HomeMy WebLinkAboutKeith Term Limits Issue
Charter Review Committee
Term Limits
Date: November 26, 2004
Sub Committee Members: Hal Cloer, Michael Riedeman, Keith Massie
Issue Statement:
Should the Mayor and City Councilors have a maximum number of terms that they can serve?
Pros and Cons:
PROS
1.High level of support when presented to voters
2.Fresh voices for elected positions
3.
CONS
1.Loss of experience
2.Increased training of elected officials
3.
Budget Implications:
None
Background:
A largely underestimated component of the term limits movement is local limits. At the
municipal level, term limits have spread silently but steadily across the country. From Florida to
Alaska, from New York to California, over 58 million Americans live in localities with limits of
various sorts, and more than 17,000 politicians serve in 2,890 term limited cities, counties and
towns. Virtually everywhere voters are given the chance; they pass measures to limit the terms of
city officials.
By Danielle Fagre (Former Research Director of the U.S. Term Limits Foundation)
Summary:
1.Is there a problem in the City of Ashland that term limits would solve?
2.Would term limits benefit the City or would the loss of experience outweigh any potential
benefits?
3.What would the length of term limits be?
4.
Attachments:
# of
% of # of
Method of % of Vote Votes
City Pop. Year Limited Limits Vote Votes
Limitation in Favor in
Opp. Opp.
Favor
1
2 terms charter
Baker City 9,140 1986 mayor, council 75.5% 24.5% 1,711 556
(2 yr. terms) amend.
mayor: 6 consec.
terms
(2 yr. terms); charter
Florence 5,162 1988 mayor, council 76.5% 23.5% 900 276
council: 3 consec. amend.
terms
(4 yr. terms)
2 consec. terms charter
Hillsboro 37,520 1972 mayor, council 72.2% 27.8% 3,356 1,295
(4 yr. terms) amend.
Lake 2 consec. terms charter
30,576 1976 mayor, council 62.1% 37.9% 5,561 3,393
Oswego (4 yr. terms) amend.
2 terms
Milwaukie 18,692 * mayor, council charter * * * *
(4 yr. terms)
thought to
Oregon 2 terms be part of
11,081 1892 commissioners charter n/a n/a n/a
City (4 yr. terms) original
charter
5 consec. terms
(2 yr. terms);
council: 4 years in charter
Philomath 2,983 1986 council 75.4% 24.6% 617 201
succession amend.
(various lengths
of terms)
mayor: 3 consec.
terms
charter
(2 yr. terms);
Stayton 5,011 1993 mayor, council 80.6% 19.4% 1,802 434
amend.
council: 2 consec.
terms
(4 yr. terms)
panning
commission: 2
consec. terms
planning ordinance
(4 yr. terms);
Sutherlin 5,020 1988 commission, passed by n/a n/a n/a n/a
budget
budget committee council
committee: 2
consec. terms
(3 yr. terms)
2 consec. terms charter
Tigard 29,334 1982 mayor, council 83.1% 16.9% 5,521 1,119
(4 yr. terms) amend.
US Term Limits Web Site: http://www.termlimits.org/Current_Info/microcosm/oregon.html
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