Were Term Limits Just Campaign Promises?

Commentary by Dave Freneaux
Two weeks ago Council Members DeJohn and Moak discussed Term Limits on “The Central Speaks Radio Hour”, (heard every Wednesday at 5:30 PM on WPFC 1550 AM). Last Week local attorney Walton “Ti” Barnes, who served as Zachary’s City Attorney for 25 years, was a guest on the show and also touched on his research about term limits. These discussions have resulted in my receiving comments, calls and emails on the subject of Term Limits for Central’s elected officials. The question most asked in these is “Why has Central’s City Council NOT pursued the Term Limits when most of the Council campaigned in favor of them in 2010?
The theory I hear the most is that it is not in the personal best interests of current elected officials to seek to impose term limits on themselves. I would like to reject the notion that Central’s Council Members would be concerned enough about their own political futures to allow that to influence them on a matter such as this. This brings me back to the questions: Why has our City Council not taken any action to put term limits in place? Were term limits just campaign promises made to get themselves elected?
I always prefer to go directly to the source when I discuss or research anything, so I asked each of our five Council Members in an email last week whether they “intend to make any effort to bring this issue to the City Council for consideration.” As of the printing of this editorial, the three Council Members who actively campaigned FOR term limits, Wayne Messina, Tony LoBue and Ralph Washington, have declined to respond to the question.
Council Member DeJohn did respond and stated, “I could support term limits for the council, especially if it were possible to stagger the terms and especially if we ever veer away from some sort of “at large” elective process. As far as initiating term limits I will remind you that I did not run for office on that platform. I stated that I could support it. Perhaps those who made term limits a campaign promise should spearhead this initiative.” Council Member Moak responded that he is not in favor of Term Limits for City Council and feels that the voters should simply limit the terms of ineffective Council Members by not re-electing them. As such, he would certainly not seek to create Council Term Limits in Central.
So I ask again, were term limits just another campaign promise, or will this City Council bring this to a public discussion and vote? If any one of the three Council Members who campaigned on Term Limits, Wayne Messina, Ralph Washington and Tony LoBue, will step up and bring the issue before the City Council, I stand ready to thank them for following through on their campaign promise.