unpaid leave than most state offices and departments, including the regents."

 

Chief Justice Ternus continued: "Despite these cuts, the judicial branch will continue to send judges to every county on a regular basis and to operate a clerk of court office in each county. However, because we have cut the staff in our clerk of court offices so deeply, we have no choice but to reduce the hours of those offices. Twenty-three clerk of court offices will operate for less than forty hours a week, and others will have reduced public hours so they have some uninterrupted time to work on backlogs."

 

"We are particularly concerned about the impact our cuts will have on our work with troubled juveniles and abused and neglected children," said Chief Justice Ternus.  "Nonetheless, we will strive to give priority to these cases within the limits of our reduced resources."

 

The Iowa Judicial Branch endured two previous rounds of budget cuts in 2009.  In March, the legislature cut the appropriation to the judicial branch FY 09 budget by $3.8 million, resulting in five court closure days, reductions in travel and other cuts.  In June, the supreme court approved an FY 10 budget that reduced operating expenses by $5.4 million. This reduction resulted in the elimination of 34 staff positions along with other cost-cutting measures. With today's staff reduction, there are 15% fewer judicial branch employees in FY 10 than there were ten years ago.  (See Budget FAQ)

Subscribe to Toledo Chronicle, Tama News-Herald

Share:

You must first login before you can comment.

Existing Member Login
Not a Member?	Create a Member Account
*Your email address:		<--Email REQUIRED!
*Password:	Forgot Password?	<--Password REQUIRED!
	Remember my email address.