Onondaga County lawmakers are planning to discuss what’s next for the term limit law at a committee meeting on Tuesday. It is the measure that the county executive unintentionally approved and vetoed, setting off a legal debate over which version stands. Majority Democrats pushed for the measure, and say only the approval is valid, while McMahon insisted otherwise.
“The legislature knew what our intent was. They knew they had a veto," he said in his first remarks on the matter last week. "If they want to take a mistake and try to make it a cheap political win, that's their choice.”
The issue gets more complicated because any approval of the law goes to the ballot for voters to decide in November. That deadline is quickly approaching. When the legislature’s clerk delivered McMahon’s approved version to the board of elections, the Republican commissioner blocked it while the Democratic commissioner accepted it.
“It’s not going on the ballot," McMahon said. "You need both elections commissioners to agree to that. And the veto stands. The only way that the veto won't stand is if the county legislature overrides the veto or if someone litigates, and I guess the judge would decide."
McMahon said he’ll only sign a term limits law if democratic lawmakers are able to get more republicans on board. At the voting session earlier this month, only one Republican joined Democrats in supporting the measure that establishes three, four-year terms for the offices of county executive and comptroller starting with the 2027 election.
Discussion of a path forward is scheduled for the legislature’s ways and means committee meeting Tuesday at 1:00. Legislature staff said some of the talks may need to be private with attorneys.
