« Mollis' brother charged again with serving a minor | Today | Senate panel endorses judge nominee Carnes / Photo »

February 27, 2007

Williams: Courts won't take part in furlough plan

PROVIDENCE -- The head of the state Supreme Court told a special joint session of the General Assembly this afternoon that he refused to go along with the governor's cost-cutting plan to shut down state government for several days in the coming months.

"We cannot -- and will not -- participate in the seven-day furlough proposed for the executive branch, as we are constitutionally and statutorily precluded from closing our courts," Chief Justice Frank Williams said as part of the prepared text of his annual State of the Judiciary address.

"To do so would deny our citizens access to justice, including delays in the release on bail of arrestees held at the Adult Correctional Institutions. Nevertheless, I have informed the governor, as I promise to you now, of our continued commitment to reduce expenses and save costs."

Last Friday, Carcieri issued an executive order shutting most of state government down for a total of four days during the final months of the current fiscal year to help avert an “increasingly severe” budget deficit. The deficit has been pegged at $105 million this year alone. Three more days are proposed for the next fiscal year.

Carcieri said employees whose work “involves the health, safety and welfare of the public, such as state police, correctional officers and caregivers, will not be affected by the furlough days.” But he did not elaborate on the reach of his order.

Carcieri spokesman Jeff Neal said afterward that Williams' refusable was "workable," but that the governor was disappointed the judiciary wouldn't comply with the furlough request.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples with reports from Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick

Posted by Steve Peoples  at 6:38 PM | Permalink

Comments

Post a comment

Please be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish.

Name:

Email Address:

URL:
Remember Me? YesNo

Comments: (you may use HTML tags for style)