There are currently no term limits for city council members. This ballot issue would limit city council members to 3 terms during their lifetimes by amending Section 4 of the City Charter. Since regular terms can be as short as 2 years (for the 5th-highest vote-getter) or as long as 4 years (for the top four vote-getters), city council members would be limited to between 6 and 12 years. The 6-year minimum assumes no special elections -– and we haven’t had any since Question 2D passed in 2007 allowing 1 or 2 vacancies to remain unfilled until the next regular election. Recommendation: AGAINST the measure When we have a revolving door of elected leaders, the people who remain –- namely, unelected city staff and lobbyists –- become the “experts” and gain undue influence. I don’t find it necessary to have term limits for members of a 9-member body where the majority of the members are up for election every 2 years. Website for the Yes Side (Boulder Citizens for Term Limits) http://www.bouldercitizens.org/ Open Boulder collected signatures to put this charter amendment on the ballot. http://openboulder.org/ Website for the No Side No known website – Info on an opposition website appreciated. Opposition article by Richard Valenty in The Blue Line http://www.boulderblueline.org/2016/06/24/boulder-term-limits-theres-no-need-so-whats-the-point/ Approved Ballot Language City of Boulder Ballot Question 302 Qualifications of Council Members Shall Section 4 of the Boulder Home Rule Charter be amended by adding a new paragraph to restrict council members to three terms in the person’s lifetime, which requirement shall apply to any candidate for council after November 8, 2016? For the Measure ____ Against the Measure ____ See Ordinance No. 8137 to put Question 302 on the ballot. https://documents.bouldercolorado.gov/weblink8/0/doc/136933/Electronic.aspx Daily Camera 5/9/2016 Boulder residents already have weighed in on the question of term limits, when city voters opposed a statewide amendment in 1994 to limit local elected officials to two consecutive terms. Across all of Colorado, however, the amendment passed by 2 percentage points, after which point the city of Boulder moved to opt out of the state-mandated limit.
Monday, October 17, 2016
City of Boulder 302 – Term Limits for City Council
There are currently no term limits for city council members. This ballot issue would limit city council members to 3 terms during their lifetimes by amending Section 4 of the City Charter. Since regular terms can be as short as 2 years (for the 5th-highest vote-getter) or as long as 4 years (for the top four vote-getters), city council members would be limited to between 6 and 12 years. The 6-year minimum assumes no special elections -– and we haven’t had any since Question 2D passed in 2007 allowing 1 or 2 vacancies to remain unfilled until the next regular election. Recommendation: AGAINST the measure When we have a revolving door of elected leaders, the people who remain –- namely, unelected city staff and lobbyists –- become the “experts” and gain undue influence. I don’t find it necessary to have term limits for members of a 9-member body where the majority of the members are up for election every 2 years. Website for the Yes Side (Boulder Citizens for Term Limits) http://www.bouldercitizens.org/ Open Boulder collected signatures to put this charter amendment on the ballot. http://openboulder.org/ Website for the No Side No known website – Info on an opposition website appreciated. Opposition article by Richard Valenty in The Blue Line http://www.boulderblueline.org/2016/06/24/boulder-term-limits-theres-no-need-so-whats-the-point/ Approved Ballot Language City of Boulder Ballot Question 302 Qualifications of Council Members Shall Section 4 of the Boulder Home Rule Charter be amended by adding a new paragraph to restrict council members to three terms in the person’s lifetime, which requirement shall apply to any candidate for council after November 8, 2016? For the Measure ____ Against the Measure ____ See Ordinance No. 8137 to put Question 302 on the ballot. https://documents.bouldercolorado.gov/weblink8/0/doc/136933/Electronic.aspx Daily Camera 5/9/2016 Boulder residents already have weighed in on the question of term limits, when city voters opposed a statewide amendment in 1994 to limit local elected officials to two consecutive terms. Across all of Colorado, however, the amendment passed by 2 percentage points, after which point the city of Boulder moved to opt out of the state-mandated limit.
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