Court’S Economics On Ballot Sides Disagree Over Whether Adding Municipal Court Would Save Money

Voters getting a ballot in the mail this week can give the city of Spokane something it discarded 27 years ago - its own municipal court.

Backers of Proposition 1 say the creation of a separate city court would save taxpayers at least $200,000 a year and streamline traffic and minor criminal cases.

Opponents say the city already has an efficient cooperative arrangement with Spokane County District Court for dealing with the high volume of cases.

Critics also say the initiative would cost city taxpayers more and jeopardize a $1.2 million federal grant that helps coordinate prosecution of domestic violence crimes.

Last year, the city paid Spokane County $874,240 to handle about 31,000 cases.

The outcome of the election could affect all city taxpayers directly. It could also impact county taxpayers by eliminating the city’s nearly $1 million annual payment for District Court services.

Here are answers to key questions about the ballot measure:

What would Proposition 1 do?

The city would operate its own Municipal Court.

For the past 27 years, city misdemeanors and traffic offenses have been heard in the “municipal department” of the county’s District Court.

How would the city benefit by having its own Municipal Court?

Proponents point to other Washington cities, like Yakima and Edmonds, that have made the change in recent years and found two advantages: a more efficient court system and reduced operating costs.

Spokane County uses a formula to determine how much the city pays each year. Proposition 1 supporters say the city is not getting a good deal in that arrangement.

How much money might be saved?

Backers say the city would save at least $218,000 a year. The bulk of the savings would be in eliminating unnecessarily high salaries, they say.

The county charges the city now for four judges and one commissioner. Those pushing the measure say the city needs just three judges and a commissioner.

The city can pay a Municipal Court judge about $51,000 less per year in salary and benefits than the county must pay for each District Court judge.

What are the disadvantages of running a stand-alone Municipal Court?

Opponents say Proposition 1 backers haven’t taken into account what it may cost to create a new court. If it’s housed in a new building, city budget staff estimate start-up costs at $4 million.

“That start-up figure hasn’t been included in any of the savings estimated by those pushing the proposal,” said retired District Court Judge Dan Maggs, a critic of the measure.

Supporters say the city could lease existing courtrooms from the county, or find space in nearby buildings.

County commissioners say that if the city forms its own court, the courtrooms used for municipal cases would be used by other crowded county departments.

Those backing the initiative say the county would be careless to not consider leasing those courtrooms back to the city for court use.

The city pays about $50,000 a year to lease office space and courtrooms from the county.

“It would be irresponsible on the county commissioners’ part to give up that revenue and set aside that space for other uses,” said J. Pat Thompson, one of the initiative’s drafters.

Maggs said proponents also haven’t calculated the additional cost of providing security and transporting inmates to and from a new courthouse.

The city currently doesn’t pay separately for court security or shuttling inmates, said Gary Oberg, director of Spokane County’s corrections department.

“But if a new court were four or five blocks from the current building, then someone else other than county jailers would have to move the inmates to and from the jail to the new court,” Oberg said.

Why did the county take over Municipal Court in 1972?

That’s when the county built the Public Safety Building. The city saw an opportunity to eliminate duplicated services, like record-keeping and court-scheduling.

Who determines how much the city pays to the county for Municipal Court cases?

District Court judges estimate annual costs, based on the previous year’s caseload and staffing.

Did the city or county initiate the measure?

Neither.

Initiative petitions were circulated last year by members of the Washington Council of County and City Employees, the union representing local government clerical workers.

For more than three years, union officials have feuded with Spokane County District Court judges over a contract covering the 100 or so clerical workers handling court records and other business.

The election, according to one District Court judge, “is a bar-room brawl that’s spilled out onto the street.”

No local law enforcement or government officials are on record supporting the measure. At the same time, no city officials are taking an active stance against the initiative.

What impact would the new court have on Spokane County’s federal domestic violence grant?

That’s not clear.

The city obtained the initial $1.6 million grant and a follow-up $1.2 million for 1999 because it had a coordinated city-county court system that handled all domestic violence cases in the same place and with the same people.

Maggs said the grant could be lost if the city pulls out of District Court.

Thompson said the city, if necessary, could arrange to continue handling domestic violence cases under the existing arrangement.

Countered Maggs: “So where’s the savings then, if they have to pay the county to keep a large part of the system just the way it is?”

Who gets to vote?

City residents only. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Feb. 2 to be valid, with a simple majority deciding the outcome.

What if the Municipal Court is formed and the city decides later it was a mistake?

The City Council can choose to go back to the prior system. But state law says it can’t do that for 10 years.

Where can I get more information about Proposition 1?

Cable Channel 5 will broadcast a taped debate on the measure at 6:30 p.m. today..

A League of Women Voters pamphlet on the measure is being mailed to city residents. On the Internet, the pamphlet can be found at www.spokanecity.org/hot/index.htm.