WE CAN DO BETTER Part 6

WE CAN DO BETTER 6

By Alan Miller, Candidate for Judge Superior Court II

Efficiency and Fiscal Responsibility 

There are problems within the county court system. In the next several weeks, I will post my proposals that outline how I think we can do better.

Today, I will continue to discuss my proposals related to efficiency in the courts.  

Reduce dependence on grant money  

The amount of grant money used throughout our justice system is concerning. Grants are monetary awards given to the recipient for a specific purpose, usually by another governmental entity. In Dearborn County, grant money is used to fund things ranging from compensation for employees to supplies, even some court programs. While these endeavors are commendable in some limited circumstances, those who use these most seem to have forgotten that grant money is not free money: it is taxpayer money.  

Additionally, most grants are not guaranteed from year-to-year. A grant that may be available one year may not be the next. Other grants are not intended to be used for anything but a one-time expenditure. However, once one comes to rely on the grant, the program or job created thanks to it is not as easy to get rid of. Instead of learning to cope without the grant, alternative funding sources, namely taxpayers, are used to fund the programs.

When elected, I will work to reduce the court’s dependence on grant money. If we cannot find the means to operate without these, spending must be adjusted until we can do so. 

Join us again in two weeks, when I will begin my discussion of how best to address the issues regarding fairness in our courts. Have a happy and safe Fourth of July!

This is the sixth part of my platform statement; a detailed proposal for how to improve our current justice system. It will be released over the next several months through facebook.com/makeitmiller2012 and makeitmiller2012.com. PLEASE feel free to forward this to your friends and family.
Thanks for your continued support!

Alan Miller