New York Post: Judge Joan Madden's zany decision in favor of principals' parking placards slapped down
Reported by uncivil on Fri, Sep 23 2011
To great public appreciation, Mayor Bloomberg cracked down on park-anywhere placards in 2008, stripping a great many from teachers and school employees.
They did not like this, so into court marched the principals union with a claim that administrators were legally entitled to the perk because the longstanding privilege had, in effect, become part and parcel of their compensation.
Preposterous as the argument was, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Joan Madden dizzily endorsed the notion that canceling the placards was an "adverse alteration of ... working conditions." A judge might well so believe because members of New York's judiciary are known to favor their own curbside passes.
Fortunately, some judges can see beyond their own windshields. Kudos to a clear-eyed panel of the Manhattan appellate court for setting Madden straight by ruling: "It is undisputed that the power to issue parking permits rests in the exclusive control of the city."
In other words, enjoy the Q train, Mr. Chips - or suck it up and walk an extra couple of blocks.
1 Comment
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Posted on Sat, Sep 24 2011 at 06:41 PM
I travel to work and everywhere by subway or on foot, but I understand why teachers and school administrators have argued in this case that their parking permit was a contractual benefit. parking is expensive! And many teachers lug supplies, bought with their own money , to school for their classes. Not all schools are within a reasonable distance of a subway or bus stop. Judge Madden was slimed by the editorial boards of both the Daily News and the Post for her decision. That in itself should be a badge of honor. We want judges who decide cases based on the law, and not on political pressure. Trashing public employees and rolling back benefits , and characterizing them as lazy and over indulged, are part of the Tea Party and right wing rhetoric these days. let's salute Ms Madden for not joining the race to the bottom!
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