On Jan 15, 2009, Flight 1549 was leaving LaGuardia Airport with 155 passengers when the aircraft sucked a few bird through its engines causing a malfunction that forced an emergency landing. Using the Hudson River as a landing zone, Capt. Chesley B. Sullenberger, a 57-year-old former fighter pilot with 29 years experience as a pilot for US Airways put the plane in the water at 3:31 p.m.
It was a professional landing and all passengers survived. It was considered by professional aviators as a masterful job and “Sulley” was considered a hero. What if, just what if, he had been flying under term limits? “Sorry, Captain Sullenberger, but you have too much experience; we have decided to let a younger pilot have a chance. Meet I.B. Green, he just got his license and we want to give him a chance so he will pilot 1549 today.” Sounds like a recipe for disaster! If you’re on 1549, are you for term limits? Choose your pilot!
The City of Pratt is basically a business whose goal is to “take care of the folks,” as O’Reilly would say. They supply water, electricity, trash service, law enforcement etc to the citizens who are in essence stockholders as well as customers. The City Commissioners are like the Board of Directors who are in charge of a $28 million budget. Additionally, they are in charge of planning for the long range needs of the city. Contrary to what some believe it is not like the “Bucking Horse” in front of Walmart that everyone should take turns riding. These commissioners need to have the experience to promote economic development and develop long range plans for growth as well as the business skills to handle the business at hand. If you have a competent commissioner who has been with you a while, why would you ever want to get rid of him just to give someone else a chance. If he is incompetent they have these events called elections to remove them from office. It violates your constitutional rights if your candidate is not allowed to run because he has too much experience. Experience is the mother of all teachers. As a relatively new commissioner I am amazed at the historical perspective that Jeff and Bill bring to the meetings. Did you know that Sarah Palin was “termed out” as Mayor? Wasilia, Alaska under her leadership did well. What a loss for those folks. Those that would like to get on the Commission but do not measure up are all for term limits because it is a handy way to eliminate their competition and create slots to be filled.
The League of Kansas Municipalities does not believe in term limits because they think it takes time to become an effective commissioner. Most Kansas towns do not have term limits. Jeff and Bill have been on the commission more than two terms yet they both almost always get the most votes. Why is that? Simple, they are good. Are we going to tell these voters that they cannot vote for the candidates they feel do an outstanding job? Do you really want someone telling you who you can vote for and who you can’t? Term limits are nothing more than choice limits.
Some of the people I talked to did not have a “big problem with term limits” but felt that the length of terms was too short or too few. The voters will let us know when they are tired of us. Pratt is Open for Business. Let’s keep it that way. Please, Vote No on term limits April 6.
Willy Peltier
