Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon is proposing to put two bills to voters regarding term limits for county offices as the issue continues to put him and county legislature Democrats at odds.
In a statement Tuesday, McMahon idealized that two separate ballot questions would be asked of voters in the 2027 elections. One would establish three four-year term limits and the other would establish a four four-year term limit for both the county executive and county comptroller.
“If voters reject both proposals, there would be no term limits. If one proposal receives majority support, it takes effect. If both receive majority support, the proposal with the most yes votes become law. The result is one clear outcome chosen by the voters,” McMahon said.
This comes after weeks of confusion and political banter after McMahon, vocally opposed to efforts by the county legislature to pass bills on term limits, signed bill that would do just that before sending a new version that vetoed the legislation, calling it a “clerical error.” However, county Democrats said they received a signed bill and the county legislature’s chair, Nicole Watts, says that after speaking to lawyers, the first signed version is legally binding and would be sent to the elections board to be put on the general election ballot. McMahon has said the process has “reeked of partisanship.”
“I’m calling on the County Legislature to pass these laws and send them to me for my signature. The people of Onondaga County deserve better than confusion, division and costly litigation. They deserve a process that restores confidence and lets voters decide on this issue the right way,” McMahon said Tuesday. “Unfortunately, the debate over term limits has become more about the process than the policy itself. Though that confusion it has become easy to lose sight of where I have consistently stood.”
McMahon said he has been in communication with the county legislature’s chairwoman and majority leader regarding his latest proposal.