HomeMy WebLinkAboutKeith Term Limits
Charter Review Commission
White Paper on Term Limits
November 2004 – First Draft
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)
INFORMATION
1. Eight of the 10 most populous cities in America have term limits.
2. The most common length of service is eight years.
3. At least 58 million people live under municipal term limits.
4.
% of # of # of
Method of % of Vote in
City Pop. Year Limited Limits Vote Votes in Votes
Limitation Favor
Opp. Favor Opp.
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 be
Oregon 2 terms 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
(2 yr. terms); charter
Stayton 5,011 1993 mayor, council 80.6% 19.4% 1,802 434
council: 2 consec. amend.
terms
(4 yr. terms)
panning
commission: 2
planning consec. terms ordinance
Sutherlin 5,020 1988 commission, budget (4 yr. terms); passed by n/a n/a n/a n/a
committee budget committee: council
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.
PROS
1. High level of support when presented to voters
2. Fresh voices for elected positions
3.
CONS
1. Loss of experience
2. Inexperienced elected officials
3.
Released by U.S. Term Limits: January 22, 2001
Q: In 1992, Oregon voters approved an initiative that placed term limits on the state legislature, so that no one
can serve more than 6 years in the State House of Representatives or more than 8 years in the State Senate. If
you had the chance to vote on the same initiative today, would you vote for or against placing these term limits
on the state legislature?
71.3% For Term Limits
21.3% Against Term Limits
07.5% Undecided
Q: Some State Legislators are proposing changes to the term limits law. While the voter-approved law allows
legislators to serve only 6 years in the State House or 8 years in the State Senate, the legislators' proposal would
let politicians stay in office longer, up to 12 years in the House or 12 years in the Senate. Which term limits do
you prefer, 6 and 8-year limits or 12-year limits?
68.5% Prefer 6 and 8 Years
25.0% Prefer 12 Years
06.5% Undecided
Q: Do you think members of the legislature want longer limits because they truly believe it is better public
policy, or do they simply want to stay in power longer?
19.3% Better Public Policy
65.0% Stay in Power Longer
15.8% Undecided
Q: Do you want your legislator to vote for the current 6 and 8-year term limits or for the longer 12-year term
limits?
69.3% 6 and 8 Years
24.8% 12 Years
06.0% Undecided
Q: On the whole, do you think term limits on the state legislature has been a good thing for state government in
Oregon, or a bad thing for state government?
65.0% Good
13.5% Bad
21.5% Undecided
This survey was conducted on January 16, 2001, by Basswood Research, a national opinion research company.
The sample size was 400, the margin of error is +/- 4.9%.