Vote No on Term Limits Charter Amendment

I will not support Charter Amendment enacting Term Limits for members of Council and the Mayor.

My view is that those who run for office run the risk of being term limited with every election. The electorate, if not satisfied with the performance of a member of council, have the will and ability to vote that individual out of office. There should be no requirement for additional restrictions for holding or vacating office beyond the qualifications specified in the Greenhills Charter to serve on Council.

I believe limiting the term of an individual who has served undermines the will of the electorate by limiting the number of qualified candidates for the office. A common theme that I've heard at local, state and federal levels regarding term limits is that the official takes with him or her the valuable institutional memory and perspective accrued during their tenure, along with the perspective and the complexities that underlie legislation over the arc of their time of service.

I encourage my supporters and others unfamiliar with the legislation to review the amendment language and come to an understanding of the implications of the amendment, and vote against the amendment on November 8th.

Update: I received an inquiry as to why I am opposed to term limits when in the last election, my candidacy might have been successful had others running been term limited. In my judgment, the burden for making the case for my candidacy falls to me, and me alone, rather than an artificial restriction on eligibility. I realized that after the last election, I had not worked hard enough in the community to make that case. In the minds of the voters, I had not drawn a distinction between myself and the incumbents to draw votes from them. I am committed to a better job this time.