Term limits issue still stalled in Bossier City

The council did vote down a resolution to decertify the petition
The Bossier City Council debates term limits once again on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023.
Published: Aug. 29, 2023 at 11:01 PM CDT
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BOSSIER CITY, La. (KSLA) — “The voters want this, and you’re looking for ways to not let it happen,” Bossier City resident Ryan Haygood said.

Another council meeting in Bossier City and another delay on the future of term limits in the city.

We’ve given you the First Alert on this developing story for weeks now.

The City Council failed to pass the latest proposal on term limits. Now they’re back at Square One.

So what’s next?

“There’s more things we need to worry about in the city of Bossier, bringing in jobs, safety, everything like that,” District 1 Councilman Brian Hammons said. “But we’re sitting up here fighting over term limits.”

Efforts to have an election for Bossier City term limits once again did not succeed. On Tuesday, the council spent another meeting debating and rejecting the issue.

City attorney Charles Jacobs recommended the council ask the registrar of voters to decertify the petition because the petition lacks the signers’ years of birth.

District 5 Councilman Vince Maggio, who so far has voted against having the election, said the council should listen to the legal advice. “If something ain’t done right, you know, people sue. But once again, I wouldn’t open the door for that, we got legal advice, and let’s do what they tell us, and go from there.”

Another resident told the council that the people want term limits for city offices.

“The fact is this is not a political issue, this is an issue of the people asking for something and their overlord saying we’re not going to give it to you,” Wes Merriott said.

Still another resident said the council is not communicating with its constituents.

“What we really don’t want to do, is really don’t want to bring it to litigation. However, that is a legitimate possibility,” Lee Jeter Sr. said. “What I am adamant about, I believe the registrar of voters did her job. And she is not going to withdraw certification of a petition she knows she validated.”

The council did vote down a resolution to decertify the petition.