Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon is proposing what he calls a path forward for term limits legislation while county lawmakers weigh their legal options. The proposal came just before lawmakers discussed whether to litigate the term limits law both vetoed and approved by McMahon earlier this month.
McMahon’s idea would place two separate questions on the 2027 ballot. One would establish a three-term limit, and the other a four-term limit for the offices of county executive and comptroller. He said in a release if voters reject both, there would be no term limits. If both receive majority support, the proposal with the most votes becomes law. County Attorney Robert Durr said it’s been legally vetted and gives voters a choice.
“I think it's intended to become a reasonable compromise between the parties and avoid litigation,” he told reporters while lawmakers met behind closed doors.
Democratic elections commissioner Dustin Czarny told WAER News he can’t find precedent for dueling propositions, and called McMahon’s proposal legally dubious.
"However, if the proposals are transmitted to me by the county legislature clerk, they will be put on the ballot," he said.
For their part, lawmakers say they didn’t have time to review or discuss the plan. But ways and means committee chair Mo Brown said after their meeting it’s on the table for future debate.
“We are definitely going to give it consideration as far as going and putting something on the 2027 ballot," he said. "But there is a pending question about the validity of the law that was passed and signed to be on the 2026 ballot. We can't just skip past that because there's a new proposal.”
Brown said they're focused on the version passed by the legislature and both approved and vetoed by McMahon in a paperwork blunder. Lawmakers discussed their options behind closed doors for over an hour. Republican floor leader Brian May said its clear voters want term limits, but the law can’t only be supported by Democratic legislators.
“The conversation was productive," he said. "I think the conversation resulted in a commitment to further efforts to try to come together with a solution that is more bipartisan.”
It’s not clear if there will be any resolution in time for a referendum to appear on this year’s November ballot. County Executive McMahon urged lawmakers to focus on passing his new proposal for next year’s ballot rather than pursuing costly litigation.
