Home Local News IOWA COURT OFFICES TO CLOSE ON MAY 26TH OVER BUDGET SHORTFALL

IOWA COURT OFFICES TO CLOSE ON MAY 26TH OVER BUDGET SHORTFALL

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Iowa’s court system will close for a day this spring to help close a $400,000 budget gap.

A memo sent to judicial branch personnel on Friday says the state’s court system will go on furlough May 26th.

Iowa Court Administrator David Boyd says clerk of court and other offices will be closed the Friday before Memorial Day, and 1,446 judicial employees will not be paid.

Leesa McNeil, the administrator of Iowa Judicial District 3, which includes Woodbury County, says her staff has been working short handed for months because of the budget deficit:


OC………..not be able to fill. ;19

Judges and magistrates will work that day with no pay cut, but McNeil says court clerk offices will be closed:


OC……….very serious situation. ;20

The May 6th furlough day only covers the deficit through June 30th.

When the new fiscal year starts July 1st, McNeil says the current proposed state judicial budget will be three million less that it is now:


OC………….pretty slim. ;11

The shortfall is a result of cuts the Legislature is poised to approve and send to Gov. Terry Branstad.

Branstad says he respects the court’s staffing decision and hopes no jobs will be lost:


OC………most appropriate. ;16

The adjustments were drafted after revenue forecasts for the fiscal year came up lower than expected.