Budget Resource
Center

...providing state budgets, reports, and current news to help the court community make informed budgetary decisions.

Pennsylvania

Actions Underway

• Pennsylvania is primarily a locally funded court system.  The State pays the salaries of the all jurists, the administrative office employees and state-level court administrators.
• Pennsylvania’s budget was not reduced in FY08-09.  The Governor has proposed a major reduction (greater than 5%) in FY09-10, which would mean that there is not sufficient funding for the statutorily-mandated salaries of judges (trial courts, magisterial district judges, one of the intermediate appellate courts and two Philadelphia courts) and state court-level employees.
• Pennsylvania has suspended merit pay increases and has imposed a freeze on adding new positions and a careful review on filling vacancies.  They expect to delay filling additional judicial vacancies.
• The under-funding will seriously impact state-level court administrators who serve at the local level.  The proposed (6%) cut will also jeopardize special court programs.
  

Reports and Articles

• Marcia Gelbart. "Butkovitz questions Nutter's 'Doomsday' Budget " Philly.com. September 10, 2009.
• "Philly Mayor Warns of 'Virtual Shutdown' of Courts." The Associated Press. August 19, 2009.
• Daniel Rublin. "Daniel Rubin: Phila. 'A City Being Held Hostage.'" Philly.com. August 13, 2009.
• Marcia Moore. "Hard Choice: Cut Hours or Cut Jobs?" The Daily Item. August 5, 2009.
• Angela Couloumbis . "Rendell Considering a Stopgap Budget for Pennsylvania ." The Philadelphia Inquirer. July 28, 2009.
• Marcia Gelbart and Joseph A. Slobodzian. "Courts Officials: More Cuts Would Hurt." The Philadelphia Inquirer. March 25, 2009.
• "Philadelphia Bar Association to City: Stop Court System Budget Cuts." Philadelphia Bar Association. March 25, 2009.
• Patty Tascarella. "Pennsylvania Courts Face $34 million Shortfall." South Florida Business Journal. March 6, 2009.
• Don Aines. "Pennsylvania: Court System Needs are Studied." The Herald-Mail. February 26, 2009.
• Kelly Cobiella. "Glut Of Foreclosures Clogs Courts." CBS News. February 19, 2009.
• Michael R. Sisak and Michael P. Buffer. "25 Court Employees Marked for Layoffs." StandardSpeaker.com. February 12, 2009.
• Chester B. Muroski, President Judge. Media Release: February 11, 2009. Luzerne County Courts.

Gavel to Gavel

• Database. Search the Gavel to Gavel legislation database based on state, year, legislation category, or any combination.

State Links

• Court Budget Web Sites
• Strategic Planning
• State Budgets for 2009
• State Budget Offices