We have no doubt that if elected, Mr. Deutsch will give new meaning to the phrase “constituent services.” He is running on the Democratic line but his record of assisting as many of his fellow citizens as possible should persuade those who have ideological issues with the Democratic Party to ignore party labels.
Nassau County Executive
The Jewish Press urges voters in Nassau County to vote for Tom Suozzi. Mr. Suozzi was elected county executive in 2001 and was widely credited with rescuing Nassau County from looming bankruptcy following years of unchecked borrowing and spending. Now Nassau County is again in dire financial straits and Mr. Suozzi seems to offer a well-thought out plan for addressing the problems, while the incumbent, Edward Mangano, on whose watch the difficulties developed, does not.
Referendum
Proposition 6: Raising Mandatory Retirement Age For Judges
We urge New Yorkers to vote in favor of Proposition 6, which would amend the New York State Constitution to allow judges on the State Supreme Court and Court of Appeals to serve until age 80. Currently the constitution sets 70 as the retirement age but allows for three 2-year waivers, effectively setting the retirement age at 76. For each waiver, Supreme Court judges have to go through a certification process requiring court administrators to determine whether the particular jurist is physically and mentally competent to perform judicial duties.
Proposition 6 would permit five 2-year waivers, which would mean that for the most part those judges could remain on the bench until age 80. Depending on when their term ends, Court of Appeals judges could serve until age 80 but would not be subject to the current waiver and recertification procedure. The 70-year retirement age was set in 1869, when the average life expectancy was 40.
Opponents of the measure argue that increasing the age limit would stifle efforts to diversify the courts. While we think some sort of certification process should be in place for Court of Appeals judges, we also believe that, overall, the merit of the change is compelling. An arbitrary cutoff of service means New York would lose the services of proven, experienced and well-qualified veterans of the court system.
Vote Yes on Proposition 6.