Funding Justice: Tippy Top Tips for Getting Funds

“Keep a line of communication open. . . . A presentation to a subcommittee should be a closing argument, not an opening argument.”
—Legislative Fiscal Staff
Fact: Our courts [or substitute “county law libraries” throughout, just to see how it sounds] are the final line of protection for individual rights, providing access to justice, protection from abuse of power, and affirming our civil rights.
Fact: Courts are overwhelmed with record caseloads creating long delays and backlogs.
Fact: If we don’t act now to strengthen our courts, it will cost taxpayers millions of dollars and put basic Constitutional protections at risk.
Fact: The majority of legislators have little contact with the courts, and lack any real knowledge of the court. Budget decisions are made by 4-5 people in the legislative budget community — get to know and love them.
Moral: Make friends with powerful people. Make friends with those who can help you. Do the kind of due diligence (within ethical guidelines, of course) that may pay-off in better court and law library funding in the future. Let’s face it: who you know does make a difference.
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