Arlington voters, it’s time to weigh in again on term limits. Here’s our recommendation
Arlington voters have a chance to improve their city’s governance on Election Day by easing the strict City Council term-limit provisions adopted in 2018. They should take it.
And then, that should be it on this topic for a while. After years of debate, it’s time to see how the limits work — or don’t.
Proposition A on the Nov. 8 ballot would extend mayor and council terms to three years, while keeping the maximum number of terms a person can serve at three. Under what voters approved in 2018, a person can serve a total of six years on the council and six years as mayor. Proposition A would make it nine total.
There are two advantages to the change. With longer terms, council members can focus longer on governing before having to immediately consider their next campaign. And by extending potential overall service, Arlington can retain the experience and expertise of elected officials for a more reasonable amount of time.
Pass or fail, the proposition cannot eliminate term limits. This is about improving governance, not overturning the will of the voters.
Generally, term limits are a bad idea. Voters can turn someone out of office anytime, and creating instant lame ducks may empower unelected officials and lobbyists.
But after extending the terms, Arlington needs to take a breather on the issue. More than 62% of voters approved term limits in 2018, and it’s time to see how they work — or don’t — before asking voters yet again to tweak the policy.
A yes vote is to extend council terms from two years to three. If approved, Proposition A would take effect immediately. Current officeholders’ terms will be counted toward their limits. Next year, half of the council seats would be up for three-year terms; the other half would be elected in 2024.
Early voting starts Oct. 24 and ends Nov. 4.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHey, who is behind these endorsements?
Members of the Editorial Board, which serves as the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s institutional voice, decide candidates and positions to recommend to voters. The members of the board are: Cynthia M. Allen, columnist; Steve Coffman, editor and president; Bud Kennedy, columnist; Ryan J. Rusak, opinion editor; and Nicole Russell, opinion writer.
Members of our Community Advisory Board may also participate in candidate interviews and offer their views, but they do not vote on which candidate to recommend.
Read more by clicking the arrow in the upper right.
How does the process work?
The Editorial Board interviews candidates, asking about positions on issues, experience and qualifications, and how they would approach holding the office for which they are running. Board members do additional research on candidates’ backgrounds and the issues at hand. After that, members discuss the candidates and generally aim to arrive at a consensus, though not necessarily unanimity. All members contribute observations and ideas, so the resulting editorials represent the board’s view, not a particular writer.
How do partisanship and ideology factor in?
We’re not tied to one party or the other, and our positions on issues range across the ideological spectrum. We tend to prefer candidates who align with our previously stated positions, but qualifications, temperament and experience are important, too.
This story was originally published October 14, 2022 at 5:02 AM.