TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (The News Service of Florida) - School board members would be limited to eight years in office, under a proposal that moved forward Wednesday in the State Constitution Revision Commission.
The proposed constitutional amendment, sponsored by Commissioner Erika Donalds, would limit county school board members who are elected on Nov. 6 or later, to no more than two consecutive four-year terms.
Donalds, a member of the Collier County School Board, says the proposal is similar to a constitutional amendment adopted by Florida voters in 1992, that limits the terms of state lawmakers and Cabinet members.
The governor is also limited to eight years in office.
"People do know what's best for them," said Donalds. "That's why they support term limits in such huge measure, basically at every level of government."
Commissioner Chris Smith, who opposes the measure, feels that limiting the terms of school board members and other elected officials gives more power to lobbyists and staff who remain in the system, while elected officials come and go.
"Term limits have far-reaching ramifications that I don't think voters truly understand," said Smith. "It's one of those things that sounds good. Everybody wants to throw the bums out."
The commission voted 27 to 6 to advance the proposal to the CRC's Style and Drafting Committee.
If approved by the committee, the measure will return to the full CRC, where it must win support from at least 22 commissioners to be placed on the November ballot.
