County term limits should stand

When Macon-Bibb County voters approved the single county-wide government charter, they made a deliberate choice about how long any one person should hold power in their community. That choice deserves respect.

We understand the argument for extending terms. Good work is worth continuing. But good work is not a credential for indefinite tenure. These seats were never meant to be lifetime appointments, and the voters who shaped this charter never intended them to be.

Macon-Bibb is not running short on capable, committed people willing to serve. New voices bring new energy, new relationships and new ideas — and that matters, regardless of how good the current officeholders have been. The charter’s term limits aren’t a punishment for good service. They’re a promise to the public that power will keep moving.

Hold that promise. We urge local legislators to respect voters’ original intent — and to leave the charter, and its term limits, alone.

The Refrain is The Macon Melody’s editorial voice — the position we return to, the things we believe and the stands we’re willing to put our name on.