Now it’s time for our elected officials to answer for their actions. In an article written by Bob Bernick Jr., on December 9, 2003, he spoke of my intention to file a citizen’s initiative to allow candidates for office to voluntarily file a term limit pledge to be included in any state sponsored voter education material, like the voters pamphlet. The indignant uproar from my conservative legislative friends, only proves that once elected, even good conservatives cannot govern themselves without protecting their self interest. Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo even campaigned on overturning this issue saying it’s unconstitutional, yet the only ruling coming from the United States Supreme Court said that states could not place Term Limits on Federal Office holders. No Utah court has ever ruled on term limits. The logical answer would be to have a Utah constitutional amendment setting reasonable term limits for elected office. But in Utah, only the Legislature can sponsor changes to the constitution, so we are back to square one. I spoke to my Senator, Howard Stephenson, who was one of the 12 dissenting votes in the Senate how he felt on this issue. He said a bargain was made in 1994, and he felt a moral obligation to keep his promise. I asked him would he consider sponsoring my proposal to allow for voluntary term limit pledges in the Legislature, and his reply shocked me even further. He said “Mark, I can appreciate what you are trying to do, but all you would accomplish is getting the honest and moral elected officials to sign your pledge, leaving the dishonest one’s that have districts so secure no matter what they do, to opt out.”

So where do we go from here. I have decided to shelve my voluntary terms limit pledge initiative, and join with Bart Grant of Utah Term Limits to raise the $250,000 necessary to get this passed. Utah Term Limits filed their own initiative last March under the old rules, which the 2003 Legislature drastically changed, making it almost impossible to get anything on the ballot. It would appear that the Legislature would really like to repeal the entire citizen initiative process; although in the past 43 years only 4 successful initiatives have ever been approved by the voters of Utah.

What else can be done? I call upon all those legislators that were in office in 1994 to honor your vote. Retire from office as if the Term Limits were still in effect. There are plenty of skilled, dedicated, and honorable people to fill your shoes. And to the 2004 Legislature, I challenge you to do the right thing. Put forward to the people of the State of Utah a constitutional amendment that includes term limits.

And lastly, there are approximately 5,000 people in the state of Utah who determine if a candidate’s name is even put on a ballot for re-election. These are the elected delegates for both Democrats and Republicans. As Sen. Curt Bramble has continued to state “we already have term limits, its called elections”. Utahans for Legislative Reform will make sure that each and every potential delegate will know how their current elected official voted on this issue. In 1976 Candidate Orrin Hatch said to then 3 term Senator Frank Moss, “Senator you have served the people of Utah for 18 years, it’s time to retire”. In 2008 Orrin will have been in the Senate 32 years. In 1992 Candidate Robert Bennett promised the delegates that he would serve only 1 term in office. Two terms later, he is seeking his third term. It’s time our elected officials are made to account.

Mark E. Towner, Chairman
Utahans for Legislative Reform
PO Box 1320
Draper, Utah 84020-1320
(801) 572-2542