CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Five members of West Virginia’s Board of Public Works have come out in favor of a term limit resolution introduced this week in the state Senate.
Senate Joint Resolution 11 proposes changing the state Constitution to say that the person holding the office of Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, Commissioner of Agriculture, or Attorney General can serve no more than three consecutive terms.
If approved by the legislature, the issue would be put on a ballot for state residents to vote on.
Four of those current officeholders, all Republicans, spoke in favor of the resolution during a Thursday afternoon news conference at the state capitol.
“We come here as a collective group to say we are tired of the policies of the past of having individuals sit in these offices for decades upon decades,” new state Treasurer Riley Moore, who proposed the term limit resolution, said. “We think this is the best way forward in terms of governance, transparency and accountability.”
Moore defeated 24-year Treasurer John Perdue in last November’s election.
State Auditor J.B. McCuskey won his second term in November. He called the resolution good government.
“The more of these people, everywhere in government that we can turn over, the less friction we’re going to have with change which is inherently needed with all governments at all times,” McCuskey said.
Former Auditor Glen Gainer served six terms before deciding not to run for reelection in 2016.
State Agriculture Commissioner Kent Leonhardt, who is also into his second term, said Wednesday he was “perfectly comfortable” with the idea of a three term limit.
“Those of us who have replaced long-time incumbents know how difficult it is to reform an office after decades of one-person control,” Leonhardt said. “We have to spend too much time during our terms to simply right the ship. Establishing term limits will help guarantee that these offices are constantly improving, forcing politicians to be more focused and seek faster change.”
The longest serving West Virginia agriculture commissioner was Gus Douglass, who served a total of 44 years in office.
Secretary of State Mac Warner said he quickly learned that one term in office was not enough. He began his second term in January. He said his military career taught him the value of change.
“The movement of people between positions is highly efficient and highly helpful because you take those experiences, I’ve been deployed in South America, Germany and into Asia, and each one of those taught me a different way of tackling problems,” Warner said.
State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who is into his third term, did not attend the news conference but is in support of the resolution.
“I’m happy to support the resolution to establish term limits for the Board of Public Works,” Morrisey said in a news release. “I have pushed for a similar resolution in the past and believe it will restore more power back to the people.”
State Senator Ryan Weld, R-Brooke, introduced the resolution on behalf of Moore. He said term limits work well with the governor’s office and county sheriffs.
“Having it with the rest of the Board of Public Works brings us in line with the same we have on the governor’s level that we can bring in somebody who has a new perspective on the office,” Weld said.
The governor and county sheriff can only serve two consecutive terms.
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Constitutional officeholders support term limit resolution - West Virginia MetroNews
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