The Malibu branch of the Los Angeles Superior Court system could face closure if a November tax measure proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown doesn’t pass, according to a local judge. In his 2012-13 budget released last week, Brown proposes to fund California’s trial courts at the same level as it did last year, with one major asterisk: If California voters don’t pass a November tax initiative proposed by Brown, an additional $125 million will automatically be shed from the state budget.
Judge Joseph Biderman, who hears cases in Santa Monica as the supervising judge for the West District of Los Angeles County’s Superior Court system, told the Santa Monica Daily Press “everything is on the table,” including the possible closure of the Malibu branch courthouse.
Biderman told the Daily Press that while final decisions on cuts have not been made yet, the Malibu branch could be a casualty because it experiences less traffic than other areas. Other possibilities include reducing staff. The Los Angeles Superior Court System is currently $85.4 million in the red, according to a public information officer for the court system, with that figure expected to jump to $160.9 million next year if no cuts are made.