Should be separated

If there have already been letters to the editor concerning this subject, then I apologize for being repetitive.

We, being the voters of Arkansas, are being asked to again vote on term limits for our representatives and senators. If you look at a ballot, term limits will not be obvious, but you will see something called Issue 3, which is more than an issue. It is an amendment to the Arkansas Constitution and should be called such.

The full title does mention term limits in the last line. The short title, which is much easier to read, is “Arkansas Elected Officials Ethics, Transparency, and Financial Reform.” I believe the phrase “Term Limits for Such Elected Officials” should be added.

How ironic that an “issue” concerning ethics and transparency is neither.

Section 3 of House Joint Resolution (HJR) 1009, which is Issue 3 on the ballot, states that the terms of our representatives and senators will be extended to 16 years. The rest of the resolution sounds good, and who wouldn’t want our legislators and lobbyists to be ethical and transparent? The hiding of something in this resolution for which the people of Arkansas have already overwhelmingly stated their preference is about as transparent as a mud hole.

Section 3 is unrelated to the rest of HJR 1009, and if the folks who introduced this resolution really want to be ethical and transparent, they will make Section 3 a separate item on the ballot. J.L. MASON

Conway