NewsOK
The Oklahoman Editorial
Published: November 8, 2010
Oklahoma will never have another Sandy Garrett or Drew Edmondson.
With the overwhelming approval last week of term limits on statewide offices, Oklahomans ushered out an era of politicians with decades-long service in jobs such as state schools superintendent, attorney general and state auditor. The term limit clock will start ticking as soon as the new officials take office.
The new limit of two, four-year terms also applies to the governor, lieutenant governor, state treasurer, insurance commissioner and labor commissioner. Corporation commissioners, who serve six years at a time, now have a 12-year limit.
Term limits aren't a bad thing. We would have preferred a more generous term limit for these offices — perhaps 12 or even 16 years — but neither of those options made it to the ballot. It takes elected agency heads time to develop expertise, which will now largely fall by the wayside every eight years. Even lawmakers, who opted to put the constitutional change before voters, can serve 12 years... FULL ARTICLE
Posted on
Mon, November 8, 2010
by Crystal Drwenski