Court Opinion

ID: 9765299
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 03:59:10.486116+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:08.410225
License: Public Domain

DISSENTING OPINION BY
Judge COLINS.
I must dissent from the well-prepared opinion of the majority.
The record clearly reflects that this controversy is likely to repeat itself, i.e., the adoption of SEPTA’s fiscal year 2009 budget.
Therefore, since this matter involves important public policy issues, this Court should resolve the case on the merits. See Colonial Gardens Nursing Home, Inc. v. Bachman, 473 Pa. 56, 373 A.2d 748 (1977); In re Petition of Hughes, 516 Pa. 90, 532 A.2d 298 (1987) (After a public official had left office, the Court nevertheless considered whether he was ineligible to hold that office as a result of a conviction that might constitute an infamous crime); Com. ex rel Baldwin v. Richard, 561 Pa. 489, 493, 751 A.2d 647, 649 (2000) (Court noting that the “issue of what constitutes an infamous crime for the purpose of eligibility to hold public office is a substantial question subject to repetition....”); Reichley by Wall v. North Penn School District, 533 Pa. 519, 626 A.2d 123, (1993) (Where the Court considered an appeal involving a teachers’ strike, and concluded that, although relief had already been granted such that would render disposition of the appeal moot, the Court would proceed to consider the appeal in order to address a constitutional question that otherwise might never be decided.)
On the merits of the dispute, I agree with SEPTA that the trial court improperly substituted judicial discretion for administration discretion of the SEPTA Board. There being no error of law or manifest and flagrant abuse of discretion, the trial court should be reversed, and the SEPTA Board’s proposal to eliminate paper transfers should be reinstated.