Several independent sources are confirming that since the AOC has a strong belief that their construction funding will be targeted possibly as soon as the upcoming special budget session and that the Judicial Council and the AOC is racing against the clock to obligate as much of the construction funding as they can for all 42 projects on the books.
Many of these projects are several years out from breaking ground. It is further being alleged again by several sources that other projects, whose designs are incomplete are being rushed out to bid to lock in the funding for them knowing that future change orders will blow their project budgets.
This information has been supplied to because most everyone disagrees with this management approach as being very short-sighted. The people of the AOC working on these projects are over extended already and cannot accommodate more projects being stuffed in an already over capacity pipeline.
The question remains as to if local court and county personnel can actually man these new courthouses. Where there’s a replacement, for the most part yes they can. Where there is an additional courthouse, in many cases there is no funding to man the new courthouses. Not from the state and not from the local county.
So should we really be building twenty million dollar buildings out in the middle of nowhere to serve a few thousand people at most?
JusticeCalifornia
November 22, 2010
I do believe the Judicial Branch, in its present form, is increasingly desperate, grasping at straws, hanging by a thread, actually.
All those who are concerned about the integrity of the branch should contact Justice Cantil-Sakauye, forthwith, and educate her right now, before she takes office, as to the issues she faces in January.
This gives her an opportunity to think about the issues and make wise, independent and informed decisions, for which she can be held responsible.
Otherwise, she can say she didn’t know.
As for the Judicial Council and the AOC, and their legal counsel (in house and expensive and prestigious private)– as a whole– they better be reading the fine print, because they are responsible for what they do, and what they represent to the Governor, and the legislature, and the public, to whom they make recommendations and representations.
JusticeCalifornia
November 22, 2010
P.S. I have been sending my communications to Justice Cantil-Sakauye’s assistant, Susan Carey. I know this poor assistant does not want these communications, but this is the address I have for the new Chief Justice. If anyone else has a direct address, feel free to let me know.
susan.carey AT jud.ca.gov