Mayor opposes court move

It sounds like at least some of our questions about moving the Mesa court to Phoenix have been answered. Mayor Smith is opposing the idea because of the cost burdens it will put on the taxpayers. Its not clear how much financial burden or inconvienence this will cause, but Smith is right that the government should be there to serve the people and not the other way around.

As the article states, "Built in 1991, the Southeast courthouse was intended as full-service, one-stop shopping for East Valley residents to avoid the long trip to Phoenix." If that was the intention of the facility, that is what it should be used for. Its one thing to cut costs, but its quiet another to go full speed ahead with building a new court tower, while taking away closer, more convenient court services.

The big issue that was brought up is a good one: what about jury duty? It is our civic duty to vote in elections and serve as a juror of our peers. Does it make sense for people to have to travel all the way to downtown from the far Southeast Valley (during rush hour, likely) to sit around and wait for jury selection? That is a tremendous waste of time for our citizens. Maricopa County should think long and hard before making this decision.