Governor Barbour Appears Set to Live with Supreme Court's Order Barring Further Judiciary Budget Cuts
On Friday a unanimous Mississippi Supreme Court entered this Order that prevents Governor Barbour from further reducing judicial appropriations as part of budget cuts caused by dismal revenue collections by the State. Since Friday I’ve eagerly awaited the Governor’s response, which came today in a meeting between Governor Barbour and the Clarion-Ledger’s editorial board [who knew they still had one?]:
"It's not the way I read that statute," Barbour said, "but there's no use appealing it to the Supreme Court, would be my view."
At least the Governor has kept his sense of humor during the budget crisis.
As far as the Supreme Court’s Order, I side with the Court. That should not be surprising, since I work in the judicial arena. If the Governor can cut the judicial branch’s budget what would prevent a Governor deciding that we don’t need the judicial branch and cutting its budget to zero?
And the Court’s Order shows that the Court recognizes the severity of the State’s budget crisis:
….the appellate and trial courts of this state are fully aware of the economic difficulties facing our state and its people.
The Court goes on to state that it has and will continue to do all that it can to reduce expenditures without compromising its constitutional mandate to administer justice fairly and efficiently. The judicial branch cannot do that without adequate funding.
The issue isn't worth a fight for Barbour, mainly because the amount of $$ involved is peanuts, budgetarily speaking.