A JUDICIAL BOTTLENECK

New Federal Courthouse Should Be Expedited

El Paso's need for a new federal courthouse is unquestionable. The number
of criminal cases filed in El Paso's federal district court greatly
outpaces other districts in the nation.

The good news is, a design for the new courthouse was approved last week.
However, the most important question that remains unanswered is when the
facility will be built and whether or not El Paso will receive enough money
to fund the expensive design.

The architectural firm's design appears to be about $9 million more than
the roughly $46 million that U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes expects El Paso will
receive in its federal allocation.

It is almost certain that construction will not begin until at least 2005.
Three and a half years is a long time to wait for the courthouse,
especially with El Paso's comparatively massive federal caseload.

Reyes, who has been instrumental in helping to obtain the first phase of
funding ($11.2 million allocated for fiscal year 2002), said El Paso would
be able to seek the bulk of construction funds in the 2004 appropriations
cycle.

If funding and construction can be expedited, it should be, because El
Paso's federal courts are handling many more cases than other, better-
staffed and better-equipped districts. El Paso is fourth on a list of
top-priority cities in line for a new federal courthouse.

Given the city's position on the U.S-Mexico border and the increasing
number of federal cases (predominantly drug cases), El Paso should not be
forced to wait so long for a much-needed, larger courthouse.