Bossier City Council Votes Down Term Limits, Again

SHREVEPORT, LA – It does not look like the Bossier City Council will bend on a request from citizens to put the term limits issue on the ballot for the voters to decide this matter. The Council split in a 3-3 vote on a measure calling for a ballot initiative.

This debate has been raging in Bossier City for several months. Organizers have gotten close to 3,000 signatures on a petition calling for term limits. Mayor Tommy Chandler is also pushing for this measure to go to voters. But the council has not been willing to move it forward.

Because it was a tie vote at the meeting on Tuesday, the measure fails.

Councilman Vince Maggio did join with council members Chris Smith and Brian Hammons to vote for calling an election on the issue. But David Montgomery, Jeff Darby and Don Williams voted “no”.  Council member Jeff Free was absent.

Another big issue in this feud is the petition. City attorney Charles Jacobs claims it is not legal since the dates of birth were missing from the almost 3,000 who signed it. But those who support this petition effort say it is legal since the registrar of voters certified it. Jacobs is taking this matter to court to try to determine if the petition is legal.

Councilman Brian Hammons says it is time to let the citizens have their vote on this issue.

DeSoto Parish Also Acts on Term Limits

While this battle is happening in Bossier City, the DeSoto Parish Police Jury has also voted down a proposal to put term limits on the ballot. But the issue in DeSoto Parish might be a little bit different. Members of the Police Jury have apparently been advised they can not implement term limits without legislative action, first.

Administrator Michael Norton says the state statute which sets term limits for school board members does not include police jury members.