It appears that more than a few courts out there fear an AOC takeover of their management. With reserves dwindling down to a mere 1%, that equates to a 1% margin of error in budgeting. By any stretch when you’re dealing with an annual budget of tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, a 1% margin of error is pretty slim.
Given the way that the non-judicial agencies operate in California, there is no takeover threat if they blow their budgets. In fact, oftentimes they just delay payments until the funding flows again. A failure to spend all of your money this year often results in these agencies getting a smaller piece of the pie next year, so the government game of spending in excess of your budget is played out in every government entity that is not the judicial branch.
This year Government Code 77203 spelled out that come 14-15 budget year, reserves will be reduced down to that impossible 1%. If courts spend too little, those monies in excess of 1% will be swept. If they spend too much, they risk an AOC takeover of their court management. This will equate to 58 courts on high-wire without a viable safety net.
The issue here is that Government code 77206 says the following and was not – but should be repealed in its entirety.
77206. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, the Judicial Council may regulate the budget and fiscal management of the trial courts…
Say, wasn’t it the Judicial Council and the AOC that was bursting court budgets with all of their off-budget follies into case management and other questionable endeavors? It was! Who takes over the Judicial Council and the AOC when they burst their budgets or conduct further off-budget follies? Isn’t committing to spend 1.8 billion dollars on just one courthouse something that exceeds the AOC’s own budget by a factor of 20? Or how about CCMS whose budget was projected to be blown by a factor of 10?
Years ago, it was Mr. Jahr was spearheading the unification sales pitch, going so far as wanting to fold probation and parole under the AOC’s wing in addition to all of the trial courts. He was selling but many courts in addition to probation and parole weren’t buying. And now that he is the administrative director, he gets to take his pound of flesh out of those courts that didn’t support him. After all, it is Mr. Jahr that is doing the ‘finding’.
What the AOC was incapable of accomplishing by going through the front door it appears today that they will easily be able to accomplish by going through the 1% margin of error back door and this puts the greatest pressure on the holdout courts. Leading the pack of holdout courts is LASC.
- L.A. to close 10 courthouses in the next 8 mos (judicialcouncilwatcher.wordpress.com)
- Feinstein: AOC is partially to blame for judicial branch budget crisis (judicialcouncilwatcher.wordpress.com)
- The AOC’s Mausoleums to justice campaign (judicialcouncilwatcher.wordpress.com)
- Judicial branch issues require legislative intervention (judicialcouncilwatcher.wordpress.com)
- Chief Justice unveils new legislative strategy (judicialcouncilwatcher.wordpress.com)
- The Long Beach boondoggle gets more press coverage (judicialcouncilwatcher.wordpress.com)
courtflea
November 29, 2012
What is being forgotten here is that the AOC is often very tardy in reimbursing courts for monies spent out of the courts buget on grant funded programs, which is sig ificant in any court. From hundreds of thousands of dollars in small courts to millions in the largest. This causes major cash flow problems in the courts. I forsee these programs that serve the public well (such as assistance for Pro pers, mediation for child custody,etc.) going by the wayside due to this and the 1% reserve rule
That being said, many CEOs are retiring. Jack Clarke in LA, Beard in Fresno, The Ceo in Sisikyou, etc. I am concerned that these folks will be replaced with Aoc talking heads in an effort to run the trial courts. Scary times folks.
Christopher Summers
November 29, 2012
CAN WE SET UP A VOTERS ‘ VOTE RINK’ ON THE ISSUES FACING CALIFORNIAN AND HAVE THAT BE THE LOBBY INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE RATHER THAN WAITING YEARS TO RESPOND TO ISSUES
Wendy Darling
November 29, 2012
Current branch “leadership”, and especially the AOC, are 100% aware that a trial court can be put under receivership/AOC control if the court financially goes in the red.
In fact, they’re counting on it.
As Curt Soderlund once put it, trial court judges will be allowed to control their courtrooms, and the AOC “will control everything else.”
Serving themselves to the detriment of all Californians.
Long live the ACJ.
courtflea
November 29, 2012
Fuck that lickspittle dog spot Soderlund. In his wet dreams. Opps not nice once again!
unionman575
November 29, 2012
Good for you Flea – get it off your chest!
😉
JDM CSR
November 29, 2012
I find it interesting that the County of L.A. human resources dept. sends out “employment opportunity” e-mails on an almost daily basis regarding job openings not only with the court but countywide, all the while knowing there’s an evil plan in place which will rid the court of as many apparently good-for-nothing, useless official court reporters as they can! I wouldn’t be surprised if they continue to charge attorneys in civil courts a “reporter’s fee” for hearings where there is NO reporter present because the attorneys opted not to hire one on their own. This is an outrage! These are people’s lives they’re ruining!
Wendy Darling
November 29, 2012
“These are people’s lives they’re ruining!”
Yep. And 455 Golden Gate Avenue couldn’t care less about the lives that are ruined.
Serving themselves to the detriment of all Californians.
Long live the ACJ.
sunlight
November 29, 2012
JDM, you are absolutely right. The question is – what can be done to stop it before it’s too late..
unionman575
November 29, 2012
JCW your usual fine work!
