Clinton Legislature term limits revisited

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June 25, 2009

By JOE LOTEMPLIO The Press Republican Thu Jun 25, 2009, 05:18 PM EDT

PLATTSBURGH — Clinton County legislators are considering a move to eliminate term limits for themselves.

Legislators discussed the idea at Wednesday night’s meeting with an eye for moving the idea forward.

“The community needs to decide this,” Legislature Chairman Jimmy Langley (R-Area 7, Peru) said. “We just have to have the courage to put it forward.”

Langley proposed the idea, saying there are people in the community who want to see term limits removed.

Term limits were installed in 1996 and allow legislators to serve no more than 12 consecutive years.

Under the limits, Legislators Keith Defayette (R-Area 5, Schuyler Falls) and Sam Trombley (R-Area 2, Ellenburg) would not be allowed to run again when legislators are up for election in 2011.

Legislators serve four-year terms. They earn $15,000 per year, with the chairman getting $17,500 per year.

To remove term limits, legislators would have to hold public hearings and approve a local law abolishing them.

The measure would ultimately be decided by voters in a referendum on the November ballot.

Defayette suggested the county also look at staggering terms for legislators so all 10 won’t have to run at the same time.

“We could very well have as many as eight legislators leave at the same time, and if we stagger the terms, we could ensure some stability,” Defayette said.

Several legislators agreed.

“I like term limits, but I think the idea of staggering the terms is a much bigger issue,” said Sara Rowden (D-Area 4, Town of Plattsburgh).

Trombley, who has served on the legislature since 1983, does not favor term limits.

“The voters should be able to pick who they want.”

County Attorney William Favreau said he would look into whether the terms of legislators could be staggered.

Langley said there is no easy answer to the issue.

“But this group of legislators gets along very well, regardless of party, and, in the end, we all make decisions based on what is best for the community.

“That’s not always the case elsewhere, and it certainly wasn’t the case here before.”

E-mail Joe LoTemplio at:

jlotemplio@pressrepublican.com