Beyond The Title

Arkansas Issue 2 would extend, rather than limit, years in office

Ballot Issue 2 in Arkansas looks good if you don’t read beyond the title. But you really should read beyond the title before deciding whether to vote for or against.

Issue 2 is called: A constitutional amendment to be known as the “Arkansas Term Limits Amendment”; and amending the term limits applicable to members of the General Assembly.

Sounds OK, especially if you support term limits. You might even vote for the proposed amendment based on the title alone.

That would be a mistake.

Arkansas already has term limits. In 1992 they were set at three 2-year terms for state representatives and two 4-year terms for state senators.

In 2014, lawmakers made an end-run around term limits and voters gave the OK. Now state senators and representatives can serve a lifetime total of 16 years — effectively doubling the limit in the state senate and more than doubling that in the house.

They called that one the “Arkansas Elected Officials Ethics, Transparency and Financial Reform Amendment.” We wonder how many voters understood what they were backing?

Now we have another attempt to get around term limits. Proposition 2 on your November ballot would allow lawmakers 12 years in office. Then, after sitting out for four years, they could come back and serve 12 years more.

Basically, a yes vote on Issue 2 effectively does away with lifetime term limits, it just imposes a four year break every 12 years. A vote against Issue 2 keeps the current 16-year lifetime limit.

It pays to go beyond the ballot title.