Lawmakers, governor at odds over courts’ budget
By James Monteleone, Albuquerque Journal, N.M. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
The bipartisan Legislative Finance Committee says the proposed
In addition to a 5 percent pay raise for judges that would cost about
"This is one of the few branches of government that stepped to the plate and said we'll find ways to try and make this system work during the most difficult times (of the recession). And we have some catching up to do," said Sen.
"I like to think that
But the
"Over the past few years, when looking at the primary sectors of state government, there's no sector that has had its budget raised more generously than the courts," said Martinez spokesman
The current-year budget, for example, increased judiciary spending by 5.1 percent compared with a 4 percent hike for public schools, a 3.2 percent rise for public safety and a 3.5 percent increase for health and human services, Knell said.
In response, Martinez has recommended the courts next year receive a budget increase of about 0.9 percent, or
Pay for
The spread between the governor's proposal and the legislative recommendation amounts to a
"We're not increasing at the level that the state budgets have been increasing, so I respectfully disagree," Maes said.
The chief justice said the courts continue to operate under a "skeleton budget" and new resources are needed to ensure court services are available within a reasonable time frame.
"There isn't any padding there. We always run a pretty lean budget, and we're looking at what we need. That's what we're coming in and asking for," Maes said. "... We need to put some muscle back on that skeleton because it's impacting our ability to provide services to the citizens of
The governor's proposal also recommends that the state's three largest judicial districts -- based in
"By the governor keeping us in the flat budget ... there are no funds provided even to pay the mandatory expenses," Baca said.
That proposal "actually would have us starting off approximately
Pepin said the courts are making an increase in judges pay a priority this year after an annual survey by the
Pay for
The LFC proposal would effectively give judges an 8 percent raise next year, thanks to a 3 percent raise available to all state employees in addition to a separate 5 percent raise legislators requested for judges in their recommended courts budget.
However, judges are requesting 3 percent of that raise go toward their pension fund in an effort to make the judicial pension fund solvent, Pepin said. Proposed legislation to balance the judicial pension fund being considered this session calls for judges and the state to each increase contributions to the fund by 3 percent.
The effort to increase judges pay comes one year after the courts used savings from vacant positions to fund raises of at least 2.5 percent for all non-judge court employees, Pepin said.
"This year, our priority is to try and do that for the judges, supported by the fact that they're the lowest paid in the whole country," he said.
Knell, the governor's spokesman, said there are other state employees in line for raises first.
"The governor feels that it's critical that we target compensation increases toward starting teachers, highly effective teachers, and positions that are incredibly difficult to recruit and retain (such as police officers, protective services workers and correctional officers)," Knell said in an emailed statement.
"Additional compensation for other employees, including for district judges and
However, at least one top Republican lawmaker said the judiciary's budget request, including raises for judges, is reasonable.
"In my view, it's very needed," Rep.
"In looking at a comparison of what our judges are paid compared to other judges in the nation, our judges are paid far less. Are they due for a pay raise? Absolutely," said Gentry, who works as a lawyer.
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