Boston Bar Releases Report Analyzing Governor’s FY2010 Judiciary Budget

BOSTON – Emphasizing that “the consequences of under-funding fall disproportionately upon the Commonwealth’s most disadvantaged residents and upon court employees who already bear the weight of understaffing,” Boston Bar Association President Kathy Weinman today shared with Beacon Hill legislators the Report of the Boston Bar Association Task Force on the FY2010 Judiciary Budget, a comprehensive analysis of budget cuts in the Governor’s budget. Weinman urged the legislature to appropriate funds for the Massachusetts judiciary at the level originally set for FY2009.

 “Funding for the Massachusetts judiciary already is inadequate,” said Weinman. “As our report makes clear, the judiciary’s voluntary acceptance of over $22 million in cuts to its FY2009 budget and the hiring freeze implemented as a result have left the courts ill-equipped to handle an ever increasing volume of cases. The even deeper cuts proposed in the governor’s budget would exacerbate what is already an extraordinarily difficult situation.”

The BBA urges the General Court to approve maintenance level funding of the judiciary at the original FY2009 level of $626 million. The BBA also urges that the Chief Justice for Administration and Management be granted expanded authority, with full reporting authority to the General Court, to transfer funds as he deems necessary and appropriate for the balance of  FY 2009 and for FY2010.