Legislature kills term limits plan
Proposal to let local residents weigh in on issue falls 2 votes short of approval
KINGSTON, N.Y. » Ulster County lawmakers have rejected a proposal to have voters to decide whether to both lengthen the terms of county legislators and limit the years most elected county officials could serve.
The county Legislature defeated the proposal in a 10-10 vote on Tuesday. “Yes” votes by at least 12 members of the 23-member Legislature are required for a resolution to pass.
The proposal called for the terms of county legislators to be extended to four years from the current two years, and a 12-year limit would have been imposed on legislators, the county executive and the comptroller.
The proposal received mixed reviews from legislators. Many said they could support term limits, but not extending the terms of
county legislators.
Legislature Minority Leader Hector Rodriguez said linking the two issues was like “bizarre Siamese twins.”
“I support term limits, and I’m not a fan of fouryear terms,” said Rodriguez, D-New Paltz.
“I would prefer to see [the proposals] divided,” agreed first-term Legislator Kathy Nolan.
Nolan, D-Shandaken, said separating the issues would give legislators a clearer picture of voter sentiment.
While that opinion was echoed by several legislators, an attempt to refer the measure back to committee so the issues could be separated was defeated, 11-9.
Kingston Democrat David Donaldson, a 24-year member of the Legislature, said that because the county has independent redistricting, there is no need to limit the length of time a legislator can serve. He said increasing the legislative terms goes against the principle of good government.
“If you’re afraid to go back to the public every two years, you shouldn’t be here,” Donaldson said.
“We do have term limits now,” said Legislator Richard Gerentine, R-Marlborough. “Every two years, you have to be re-elected.”
Legislature Chairman Ken Ronk supported both extending the term of office for legislators and imposing term limits, saying that, too often, legislators can become complacent in their positions.
“If you can’t get done in 12 years what you set out to get done, then you won’t get it done in 25,” said Ronk, RWallkill.
First-term Legislator Joseph Maloney, I-Saugerties, who sponsored the measure, has said term limits would prevent people from remaining in office simply to pad their pensions or get health insurance, and could result in the adoption of “meaningful things” that he said often get passed over because lawmakers are worried about being re-elected.
Besides Maloney, voting for the resolution were Ronk, Lynn Archer, D-Accord, Tracey Bartels, a nonenrolled voter from Gardiner who caucuses with the Democrats, Dean Fabiano, R-Saugerties, Heidi Haynes, R-Marbletown, Craig Lopez, R-Pine Bush, Laura Petit, I-Port Ewen, Kevin Roberts, R-Wallkill, and Brian Woltman, RKingston.
Voting against the measure were Donaldson, Gerentine, Rodriguez, Nolan, Mary Wawro, C-Saugerties, James Maloney, R-Ulster, Julius Collins, D-Ellenville, James Delaune, D-New Paltz, Manna Jo Greene, DRosendale, and Jonathan Heppner, D-Hurley.
Majority Leader Mary Beth Maio, R-Lloyd, and Legislators Herbert Litts, RLloyd, and Lynn Eckert, DKingston, were absent from Tuesday’s meeting.