Press of Atlantic City: Consolidate municipal courts to start seriously cutting property taxes

Great news for suffering taxpayers. A strong proposal to combine all the municipal courts in Atlantic County into one system would reduce spending and taxes, and lead the way toward greater savings by consolidating other government services.

But only if self-interested local government officials let it happen. If taxpayers want to see meaningful reductions in the nation’s highest property taxes that are crushing them, they’d better start telling their mayors, council and commission members to help get it done.

Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson recently proposed the countywide municipal court system, which would handle all of the lesser offenses in the county — things like motor vehicle and parking tickets, violating municipal ordinances and minor criminal offenses.

State Senate President Steve Sweeney, a strong advocate for consolidation as a way to realize huge savings, enthusiastically supported Levinson’s proposal. Sweeney said he would amend his bill making it easier to share services to help make the countywide municipal court happen.

Read the full editorial here.