Term Limits Legislation Not Popular in Council
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Term Limits Legislation Not Popular in Council
Catherine Lucey
Councilman W. Wilson Goode Jr.’s proposal to put term limits on City Council members was slammed by many of his colleagues today.
“I’m against term limits period. I think they’re a mistake,” said Councilman Brian O’Neill, currently in his eighth term. “The voters tell you when you’ve been in too long.”
As it stands now, there are no term limits for Council members. Goode today introduced a bill that would limit members to three consecutive four-year terms. Current members could win two more consecutive terms.
Goode – who successfully passed campaign finance legislation -- said that term limits would provide more opportunities for people to serve in government.
“I’m not sure term limits have ever been introduced before,” said Goode, who is in his third term.
Councilwoman Joan Krajewski, in her eighth term, criticized the idea. “I must be doing something right,” she said. “The voters have the right to elect you.”
But other members said they would review the legislation.
“If I didn’t do my job, I’d be term limited,” said Councilman Darrell Clarke, in his third full term. “But I’ll look at it.”
And Councilman Frank DiCicco, who is in his fourth term, said: “Schools out for me. I’d need to think about it a little bit more.”
Comments (37)
Darrell Clarke is the reason we need term limits.— pb2638- Useless parasites!— Gypsy Hill
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“I’m against term limits period. I think they’re a mistake,” said Councilman Brian O’Neill, currently in his eighth term. “The voters tell you when you’ve been in too long.”....The voters are idiots with extremely low standards. Statistics will tell you you've been in too long. Philadlephia is the 5th poorest county in the usa (population over 250,000). Market Street East is a pit, Poverty levels are sky high, public schools are a disaster, vilolent crime is rampant.- The council members opposed to this are saying 'let the voters decide'. Um, do they mean the same voters who pull the same lever ALL THE TIME?!?. I SAY WE START CALLING OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS NOW! KEEP CALLING THEIR OFFICES UNTIL THEY ALLOW THIS TO GO TO A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE!— keapitreal
- Every level og gov't needs limits. The power breeds contempt. Lets be hinest here, no one can unseat these life time council members because they threaten and intimidate competition. I say as a way to get bill past, grandfather all existing members in, so when seat changes hands, term limit starts.— thebaron
- perhaps term limits those that represent a district, not for at large. seems like it might a bit easier to hang onto a district than consistently win citywide. but, that is an empirical question...anyone with some historical data on this?— bobcitydoc
- Comment removed.
- I believe term limits should apply to all elected officials. Then they can work for the betterment of the city, county or whatever and not worry about doing things for their friends etc just to make sure they are re elected. maybe this should be on the ballot and let the voters decide.— Lil Bobby
Term limits should be enforced on all levels of government. Otherwise, John Street and W would have never left their offices.- It'll never happen.— JoanieS
- Comment removed.
- Let's see... Term limits - no go. Staff budget cuts - no go. Shorter summer break - no go. DROP - GO! Easy to tell who's #1 in their priorities!!— DonQ
- Comment removed.
- City Council's pay and benefits should be a city wide (not just their own district) ballot measure every 2 years. If they do a good job they get a raise, if they do nothing, the get a pay cut. With no term limits, these council people urchins will gladly take the tax payers money as long as their cronies keep voting them back.— downthemiddle
- if the mayor has a term limit so should council— gogglespaisano
- Comment removed.
- Why doesn't someone invetigate the drop program abuse that our fair civic minded council members exploited. Collected the monney, then returned to their salaried positions at taxpayer expense - dispicable— STEPHEN1988
- Great idea Mr. Goode, how about switching them to all At-Large also?— killjoy
- How about the way these fine public servants entered the drop program, grabbed the money and returned to coucil to collect their salaries at again, taxpayer expense. Dispicable conduct and do you think they will ever give up the golden goose - never!— STEPHEN1988
- Note - the only comment AGAINST term limits has no justification whatsoever. Frankly, I think all politicians should be subject to term limits; all that brouha about needing to learn the job is just silly. But of COURSE Council doesn't like it - these are the same leeches that wouldn't give up their raises or cars when the City doesn't have enough money to keep libraries open. Frank thievery.— citylumberjack
- Comment removed.
