Statement from state courts on $30m cut from $642m budget

October 15, 2008 11:42 AM Email| Comments (0)| Text size – +

Governor Deval Patrick is expected to announce this week proposed reductions to the current state budget in light of the fiscal crisis confronting the Commonwealth. We are committed to working with the Governor and Legislature to address the fiscal challenges and recognize that all three branches must work collaboratively.

The courts have already taken initiatives that will allow us to manage our fiscal 2009 budget and meet our constitutional responsibilities in a period of diminished resources. We have formed a Fiscal Task Force to identify cost saving measures and efficiencies across all court operations as we move forward. Chief Justice Lynda M. Connolly of the District Court Department and Chief Justice Steven D. Pierce of the Housing Court Department are leading this task force, which will represent stakeholders across the Trial Court. Supreme Judicial Court Justice Robert J. Cordy serves as a liaison to the Task Force. As they begin formal discussions this week, your thoughts and suggestions on potential operational efficiencies throughout the court system will be encouraged and welcomed.

Late last week, the Governor requested that we provide a preliminary estimate of proposed spending reductions to reflect a seven percent reduction for the last nine months of the fiscal year, which he also requested across state government. We have submitted a preliminary plan that would save in excess of $30 million of projected spending. This plan does not include furloughs or layoffs. Measures in the plan include a hiring freeze effective this week, cancellation of departmental conferences, prohibition of out-of-state travel and restriction of in-state travel, as well as other operational savings.

Unlike state agencies which have an array of programs, the court system has a single core mission—the delivery of justice. We are committed to reducing our expenses to the most spare and essential functions necessary to maintain our mission and constitutional obligations. As we face these difficult times, our goal is to achieve our spending objectives by minimizing the financial impact on individuals and by respecting the efforts that have been made by judicial personnel to embrace change and reform operations.

As we continue to examine all potential budget savings, we fully appreciate your dedication and hard work to maintain our court operations and serve the public. We also understand your anxieties and concerns with the current fiscal downturn in our state and national economy. In times such as these, there is a tendency to speculate based on misinformation; however, we ask that you not give credence to hearsay. We commit to keep you fully apprised as we work with the Fiscal Task Force to address these difficult challenges.