MAHONING COUNTY Judge orders funding increase

The budget flap is likely to be decided in a courtroom.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A budget battle is looming between Mahoning County commissioners and Judge Theresa Dellick of juvenile court.
The judge has ordered commissioners to provide her with an additional $1.6 million in funding for next year. She says the money is needed to bring her workers' wages in line with what other county employees are making.
But the demand comes at a time when commissioners are asking county officials to hold the line for next year -- perhaps even making cuts -- because of flagging finances. They want the judge to reduce her budget, not increase it.
"We'll probably end up in court," said Gary Kubic, county administrator. "That's what this is headed for."
Attempt last year
It's the second consecutive year that Judge Dellick has sought more money for her operation.
Last year, she asked for $6.2 million for 2002, which would have been a $1 million increase over the court's 2001 budget.
"We didn't even come close," Judge Dellick said, noting that she ended up with about $5.3 million. She's asking for $6.9 million for next year.
Elizabeth Sublette, county budget director, said commissioners gave Judge Dellick a target figure of $4.3 million for next year. Sublette said the overall general fund budget must be cut about 20 percent from this year's figures, mostly because of dwindling sales tax revenue and slumping interest earnings on investments.
Seeking equity
The judge said her staff went 10 years without cost-of-living adjustments, while other county employees who do similar work received raises. She's trying to bring them in line with the rest of the county workers.
She pointed to a performance audit of the juvenile court, which said court employees are paid nearly 22 percent less than similarly situated employees.
With last year's budget increase, she was able to provide a 10 percent raise for most of her staff. The additional money she's seeking for next year would go largely toward another 10 percent increase, plus an increase in benefits.
Not all the 120 employees under the juvenile court umbrella will receive that amount. Some will get less of a raise, while others will get none.
Although a 20-percent increase over a two-year period seems high, Judge Dellick said, it's something that should have been done long ago when other county workers were getting raises. Commissioners review the budgets, so they should have been aware of the slight to the juvenile department, she added.
The judge said the costs are "reasonable and necessary" for maintaining fairness and equity.
Kubic said he can't understand why Judge Dellick has already issued a court order when commissioners haven't yet passed a budget for next year.
"As of right now, we haven't denied her anything," he said.
Cuts elsewhere
Commissioners can't afford to simply fork out an additional $1.5 million, so they will probably ask whether other departments are willing to cut their budgets to free up more money for juvenile court, Kubic said.
Judge Dellick said that if commissioners don't provide the full amount she has demanded, she will file a lawsuit in common pleas court to get the money.
"It's simply a matter of pay now or pay later," she said. "The commissioners chose to pay later. Well, later is now."
bjackson@vindy.com