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Luzerne County Court representatives are set to present their budget request Tuesday for a $19 million allocation in 2019, which equates to 13.5 percent of the $140.95 million proposed general fund operating budget.
The court budget includes funding for the Court of Common Pleas, magisterial district courts, domestic relations and probation services.
Next year’s proposed court spending is a reduction of $52,430. However, revenue from the courts is projected to be $656,796 less in 2019, for a new total $7.5 million.
Court officials attempted cut back on expenses to keep the budget about the same, said court Administrator Michael Shucosky.
“We have been trying to not make large purchases or add staff. We’re really trying to hold the line this year,” Shucosky said.
The budget presentation will follow a 6 p.m. voting meeting at the courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre.
On the revenue side, the biggest hit comes from probation services, which is budgeting a reduction of $404,854 in receipts, for a new total $2.26 million. The figure was reduced based on past collection figures, a worksheet said.
Domestic relations is budgeting $251,942 less in revenue, for a total $3.2 million, with the worksheet saying the number had to be adjusted “based on timing.”
Revenue from the two remaining departments is unchanged in 2019 — district courts, $1.1 million, and courts, $910,154.
Magisterial
Spending on district courts is proposed at $2.5 million next year, or $84,455 less.
District courts employ a combined 51 unionized workers, an increase of one since the last budget, the worksheet says.
While wages are projected to increase nearly $32,000, district courts are cutting spending through the consolidation of telephones and completion of a videoconferencing project, it said.
Rent of buildings to house magisterial offices remains the same: $455,000
Courts
Officials are seeking $152,949 more to operate the Court of Common Pleas, for a new total $5 million.
The budget covers 81 nonunion positions, which is unchanged from last year.
Among the expense changes over 10 percent or $10,000 and the reasons cited by the court:
• Wages increasing $126,757, for a new total $3.86 million, due to salary adjustments
• Capital cases rising from $130,000 to $200,000 because of two pending capital cases
• Machinery/equipment decreasing from $130,000 to $30,000
Domestic relations
The department is asking for $4.9 million, or $52,086 more, next year, primarily to cover salaries.
The budget funds 50 union and nine nonunion positions, with no added staff.
Spending on nonunion salaries is rising by $26,650 due to “corrected positions and salary adjustments,” the worksheet says.
Wages for union employees is $32,909 more because of contractual increases.
Probation services
This is the highest expense in the court budget — a proposed $6.6 million. However, it’s a reduction of $173,010 compared to 2018.
Probation cut one union position, bringing the total to 86. The department also employs 11 nonunion workers.
Spending on nonunion wages is growing by $245,993, for a new total $965,130, but the expense for union compensation is decreasing by $303,785, or a total $4.3 million.
It’s unclear if court officials will present a plan to provide raises for nonunion court branch employees.
County Manager C. David Pedri sought $165,726 in the proposed budget to provide raises of up to 3 percent for nonunion workers under his control, which does not include those in court branches or the district attorney and controller’s offices.