In the days leading up to layoffs in the Los Angeles County Superior Courts, some labor leaders wondered why the cutbacks were coming despite increased state funding and a new formula that would ensure that $60 million would not only go directly to trial courts, but be distributed under a formula that will likely send a higher percentage of that money to L.A. County.
Alex Matthews at the Capitol Weekly, a government-focused newspaper, has a good story that includes significant background. He cites officials noting that “… some counties, such as San Diego, Santa Clara, Orange County, and San Francisco had received more money than was necessary for their workload in the past and will therefore lose some money under the new allocation methodology. Others that have been particularly affected by budget cuts, such as Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Fresno, Riverside, and San Joaquin, will receive more.”
More to the point regarding layoffs, Matthews quotes an official addressing the “why not wait?” question, albeit indirectly: “On a bipartisan basis California State Senate and State Assembly fought hard to ensure additional funding for the beleaguered judicial system,” chair of the Public Safety Budget Subcommittee Assemblymember Reginald Jones-Sawyer said. “It is unfortunate that the Los Angeles Superior Court, prematurely plans to eliminate more than 500 jobs by the end of the week before determining how this additional funding will help.”
Those jobs were indeed eliminated, and hundreds of people were either laid off or demoted. The context is interesting, and you can read a bit between the lines at the Capitol Weekly here.