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I'm writing to publicly ask members of City Council to reject the proposed ordinance enacting term limits. Voters should decide who their representatives should be, and how long they should serve.
Service in local government is a thankless task, and I imagine the pool of candidates with the time and interest to campaign for public office is already limited. I don't see the sense in further limiting who may be a candidate for elective office.
Term limits make sense when elected officials use the power of incumbency to entrench their position in office. Is that the case in Williamsport?
Additionally, a mere two weeks has passed since this proposal was reported in the paper and its possible enactment. It seems ill-considered to enact an ordinance of this magnitude in haste.
As an aside, if Council is determined to enact term limits, can they be structured to reduce the City's future pension obligations?
To this voter, enacting term limits for elected officials in Williamsport seems like a solution to a problem that doesn't exist, and it is likely to have unintended consequences that may negatively impact City governance.
BRUCE BUCKLE
Williamsport
Submitted by email