News politics 2008-05-16 Andanh.com

Budget cuts might go even deeper Fri, 16 May 2008 02:04 EDT
Budgets of state agencies -- already reeling from cuts -- might get whacked even more.

State budget director Mary Lassiter has asked most state agencies to come up with a plan by May 23 to reduce their budgets by 4.5 percent for the new fiscal year that begins July 1.

Lassiter stressed that the reduction plans requested are for planning purposes. But she noted that any cuts implemented from the plans would be on top of reductions included in the $18.8 billion two-year budget the legislature enacted last month. Those cuts ranged from 3 percent to 12 percent.

She said possible cuts after review of the agencies' cost-cutting plans might be bigger or smaller than 4.5 percent, and that the amount of cuts for agencies could vary.

Some state agencies and programs are exempt from compiling a 4.5 percent reduction plan, Lassiter said. She said they include universities, basic education funding, Medicaid, corrections, property valuation administrators, commonwealth's attorneys and county attorneys.

Court system.s employee pay raises stir controversy Fri, 16 May 2008 09:53 EDT
The state court system is defying a legislative budget mandate to spend $7.8 million next fiscal year on pay raises for deputy clerks. The controversial move raises constitutional questions and could spur a backlash from the General Assembly.

Ignoring the recently passed state budget, the Court of Justice provided $3.4 million in "pay equity" raises for the judicial branch's non-elected employees making less than $60,000 a year.

Beyond a 1 percent raise that all state employees get, the legislature had only authorized pay raises for the approximately 1,800 deputy clerks, who are spread out in court houses throughout the state. The starting salary for deputy clerks is $18,120.

Some $8.4 million more was allocated by the courts for pay raises for all non-elected workers in fiscal year 2010.

News of the move angered several powerful legislators, who said the judicial branch is not complying with the law. Legislators said it could strain relations between the branches.

Chinese Dir