Supreme Court refuses budget cut request

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The Vermont Supreme Court is refusing the governor’s request to cut its budget by 5 percent.

Instead, the court has offered to reduce spending by just over half that amount, or $825,000.

The Douglas administration has asked state government to cut a total of $32 million following forecasts that the state is facing a $24 million revenue shortfall.

Most agencies and departments have been asked to cut spending by 5 percent.

The Supreme Court says the administration weighed the necessity of judicial branch expenditures against those in the executive branch and chose to cut the judicial branch more.

It says having an executive branch official making decisions about judicial branch spending is not "constitutionally appropriate" and says the budget cuts threaten the court’s ability to meet its constitutional responsibilities.

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