Chief justice Roggensack calls for judicial salary hikes

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Pat Roggensack is asking the Legislature’s budget-writing committee to reject Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to put the independent Judicial Commission under control of the court, saying that “creates the potential for conflicts of interest.”

The commission oversees ethics of judges in the state.

Roggensack on Tuesday also asked lawmakers to reject Walker’s call to eliminate Judicial Council. The council advises the governor, Supreme Court and Legislature on court-related issues.

She is also asking lawmakers to approve 2 percent salary increases for judges in each of the next two years that Walker recommended, but fund them differently than he called for.

Roggensack also says she doesn’t know what impact Walker’s call for eliminating the Labor and Industry Review Commission will have on courts, so the Supreme Court isn’t taking a position on it.

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