Opinion: Let's ease up on term limits

The last time Florida had a budget deficit crisis wasn't so long ago, merely 10 years, yet only 15 legislators remain in Tallahassee of the 160 who had to cope with it. With 13 of them being senators, that leaves only two in the House who can apply the benefit of personal experience to the present difficulty. The reason for this brain drain, and for the House's leadership vacuum, is the eight-year term-limit initiative that Florida voters approved in 1992 in the misguided belief that it would improve government.

There was always more turnover than term-limit proponents cared to admit. In 1991, for example, 65 House members had served fewer than eight years; only 55 had served longer. Within that veteran group, however, there was such a diversity of opinion that the speaker and minority leader could not rely on party discipline to control them. Their policies had to have substance.

It would probably be a fool's errand to undertake to repeal term limits, but there's a fighting chance for amending it to 12 years, a less unreasonable (if still arbitrary) span. Senate President John McKay said the other day that he considers it a "great idea" and will try to get the 2002 regular session to submit it to the voters.

Here's wishing him success.

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