The Onondaga County Legislature on Tuesday moved to finalize an extended fight over term limits for the county executive and county comptroller.
Legislators unanimously passed a local law that would put two versions of the term limits on November’s ballot. Two legislators, Richard McCarron and Charles Garland, were absent.
Elections commissioners, legislators, and County Executive Ryan McMahon came to an agreement prior to the vote with support from a New York State Supreme Court Justice Joseph Lamendola.
If McMahon signs the law, county voters will have the chance to vote on two parallel term limit propositions: one which would limit the county executive and county comptroller to three four-year terms and another which would limit the two positions to four four-year terms.
Each proposition will have to reach 50% of the vote to pass. If both fail, neither becomes law. If one passes and the other fails, the one that passed becomes law. If both pass, the one which received more yes votes becomes law.
The legislature passed the law without discussion. Multiple legislators have expressed exhaustion with the fight as it has dragged on for nearly a month and a half. The county is about to move into another busy season as it prepares to determine its 2027 budget. In the peak of the fight, legislators from across the political spectrum expressed hope that the fight would be done before the beginning of that cycle, which will include weeks of nearly daily meetings.
McMahon agreed to sign the law in front of a judge. Legally, he has to hold a public hearing before he does. That will be held Sept. 8.
The fight began in mid-July when Ryan McMahon accidentally signed a local law which would send term limits for his own position and for the comptroller to referendum. He had vowed to veto the law a few hours earlier. He sent an attempted veto 19 minutes after the approval.
When the legislature clerks brought the approval to the Board of Elections, Republican Commissioner Kevin Ryan blocked the referendum from appearing on the ballot. Democratic Commissioner Dustin Czarny then sued Ryan.
The legislature and the county executive also joined the litigation.
All came to an agreement with a judge in late August.
Read more of Central Current’s coverage
Onondaga County Legislature takes next step in ending term limits spat
The term limits bill approved by the legislature would create a November referendum. The last step for its approval is for County Executive Ryan McMahon to sign off on it.
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