BUFFALO, N.Y. — The recent turmoil caused by the ongoing scandal investigations for Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the question of whether he will pursue re-election for a fourth term has also inspired more talk about term limits. While he has not officially announced for a fourth term run he did hold a major $10,000 a person fundraiser just last week in New York City.
According to Ballotpedia, New York State is one of 12 states including Illinois and Texas which do not have term limits for governors. Most other states like Pennsylvania go with two consecutive terms for eight years total or some variation. It's been looked at here in the Empire State, but never seems to go anywhere.
Republican, Conservative State Senator Joseph Griffo from Rome, NY introduced a term limit measure again last session as he had done before and again it got bottled up in committee. His bill called for an eight year limit for governor, lt. governor, state attorney general and state comptroller and a 12 year total limit for a state lawmaker.
One of his co-sponsors is Republican State Senator Patrick Gallivan from Western New York because as he explains, his constituents have called for it.
"People have expressed interest in term limits throughout my tenure as I talked with people," Gallivan said. "I think at other times in the past several years - people have been more vocal about it."
Also Gallivan's support is really somewhat mixed with this rationalization: "When I look at term limits, I see an argument both for term limits and at the same time - imposed term limits by statute. And at the same time a term limit that already really exists at the hands of voters every two years in the case of a legislator."
Some term limit advocates suggest it can bring up a fresh voice and differing perspectives from long time politicians and turnover can eliminate too much power or corruption that could come with longevity and seniority.
So how does it play with a political scientist like Dr. Jacob Neiheisel? He says, "I realize that the public sees that as a career politician. But there's a reason that might not be a negative which is to say that they're good at what they do. They know the players involved. They know how to get stuff done."
Neiheisel says there have been studies on the subject, but also some common sense reasoning.
"If you're on your way out turns out there's less of an incentive to do a good job," Neiheisel said. "There's less of an incentive not to pay back friends or political cronies or those kinds of things. Of course that can happen in a system that isn't term limited."
Finally he adds, "If you have a good executive or you have a good member of the legislature, why boot them artificially if they're doing a really good job. You lose all that expertise immediately."
Also it is of note that term limits at the national level for presidents did not happen until the late 1940s as Franklin Roosevelt died in his fourth term. That is even though George Washington established a two term tradition, but not a real term limit for the presidency.