IS IT TIME TO END TERM LIMITS IN MICHIGAN?

15 states have enacted term limits for their state legislators, with Michigan being one of them.

Michigan approved its term limits in 1992. They went into effect in 1998 in the House and 2002 in the Senate.

The last few years have been a succession of partisan fights trying to balance the budget. Every year it seems we are faced with a shutdown of State government because our senate and house can’t get the budget balanced (this is mandated by law in Michigan)

Term limits were very popular with the people when enacted. But reality has now set in. Do we really want a collection of relative newcomers running a state with an approximate budget of 40 billion dollars?

Michigan used federal stimulus funds to help balance the budget this year. Next year they will have substantially less federal money and the following year none. And the legislators that are learning now will be gone and a new crop will be in office who will have no experience with this type of problem.

Maybe it’s time to revisit this issue.