FEDERAL COURTHOUSE INDECISION IS INEXCUSABLE

The federal government is changing its mind -- again -- about a new federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau. As a result, half a million dollars already spent on architectural plans may be down the drain.

The General Services Administration canceled its contract with a Chicago architectural firm after the Office of Management and Budget abruptly decided the project should be scaled back. The latest plan was for a courthouse with three courtrooms and offices for four judges. But the OMB has decided Cape Girardeau only needs one courtroom.

Those plans have flip-flopped. At one time all federal offices and court functions were to go into one new building. Another time plan was to put court-related functions in the new building and keep the old federal building for non-court offices.

There certainly appears to be a need for more than one federal courtroom. Civil cases in U.S. district court frequently get bogged down because priority is given to the speedy resolution of criminal cases. With two courtrooms, judges could hold both criminal and civil cases at the same time. And why not build for future court needs?

Missouri's federal lawmakers should get to the bottom of this back-and-fourth indecision.