Supreme Court justice asked about furloughs, extra pay

Chief Justice Michael Douglas was questioned Thursday about the court's decision not to impose furloughs or pay cuts on employees and about the extra pay justices receive over their base salaries.

Assemblyman Marcus Conklin,

D-Las Vegas, pointed out that the court didn't participate in the furloughs ordered for all other state workers. He said this budget cycle, the governor has asked workers to take a

5 percent pay cut and the court hasn't included that in its budget, either.

"In truth, yes, we did not furlough," Douglas told the joint Senate-Assembly budget review committee. "Yet we gave money back equivalent to the furloughs. We were led to believe that was acceptable at the time."

He said this budget cycle, the court was asked to present a budget equal to the 2007 budget, "which we did."

Assemblywoman Debbie Smith, D-Sparks, said she thinks it is important for the court to treat its employees like all other state workers.

"We understand these are trying times for the state," said Douglas. "We have no intention of standing above anybody else."

He also said that, with administrative assessment revenues falling, the court may have to consider furloughs or pay cuts to balance the budget.

Sen. Ben Kieckhefer, R-Reno, asked about the report that judges can get up to $67,400 added to their elected salaries each year for work that he said is part of the job. Nevada's Constitution mandates that elected salaries not be raised or lowered between elections. But those justices elected when the pay was $140,000 a year get $30,000 extra for serving on the Supreme Court Law Library Commission.

That commission meets briefly four times a year to discuss library issues.

In addition, justices get 2 percent more in longevity pay each year they are on the bench, up to 22 percent, ostensibly for their service on the Pardons Board. That translates to a maximum of $37,400. After last November's elections raised the base salaries of Justices Jim Hardesty and Ron Parraguirre to $170,000, that leaves just three members of the court on the library commission - Douglas, Nancy Saitta and Michael Cherry.

Kieckhefer said other elected officials like the governor don't get a pay boost between elections for additional duties that are part of the job. The governor also serves on the Pardons Board. Kieckhefer asked how the court justifies the added pay.

Douglas said service on the Pardons Board is constitutionally mandated. He didn't say why the justices should be paid extra for that work.

He said the library commission was approved by the Legislature "as an attempt to deal with the inequities" created when one justice is paid more than another.

"When you do the same work you deserve equal pay," he said.

The library commission, he said, has been reviewed by the Legislature more than once: "It kind of is what it is."

He did not address the issue of longevity pay.

Until 2007, a similar system was used to boost the salaries of Nevada's 82 district court judges. But the Legislature has moved all district judges to the same election cycle so there is no longer any difference in what those judges are paid, making their library commissions unnecessary.

Longevity pay, however, remains at the district court level, raising their $160,000 base salaries to $195,200 a year after 11 years on the bench.