Back from the dead: Councilman Ryan Dorsey’s effort to repeal term limits
The third-term lawmaker will introduce legislation tonight to end the term limits imposed by Baltimore voters in 2022
Above: Ryan Dorsey chairs the City Council Charter Review Special Committee. (Charm TV)
Resurrecting the idea from a past City Council bill that died in committee, Councilman Ryan Dorsey will tonight introduce a charter amendment to repeal term limits for himself and other electeds that Baltimore voters approved in 2022.
The bill (26-0199) would end the restriction that limits the mayor, comptroller, City Council president and 14 Council members to two terms in a 12-year period.
If approved by the Council, the amendment would go before voters this November for adoption or rejection.
In 2022, 72% of city voters approved “Question K” that limited local officeholders to two terms. A month later, Dorsey, who had represented northeast’s 3rd District since 2016, introduced a charter amendment to repeal Question K.
He argued that the amendment stripped voters of choice and could lead to candidates “more likely to have been bought and paid for by wealthy and powerful interests just like Question K itself.”
He was referring to David D. Smith, chairman of Sinclair Broadcast Group, who funneled substantial money into the ballot issue.
On the other hand, 1,500 more people voted in favor of Question K than voted for Dorsey in the Democratic primary in his district. His 2022 bill was met by widespread opposition by community leaders and Council colleagues, who labeled it a “slap in the face” to voters. It died in committee.
The new legislation may enjoy a different fate because it will be advanced to the Council’s Charter Review Special Committee that Dorsey chairs.
David D. Smith, Sinclair Broadcast Group executive chairman in 2024, confronted in Harbor East by members of the Baltimore Sun Guild. (Fern Shen)
Other new charter bills
The special committee has introduced other measures to change the city charter’s budget and procurement provisions that have been controversial.
A bill that collects the changes into a single charter amendment is before the Council tonight on third reader. But at the same time, Council President Zeke Cohen has introduced legislation that breaks down the proposed charter amendments into three separate voter questions.
It is unclear whether the third reader bill will be withdrawn and the three new bills put in its place. Questions from The Brew addressed to Cohen’s office have not been answered.
The charter committee’s other members are freshman councilmen Zac Blanchard (11th) and Jermaine Jones (12th), three-term councilman John Bullock (9th) and two-term councilwoman Odette Ramos (14th).
The term-limit-repeal bill is co-sponsored by the First District’s freshman councilman Mark Parker.
Bill to be introduced by Councilmen Dorsey and Parker at the May 11 Council meeting. (City Council Agenda)
Meanwhile, another charter amendment bill pending before Dorsey’s Charter Review Special Committee is the one sponsored by Councilman Mark Conway intended to re-affirm the Inspector General’s access to city government documents.
That measure would make the IG a co-custodian of city records to ensure that she would access under the Maryland Public Information Act. It was heard by the committee last week.