Utah Supreme Court Justices are requesting more money. Apparently there is a vacancy in the 7th district that has attracted on five applicants, short four from the state’s mandate of nine applications being received before proceeding in the hiring process.
In today’s Deseret News:
In her annual State of the Judiciary address to the Utah Legislature, Chief Justice Christine M. Durham said more and more of Utah’s attorneys seem disinterested in becoming judges, mainly because the pay is so much less than what they can make in the private sector and even less than legal positions within Utah’s government. “I know that no one becomes a judge to get rich,” Durham said, “… but I am concerned about trends and morale.” Some 11 percent of district judgeships have turned over in the past two years and 35 percent of all Utah judges are eligible to retire in the next four years. Currently, district court judges make $114,004 while Court of Appeals judges are paid $120,100 and the five Supreme Court justices make $125,800 annually.
Historically, lawmakers have been reluctant to grant the raises asked by the courts. Last year, the Utah courts asked for a 7 percent increase and got 3 percent. The year before that, judges received a 1 percent boost.
This year, Durham said the courts are asking for an 11 percent raise.
This might not be an issue if the entire system were overhauled so that judges wouldn’t be working so much, inclusive of changing laws for non-violent crimes. Additionally – 11 percent???? Compared to the average workers pay in Utah, the current judge’s salary is wonderful! I can’t beleive that Utah would raise the salaries of government employees so much while, at the same time, arguing over what minimum wages should be for the average employee that keeps our economy going.
Priorities, people, priorities.
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged 2007 legislature, economy, living wage, minimum wage, politics, Utah
Deseret News
57th Legislature: Ethics targeted again: Speeches, prayers launch session
Lawmakers to seek big boost in teachers’ pay
Wages for judges decried: Chief justice says the judiciary is facing a quality crisis over pay
Utah has eyes on rules for transfers
Public schooling creates common ground (opinion)
Judicial committee OKs judge nominee
Legislators receive primer on software available to schools: Educators asking for $30 million to improve technology
Salt Lake Tribune
Session’s opening: Quiet before storm:
The time of hefty surpluses may bring more bitter battles than leaner days
Utah lawmakers begin 45-day session
Measure aims to make repeat DUI offenders use the gadgets
Nominee would bring diverse past to bench
Prison boss’ job a challenge
Chief justice says pay raise needed to recruit new judges
Voice of Utah is doing its legislative watch during the 2007 session with a feature called
<a href=”http://voiceofutah.livejournal.com/18618.html”>Nutter Buttars Watch</a>.
The 2007 Utah Legislature convenes today. Here are headlines in the news:
Deseret News
King Day session miffs some Utahns
Plan targets access to porn at schools
Education — It’s No. 1 issue, but lawmakers also to focus on tax cuts
The boom-time session begins (opinion)
Immigrant tuition perk is targeted
Vouchers to be a key legislative issue (opinion)
’07 wrestling match starts up Monday
State agencies’ ‘base budgets’ reviewed
Proposed bill seeks to ensure hiring of legal workers
Salt Lake Tribune
Legislature draws flak for convening on MLK Day
Poll shows Utahns, Legislature priorities don’t match up
Bad blood over soccer stadium has legislators seeking budget cuts for Salt Lake County
I think it’s time for another round of Beavers and Buttars, only on a different topic.
This year, Utah Senator Chris Buttars (R-West Jordan) is introducing legislation (SB111)that would permit individuals to express religious messages on public property while still prohibiting government entities from imposing religious concepts.
Today’s Deseret News describes Buttars’ bill where Buttars is quoted as stating that it would be o.k., for example, for a student to walk into school with a religious message on a t-shirt.
Buttars said his bill would apply to a student wearing a T-shirt with a religious message to school or a group singing a Christmas hymn in a public park — but not a government entity that wants to put up a Nativity scene. High school students would be able to choose to pray at their graduation, he said, but the school couldn’t make that part of the event.
“That’s the separation of church and state I believe in,” the senator said. “That government officials can’t impose religion on individuals, but individuals have the right to express closely held religious beliefs on public property.”
Buttars said he introduced the bill after a student was sent home with an LDS message on a t-shirt and feels that students should be able to express their religious beliefs.
Well, then, let’s consider these scenarios:
A student from an LDS family has a t-shirt with: “CTR”
Another student from an atheist family has a t-shirt with “There is no God”
And another student from a Catholic church has a t-shirt with “Homosexuality is a sin”.
Yet another student from a Church of the Creator family has a t-shirt with “Kill All Blacks”
Under Buttars’ bill, all of the above would be permissible.
While I feel that students have the right to bring their bibles with them, pray to themselves in school, etc., the line gets drawn when messages are blatantly displayed, interrupting the learning process and making others feel uncomfortable as well.
This is a bill that is an unnecessary piece of legislation – something Buttars is good at doing.
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged 2007 legislature, politics, religious expression, Utah
Deseret News
Lobbyists wiggle through loophole
Schools rehiring retirees: Districts are desperate due to teacher shortage
Utah’s gas tax may change: And 1 bill would cut $$ going to transit districts
Utahns are still split over vouchers: But poll finds support gaining for tuition aid
State wants to increase movie incentive fund
Buttars seeks free exercise of faith
Cap is proposed on part of tuition that pays faculty
Salt Lake Tribune
Republican prepares bill for demise of Roe v. Wade
Governor says he will fight to keep in-state tuition: Despite veto threat, bill’s sponsor will push to repeal lower college rates for immigrants
4 of 5 USTAR outreach centers selected
Soccer plan: New concerns
Consultant raises questions about RSL’s debt load, cash flow
Guv wants to tweak anti-meth efforts–Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. unveils a $10.2 million campaign focusing on prevention and rehab
Rise in minimum wage OK’d by House–Utah representatives are divided along party lines; Senate plans tax breaks for businesses
Deseret News
Speed-limit hike opposed
Lawmakers considering plan to cut property tax: GOP leaders look at plan to trim surpluses
Ag chief offers hints on farm bill
Driver-safety bills in Utah Legislature
Lawmakers urged to focus on health care: Group asks Utahns to visit the Capitol to push for action
Majority of Utahns favor big tax cuts
Don’t kill tuition break(Opinion)
Child-care providers may face new rules
Salt Lake Tribune
Gastric surgery: Bill would mandate that insurance pay
Deseret News
Valentine says UVSC should be university: Senate chief is making that his session priority
Provo House vacancy filled: State GOP chief selects developer for District 62
United Way expanding role in public-policy arena
Salt Lake Tribune
RSL funds far from a done deal
‘We have not yet made any commitments,’ says investor
Deanna Dee-Dee Taylor 