‘Un-American’ or necessary? Arlington group weighs alternatives to current term limits
Term limits discussion continued in Arlington on Tuesday as committee members outlined their preferences for alternatives to the limits approved by voters in 2018.
Term Limits Advisory Committee members spent nearly four hours suggesting changes to the current limits of three two-year terms for both City Council members and the mayor. Alternatives discussed include longer terms, more terms and a “cooldown” period, or mandatory time frame, during which an incumbent may not seek re-election.
Several members said prohibiting public servants from continuing their service to the community is undemocratic.
“It goes against every democratic ideal,” said Chad Bates, committee chair, to limit people’s ability to serve the city if they have the time, energy and patience.
Jim Maibach said he would be in favor of five two-year terms or three three-year terms with a cooldown period, citing previous leaders’ tenure in office that was longer than current term limits.
“I think it’s so undemocratic and so un-American to have lifetime bans,” he said. “That is just crazy to me.”
Several committee members remained firm in their assertions that the term limits should be kept as is, including Ray Whitworth, Sinikka Dickerson and Amanda Arizola.
Billy Wilson held that continuity in local government comes from the strength of institutions, not that of leaders.
“I think stability is built more by the principle by which we govern ourselves than the people who govern,’ he said.
Another common thread was promoting citizen participation in local processes, including the discussion surrounding term limits. Committee member Gwenda Hicks asked about community notification of the event and said people who spoke to her addressed this meeting as “a rumor.”
“How well-informed are the citizens that we’re doing this at this time?” she asked.
Chris Dobson, a meeting speaker and current candidate for the District 7 council seat, lamented that the public hearings combined have drawn only 20 speakers.
“As much as we can, the committee should use its potential to engage as many people in the public as possible,” he said.
Dobson was one of 15 speakers at the meeting, the majority of whom supported the committee’s mission to draft alternative limits.
Rick Evans said good leaders are difficult to find, and the city should work to preserve the institutional knowledge that comes with local politics.
“Please give us another chance on this ballot,” he said.
Bates agreed to give Zachary Maxwell, who led the petition drive to put term limits on the ballot in 2018 and publishes the Arlington Voice, 15 minutes to make his case for term limits as they stand. Maxwell, while speaking at the meeting, said Bates offered him that time to speak at the committee’s first meeting, but he refused.
Bates also agreed, at Maibach’s request, to give a 15-minute window for someone to speak about the benefits of alternate term limits.
Whitworth argued that the presentations thus far from city officials and the Texas Municipal League have had a slight bias in favor of alternative term limits.
“We’ve pretty much had that argument,” he said.
Bates and other moderators say they’re confident they can put together a report that reflects all viewpoints, while respecting the diverse opinions on the 24-member committee. He said he hopes the committee will form a recommendation by the end of its next scheduled meeting July 28, but can schedule an additional meeting if the committee cannot reach a conclusion.
Mayor Jeff Williams said in a Monday phone interview he looked forward to the committee’s recommendations, especially considering the diverse opinions.
“With any city committee, you have to have people on there who are willing to deliberate and have these discussions,” he said.
Applications for the committee launched in October 2018, nearly two years before council members voted 7-2 to create the group in June. The council tasked the volunteer group with researching alternative term limit strengths and weaknesses and fielding public opinion. The resolution creating the committee bars the group from recommending eliminating term limits outright.
Committee members will refine discussion points and draft recommendations at the group’s final scheduled meeting at 6:30 p.m. July 28. Members of the public are able to call into the virtual meeting and watch proceedings on the city website.
