Arlington Mayor Hints Fight Over Term Limits May Not Be Over
ARLINGTON, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - With 63 percent of Arlington voters in favor of term limits, Proposition E passed on Tuesday night.
"We did hear loud and clear that our residents want term limits," said Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams.
The result will limit Arlington's mayor and city council to three two-year terms.
Mayor Williams told CBS 11 he hopes that will change when he sets up a citizens' commission with the goal of extending term limits.
"When you have a very short term, long range planning yes affected and in then addition to that, you lose institutional knowledge," said Mayor Williams.
Proposition E is also retroactive, meaning it takes into account how long elected officials have already served.
"It's going to throw a lot of people out of office that maybe some voters didn't realize that that was the case," said Eli Gross who voted against the proposal.
But the battle over term limits was well-publicized before the election.
A citizen's group gathered signatures and filed the paper work needed to be it on the ballot.
The City of Arlington pushed back, trying to stop the proposition from going on the ballot and also trying to come up with its own competing proposition which was ultimately shot down by a court.
Members of the group who worked to get the proposition on the ballot believe the mayor is not respecting the will of Arlington voters.
SOT: Louise Dunn - supports term limits
"I am suspect of what might come of this since they wouldn't work with us," said Louise Dunn, who supports term limits. "We wanted to make peace. We wanted what's best for the city."