14.0°

Why should you vote YES to retain Borough Assembly term limits? Let us count the ways.

First of all, let's address the sole argument that the opposition has been able to construct: namely, that it is somehow undemocratic to restrict voters from voting for their favorite incumbent.

* The President of the United States, our Governor, and Borough Mayor ALL have term limits. The borough assembly, state legislature, Congress and those opposed to assembly term limits do not claim THESE restrictions are undemocratic.

* The opposition largely consists of sitting assembly members, former assembly members, people who work for non-profits partially funded with our tax dollars and people who work for the borough or school district. Their motivation is suspect, when they only want us to vote for the same people every time. They throw on the mantle of 'democracy', but maybe their agenda is really to maintain the status quo and preserve their own special interests.

* Assembly members can return after a mandatory 3 year "vacation" to run for an additional two terms as a challenger to the incumbent. In the academic world, a sabbatical is an honor and privilege, designed to avoid burn-out. Shouldn't our lawmakers be given the opportunity to recoup, refresh and revitalize? Some times the hardest workers don't recognize that they've lost their edge. Good assembly members could even run for higher office.

* Entrenched incumbents discourage others from running against them. In the first twenty seven years of our borough it was common practice to run two, maybe three terms before returning to private life. In that whole period of time there were only five uncontested races. Now it is common to run for re-election five, six even seven times. There have been sixteen uncontested assembly races in as many years.

* Term limits promotes competition and levels the playing field. When new people run, fresh ideas and 'outside the box' solutions are encouraged.

* Each time the public has advance knowledge of an opening, citizens come forth to run. For example, look at this year: Ron Long of Seward and Milli Martin of the South Peninsula both ran uncontested in the last two election cycles. Now that they are term limited out of office, each seat has more than one person running for it. On the other hand, Gary Knopp, who just finished his first term, is running uncontested.

* You do not have a choice if there is only one candidate. That is called a slam dunk, not democracy. All the voters are being cheated when there is no choice.

* Voters of this borough approved Term Limits THREE times so far. The assembly repealed voter approved term limits in 1999 and then fought the 2007 election in court (with our tax dollars). See a complete history of term limits in the Kenai Borough at this web site: www.act-kpb.org. Earlier this year the assembly began the process of altering the current term limits ordinance once the two year state mandated protection expires this October. Your Yes vote will help to renew the protection for at least another two years. If we elect assembly members who respect the wishes of voters, term limits could stay on the books indefinitely. However, this time it is up to us, the voters.

* Renewal of Term Limits is called proposition #1 and can be found on the BACK of many ballots. Everyone may vote absentee up until Election Day on Tuesday October 6th. The Borough building in Soldotna or Homer and all the city halls have ballots. If you want better borough government, please vote YES for term limits.

-- Mike McBride, Term Limits YES 2009 Committee