BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Right now, you don't have a say on a proposal to put term limits on elected Erie County office holders. That's because two bills have stalled in the legislature.
Erie County Legislature Majority Leader Joseph Lorigo came up with a term limit law that competes with one supported by his five colleagues in the majority. Lorigo's proposal would make term limits retroactive for those already in office.
"You are not going to support their law?" asked 2 On Your Side's Kelly Dudzik.
"I am not going to support their law, no," said Lorigo.
The original proposal is only retroactive for the current two year term. Thursday, it did not have enough support to make it to the full legislature for a vote.
"I think it's hypocritical to exempt yourself from a law that you are trying to impose on future people," said Lorigo.
"Why can't your party get along and pass this legislation so that voters will have a say?" asked Dudzik.
"We get along just fine. The reality is there are two competing laws. My colleagues don't believe that we should treat ourselves the way that we want to treat everybody else going forward. I disagree with them, and it's something where I won't budge," said Lorigo.
While Legislator Lynne Dixon co-sponsored the original legislation, she says she would support any term limit proposal. But since Lorigo did not pull his off the table for a full vote Thursday either, the issue still isn't hammered out.
"Do you think twelve years is too long? Not enough? How did you guys come up with the twelve years?" asked Dudzik.
"I think twelve years is plenty of time to accomplish what you need to accomplish and to move on. Now, if there was enough support to go a shorter time, I would be in support of that as well," says Dixon.
Dixon says they would have to pass the law this summer to get it on November's ballot. Everyone on the county legislature is up for re-election this year. No current legislator has been in office for more than ten years in a row.
