by David Chapman
Staff Writer
Facing the same 3 percent across-the-board budget cut affecting City funded agencies, program managers of two specialty court programs of the Fourth Judicial Circuit are keeping a watchful on budget talks.
Then again, as the Teen Court and Drug Court diversion programs aren’t funded by the City’s general fund, program managers Lawrence Hills and Kelly Zarle don’t believe their programs should be affected.
The programs are uniquely funded — Teen Court through $3 off the top of every traffic violation, Drug Court through 25 percent of the $65 court fine that is part of the Chief Judge’s discretionary fund. And their financial nature fluctuates from year-to-year.
Additionally, as one of the highlighted points in a recent letter to City Council members from Court Administrator Joe Stelma, Teen Court funds that aren’t spent can’t be used to supplement other government functions per Florida Statute.
“We didn’t think they’d be legally able to do it,” said Hills.
The effects of a potential 3 percent cut to the programs was highlighted in the letter, with public safety (through specially trained case managers monitoring offenders for compliance), morale (the Court’s employees, who haven’t received a raise in three years, going on four this year), the hazardous nature of the duty (case managers go into the same high-risk areas as officers), the present need for increased services from an increased workload (a spike in offender violations) and reduction in collected fines also serving as defense points (due to a poor economy).
Following the Court’s appearance before the Council Finance Committee, Stelma and others have reached out to Council members to explain the impact of cuts and different funding natures of programs that should preclude them from cuts, and have received support. According to Hills, more than one-quarter of the Council has responded in a supportive way with very little negative response, but as of now the issue is now officially at a standstill.
“It’s a sit and wait game,” said Hills. “Some say it’s inevitable, but we’re optimistic.”
Teen Court’s budget, as collected by the traffic fines, was around $457,000 during the last fiscal year, said Hills, but already the numbers look much bleaker this year. For the first nine months, Hills estimates around a $100,000 loss so far.
“Collections are down across the board,” said Zarle, who along with Hills, believes it’s due to the economy. “People struggling with things like mortgages and other bills are spending their money on those items instead of the fines.”
As alluded in Stelma’s letter, both believe the nature of the work of case managers is a joint aspect of public safety and should be viewed as such.
“It’s extremely involved in law enforcement,” said Hills.
If such cuts were to be made, there’s an added whammy to the staff who run the programs: if salary cuts were made and then returned, staff wouldn’t qualify to receive the boost back to normal, said Hills.
If cuts were to be made, Hills believes that due to the Florida Statute prohibiting such actions, action could be taken to a higher level to ensure funding remains intact — but like all other agencies, both he and Zarle can do nothing but wait.
“It’s tough for everybody,” he said.
356-2466