Group seeks to extend term limits for state legislators

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Proposals to extend term limits in an effort to build trust and experience in the Capitol are resurfacing after Michigan’s recent budget dilemma.

A proposal pushed by the Michigan Chamber of Commerce looks to extend term limits for state Senate and House of Representatives members to 12 years.

“The governor supports changes in the term limits, not for herself or the executive office, but term limits in place for state lawmakers should be expanded,” said Liz Boyd, spokeswoman for Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

Currently, state House members can serve three two-year terms for a total of six years, and state senators can serve two four-year terms for a total of eight years.

Extending term limits is not a new plan. A separate proposal was introduced in June by state Rep. Brian Calley, R-Portland, who saw an extension as a way to increase knowledge and expertise on issues lawmakers deal with often.

“The state constitution essentially mandates institutionalized inexperience and the current system doesn’t allow for long-term, trusting relations to form across the aisle,” Calley said.

Calley’s proposal, which is in the House, would apply to all state positions including the governor, attorney general and secretary of state. If his proposal receives approval from the House and Senate, citizens could see the initiative on the ballot. The Michigan Chamber of Commerce also would have to place its proposal on the ballot.

Term limits contributed to the state’s issues when bargaining for a budget deal, said Robert LaBrant, senior vice president of political affairs and general counsel for the Michigan Chamber of Commerce.

“Generally most of the Legislature would probably be more than happy to stay in the state House and that wouldn’t be such a dysfunctional body the way it is today,” LaBrant said. “We have 44 state representatives who will be term limited at the end of 2008, so that means 44 people who served six years are out the door and 44 people who will come in with no experience.”

Every two years the state Legislature goes through this revolving door process, LaBrant said. By 2010, 30 out of 38 state senators will be term limited. The state would have a minimum of 30 new state senators in office.

However, extending or doing away with term limits is not expected to solve all of Michigan’s problems in the state Legislature.

“I tend to believe that is exaggerated. Term limits didn’t help (the budget crisis), but it might have happened anyway,” said Bill Ballenger, editor and publisher of Inside Michigan Politics. A former House and Senate member, Ballenger voted against implementing term limits in 1992.

One group, Don’t Touch Term Limits, is working to inform citizens about the problems and dangers extending or doing away with term limits could cause in Michigan.

“The recent failure of the Legislature to do their jobs is another argument for term limits, that’s the only way to guarantee we have turnover,” said Kurt O’Keefe, executive director of Don’t Touch Term Limits.

“It’s a part-time job that has voted itself full-time pay and benefits. It does not take years to figure out how to represent a constituency.”

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