Relates to the number of city court judges in the city of Saratoga Springs; repealer

BILL NUMBER:A10536

Title of bill

An act to amend the uniform city court act, in relation to the city court judges of the city of Saratoga Springs and to repeal certain provisions of the judiciary law relating thereto

Purpose

To change the existing part-time judge in the city of Saratoga Springs to a full time position.

Summary of provisions

Amends the uniform city court act to delete a part-time judge position in the city of Saratoga Springs and add a full time position of judge in the city of Saratoga Springs.

Existing law

Currently the city of Saratoga Springs has one full time and a part time judge.

Justification

Part of what makes Saratoga springs unique is that they have four separate police agencies that service the city. The Saratoga springs police Department consists of more than seventy officers. The New York State Park police services Spa State Park and surrounding areas and consists of up to thirty officers during the summer, especially during concerts at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center and maintains presence all year round at the Spa State Park. The Park police are responsible for a fair amount of traffic stops and arrests as well all during the year. The Saratoga County Sheriff's Department and the New York State police make arrests in the city as well. New York State police currently are stationed at the Saratoga Gaming and Raceway. The Gaming and Raceway over the past several years has been a place of increasing criminal filings due to the amount of people that are attending the "Racino".

In terms of the number of filings, the most recent data that is available shows that they are comparable to two city courts that have two full-time judges. In terms of population Saratoga springs has 27,686, Elmira has 30,073 and Long Beach has 35,553. In terms of case filings, excluding parking, Saratoga Springs City Court had 10,305 in 2006, Elmira had 10,318 in 2006, and Long Beach had 7,786 in 2006. In 2007 Saratoga springs numbers, excluding parking, was 10,712 and since 1998 Saratoga Springs filings' continue to climb at an average of

approximately 500 per year. In 1998 the filings in Saratoga springs City Court was 6,480 and the filings as of the close of business 2007 was 10,712. These numbers demonstrate that Saratoga springs unlike most city courts around the state continues to have an increase in case filings year after year.

It is also instructive to look at courts who have one full-time judge and a part-time 1/4 position judge and compare them to Saratoga Springs. Gloversville has a population of 15,277 and case filings of 4,462 in 2006; Amsterdam has a population of 17,928 and case filings of 5,191 in 2006; Glens Falls has a population of 14,166 and case filings of 6,579 in 2006; Saratoga springs has a population of 27,686 and case filings of 10,712. When you look at these numbers from a weighted standpoint (comparing those three courts, one full-time judge and a 1/4 position judge and Saratoga springs one full-time and 12 position judge) the numbers are more pronounced. Saratoga Springs full-time judge handles 7,609 cases annually. using the same measure, the full-time judges in the other courts handle cases as follows: Gloversville - 3,569; Amsterdam - 4,152; Glens Falls - 5,263. This further demonstrates that the caseload and population support two full-time positions in Saratoga springs.

Legislative history

2008: A.11473; Referred to Judiciary

Fiscal implications

$95,000 annual raise.

Effective date

Thirtieth day after it shall have become law.