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May. 15, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Term limit court fight probable

By BRENDAN RILEY
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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CARSON CITY -- Nevada's top election official on Wednesday challenged a re-election bid by a Washoe County school board trustee, which could trigger a court battle over the state's voter-approved term limits.

Secretary of State Ross Miller said in his challenge letter to Washoe County Registrar Dan Burk that Jonnie Pullman will have served 12 years as trustee by year's end, and under term limits written into the Nevada Constitution a decade ago that's all she can serve.

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    • Pullman, who has served three terms as a school trustee, insists she has the right to run for a fourth term and isn't affected by the term limits mandate.

    A Nevada attorney general opinion in 1996 said the effective date of 12-year term limits began when the Nevada Supreme Court certified the election results on Nov. 27, 1996. The opinion was silent on whether the effective date applied to officials who didn't take office until January.

    A Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau opinion concluded state legislators' first terms began with the election of 1998 rather than 1996. Pullman said that should apply to her.

    If the case winds up in court, it could move quickly to the Nevada Supreme Court. That's a prospect that many term-limited officials up for re-election this year would like to see.

    Eighteen veteran legislators, including Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, and Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, face final races this year because of term limits. Seven other senators were re-elected for what could be the last time in 2006.

    Besides the state lawmakers, the Nevada Association of Counties has noted that many county commissioners, city council members, mayors, town board members and others are affected by the limits.

    A Supreme Court petition aimed at voiding term limits wouldn't go unchallenged.

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    LG wrote on May 15, 2008 11:52 AM: Nice tactic, have the Secretary of State go after this little lady from the School Board, then have a friendly Judge make a rueling that will effect all the other politicians that are under the term limit requirements.

    Bottom line, the God Old Boys (Raggio et al.) will win without their fingerprints on anything.


    BR wrote on May 15, 2008 09:00 AM: Why are you still here, Jane?


    Jane wrote on May 15, 2008 08:23 AM: B
    Well stated.

    However we need to include the abusive out of control cops in that pot of vipers.

    Nevada has turned into a horrable place to visit or live.


    b wrote on May 15, 2008 04:33 AM: We can all only hope enough of us have woken up and say enough is enough. With any luck, us voters will take care of the term limits, the encumbents won't have anything to worry about, let's put them out to pasture and take our government back. Especially the judges,, since they themselves think they are above the law.