- Lets get rid of all of them now. we except sub par performance from these fools and yet we keep reelecting them.We deserve better than what this gang of excuse makers has to offer.— bobg1812
- I wish I could say that the voters are intelligent and know what candidate is best for the position. Unfortunately, the voters don't know who the heck they are voting for half the time. Public office should not be permanent office. Get elected. Get done what you can. Then get out. When they stay too long the begin to think of the office as some kind of right. All they seem to think about is getting elected again instead of doing what is right for the community.— mindstorms
- PLEASE! People vote for the names at local levels. This is a farce. term limits ensure new ideas are addressed and keeps the politicians getting more self serving. Here is a concept. Put it up for a vote with the actual voters! I repeat city council. Put it up for a vote with the actual voters! If I had to vote on raises for myself, I would NEVER vote against me. Why would city council want to leave office? They represent the man who now works 60 hours a week in an office with multiple degrees on a salary and happy to get 3 weeks of vacation, that is never truly a vacation because they have a phone or Blackberry from their company. They also represent the laborer who is fighting for his wages and cutbacks but they refuse to come back from vacation to address their concerns. So, they do not care about the poor who are fighting for the proper funding for services. they do not step in to assist is getting contracts done for the union works and they do not care about the rights of the middle class working longer hours for less pay. So again, who do they represent other than themselves? Keep voting them in Philly because they may let you get the crumb that falls off of the table that they feast at, with their overpaid under educated and experienced aids and workers.— SlinkTMP
- As long as these clowns have a "D" next to their name they will never change. We need a REAL opposition party, I don't care if it's the Republicans, the Liberatarians, or whatever, the city and it's monlithic corrupt goverment have to change or we will become the Detroit of the east.— lance71
- This is the best idea ever! No wonder the dead weight in city council slammed it.— BobbyD
- This is the best idea ever! No wonder the dead weight in city council slammed it.— BobbyD
- Put it on the Ballot and let the citizens decide if We the people vote in term limits so be it if not then not. Why do we allow 17 people to decide on their own jobs. The let us vote on the DROP Program Im sure it will be dropped.— Goodhands
- I generally think Goode is an idiot, but even a moron says something right sometimes. Good for you Mr Goode.— cuch
- Comment removed.
- It's a conflict of intrest to have them vote on it. Let the people of philadelphia vote. Whatjugot is 100% right, and that's not only sad, but scary— Howard Stern
- I am with City Council on this one. No need for term limits.— MPM JR
- Right, because Krajewski, Clarke, and O'Neill are doing such a fabulous job for our City with complete and total honesty and transparency. What these fine individuals DON'T explain publicly is that the reason why they keep getting re-elected is because anyone with differing ideas or perspectives is too frightened to run for fear of retaliation. Speak up against a councilperson and L&I shows up at your or your family's business a few days later to issue fines or a C&D order. Run against a councilperson in a primary and the nonprofit you started mysteriously loses all its funding. These people are not acting like humble, public servants, they are warlords. And until this prehistoric political system is reformed to make way for new generations of residents with unique experience, expertise, and ideas, we'll always be left with a Council who does things exactly how they've always done them because that's just how it's done. What does it say about this body that they had to hire a PR consultant at $100,000, conveniently charged to tax payers, to teach themselves how to effectively communicate with their constituency? I haven't always been a fan of Councilman Goode, but this is absolutely the honorable thing to do.— Whatjugot
- Comment removed.
- I strongly support term limits for city council. Lame duck council people will finally be able to vote for what's best for the city every time, rather than having to worry to be re-elected when voting against contentious issues i.e. those related to unions/pensions/DROP etc.— bizzarrophilly
- Maybe they'll get the message when the voters throw the bums out!!!!— Dadair1
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Chris Brennan, a native Philadelphian and graduate of Temple University, joined the Daily News in 1999. He has written about SEPTA, the Philadelphia School District, the legalization of casino gambling, state government, the mayor, the governor, City Council and political campaigns. E-mail tips to brennac@phillynews.com
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Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
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Follow Chris on Twitter
David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
Follow Dave on Twitter.
Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
Follow Jan on Twitter
Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
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