Last week's Question of the Week asked whether readers thought legislative sessions should be moved to even-numbered years.
Most of them thought not.
Among 226 responses to this unscientific poll, 149 did not like such a change, while 77 did.
The idea was raised recently by Senate President Mike Cooney, a Democrat, and House Majority Leader Scott Sales, a Republican, as a way to distance a session from the election campaign so that ill feelings can cool before the Legislature's work begins. They made the suggestion at a conference on how to prevent a repeat of the 2007 session, which needed a special session to pass the state's budget.
Some readers' comments:
- It doesn't matter if it's odd or even. Either way, it's a pain in the butt.
- No. Moving legislative sessions to even years would put them too close to the next election, tempting lawmakers to be more concerned about showing off for the voters than about making the compromises necessary to do their job.
- No. Legislators are grown men and women, or at least they should be. Moving sessions to even years so they will get along better sounds a little too much like kindergarten to me. Maybe legislators should have to take a pledge to "play nice!"
- No. In fact, the state Legislature ought to be disbanded for as much good they've done.
- Does changing the years make them any smarter?
Posted in Opinion on Monday, October 15, 2007 12:00 am
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