Mixed response to term limits plan

Speakers offered differing opinions on a proposal to impose term limits on the county’s officials.

Speakers offered differing opinions on a proposal to impose term limits on the county’s elected officials and increase the length of terms county legislators.

Five people spoke Tuesday at a public hearing before the Ulster County Legislature on a proposal by Legislator Joseph Maloney to increase the term of county legislators to four years, but also limit most elected county officials to a maximum of 12 years in office.

Most speakers supported the idea of term limits, saying that limiting the time an elected official serves would bring new people and new ideas to the office.

“I’m an advocate for term limits and (terms of) four years,” said Gloria Waslyn, of Port Ewen. “I love voter voice. I love primaries ... I love as much civic engagement as possible,” she said. Giving legislators four-year terms, she said, would give lawmakers an opportunity to “mature” in the office.

“I believe term limits brings new people into the fold,” said Saugerties resident Paul Anderson. “They’re a way to bring in fresh ideas.”

Michael Catalinatto, who served on the Ulster County Charter Revision Commission in 2011, said two-year terms were intended to give voters a chance to quickly remove legislators who aren’t representing their constituents and said there was “no reason or justification” to increase the terms of office.

Dare Thompson, president of the New York state League of Women Voters, said the organization opposes term limits, which she said “takes power away from voters.” She said because the county has independent redistricting, which requires that new legislative district lines be drawn after every census, term limits are unnecessary.

She said the organization had no opinion on extending the length of the legislators’ terms.

Maloney, I-Saugerties, has proposed a November public referendum asking whether the terms of office for the county executive, comptrollers and legislators should be four years and whether a 12year term limit should be imposed on all those positions.

The executive and comptroller already serve fouryear terms, but legislators serve two-year terms.