By Adam Swift
Several city councillors are looking to extend council and school committee terms from two to four years, beginning with the 2027 municipal election.
The motion was introduced at Monday night’s meeting by councillors Angela Guarino-Sawaya, Marc Silvestri, Joanne McKenna, and Council President Anthony Cogliandro. The council voted to take up further discussion of the potential home rule petition at a future meeting of its legislative affairs subcommittee.
“Since the day I got elected, the first thing I said is why do we have two-year terms?” said Guarino-Sawaya.
With the two-year terms, Guarino Sawaya said councillors can get work done for the first year, but spend the second year campaigning for reelection.
“I can’t do what I have to do for everybody, for all my constituents in two years, I need four years,” she said. “I would like to put it in conjunction with the mayoral election.”
Cogliandro highlighted a number of the potential benefits of longer terms, including greater stability and continuity in government and stronger relationships between elected officials and the residents.
“Longer terms can reduce voter fatigue from frequent elections, and I think everybody in this city understands what I mean when I say voter fatigue,” said Cogliandro. “There have been so many special elections.”
Longer terms can also give elected officials more time to tackle ongoing issues without the interruption of frequent election cycles, he said.
“I also want to state that our fellow elected officials on the school committee have reached out in favor of this, as well,” said Cogliandro. “I know this is going to take a lot of work to get done; this starts here but by no means finishes here. This has to go to the mayor, has to go to the (state) house of representatives and then the senate, so it’s a long process.”
Cogliandro also noted he would not be opposed to the issue going before voters on the ballot.
Councillor-at-Large Anthony Zambuto said he didn’t mind having a discussion on the issue, adding that he could be in favor of extending terms to three years, but not four.
“Not many other cities have a four-year term for city councillors, and I think there is a reason behind that,” said Zambuto. “But that is for a later discussion, and I certainly will enjoy having this debate on what way we move forward with this.”
Several residents spoke against extending the terms to four years at Monday’s meeting, noting that it could decrease accountability for elected officials.
“I believe it is important for checks and balances that the council stay at a two-year term,” said Vivian Catano.
Catano said the councillors are elected to represent the people and that they are more likely to remain on their toes if they have to face the voters every two years.
