HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes 1100 - Proposed Consolidation of Municipal Court and District Court SystemsCITY OF TUKWILA
WASHINGTON
RESOLUTION NO. 1100
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON,
DECLARING ITS OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED CONSOLIDATION
OF MUNICIPAL COURT AND DISTRICT COURT SYSTEMS.
WHEREAS, the Tukwila City Council has reviewed the proposal for court
consolidation of municipal and district courts as presented by the Office of
the Administrator of Courts for the State of Washington and considered what
the benefits would be to the City of Tukwila thereof, and
WHEREAS, the Tukwila City Council unanimously finds that the con-
solidation would not be in the best interests of the citizens of Tukwila, the
staff or the City Council for the following reasons:
1. The loss of local legislative control and the ability to enact
local ordinances appropriate to the City of Tukwila would be a distinct disad-
vantage to the citizens.
2. Relocating the court outside of our City Limits would result in
reduced accessibility to the court system by citizens, litigants and officers.
3. Our current court system is now an efficient and effective opera-
tion that allows for flexibility in scheduling officers for court when they
are not on patrol which would not be possible if scheduling were done at the
district court level and if our officers had to travel to go to court.
4. It is important that the City have a judge who is familiar with
and can respond to the circumstances present in Tukwila which are different
from other jurisdictions. This is only possible if Tukwila retains a munici-
pal court of its own.
5. No models of consolidation currently offered as alternatives give
sufficient local control over our own operations, allow flexibility to adapt
to special circumstances or ensure an impartial and fair application of
justice for citizens, which our municipal court currently does and can con-
tinue to do.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON,
DO RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
1. The City of Tukwila opposes any move to consolidate the Tukwila
Municipal Court with any District Court.
2. The City Council supports the goal of ensuring fair and impartial
administration of justice in the state and believes the best way Tukwila can
accomplish that goal is by supporting the professional high quality of the
Tukwila Court and the court's fair and impartial administration of justice.
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY 45 TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, at a
regular meeting thereof this 19th day of December 1988.
Approved as to Form
Filed with the City Clerk: <„249--'S'
Passed by the City Council: 12 -19 -Y
Resolution No. D
Mabel J.
At /Authenticated
Maxine Anderson, City Clerk
Ho,y'ris, Council President