ARLINGTON (WBAP/KLIF News) – Arlington voters gave the green light to impose term limits on city council members and the mayor.
63 percent of voters approved the measure on election night, which means three two-year terms for elected officials.
It was placed on the ballot after supporters gained more than 11,000 signatures.
Zack Maxwell led the term limits charge and called Tuesday night’s win a “stunning rebuke” toward Arlington officials.
“I think the citizens last night spoke very loud and clear about their dissatisfaction with the current state of leadership here in the city,” he said.
Mayor Jeff Williams, who was elected in 2015, disagreed with the measure and said businesses prefer a sense of stability on the council.
“It’s also retro active and so it peels back. It also has a lifetime ban so that anyone who serves their six years is banned from ever running again,” he said.
Maxwell said the council should stand for what residents want.
“The mayor needs to stop being a sore loser he needs to accept the outcome of the election and stop fighting the city of Arlington like he’s been doing the last six months,” he said.
Under the new rules, five of the city’s eight council members will be phased out over the next 18 months.
Williams is reportedly going to move forward with a term limits committee to listen to resident’s thoughts about ways to make it work.
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