COMMISSION ORGANIZATION, STAFF
AND BUDGET
Commission Organization and
Staff
The Commission has 27
authorized staff positions, including 16 attorneys and 11 support staff.
Since budget
reductions in fiscal year 2003-2004,
at least three positions have
been kept vacant and other positions have been
filled part-time, resulting in an overall staffing reduction of
22%.
The Director-Chief Counsel
heads the agency and reports directly to the Commission.
The Director-Chief Counsel oversees the intake and investigation of
complaints and the Commission examiners’ handling of formal proceedings. The Director-Chief Counsel is also the primary
liaison between the Commission and the judiciary, the public, and the media. Victoria B. Henley has served as Director-Chief
Counsel since 1991.
The Commission’s
legal staff includes 10 attorney positions assigned to the evaluation and investigation of
complaints. Of these, three are responsible
for reviewing and evaluating new complaints, and seven are responsible for conducting
staff inquiries and preliminary investigations.
Two Trial Counsel serve as
examiners during formal proceedings, aided by two Assistant Trial Counsel. The examiner is responsible for preparing cases for
hearing and presenting the evidence that supports the charges before the special masters. The examiner handles briefing regarding special
masters’ reports, and presents cases orally and in writing in hearings before the
Commission and the California Supreme Court.
One member of the Commission’s
legal staff, the Legal Advisor to Commissioners, is solely responsible for assisting the
Commission in its deliberations during its adjudication of contested matters and for the
coordination of formal hearings. That attorney
does not participate in the investigation or prosecution of cases and reports directly to
the Commission. Janice
M. Brickley was appointed to the position in August 2007.
The Commission's Budget
2007-2008
Budget
The Commission’s budget
is separate from the budget of any other state agency or court. For the 2007-2008 fiscal year, the Commission’s
budget appropriation is $4,495,000.
The Commission’s
constitutional mandate is the investigation of allegations of misconduct and the
imposition of discipline. The members of the
Commission receive no salaries, only reimbursement of expenses related to Commission
business. Because the Commission’s performance of
its core functions is dependent upon legal and support staff, the Commission’s
budget is largely allocated to personnel expenses.
As noted, in the 2003-2004
fiscal year, the Commission’s budget was reduced by 10%. Prior to that
funding reduction, the Commission’s operating budget for expenses –
excluding rent – was $500,000. Although spending in almost every aspect of
the Commission’s operations was reduced, in order to achieve the $408,000
reduction, it was necessary to reduce the commission’s staff. The 10%
funding budget reduction from 2003-2004 has not been restored.
As this report goes to
press, 10% budget reductions have been proposed for fiscal year 2008-2009
for almost all agencies and departments in the state of California,
including the Commission. If implemented, this would mean a 20% reduction
of the Commission’s funding over the last five years. Further reductions in
spending can be made only through continued reduced staffing levels.
2006-2007 Budget
The Commission’s final
budget appropriation for 2006-2007 was $4,373,965. During
the 2006-2007 fiscal year, approximately 31% of the Commission’s budget supported the
intake and investigation functions of the Commission and approximately 26% of the
Commission’s budget was used in connection with formal proceedings. The remaining 43% went toward sustaining the
general operations of the Commission, including facilities, administrative staff,
supplies, and security.
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