News
Funding in the Courts
November 02, 2012
Over the past five years, the Judiciary has implemented $34 million in savings, borrowed a yet-to-be-repaid $28 million from dedicated computer funds for general operations, and reluctantly advocated temporary fees.
But the ability to achieve significant, additional savings is limited, willingness to borrow is past, reliance on funding by fees must be balanced against the citizens’ accessibility to courts, and the need to stabilize both the judiciary’s general operations and computer system finances remains.
In contrast to some other states, Pennsylvania courts are still open, vital and innovative, spending less than 1% of the state budget. But if years of inadequate funding are not ultimately addressed, justice unfunded could well be justice undone.
To learn more