MAHONING COUNTY Judge's budget spurs dispute

Judge Maloney said his budget is not much above the court's budget for 1996.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning County commissioners are facing another possible courtroom budget battle.
This one is with Judge Timothy P. Maloney of probate court, who has ordered commissioners to provide him with more funding next year despite commissioners' plea for officeholders to cut back.
Judge Maloney submits his budget request in the form of a court order each year. However, in years past it's been in line with what commissioners could afford, so there wasn't a problem.
Warnings
In July, commissioners began telling officeholders to brace for a 20 percent budget reduction in 2003 because of stagnant sales-tax income, loss of investment earnings and potential elimination of state aid.
Judge Maloney's request for next year totals $922,196, which is higher than the $907,912 he was budgeted this year. It's also much higher than the $750,000 commissioners planned to appropriate to the court when they pass the county's 2003 budget today.
In July, they'd given Judge Maloney a target figure of $715,000.
"Here we were back in July, asking people to cut their budgets next year, and now we have two of our judges ordering us to give them even more money next year," said county Administrator Gary Kubic.
Judge Theresa Dellick of juvenile court also has submitted a court order for more funding next year. She wants about $1.6 million more than the $5.3 million she got this year.
During a meeting last week to discuss overcrowding at the county jail, county Auditor George Tablack cautioned officials against seeking court orders for more money, saying the county can't afford it.
Reason for increase
Judge Maloney defended his budget request, saying he's held the line for six years now and can't hold it any longer. When he took office six years ago, he cut his court's budget by 22 percent and has kept it there.
His staff did not get a raise last year and received minimal raises in years before, he said.
"I can't do any more," he said. "I'm trying to maintain a decent level of income for my employees so I don't lose the people I've trained."
He said the budget request for next year is only about 3 percent higher than the court's budget in 1996, but that meant little to Elizabeth Sublette, county budget director.
"It isn't close to our target, and it's more than he spent this year," she said.
The judge said he'll stick to his guns, and if commissioners want to challenge his court order, they can take him to court. Kubic said that's where the matter seems headed.
When it does, commissioners will subpoena other officeholders to testify about how much money is available and how much they need to operate.
"In essence, these court hearings will become public budget sessions," Kubic said.
bjackson@vindy.com