Get the Facts About the Ventura Court Budget

Ventura County Superior Court employees haven’t been getting the full story.

While Ventura Court has released letters between SEIU 721 and management on the intranet, it’s not giving you the full story.

Budget documents requested by SEIU 721 show:

• The 2010-11 budget is based on 2009-10 cuts, not the new state budget plan with an estimated $2 million more funding for Ventura courts than last year
• Other courts including Los Angeles are using the state agreement as the basis for their projected 2010-11 budgets
• Ventura’s 2010-11 budget cuts security by 2.3%, but court staff and operations by 4.6% 

“Why is Ventura looking backwards to last year’s budget cuts when other state courts are moving forward?” —Sherry Jacoby, Judicial Secretary

Facts About the State Budget and How It Affects You

Ventura courts don’t operate in a vacuum. What’s happening in Sacramento matters for the budget picture here.

Fact: The Republican and Democratic leadership in the Legislature both have agreed to new court funding. It wouldn’t close the 2010-11 budget gap completely but does restore funding. (source: Budget Conference Committee Highlights, August 6). SEIU has been an active partner in negotiations.

Fact: Based on that agreement, LA courts have cancelled furloughs and 500 planned layoffs (source: LA Superior Court letter to employees, July 21).

Fact: Ventura court management is still basing its budget assumptions on 2009-10 cuts, not on the likely budget agreement in Sacramento (source: Ventura budget documents).