😉
unionman575
November 29, 2012
And now a word from Steve Nash the current San Bernardino CEO and former AOC Money Man…
http://www.sb-court.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=QAn2R4qGErM%3d&tabid=40&mid=395
Judicial Council Watcher
November 30, 2012
An unverified report via the anonymous private message window:
It is being alleged that the Office of Court Construction director Lee Willoughby, assistant director Earnest (Ernie) Swickard and assistant director Robert (Bob) Emerson are all “jumping ship” and leaving the AOC. Getting these three boondoggle pioneers out of the AOC – along with their chief architect Mr. Ham, is essential to the overall credibility and effectiveness of the Office of Court Construction & Management.
http://www.courts.ca.gov/10144.htm
Furthermore, it is being alleged that the new executive positions occupied by the three stooges Patel, Soderlund and Child all came with new supersized raises……
unionman575
November 30, 2012
I say “adios” to those three OCCM bums.
😉
Res Ipsa Loquitor
November 30, 2012
It would be interesting to know how the supersized raises for the three stooges compare to the salary for their designated figurehead, Jahr.
lobstahsmaht
November 30, 2012
Its public information. If not out yet, it will be. They are not the only ones.
Judicial Council Watcher
December 1, 2012
Correct me if I’m wrong but it appears those raises were worth about 36K per year ?
http://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/aoc_classcomp.pdf and it appears they weren’t the only ones.
All of the AOC senior management appears to be spiking their pay prior to announcing the results of their reorg in about a year and it appears to effect everyone with a title of manager and above.
Pretty stealthy how they just updated an old document…..
unionman575
December 1, 2012
Pretty stealthy how they just updated an old document…..
Yep.
unionman575
December 1, 2012
(Last Revised 12-1-2011)
STATE OF CALIFORNIA – JUDICIAL COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA
Monthly Salary Listing
Effective July 1, 2007
———————————————————————————————————————-
(Last Revised 11-1-12)
STATE OF CALIFORNIA – JUDICIAL COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS (AOC)
Monthly Salary Listing
Effective January 1, 2009
courtflea
November 30, 2012
Of course the salary increases where to placate the 3 stooges for not getting the Direktor or assistant Direktor jobs. Jahr head double dips. These guys get more in benefits i.e. car allowances, housing allowances,etc. That can be used to increase their compensation rather than salary increases.
Are Willoby et al leaving or being forced out?
unionman575
November 30, 2012
(Last Revised 11-1-12)
STATE OF CALIFORNIA – JUDICIAL COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS (AOC)
Monthly Salary Listing
Effective January 1, 2009
Been There
November 30, 2012
I’ll take the job as Special Consultant for $17,034 a month, Alex.
unionman575
November 30, 2012
I want to be the Direktor of the Death Star.
😉
Been There
November 30, 2012
Ah, and on Director Unionman’s fist hour on the job the following email will go out:
Will the following employees please report to Director Unionman’s Office: Roberts Mary. Patel, Jody; Dog Spot, Couchman, Sod
unionman575
December 1, 2012
You read my mind.
😉
Been There
November 30, 2012
(continuing) Soderlund, Curt, Jahr, Steve . . . .
unionman575
December 1, 2012
unionman575
November 30, 2012
Meeting Notice of the
December 2012
State Public Works Board Meeting
CONSENT ITEM—7
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION (5225)
STANISLAUS COUNTY JUVENILE JUSTICE CENTER
COMMITMENT CENTER PROJECT
STANISLAUS COUNTY
Authority: Sections 1970 – 1977 of the Welfare and Institutions Code
Consider recognizing revised project costs
unionman575
December 1, 2012
Sigh another Juvenile Justice Center and AOC boondoggle in the works…oh me oh my…what’s a poor trial court slumdog to do….
And the AOC OCCM continues its march to nowhere….
Judicial Council Watcher
December 1, 2012
One of our regular contacts tried to clarify the org chart of the office of court construction and management. The reply back from the AOC appears to identify “Capitol Programs” as the former Design & Construction.
……obfuscate.
unionman575
December 1, 2012
Indeed.
😉
unionman575
December 1, 2012
Bifurcation of OCCM –
Office of Facilities Management reports to Chief Administrative Officer
Office of Judicial Branch Capital Programs reports to Chief Operating Officer
😉
unionman575
December 1, 2012
http://www.constructionbidsource.com/go/projects/design-build-of-juvenile-justice-center-roofing-and-hvac-replacement-stanislaus-county
Bid Due date:
12/19/2012 at 02:00 PM
Title:
Design Build of Juvenile Justice Center Roofing and HVAC Replacement, Stanislaus County
Details:
Stanislaus County will receive qualification proposals from architectural/ engineering firms to prepare bridging documents for the Juvenile Justice Center roofing and HVAC replacement. The Work includes but is not limited to, the replacement of the existing HVAC system, central plant, and Juvenile Hall Detention roof as well as upgrades to the Probation Administration Building roof at 2215 Blue Gum Ave., Modesto, CA 95358.