Twice in the past 15 years, voters in Maryland’s most populous jurisdiction have had a chance to limit the amount of time county leaders can spend in office. Twice, they have refused.
Republican activist Robin Ficker, a perennial political candidate best known for having heckled visiting players at Washington Bullets games, is hoping that the third time’s the charm.
He is once again collecting signatures to place a term-limits question on the Montgomery County ballot, convinced that the entrenched longevity of several county incumbents, combined with the growing appeal of political outsiders nationwide, has created the right political climate for the measure to succeed.
“It’s time for fresh ideas in the county government,” said Ficker, whose proposal would limit council members and the county executive to three consecutive four-year terms. Right now, he added, “you have a small group of people well-connected to special interests who control the show.”
Ficker must collect 10,000 valid signatures from registered voters by August to secure a spot for the question on the November 2016 ballot. He says he has 8,000 so far and will aim for far more by the summer, as a cushion in case some signatures are ruled invalid.
Click here to read the rest of the article written by Bill Turque over at WTOP
