Colorado Legislative Council Staff
STATE and LOCAL
REVISED FISCAL IMPACT
(replaces fiscal impact dated February 1, 1999)
Drafting Number: Prime Sponsor(s): |
LLS 99-0702 Sen. Feeley Rep. Pfiffner |
Date: Bill Status: Fiscal Analyst: |
March 31, 1999 Senate Appropriations Jonathan Lurie (303-866-2677) |
TITLE: CONCERNING AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DISTRICT JUDGES IN THE FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT, AND MAKING AN APPROPRIATION THEREFOR.
Fiscal Impact Summary |
FY 1999/2000 |
FY 2000/2001 |
State Revenues General Fund |
. |
. |
State Expenditures General Fund |
$342,515 |
$252,522 |
FTE Position Change |
5.0 FTE |
5.0 FTE |
Other State Impact: None |
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Effective Date: Upon signature of the Governor |
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Appropriation Summary for FY 1999-2000: Judicial Department - $295,744 GF and 4.0 FTE Office of the Public Defender - $46,771 GF and 1.0 FTE |
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Local Government Impact: Counties will bear the cost of potential increases in courthouse maintenance and operation. |
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Rationale for Fiscal Note Revision
The original fiscal note reflected a district court judge salary of $94,500, representing the figure estimated by Judicial's worksheet for SB 99-116. This revision accounts for a recent Joint Budget Committee decision to increase the district court judge salary by 1.3 percent to $86,090 (instead of 11.2 percent to $94,500).
Summary of Legislation
This bill increases the number of judges in the first judicial district from nine to ten judges.
State Expenditures
The bill increases the annual expenditures of the Judicial Department starting in FY 1999-00 to accommodate one new district courtroom, as identified below in Table 1. Currently, each district court judge is staffed with a division clerk, a law clerk, and a court reporter. The Office of the Public Defender estimates that an additional public defender will be necessary to handle the increased number of courtrooms at which attorneys will be expected to be present. Expenditures for the Office of the Public Defender are outlined in Table 2 on page 3 of this fiscal note.
Table 1: Judicial Department -- Addition of One District Judge and Courtroom
. |
FTE |
FY 1999-00 |
FY 2000-01 |
Personal Services (including PERA and Medicare) |
|||
Judge (1) Division Clerk Law Clerk Court Recorder |
1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 |
$100,252 30,226 31,065 41,615 |
$100,252 30,226 31,065 41,615 |
Subtotal (may not add due to rounding) |
4.0 |
203,157 |
203,157 |
Operating/Travel Expenses |
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Judge Division Clerk Law Clerk Court Recorder |
. |
$5,350 600 600 600 |
$5,350 600 600 600 |
Subtotal |
. |
7,150 |
7,150 |
Capital Outlay - Furnishings (2) |
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Courtroom Jury deliberation room Attorney/client conference room Judge's chamber Library Staff office areas |
|
$49,814 5,767 1,804 14,502 2,000 11,550 |
$0 |
Subtotal |
. |
85,437 |
0 |
Total |
4.0 |
$295,744 |
$210,307 |
(1) This reflects a salary increase of 1.3% to $86,090 appropriated in the FY 1999-00 Long Bill.
(2) Furnishing costs are based on a 1998 Judicial Department survey of furnishing standards.
Table 2: Office of the Public Defender -- Addition of One Attorney
|
FTE |
FY 1999-00 |
FY 2000-01 |
Personal Services (including PERA and Medicare) |
1.0 |
$39,711 |
$39,711 |
Operating/Travel Expenses |
|
$2,504 |
$2,504 |
Capital Outlay |
|
$4,556 |
$0 |
Total |
1.0 |
$46,771 |
$42,215 |
Local Expenditures
This bill may result in increased courthouse maintenance and operating costs due to the increase in staff and trial activity created by the addition of a district court judge. Under current law, counties bear these costs. The amount of these increased costs cannot be quantified at this time.
Expenditures Not Included
Pursuant to the Joint Budget Committee’s budget policies, the following expenditures have not been included in this fiscal note:
• health and life insurance costs ($11,055/year);
• short-term disability costs ($446/year);
• inflationary cost factors;
• leased space ($3,214/year for Office of the Public Defender); and
• indirect costs.
State Appropriations
This fiscal note implies the Judicial Department will require a General Fund appropriation of $295,744 and 4.0 FTE for FY 1999-00 and the Office of the Public Defender will require a General Fund appropriation of $46,771 and 1.0 FTE for FY 1999-00.
Departments Contacted
Judicial Public Defender