The Atlanta City Council on Monday failed to override Mayor Kasim Reed's veto of legislation reducing the number of Municipal Court judges from 10 to eight.
The council, which needed 10 votes to override, voted 7-7.
A City Auditor's report found that the court's workload only justified at best having five judges and said reducing the court to that number could save the city at least $2.3 million a year.
The audit found that 10 judges were each only averaging 11 hours a week on the bench. Earlier this month, the council vote 9-5 to eliminate two vacant judge positions.
Reed wants to appoint replacements to those spots. He and some council members said 10 judges are needed for public safety and to handle increased ticket volume the mayor wants police to write to bolster city finances.
Councilwoman Keisha Lance Bottoms, who had been mentioned as possible appointment to municipal court, told the council that she had no interest in the position.
Council members voting not to override the veto were: Carla Smith, Ivory Lee Young, Cleta Winslow, C.T. Martin, Keisha Lance Bottoms, Aaron Watson and H. Lamar Willis.
Council members voting to override the veto were: Kwanza Hall, Yolanda Adrean, Natalyn Archibong, Alex Wan, Felicia Moore, Joyce Sheperd and Michael Julian Bond
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