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Commissioner warns proposed Fourth Circuit judge could shift millions in costs to St. Mary's County
Summary
A commissioner said state legislation to add a Fourth Circuit Court judge could require courthouse improvements and additional personnel, potentially costing the county 'more than $2 million' and raising concerns about support-staff expenses.
A St. Mary's County commissioner said legislation to add a Fourth Circuit Court judge in the county was discussed and warned the measure could impose substantial costs on local government.
"We have a vacancy now. We only have 2 judges working now and the thing that concerns me about that is the, the cost that is gonna push on the county," the commissioner said during Commissioner’s Time, referencing both required courthouse improvements and the ongoing expense of a judge and support staff.
The commissioner said the county has already made courthouse improvements to accommodate an additional courtroom and cautioned that the state should not leave the county to absorb “other 2 plus million dollars of new costs” associated with installing a new judge. In the same remarks he said, "We don't need an additional $1.01 and a half million," an expression that the transcript records as phrased in the meeting.
The remarks did not cite a specific bill number or statute; the commissioner described the matter as legislation discussed last week and expressed concern the state could expect the county to pay for courtroom construction, the judge’s salary and support staff. He did not report a formal vote or an instruction by the board to pay for those costs.
The commissioner closed the item by urging the state to reconsider assigning those expenses to local taxpayers and by reiterating general safety comments for winter weather.
