Miscellaneous

Good News and Bad News (Not in that Order)

By Anne Skove, Esq.

What's the first thing to be cut? We're way past that decision in these difficult budgetary times. Here are some of the latest belt-tighteners:

• Kitsap County, Washington, will cut food service. This might be an initial hassle, but it could be a boost to local restaurants.


• In Massachusetts, the historic Plymouth Courthouse will be sold by the county.


• You know times are bad when golden Maricopa County is suffering. Reportedly, court administrators are looking to charge for pro se packets and raise fees for probationers.


• Setting inmates free is a popular topic of discussion when departments are under the gun.

One positive story from Newark, Ohio, where efforts to obtain funding for holiday lights have been successful. See Courthouse Lighting Fund Reaches Goal, L.B. Whyde, Advocate (November 19, 2008).

In Fairfield, Ohio, the municipal court budget may increase 10.7%! The increase hangs on whether state grant monies to combat repeat DUI offenders is successful. But, when budgets have suffered, positions frozen, etc., over time, the so-called increases function merely to keep the court afloat.

Toledo's municipal court experienced a coup of sorts when the Ohio 6th District Court of Appeals ordered the city to fund the court. Reasonable requests for funding security and pretrial drug testing must be met in the interest of public safety.

Full post as published by court-o-rama.org on November 19, 2008 (boomark / email).