In an earlier post on this site, I noted that on House Joint Resolution (Proposition 10) maybe we should not consider support of this legislation. After reviewing the bill and having conversations and emails of those in Harris County ESD's, we probably should support this and urge others to consider it.
This bill will only affect those districts in counties where the commissioners are elected and will allow the term of office to be four years, instead of two. It will be a cost saving to those counties, and in today's economic environment, all of us need to tighten our spending.
Below are some talking points I received that may help clarify the bill:
HJR 85 Provides for Elected Harris County ESD Boards
1. Emergency Service Districts (“ESDs”) are political subdivisions that provide fire protection and EMS services in their jurisdictions. ESD boards are governed by a board of 5 members who serve staggered two year terms. This Amendment will provide certain elected ESD boards to serve 4 year terms.
2. Single county ESD boards are appointed by commissioners court, except in Harris County. Last session (2007), Harris County ESD boards were changed from appointed boards to elected boards. Therefore, Harris County ESD boards - and the few multi-county ESD boards - are the only elected ESD boards.
3. Currently, these commissioner elections have to be held every year.
4. Changing the term of office to four years will allow elections to be held every two years. This will cut down on the cost, which in Harris County can range from $10,000 - $30,000 per election.
5. There is the added benefit of affording some greater sense of continuity to the ESD boards, so as to allow greater long-range planning and preparation for the future.
6. A constitutional amendment is required because under Section 30, Article XVI of the Texas Constitution, all public terms of office are two years unless otherwise provided in the Constitution.
As to term limits: HJR 85 is not a term limits bill. Under Prop 10, if passed, the Harris County ESD terms of office would become 4 years in length. It is not that 4 years would be the maximum total length of service (although I can understand someone reading the Prop like that). This proposition goes with the bill (HB 2529), which provides that HC ESD commissioners serve terms of office 4 years in length rather than 2 years. There are no term limits in Texas except for some municipal home rule cities. This Prop 10 does not limit the number of terms served just that the terms of office cannot exceed 4 years.
The following is an example of term limits from the Houston City Charter: “No person, who has already served two full terms, shall be eligible to file for that same office.” That would be the language of term limits.
If anyone may need more information on this bill, please contact me and I will lead you to those in the Harris County.
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Friday, October 9, 2009
Proposition 10 - HJR 85 Regarding Certain ESD's
In an earlier post on this site, I noted that on House Joint Resolution (Proposition 10) maybe we should not consider support of this legislation. After reviewing the bill and having conversations and emails of those in Harris County ESD's, we probably should support this and urge others to consider it.
This bill will only affect those districts in counties where the commissioners are elected and will allow the term of office to be four years, instead of two. It will be a cost saving to those counties, and in today's economic environment, all of us need to tighten our spending.
Below are some talking points I received that may help clarify the bill:
HJR 85 Provides for Elected Harris County ESD Boards
1. Emergency Service Districts (“ESDs”) are political subdivisions that provide fire protection and EMS services in their jurisdictions. ESD boards are governed by a board of 5 members who serve staggered two year terms. This Amendment will provide certain elected ESD boards to serve 4 year terms.
2. Single county ESD boards are appointed by commissioners court, except in Harris County. Last session (2007), Harris County ESD boards were changed from appointed boards to elected boards. Therefore, Harris County ESD boards - and the few multi-county ESD boards - are the only elected ESD boards.
3. Currently, these commissioner elections have to be held every year.
4. Changing the term of office to four years will allow elections to be held every two years. This will cut down on the cost, which in Harris County can range from $10,000 - $30,000 per election.
5. There is the added benefit of affording some greater sense of continuity to the ESD boards, so as to allow greater long-range planning and preparation for the future.
6. A constitutional amendment is required because under Section 30, Article XVI of the Texas Constitution, all public terms of office are two years unless otherwise provided in the Constitution.
As to term limits: HJR 85 is not a term limits bill. Under Prop 10, if passed, the Harris County ESD terms of office would become 4 years in length. It is not that 4 years would be the maximum total length of service (although I can understand someone reading the Prop like that). This proposition goes with the bill (HB 2529), which provides that HC ESD commissioners serve terms of office 4 years in length rather than 2 years. There are no term limits in Texas except for some municipal home rule cities. This Prop 10 does not limit the number of terms served just that the terms of office cannot exceed 4 years.
The following is an example of term limits from the Houston City Charter: “No person, who has already served two full terms, shall be eligible to file for that same office.” That would be the language of term limits.
If anyone may need more information on this bill, please contact me and I will lead you to those in the Harris County.
This bill will only affect those districts in counties where the commissioners are elected and will allow the term of office to be four years, instead of two. It will be a cost saving to those counties, and in today's economic environment, all of us need to tighten our spending.
Below are some talking points I received that may help clarify the bill:
HJR 85 Provides for Elected Harris County ESD Boards
1. Emergency Service Districts (“ESDs”) are political subdivisions that provide fire protection and EMS services in their jurisdictions. ESD boards are governed by a board of 5 members who serve staggered two year terms. This Amendment will provide certain elected ESD boards to serve 4 year terms.
2. Single county ESD boards are appointed by commissioners court, except in Harris County. Last session (2007), Harris County ESD boards were changed from appointed boards to elected boards. Therefore, Harris County ESD boards - and the few multi-county ESD boards - are the only elected ESD boards.
3. Currently, these commissioner elections have to be held every year.
4. Changing the term of office to four years will allow elections to be held every two years. This will cut down on the cost, which in Harris County can range from $10,000 - $30,000 per election.
5. There is the added benefit of affording some greater sense of continuity to the ESD boards, so as to allow greater long-range planning and preparation for the future.
6. A constitutional amendment is required because under Section 30, Article XVI of the Texas Constitution, all public terms of office are two years unless otherwise provided in the Constitution.
As to term limits: HJR 85 is not a term limits bill. Under Prop 10, if passed, the Harris County ESD terms of office would become 4 years in length. It is not that 4 years would be the maximum total length of service (although I can understand someone reading the Prop like that). This proposition goes with the bill (HB 2529), which provides that HC ESD commissioners serve terms of office 4 years in length rather than 2 years. There are no term limits in Texas except for some municipal home rule cities. This Prop 10 does not limit the number of terms served just that the terms of office cannot exceed 4 years.
The following is an example of term limits from the Houston City Charter: “No person, who has already served two full terms, shall be eligible to file for that same office.” That would be the language of term limits.
If anyone may need more information on this bill, please contact me and I will lead you to those in the Harris County.
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