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Judges asked to pay for parking

Every other county worker has to, a letter from commissioners will point out.

By BILL VARIAN
Published October 6, 2005

TAMPA - Hillsborough commissioners want judges to pay for parking in county-owned garages like all other local government employees, from secretaries to top officials.

Commissioners voted Wednesday to write to the more than 50 circuit and county court judges, requesting that they pay a $38 monthly parking fee. Under the proposal by Commissioner Ronda Storms, the judges will be asked whether they agree to comply.

"We're just asking them that they pay that $38 a month," Storms said.

Commissioner Brian Blair, who seconded the request, said after the meeting that it's a matter of fairness that all employees should pay for parking, particularly when judges are well compensated.

"I just don't think it's fair that someone on the low end of the totem pole making $30,000 a year should have to pay for parking when others making $100,000 to $200,000 shouldn't have to pay for parking," he said.

The request passed 5-1, with Commissioner Jim Norman voting against the majority and Tom Scott out of the chambers when the discussion took place.

Norman said forcing judges to pay could create a record of their parking arrangements, which might be misused by someone with bad motives. High-profile attacks against judges around the nation underscore the importance of security and make the $29,000-a-year cost of the exemption seem trivial, he said.

"I just believe that $38 a month is small potatoes when it comes to what we can do to protect our judges," he said.

The issue came up after an audit of the county's 11 parking facilities noted the free-parking exemption for judges, unique among county employees. Under county policy, all county employees must pay anywhere from $27 to $58 monthly to leave their cars in one of 2,000 county-owned parking spaces.

Hillsborough judges park in a secure, 400-space parking garage that can be accessed only with a card key. That garage is also used by judicial assistants, clerks and other courthouse employees, who have to pay for the privilege.

Dan Pohto, director of the clerk of courts audit division, said the security issue doesn't hold up. There are a number of ways to make it safe and easy for judges to pay for their parking, he said.

"I don't think their paying is a security issue," Pohto said. "There's not going to be a list that says Joe is going to park in space "A' and Sally in another space."

Hillsborough Circuit Court Administrator Mike Bridenback said he did not want to comment until he received the letter from the commission.

Times staff writer Candace Rondeaux contributed to this report.

[Last modified October 6, 2005, 01:13:15]