Judicial branch's top budget request: employee pay raises.

When Chief Justice Jorge Labarga outlines his goals, rising to the top is securing cost--of living raises for court employees and judges who have gone without for more than seven years.

"We have judicial assistants who, in Miami where the cost of living is much higher, were actually being helped with food stamps," Labarga said, of many court support staff whose salaries hover around the $30,000 mark.

Because of the Supreme Court's landmark 4-3 decision in 2013 upholding a law requiring state employees to contribute to their pensions for the first time, it feels like their take-home pay has been dramatically cut.

So it comes as no surprise that State Courts Administrator PK Jameson has highlighted pay issues as the No. 1 priority in the judicial branch's legislative budget request for FY 2015-16.

The Supreme Court requests second-year funding of $8,961,891, effective July 1, 2015, to "complete the necessity of addressing a wide range of salary issues affecting the State Courts System."

Last year, the State Courts System requested $18,828,193 in a recurring salary appropriation, and proposed a two-year implementation period. The purpose was to retain highly skilled court employees and to bring equity with other government salaries. The 2014 Legislature provided $8,132,614 for the first-year implementation period.

"The courts very much appreciate the attention and support of the Legislature and governor last year in funding half of the staff pay inequity gap. This has been a tremendous help," Jameson said. "While this funding went a long way, there are many classes of employees whose pay was not adjusted simply because the money ran out.

"The judges and employees of the state court system are some of the most dedicated and hardworking people you will meet. In order to keep pace with a highly competitive employment market for judges and court staff, it is vital that the state stay the course and continue to invest in stabilizing the court system for the benefit of all Floridians."

Current judicial salaries are $138,019.92 for county judges; $146,079.96 for circuit judges; $154,140 for district courts of appeal judges; and $162,199.92 for Supreme Court justices. (Chief Justice Labarga noted that his pay this year was actually $151,000, mostly because of paying more for his pension.)

To attract qualified people to come to the bench, Chief Justice Labarga said, pay raises are essential.

"They are going to be giving up a lot of money to come here...