Dear BBA Colleagues:
WE NEED YOUR HELP. The FY 2011 state budget conference committee met last week and the conferees, are now trying to reach an agreement on the FY 2011 budget. Chairman Charles Murphy told State House News recently that the budget conferees are aiming to have an agreement by June 21.
As practicing attorneys in Massachusetts, it is imperative that you weigh in on this important issue. Further budget cuts will have catastrophic consequences for court operations and will jeopardize the courts’ ability to deliver justice to the people of Massachusetts. As the Report of the Boston Bar Association Task Force on the FY 2011 Judiciary Budget stated, “further budget cuts would severely undermine the capability and adequacy of our judicial system, particularly the trial courts, which are already operating on the brink.”
Please call the six members of the conference committee today and urge them to hold onto the Senate funding level of $544.3 million.
Even if the conference committee is able to agree on the Senate appropriation this will mean a combination of furloughs, layoffs of up to 250 court employees and continued court consolidations including resources to relocate at least 5 court operations in FY2011.
The Members of the Budget Conference Committee are:
Rep. Charles Murphy
617-722-2990
Rep. Barbara L’Italien
617-722-2380
Rep. Robert Hargraves
617-722-2305
Sen. Steven Panagiotakos
617-722-1630
Sen. Stephen Brewer
617-722-1540
Sen. Michael Knapik
617-722-1415
If you have any questions regarding this Legislative Action Alert, please contact Kathleen Joyce, BBA Government Relations Director, kjoyce@bostonbar.org.
