On Monday, while talking about the Mack Administration’s effort to confirm three judicial nominees to Trenton’s Municipal Court, I took the Mackers to task for not doing their homework – namely, failing to file a request with the Mercer County Administrative Judge for bringing in more than the authorized number of Muni judges before making the nominations.
I wrote, “In the meantime, three judicial appointees sit on their hands, and the workload in our Court piles up.”
Turns out that the workload in Trenton’s Municipal Court may not be piling up as much as I had thought. My fellow blogger over at “From the Front Stoop” – the OIB, or “Original Irresponsible Blogger” – has published an analysis today that shows that over the last few years the caseload at the Court has actually gone DOWN, rather than up. Even with the current complement of judges at two rather than the authorized three, Trenton’s Muni Court is getting the job done. The conclusion that Mr. Stoop makes is that even a third judge may not be needed right now, let alone the other two that the Mayor and his Administration want to hire.
Without those 2 extra judges, there is no need to do construction at two neighborhood Ward police stations proposed by the Mayor to make space in those buildings for courtrooms. This will of course save even more money that we don’t have!
The case is compelling, and the analysis is a good one. Mr. Stoop has obviously done the homework that the Mayor and his “Aide” Anthony Roberts failed to. Thank You!
This is another example of the Administration rushing to hire people not because there is a need to, but Because They Can.
Our Court functions fine with only Two Judges, but we are entitled to Three? Well, let’s hire the Third and ask for a few more!
So, State Law says that the Mayor if a city the size of Trenton is entitled to have seven Aides working in his office? Who cares if you can’t justify all seven or even write job descriptions for them all, hire seven bodies! And then scream Bloody Murder when they have to be temporarily laid off, and claim they are necessary to Public Safety. A claim which, by the way, the Administration notably did NOT make when it announced the layoffs of more than 100 Police Officers.
These Judicial nominations fit the same pattern. “From the Front Stoop” has done a service for us in suggesting that we may not need to move forward with this after all.
Or, at least, not as fast as the Administration would have the process move. Let’s slow down and look at the arguments and the numbers.
Not so fast, Mr. Mayor!