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Sunday, September 18, 2011

Ind. Courts - " Judge predicts issues with leaner Cass County budget"

In the Logansport Pharos Tribune yesterday, this story by Kelly Hawes - some quotes:

Cass Superior Court II Judge Rick Maughmer told the county council Friday that the 2012 budget it was about to approve was likely to produce a train wreck.

“There are consequences for what we’re about to do,” he said.

The council took final action on a $9.5 million budget, which will be about $1.4 million leaner than this year’s version.

At a meeting last month, the council approved cuts of about $550,000 from the county’s insurance plan and about $600,000 from the county payroll.

With his office down one person and the county clerk’s office down two, Maughmer said, the paperwork is backing up.

“The work just isn’t getting done because there aren’t enough bodies to do it,” he said.

In just his court, he said, he had 36 class A felony cases, 91 class B felony cases, 128 class C felony cases, 43 class D felony cases and 1,848 misdemeanors.

“What would you have us do?” he asked.

Maughmer acknowledged the difficult choices the council was forced to make in deciding on the mandated reductions.

“I understand you may not have anything you can do about it,” he said.

Maughmer referred to the fact that judges have the authority to mandate appropriations to carry out the essential work of the courts.

He said he consulted with the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance and had been unable to get a firm answer about what would happen should the judges decide to take that approach.

“I don’t want to do that, though, if it means that needed resources will be taken from other departments,” he said.

Brian Reed, the county council president, said that would be the likely outcome.

“And therein lies the problem with prioritizing,” he said.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on September 18, 2011 09:24 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts