Court finds budget remedy in furlough days
Toolbox
By Louis Porter Vermont Press Bureau - Published: January 8, 2009
MONTPELIER — In order to meet its agreement to cut nearly a quarter-million dollars from its current-year budget, the state's courts will institute five furlough days between now and the end of fiscal year 2009 in June.
That will match up with a 5 percent pay cut accepted by state executive branch officials earning $60,000 a year or more earlier in the fiscal year.
All nonunion employees of the Judicial Branch who earn more than that amount will be subject to the furlough requirement, Chief Justice Paul Reiber said in a statement.
"The $245,000 savings in the Judicial Branch that will be achieved by reducing the pay of furloughed judicial officers and other affected state employees is equivalent to the savings that will be achieved in the other branches of government through the 5 percent pay cut applied to the more highly-paid employees and officials," Reiber said.
On those furlough days the courts will be closed to the public.
The courts already had a more than $800,000 rescission earlier in the fiscal year as state revenues declined unexpectedly quickly.
A half-day-a-week court closing schedule imposed earlier as part of the cost-cutting plan will remain in effect, except during weeks when the courts are closed completely for a day.
Then the furlough day will replace the half-day closing, according to the courts.
11