1. The Supreme Court's discretionary biennial budget will be reduced by 10 percent ($6 million);
2. The administration of justice will not be hurt by the fiscal crisis; (and)
3. We will pursue systemic change and further cost savings through a collaborative process involving Ohio's judges, bar associations and all stakeholders in the legal community."
The justice's proposal fits within the parameters of Gov. Ted Strickland's order last week for state agencies to develop plans that include funding at a 90-percent level for fiscal year 2012-2013 budget requests.
According to O'Connor's statement, her plan details more than $6 million in spending cuts for the biennium in the following five categories:
$3 million from Ohio Courts Network by slower paced implementation of the program.
$1.5 million from facilities by way of re-negotiated service and supply contracts, reducing energy consumption and re-prioritizing maintenance schedule to save an estimated $750,000 each year of the biennium.
$50,000 from printing by shifting to digital delivery of publications and training material.
$200,000 from the law library through acceleration of the movement toward digital-based materials.
$1.25 million from personnel through implementation of a two-year salary freeze and instituting a partial hiring freeze.
Additionally, O'Connor proposed creation of an appointed Advisory Committee on the Judicial Budget, which would comprise representatives of the Ohio Judicial Conference, Ohio Courts of Appeals Judges Association, Ohio Common Pleas Judges Association, Ohio Association of Domestic Relations Judges, Ohio Association of Juvenile Court Judges, Ohio Association of Probate Judges, Association of Municipal/County Judges of Ohio, the Ohio State Bar Association, "as well as the associations representing the other major constituencies of the judicial branch, including magistrates, clerks, bailiffs, jury managers and other parties."
O'Connor's panel would meet throughout 2011 and issue a report by the end of that year with specific recommendations for further cost savings. Each of the justices would be given the opportunity to appoint a designated member of the advisory committee.
The justice told invited reporters she anticipated many of the advisory committee's recommendations will be longer term and that some will identify further reductions in the judiciary budget in the next biennium beyond the $6 million in her plan.
"I'm not here to criticize those responsible for Ohio's fiscal crisis" she said in the statement. "There's been enough fingerpointing. I'm not here to solve the entire problem. Clearly, that will require the cooperative efforts of more than just one Supreme Court Justice.
"I am here to offer the first, specific, concrete plan to solve at least a small piece of Ohio's budget crisis, the piece that is the responsibility of the third branch of Ohio government."
In excess of 60 percent of the Supreme Court and Judiciary general revenue budget pays the statute-established salaries of judges and is, therefore, nondiscretionary.
The Supreme Court, by statute, budgets not only for the Ohio Supreme Court's operation but also for the appellate courts' staffs and to assist in the administration of justice through the assignment of judges. These annual state court expenses total approximately $113 million of the $143 million annual budget for the Supreme Court and the Ohio Judicial System, O'Connor's statement detailed.
Because of the restrictions placed upon the judicial budgets by the Ohio Constitution and the Ohio Revised Code, $30 million of the court's annual GRF allotment can be considered discretionary.
A former trial judge and county prosecutor, O'Connor has served as a justice since 2003. She was re-elected in 2008 and is a candidate for chief justice., KEITH ARNOLD, Daily Reporter Staff Writer, Copyright 2010, The Daily Reporter, 580 S. High St., Columbus, OH., The Ohio Supreme Court justice who seeks the high court's chief justice
position outlined by letter and a press release Wednesday, July 21st, a
plan to reduce the court's budget by 10 percent and appoint an advisory
committee charged with identifying further spending cuts in the court
system to help solve Ohio's budget crisis., publish, open, , , Justice announces her plan for judiciary cuts, 2011-11-07 20:58:37, , 0, , Ohio Supreme Court, Justice, Maureen O'Connor, Chief Justice, Cuts, Budget, Committee, 0, 1, 1, article, 1, 0, 0, 2010-07-29, 2, 2">
Toledo Legal News : News