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In response to the June 6 editorial, “Maine needs stronger legislative term limits,” I am a fan of Maine’s term limits just the way they are. Term limits represent a trade-off of legislative attributes.
Maine’s version, which I refer to as term limits light, limits legislative service to no more than four consecutive two-year terms in either the state House or Senate. That means that after eight years, legislators either need to take a break, or run for the other body, or call it a day.
What this creates is an open seat in every legislative district at least once every eight years. And with those open seats comes new energy, creativity and generational participation that simply would not have an entry point without term limits. These are hugely positive attributes.
The trade-off, as critics of term-limits frequently point out, is the loss of institutional knowledge and breadth of policy understanding and history that are, in fact, perfect complements to the vitality — but also inexperience — of those newly elected.
Term limit policy is a decision about how to balance these attributes: new energy vis-a-vis institutional knowledge and continuity. My view is that Maine’s current law balances these trade-offs in just about the right proportion.
Dick Woodbury
Yarmouth
