Date: August 7, 2003
Contact: Candace Ouillette Gaumond
(413) 599-4785
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CANDARAS APPOINTED TO CHAIR COURTS’ SPECIAL SUB-COMMITTEE

BOSTON – State Representative Gale D. Candaras (D-Wilbraham) has been appointed as Chairperson of the Special House of Representatives Sub-Committee on the Allocation and Adequacy of Court Resources. The ten member sub-committee is charged to examine and recommend to the full House of Representative membership in the Fiscal Year 2005 budget debate a comprehensive examination of the fiscal practices and policies of the state’s judiciary system. In addition, the sub-committee will create and develop a plan to administer the judiciary budget, as well as the courts’ practice and policies for the implementation of technology, including planning, usage and expenditure, in an equitable approach across the Commonwealth.

Candaras, a long time advocate of equitable court funding since first becoming a State Representative for the 12th Hampden District in 1997, sees the sub-committee’s creation as a victory for western Massachusetts courts. “Western Massachusetts’ Courts, particularly the Springfield Courts, has lagged far behind in funding in comparison to the courts in the eastern part of the state,” Candaras notes. The Six-term Representative further adds, “since my election to the House of Representatives, I have tried to balance the inequities foisted upon the courts in western Massachusetts. With this appointment, I have an opportunity to move forward with this issue and bring economic equity to this part of the state’s judiciary system.”

Chairman John Rogers of the House of Representatives’ Ways and Means Committee praises Candaras’ advocacy efforts regarding the judiciary system’s inequities. He states, “It is highly appropriate that Candaras received this honor to chair this Sub-Committee. She has always been at the forefront for equitable funding of the Commonwealth’s court system. I look forward to seeing the results from the Sub-committee’s anticipated work.”

Candaras, also a practicing attorney, has firsthand knowledge of the difficulties placed on the western Massachusetts court system due to its economic imbalance with other judicial facilities in the eastern part of the state. “The Springfield Courts maintain the same amount of caseloads as some its eastern counterpart courts while operating with a budget appropriation that is 2/3rd less appropriation made to Boston courts,” Candaras claims. Candaras also says, “ I am looking forward to beginning this very important and long overdue task!”

This past July during the legislature’s budget process, Candaras was successful in attaining an extra $300,000 for the Springfield Court’s budget through her advocacy efforts. Additionally, Candaras was also instrumental in gaining approval for the rehabilitation of the Springfield Juvenile Court building. Construction on the Juvenile Court’s roof scheduled to begin this coming fall.