ATLANTA — A proposed ordinance that would cap the amount of time Atlanta City Council members could serve was tabled Monday. The ordinance did not make it out of committee moments before the city council meeting began because of a potential legal snag.
The proposed legislation, backed by councilmembers Antonio Lewis, Keisha Sean Waites and Liliana Bakhtiari - who are all recently elected to council - would limit time served in the body to five consecutive terms. Atlanta resident Dawn Arthan believes term limits should not be imposed, but rather be decided on by voters.
"I think there's really a lot to be gained by letting someone who's doing a good job continue to do that, and we get the benefit of their experience," Arthan said. "They're getting elected, and if we want them out, then vote them out. We have that ability."
Councilman Michael Julian Bond has spent 20 years on council. He said he was opposed to term limits because he believes it could lead to too much inexperience and a lack of political know-how on the council.
"Having institutional knowledge is a benefit to the citizens," Bond said. "It also robs the citizens potentially of the right to pick and choose who they would prefer to represent them in their particular district or county. There aren’t any career politicians. There are returning public servants who the citizens are returning to office because they’re exercising the preference to be represented by that group.”
Council President Doug Shipman said he was looking forward to debating the pros and cons of the measure, though it could take time for the ordinance to come up again. City officials said changing term limits would have to come with a change in the city's charter, which requires the Georgia General Assembly's approval.
"When fresh folks come in, you have kind of a burst of energy or when people come back, I think you've seen a lot of new energy, a lot of legislation, policymaking," Shipman said. "I think you're always trying to balance the experience that has gathered over time, but also the freshness that comes. This year, we saw six new council members and two return."
Shipman said if the ordinance passed, it would not limit anyone from running for a different spot on the council. For example, a district-elected councilmember could, after serving five terms, run for another seat, an at-large post or city council president and still abide under the ordinance. However, the current legal snag has put the proposed legislation on hold for now.