Local

Orlando group lobbies for term limits for city officials

ORLANDO, Fla. — A local group is hoping to use Tuesday's primary to collect thousands of signatures at several precincts to limit the number of consecutive years city officials can serve.
 
Members of Eight is Enough Orlando call the cause a grassroots, bipartisan movement.
 
"If they can't get it done after eight years, they should find another job, but we'd like to open it up to everybody. That's what democracy is about," Neil Paulson, of Eight is Enough Orlando, said.
 
Some voters told Channel 9 they didn't know term limits weren't already in place.
 
Around 70 percent of voters stopped and signed their petition while Channel 9 was present.
 
If the group reaches 15,000 signatures, the supervisor of elections is required to put it on the ballot, even if the city commission rejects the idea.
 
"Would you want to fire yourself from your own job? There's not a lot of incentive to lose the pay and benefits they get," Paulson said.
 
Paulson said the concept is simple, what's good for the presidency and the county should come to Orlando.
 
"I think it's a good idea, I think there needs to be turnover, (and) I think there needs to be new thoughts," voter Chad Rice said.
 
Paulson said the people want an elected official, not a king.
 
The group's goal of 15,000 signatures represents the percentage of the number of people who voted in the last general election.