Comment Up
Back in July, the commission took everyone by surprise when they voted to put three year terms on the November ballot. Less than a decade ago, the voters, by nearly 68% said "no" to 3 year terms. I spoke against 3 year terms saying if two year terms were good enough for Congress, they should be good enough for this body. Scott Maxwell had to come back with a comeuppance saying, "...that was a lousy excuse for having two year terms. How has that worked
out for us? There's nothing going on in Congress right now. Nothing."
One distinct difference in Congress passing bills is that any action of a deliberative assembly that may alter the rights of a minority has a super-majority requirement, such as a two-thirds vote. Those bills then go on to the Senate that votes on a super-majority that end up on the desk of the President. Here in Lake Worth, policy is changed, voting results are ignored, decisions can be made essentially by one strong sitting commissioner who persuades the rest of his trio to vote his way by a simple majority. As we have an uneven number of commissioners, the vote should be 4/1 to make a significant change.
Also in Congress, bills that are brought forward go to sub-committee after sub-committee for much discussion in order to change, approve or deny. In Lake Worth, we can have one person on a Trio with a hair brained scheme such as closing our pool or spending $17 million for infrastructure in the Park of Commerce to attract business, millions that will take 100 years to re-coup--huge decisions that affect the pocketbook of all. They have put a 30 year bond on the November ballot with no financial details and no discussion.
Two year congressional terms were established by our Founding fathers. They didn't want another oligarchy but a body of reason, advocating a careful, methodical, incremental approach to decisions affecting the people.
The United States Senate requires a super-majority of 60 percent to
move to a vote through a cloture motion, which closes debate on a bill
or nomination, thus ending a filibuster by a minority of members. There are currently 100 members, so sixty percent is sixty Senators. The United States Constitution requires a super-majority of
two-thirds of both houses of United States Congress to propose a
Congress-driven constitutional amendment; it also requires a
three-quarters super-majority of state legislatures for final adoption of
any constitutional amendment, as well as a two-thirds super-majority to
pass a bill over the president's veto. Source: Ballotpedia
Two year terms helps to ensure that those making policies for our city that affect everything here, as well as our lives, don't rampage out of control and allow a couple of people to do whatever they want and get entwined with special interests and big money. Usually a city manager acts sort of like a Senate, implementing the policies they make and guiding them by taking a sober look at the long-term effects of the legislation they consider. In the case of our city, this trio hired a city manager who reports to them and his job depends to a big degree on carrying out their will, unlike a Senator who is elected by the people, not hired by three people.
A simple majority of commissioners should not be allowed to change our Comprehensive Plan, Lake Worth's Constitution. A simple 3/2 vote by only five commissioners on something of major significance is not what our Founding Fathers had in mind when it established the procedure that has withstood since it was ratified in 1781.
So, essentially those in office have to raise money every two years. It would not be too difficult if they listened to the people they serve, treat them all with respect, answer e-mails and phone calls and make a concerted effort to vote the will of the people. But they don't.
If this is on the ballot, please vote NO on three year terms.
