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Published On: Sat, Jun 30th, 2012

Several Pinellas Commissioners and officials may be ineligible to run in 2012 due to Eight is Enough term limit

“Throw the Bums Out” was how WTSP started their story describing a controversy in Pinellas County Florida where four Pinellas commissioners, Ken Welch, John Marroni, Karen Seel, and Susan Latvala, are facing the loss of their ability to run for another term.

Modified photo of commissioners from Pinellascounty.org, supplied by 1787 Network

In 1996 Pinellas voted for “Eight is Enough” which limited Pinellas County elected officials to two consecutive terms of four years each in office. This has been challenged in the courts for the past 16 years. The Florida Supreme Court last month made the final decision on it.

Eight is Enough is constitutional and we have it in the State Constitution. It does apply to County Commissioners.

“They did not follow the will of the people. The people voted 78 percent to have term limits for county commissioners,” says Former Tarpon Spring Mayor Bev Billiris who is part of a group that has filed a lawsuit to support the referendum.

Adrian Wyllie of 1787 Network writes that term limits will effect the sheriff, tax collector, property appraiser, clerk of the court and supervisor of elections. Notably among the litigants at that time was then Sheriff Everett Rice, who is again running for sheriff in 2012.

Wyllie adds that the three Pinellas citizens filed suit on Tuesday in the Sixth District Court to enforce Eight is Enough as it applies to the Commissioners.   The suit names Pinellas County, as well as Supervisor of Elections Debrah Clark.   It also names Seel, Latvala, Welch, and Marroni individually, who may have to defend themselves without assistance from the county attorney.

Back in May the Tampa Bay Times addressed the topic saying “activists” now have a chance to ask voters if they want term limits and quoted the back and forth between lawyers. A unanimous Florida Supreme Court decision in May found these term limits for county commissioners was constitutional.

More on from the Pinellas Patriots here and the Save Pinellas Facebook page here

Read the full “Eight is Enough” referendum here.

 

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About the Author

- Writer and Co-Founder of The Global Dispatch, Brandon has been covering news, offering commentary for years, beginning professionally in 2003 on Crazed Fanboy before expanding into other blogs and sites. Appearing on several radio shows, Brandon has hosted Dispatch Radio, written his first novel (The Rise of the Templar) and completed the three years Global University program in Ministerial Studies to be a pastor. To Contact Brandon email [email protected] ATTN: BRANDON

Displaying 3 Comments
Have Your Say
  1. Pinellas Commissioners face term limit deadline - The Global Dispatch says:

    […] Pinellas County Commissioners (Latvala, Morroni, Seel and Welch) are being asked to resign and step aside based on a term limit law, which would make each of them ineligible to another […]

  2. Jack says:

    They want to make careers out of these elected positions, when we the people are best served by having these seats changed frequently.

  3. building communities says:

    Charlie Justice is running for the seat of district 3. The race is contested
    Here is some info on the guy. He also coordinates the Campus Leadership Department at USFSP.
    http://www.charliejustice.com/

    h/t gina fw message

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