$600,000 cut from court budget, city judge says

3/11/2010

The 2010 proposed operating budget for Toledo Municipal Court was cut by $600,000, from $8.3 million to $7.7 million, Judge Timothy Kuhlman told Toledo City Council's public safety committee yesterday.

The judges have agreed not to fill 10 vacant positions, which include two probation officers, three civil bailiffs, and a court reporter, said Judge Kuhlman, the court's presiding judge. He said the court would have to reduce the number of probation supervisions it orders.

Councilman D. Michael Collins, chairman of the committee, said the court's budget is misleading because the judges could fill those jobs before the end of the year and increase the total cost.

The cutbacks in the court were negotiated with the Bell administration to help balance a $48 million deficit. City Council must approve a balanced budget by March 31.