Kansas courts brace for $3 million budget cut

[ccharles000]

With prospects of a $3 million budget shortfall, courthouses across Kansas are bracing for having to shut down services that could affect public safety, consumers and local businesses.

It could slow criminal prosecutions, stall custody hearings in divorce cases and keep people from filing prevention from stalking orders for days, risking public safety.

Gov. Mark Parkinson, in announcing budget cuts across the state this week, let the courts know they would receive only $5 million of the $8 million they'd need to avoid furloughs, which could delay many services.

The shortfall originally resulted from legislative cuts last spring for the 2010 budget year which began July 1, 2009. What lawmakers originally called a "mistake" now looks to be more permanent, said Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Davis in a letter to court employees.

Studies, meanwhile, have shown that the cuts faced by Kansas courts and across the nation has had harsh impacts in other states.

Of all court costs in Kansas, 98 percent go to salaries.

"It is impossible to know for certain at this time, but this turn of events increases the likelihood of at least some period of involuntary unpaid leave," Davis wrote in the letter.

http://www.kansas.com/news/local/story/1072935.html

[notesdev]

1. Of all places to cut

why the courts? How about trimming some gold-plated bureaucrat pensions?

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. The cuts to public schools are much worse

Kansas is really suffering in this economic crisis. I'm sure other states are as well.

[Warren DeMontague]

3. Gee, whiz. If only there were some massive law enforcement, correctional expense we could cut.

If only there were some stupid laws, locking up millions of non-violent offenders.

If only there were some currently illegal, relatively benign plant that could be legalized, regulated, and taxed, instead of draining public expenditures through billions in law enforcement and court costs..

Hmmmm.

If only.

[hadrons]

4. Sad thing is that the RW morons will take the service delays as proof that ...

the gov't doesn't work rather than the gov't doesn't have enough money