Health & Fitness
Does Bethlehem need Term Limits for City Council?
The mayor can't serve more than two terms. What's good for the goose should be good for the goslings!
I think there should be a two term limit on City Council.
Your thoughts?
Just a question, if you would care to share your thoughts, this could be an interesting piece. Me personally, what is good for the Mayor is good for the Council. City Council, Boards, and Commissions should have two terms, only. No reruns. This is not Congress. We should have people come on board for a few years, give it their best shot, and move on.
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List of Arguments in Favor:
1. Overwhelmingly, voters prefer term limits.
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2. Term limits downgrade seniority, favors meritocracy.
3. Increases competition, encourages new challengers.
4. Builds a ‘citizen’ City Council, drives out career politicians.
5. Breaks ties to special interests.
6. Improves tendency to vote on principle.
7. Introduces fresh thinking, new ideas, eliminates 'old bulls'.
8. Reduces power of staff, bureaucracy, and special interests.
9. It will create a natural reduction in wasteful City spending.
10. Encourages lower taxes, smaller government, greater voter participation in elections.
11. There are more reasons in favor of term limits than reasons against.
12. Gets reelection rates back to near 50%, versus the current 99%, which can help clean out Augean stables of corruption.
List of Arguments Opposed :
1. Terminates the good politicians along with the bad.
2. Instead of term limits, a reform of City Council procedures would be easier.
3. Reduces range of voter choice.
4. Loss of knowledge and experience.
5. Increases the power of staff, special interests, and bureaucracy.
