By Karenlyn Barone
East Rockaway resident Jane Brezenoff, an active member of the Unity Party, doesn't agree with the village's term limits, seeing them as political subterfuge. She has dedicating herself to getting the law overturned and returning a measure of choice to the voters.
Term limits were a campaign promise made to the people of East Rockaway by the now virtually inactive East Rockaway Action Party more than 30 years ago. The promise became law in 1967, shortly after the party came to power. Although term limits have been the topic of many discussions among politicos in past years, this is the first time a resident is proposing to take action to abolish the code.
"I plan to start a petition. I cannot understand why we, if given a choice, would choose to interrupt success," said Brezenoff. "The answer is, we wouldn't. Term limits yield only limited choice."
That limited choice was evident in this year's village mayoral election. Joseph Carrigan, a longstanding member of the Unity Party, ran unopposed when Mayor Charles Formont, who had served two consecutive terms on the Village Board over eight years, and two terms as Mayor, for another eight years, could not seek re-election. The ERA Party did not have a candidate on the ballot, nor did an independent seek to run, making Carrigan a virtual shoo-in. Although East Rockaway has 6,442 registered voters, Carrigan received only 319 votes, since uncontested elections usually yield low voter turnout.
Brezenoff, a village resident for more than 30 years who is involved at all levels of community life, was sparked to action by the recent election. "Voters were deprived of a real choice at the polls by the elimination from the political process of a mayor who had served his community graciously with dignity, respect, intelligence and compassion," Brezenoff wrote in a letter to the Herald.
Term limits in East Rockaway, notably the only area village to impose such restrictions, apply to the positions of mayor, trustee and village justice. The officers can serve split terms by stepping down after two consecutive terms and then run for office again. A candidate would be able to run again when the position came up for re-election.
Current Village Trustee Richard Meagher did just that. A trustee from 1991 to 1995, he stepped down after the successful completion of that term, then ran again in 1999. He finished his latest four-year term as a trustee this year and was re-elected for a second term in March. He supports term limits.
"On balance, term limits have served the village well," Meagher said. "If you go into office knowing term limits exist, you focus to achieve goals in a particular amount of time. Without term limits there might not be that focus to get things done."
Brezenoff brought up her dissatisfaction with term limits at a village board meeting earlier this year, when she beseeched the board to reconsider the village law and change it. She asked the board how many signatures she would have to submit on a petition to have the board pass a resolution. To date, the board hasn't responded, so her strategy will be to amass as many signatures as possible in support of terminating term limits.
"I'm for no term limits anywhere," said Brezenoff. "If an elected official has served well and the voters find them worthy of continuing in that service, they should be able to keep them in office. I believe people will agree with me."
Murray Eskenazi, who served as a village trustee for eight years and as deputy mayor for six of those years, was involved in the decision that brought term limits to the village all those years ago.
"I think [the village board and concerned residents] will be surprised to find that most people still want term limits," said Eskinazi, past president of the ERA party and current chairman of the village's Zoning Board of Appeals. "No matter how good an elected official is, they lose their spark. It's a good idea to have new ideas and new faces in office. This way, no one thinks they own the village or its government."
June Conklin is one of those residents. Having voted in more village elections than she cared to count for almost 45 years, she is not in favor of changing the term-limit code. Conklin is comfortable with what term limits ensure.
"I feel that eight years in office is a long time, and certainly long enough to accomplish a great deal," said Conklin, who works at one of the district's elementary schools. "I like that there is a limit. Society is different today; we are a little more progressive."
While Brezenoff agrees on the advantages of fresh ideas and new insight brought to office by new officials, she does not agree that an elected official who is still vital and successful should be forced to step down. She contends that it is often a political ploy used to rid the party of formidable opponents.
"This is the worst form of political thuggery," said Brezenoff. "We are limiting the field of worthy opponents by removing a successful incumbent."
Carrigan, who essentially took office after term limits were imposed on his predecessor, Formont, said that it's evident that the issue has two very clear sides. "I think there are advantages and disadvantages to term limits," he said. "It's the same old story: If you have a person doing a great job, then it's a disadvantage when they have to leave, but on the other hand, when someone is not doing a great job, you can't mount enough opposition to force them to leave."
Carrigan said the board has had recent discussions regarding term limits and that a petition would facilitate further, more serious conversation. "We are already considering a change," he said. "But there needs to be a groundswell of support in the village for such a change to take place. We could very well, in the next few months, decide to do away with them."
Brezenoff hopes her petition and her commitment to the cause will motivate the village to make term limits a thing of the past. "It really is in the best interest of the village voters to do away with term limits," she said. "Isn't choice what voting in a democracy is all about? I do not believe that the crafters of the Constitution meant to limit our choice of candidates."
On the other political hand, Meagher said, "There is something to be said [for] flushing the system once in a while."
