Judges shouldn't shoot for the moon
State Supreme Court Chief Justice James Zazzali met with the Press editorial board yesterday to give us a primer on how the courts operate. It was an interesting session, even though Zazzali wasn't able to talk specifically about Abbott school funding, the Mount Laurel affordable housing decisions or other hot-button issues. At the end of the meeting, he made a pitch for increased salaries for New Jersey's 460 state judges - something his predecessor, Deborah Poritz, had done twice, unsuccessfully, in the past four years.
State judges in New Jersey make $141,000, ranking them sixth nationally. But when the cost of living is factored in, they drop to 41st. They haven't had a raise in seven years. Four years ago, when the state was facing a $6 billion budget deficit, Poritz sought 14.5 percent pay increases for the judiciary. In 2005, she upped the ante to 17 percent. Now, Zazzali wants the pay of New Jersey judges to equal that of federal judges, which it once did. Federal judges now make $168,000, 19 percent more than New Jersey judges.
Zazzali made a good case for raises. But, he shouldn't make the same mistake Poritz did: trying to get it all at once. He should seek modest increases this year, accompanied by automatic annual cost-of-living adjustments. He also has to be mindful that substantial pay hikes for judges, who now are on a par with Cabinet officials, would create upward pressure on salaries in the executive branch and in prosecutor's offices. And he needs to take into account the outcome of negotiations with the state's unions, which could be concluding soon. The Legislature isn't likely to be overly generous to the judiciary - even if it deserves it - if state workers are having their benefits cut and their salary increases held to the the rate of inflation or less.
State judges in New Jersey make $141,000, ranking them sixth nationally. But when the cost of living is factored in, they drop to 41st. They haven't had a raise in seven years. Four years ago, when the state was facing a $6 billion budget deficit, Poritz sought 14.5 percent pay increases for the judiciary. In 2005, she upped the ante to 17 percent. Now, Zazzali wants the pay of New Jersey judges to equal that of federal judges, which it once did. Federal judges now make $168,000, 19 percent more than New Jersey judges.
Zazzali made a good case for raises. But, he shouldn't make the same mistake Poritz did: trying to get it all at once. He should seek modest increases this year, accompanied by automatic annual cost-of-living adjustments. He also has to be mindful that substantial pay hikes for judges, who now are on a par with Cabinet officials, would create upward pressure on salaries in the executive branch and in prosecutor's offices. And he needs to take into account the outcome of negotiations with the state's unions, which could be concluding soon. The Legislature isn't likely to be overly generous to the judiciary - even if it deserves it - if state workers are having their benefits cut and their salary increases held to the the rate of inflation or less.
posted by Randy Bergmann at 9:12 AM
4 Comments:
Elected judges complain less. They also are less inclined to engage in the sort of left-wing political activism that is so common here in New Jersey.
Elected judges are also more likely to ignore justice to keep themselves elected.
Jeez I know of dead teachers in New Jersey who make more than that
Judges are at the apex of their careers -- and their earning power. Almost all of them take a pay cut to serve on the bench. An increase in judicial salaries will attract more candidates, and will retain judges who might otherwise consider a return to more lucrative private practice.
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