Cudahy and South Milwaukee Judge Consolidation

Recently Cudahy Alderman Joe Mikolajczak and South Milwaukee Alderman David Bartoshevich each worked on an idea to save each city money by consolidation of the municipal judges.

In an effort to bring better services in an economical trying time, this idea was put forward to combine the Municipal courts of Cudahy and South Milwaukee.  This would have one judge and two clerks which would be shared between the cities.  The saving would be between 20 and 30 thousand dollars per year.  Court would be held in both cities.  The judge would be a resident of the new area.  The cost would be split by the two municipalities.

****Clarifications –

The powers just don’t think it is a good thing.  Mainly on the Cudahy side. 

******Yes, it did pass, but it will not go anywhere and is dead! ****

Mayor McCue doesn’t like the idea and threw cold water on the idea!

***** Mayor McCue could have put the combining of the municipal judges on the agenda and called a special session of the Common Council, but he didn’t.  So it is a dead issue. *****

It was only an idea floated out and there is not enough time this election period to get it in place, so it will have to be looked at next year after the spring elections.

It was shot down in Cudahy with examples like:

“Do you have some vendetta against the judge?”

“The judge would end up being from South Milwaukee and Cudahy residents would not like that!”

“Cudahy’s judge has too much work that it would not be economical!”

A few people’s thoughts on this.

Question posed:

“Hard to understand why when you try to save the city money and improve city services people are against it.”

“Well if you're trying to save the taxpayers money and some people are against that, then they must be Democrats.”

“Or protecting their fiefdom.  I find it amazing how some people feel that they are entitled to a municipal position.”

“It’s so easy to spend other peoples money”

“People acting in their own self-interest is so passé.”

Alderman Joe proposed some budget cuts.  Got the support of one person.  What happen to all of the only a 0% budget talk?  Some people talk a good game.  Others move to do.

Combining the Judgeships and reducing the Judge’s pay are budget cuts!