Should any council member be in City Hall longer than any president is in the White House?

Eight years is a long time to achieve goals and then step aside for someone else. Nothing personal; we simply need new ideas and new vigor to refresh our city government.

This election we have a chance to impose two terms for all council seats since so many members resigned, giving us the opportunity to set a two-term limit for those remaining and those who will be new.

“Votermanic prerogative” is our citizen's prerogative not to vote for anyone who has been in council for two terms already. Two terms and we say, “Thank you very much, now goodbye. Nothing personal, just a best practice for governing our City and you know it, too.”

Council has played a game of rope-a-dope against all of us by not writing the ballot question that would limit council terms. Look at the numbers; 17 people in council playing against the best interests of 1,600,000 city residents!

They played rope-a-dope, meaning you and I have been the big dopes since the Charter does not allow a citizen-initiated ballot question. Forget the outdated City Charter, we are the voters. Let us impose two-term limits with our votermanic prerogative.

Some say that it takes a long time to know one's constituents and that eight years is not enough. “How long does it take a president to know 330 million citizens versus how long it takes a council member to know less than 200,000 in each district?”

The point is to get elected to council, work hard, accomplish good things for Philadelphia, and then leave. Seats should never be for life. Get ‘em in, work hard, and then get ‘em out so others with new ideas will be ready and willing to get elected for two terms. 

“Should any council member be in City Hall longer than any president is in the White House?”

Gardner A. Cadwalader

Chestnut Hill