It's Time for Term Limits

Click Here Sign the Online Petition

Like you, KFW members have had it with repeated abuses of trust by our elected officials. The pattern repeats so often it’s even predictable. When long-time incumbents retire or go off to jail, new people get elected. They then proceed to use the powers and privileges of office to ensure they get re-elected time after time. As they settle into what amount to lifetime appointments, they discover how to divert our tax dollars into their pockets and into the pockets of their friends and supporters. Yes, not every politician is corrupt in this way, but you have to admit the practice is endemic around here.

We think it’s time to put a stop to it by imposing term limits on elected officials in Putnam County at all levels of government -- county, town, and village.

While term limits have the unfortunate side effect of limiting the time honest and diligent elected officials may serve, they also keep elected officials from accumulating personal privileges and power. Given the history of abuse tax payers in Putnam have suffered, we are convinced residents would be far better served by term-limited elected officials than we have by long-term incumbents.

Specifically, Kent Fiscal Watch proposes term limits that allow for no more than three consecutive terms in office or eight consecutive years in office, whichever is less, and that these term limits go into effect with the next election for each office. This would mean offices with two-year terms would be limited to three consecutive terms. Offices with with three- or four-year terms would be limited to two consecutive terms.

If you’re fed up with corrupt elected officials lining their pockets at our expense, please join your neighbors in signing our online petition. And tell your friends and neighbors about the petition. Together we can make it plain to each and every elected official in the County that residents demand they manage our tax dollars as tightly as we manage our own; that they obey the law; and that the governments they run on our behalf are open for all to see -- transparent and trustworthy.