Why Term Limits?
Politicians who must return to ordinary society will think more carefully about their actions.
It was Benjamin Franklin who summed up the best case for term limits more than two centuries ago: “In free governments, the rulers are the servants, and the people their superiors . . . . For the former to return among the latter does not degrade, but promote them.”
Term limits have been approved almost everywhere they’ve been on the ballot because concerned citizens see them as a positive structural reform, a necessary step to change the incentives of legislators so they would think more about the good of their city, parish, state, and country and less about their next campaign. Those citizens want to ensure a regular supply of fresh blood and new ideas in legislative bodies. They want to open the system to more people from a variety of professions. They want to make public officials less responsive to organized, well-heeled lobbies and more interested in serving the welfare of society at large.
We ask that you do 3 or 4 simple things:
- Sign the Digital Petition for Bossier Parish Police Jurors whether you are citizen of Bossier City or a resident in Bossier Parish.
- Allow us to contact you (after you Sign the Police Jury Petition) if you live in the Bossier City limits for City Council & Mayoral Term Limits (plus our other propositions) signatures.
- SHARE this Digital Petition plus our Bossier Term Limits social media information, and ask your local politicians if they support Term Limits!
- Use the SignUp Genius button and volunteer to help at an event!
Term Limits were recently endorsed by Bossier Parish Republican PEC and are highly supported nationwide. On behalf of the Electors of Bossier City and Bossier Parish, we are a loose knit coalition of concerned citizens who will be filing multiple petitions with the Bossier Parish Registrar of Voters – calling for a special or general election for Term Limits for Mayor and Bossier City Council and presenting digital signatures to our local representatives advocating for term limits legislation for the Bossier Parish Police Jury. Since many politicians support Term Limits only during campaigns, but then become reluctant to embrace Term Limits once elected, we will use the force of law to enact them.
As we have seen in recent months with the Bossier City Council, entrenched incumbents are very resistant to giving up their power. We presented our first petition to the Mayor of Bossier City on July 10, 2023. Following that, Term Limits have been discussed at basically every Bossier City Council meeting through October of 2023. The City Attorney, Charles Jacobs, has even filed a lawsuit for declaratory judgement against Stephanie Agee – The Bossier Parish Registrar of Voters, and David Crockett – a private citizen who has helped greatly with Term Limits.
THE NEW PROPOSITIONS
In accordance with Bossier City Charter CHAPTER 21.-AMENDMENTS TO THE CHARTER, Section 21.01(b), Bossier City Charter provides that any proposed amendment to the charter may be submitted as outlined in Section 5.01. Per section 5.01, the undersigned electors submit the attached ordinance to amend the Bossier City Charter to establish minimum regular meeting time and public comment guidelines. The undersigned electors request Bossier City Council pass the ordinance as proposed on the reverse of this petition without veto or submit the proposition below to the vote of the electors of the City per Bossier City Charter.
PETITION FOR A SPECIAL ELECTION FOR CHANGE TO BOSSIER CITY CHARTER SECTION 3:13 CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND RULES TO BOSSIER CITY COUNCIL, BOSSIER CITY, LOUISIANA
PROPOSITION
Shall the City Charter of Bossier City, Louisiana, be amended to require that Bossier City Council meetings begin no earlier than 5:00 p.m. in order to encourage maximum public participation and allow a public comment period prior to each vote, including each agenda addition or deletion, where up to four (4) persons for and four (4) persons against each agenda item shall be allowed to speak uninterrupted for a three-minute period providing information related to the subject matter being voted on?
PETITION FOR A SPECIAL ELECTION FOR CHANGE TO SECTION 5:01 INITIATING ORDINANCE BOSSIER CITY CHARTER TO BOSSIER CITY COUNCIL, BOSSIER CITY, LOUISIANA
PROPOSITION
Shall the City Charter of the City of Bossier City, Louisiana, be amended to where any proposed ordinance may be submitted to the City Council by petition signed by electors equal in number to twenty (20) percent of the votes cast for all candidates for Mayor at the last preceding contested general election?
PETITION FOR A SPECIAL ELECTION FOR TERM LIMITS FOR BOSSIER CITY COUNCIL AND BOSSIER CITY MAYOR TO BOSSIER CITY COUNCIL, BOSSIER CITY, LOUISIANA
PROPOSITION
1. Shall the City Charter of Bossier City, LA, be amended to provide for a three-term limit for the Mayor of the City of Bossier City where no person who has been elected to serve as Mayor for three terms shall be eligible to be elected to an additional term or portion thereof, and all terms to which a person has been elected prior to January 1, 2024, shall be counted toward the limitation provided for herein?
2. Shall the City Charter of Bossier City, LA, be amended to provide for a three-term limit for the City Council of Bossier City where no person who has been elected to serve for three terms shall be eligible to be appointed or elected to an additional term or portion thereof, and all terms to which a person has been elected prior to January 1, 2024, shall be counted toward the limitation provided for herein?
How the City Council and Mayor Term Limits Work
In accordance with Bossier City’s Code of Ordinances, upon completion of a successful referendum where at least 2,715 electors (thirty-three (33) percent X 8,226 total votes for Bossier City Mayor) sign the petition, Bossier City Council and Mayor of Bossier City have 30 days to pass two propositions for Term Limits after the petitions are certified by the Bossier Parish Registrar of Voters.
If Term Limits are not passed by the Bossier City Council without veto by the Mayor, the Bossier City Charter mandates a special or general election, and Bossier City, as the governing authority, will call for an election within 90 days. Also, as governing authority, Bossier City will be completing all actions in accordance with Louisiana R.S. 18:1299.
Our coalition looks forward to working with your offices during the referendum and Bossier City Council deliberations in accordance with the laws of the state and Bossier City’s Code of ordinances.