California judges cant lock up funding

Oakland Tribune ^ | 12-09-2005 | Riverside Press-Enterprise (Editorial)

[Amerigomag]

CALIFORNIAS courts have every reason to be worried about their funding being squeezed out by other priorities in the states deficit-ridden budget. But that does not justify curbing public control over public-spending decisions. The California Judicial Council, which oversees the states courts, last week approved a proposal for amending the state constitution. Among other provisions, it would create a Prop. 98-like spending protection and hand judicial salary decisions to an outside commission.

In 2004, the Legislature agreed to tie court funding to the states appropriations limit, a complex formula based on growth in population, per capita income and other factors. Thus the courts receive at least the same level of funding as the prior year, plus an increase based on the appropriations limit calculation. But that is only statute; the Judicial Council wants to etch this approach into the constitution, which would put changes outside of the Legislatures reach.

No one denies the Legislature has done a poor job providing sufficient funding to handle the states growing judicial caseload; and no one denies that judges should be paid a fair salary for their work. But such provisions would protect the courts at the expense of public control over the state budget.

[Amerigomag]

Here we go again. Everyone wants their share of the Golden Goose guaranteed.