Yet the federal courts of course depend on Congress for funding, including any increase in judicial compensation.

As in the late 1980s, we are facing a critical moment in judicial compensation.

The 107th Congress has a real opportunity to solve the problem of inadequate judicial compensation, particularly in light of the current budgetary surplus.

Second, because judges are appointed for life and expected to remain on the bench, increases in judicial compensation should not be tied to increases for non-career public servants.

The Legislature and Governor responded by enacting legislation requiring judicial compensation to be set by a long-sought independent commission.

He should also get behind Judge Kaye's proposal for changing the manner of setting judicial compensation.

But federal judges are heavily dependent upon Congress for virtually every other aspect of their being - including when and whether to increase judicial compensation.

New York has also lost ground to other states, falling to 23rd among the 50 states when judicial compensation is adjusted to take into account the region's high cost of living.

Given such a "dramatic erosion of judicial compensation," the chief justice said, it was "clear that the time is ripe for our nation's judges to receive a substantial salary increase."

The solution is clear: take judicial compensation out of politics.