JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville City Councilman Rory Diamond is introducing a bill to impose term limits for local elected officials in a news conference Monday morning.
The "Real Term Limits for Jax" bill would change the city's charter to state that constitutional officers can only hold an office for two terms total, rather than the current language, which allows an office to be held for no more than two consecutive terms, according to a news release. That means an elected official could possibly hold the same office for more than two terms, as long as there is a four-year break between terms.
"No more career politicians in Jacksonville," Diamond said in the release. "The only thing we effectively recycle is politicians."
If approved, the bill would allow for a referendum on the Aug. 23, 2022, ballot, to be decided on by Jacksonville voters.
The key word in his proposed legislation is consecutive. Diamond wants to get rid of that word because he says it creates a loophole.
As it stands, leaders can serve two consecutive terms. After that, Diamond explains they can simply wait out a term and come back and run again and again.
“Jacksonville wanted term limits so we voted for them before, but now you can just work around them," Diamond said. "I could sit on the Jacksonville city council for the rest of my life if I wanted to.”
He wants the law to say two terms only in that position, however city leaders could always run for another position.
Diamond says he will be adding a provision stating the law would not affect people already serving so while it does not affect Jerry Holland, Jacksonville's Property Appraiser, it would have back when. He’s against it.
“Really it’s experience coming back," Holland explained. "The most recent – (Matt) Carlucci – which again brought back good experience. He opposed the sale of JEA. Opposed Lot J in its original form. So experience is good to have on the council.”
He says it’s a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. Holland says out of the more than 200 city councilmembers Jacksonville has seen, only 6 have ever left and come back like Diamond is implying.
“A lot of the times we have wonderful people in office doing great work," Diamond said. "The problem with incumbency is it makes it so hard for a new person with new ideas to jump in. Jacksonville is a growing city. It’s a changing city. We need knew people in office.”
Scroll down to read the full text of Diamond's proposed bill.