OUR CURRENT FOCUS
Term Limits for Highland Park
Balanced reform with continuity — protecting civic participation while preserving experienced oversight.
Respect the Past, Focus on the Future
Highland Park has benefited from dedicated leadership, especially during difficult moments. This conversation is not about any one person. It is about whether our city should create regular, predictable opportunities for new leadership, fresh ideas, and broad civic participation — while preserving the experience necessary to govern well.
Reasonable, prospective term limits reopen that door without removing anyone from office today. Under Illinois law, municipal term limits apply only going forward.
What We Are Proposing
A balanced limit that allows substantial service while ensuring leadership regularly renews:
- Up to two full terms as a City Council member and two full terms as Mayor — as much as sixteen years of elected service.
- Limits are consecutive, so public servants may return after a period out of office.
- Continuity is further protected by Highland Park’s council-manager form of government, in which a professional City Manager provides day-to-day stability.
Sixteen years is more than enough time to lead effectively, complete major projects, mentor future leaders, and leave a lasting legacy — while still ensuring Highland Park regularly opens the door to new voices.
Protecting Against Both Extremes
A well-designed limit guards against two opposite risks at once: permanent political incumbency, and excessive dependence on unelected administration. Our proposal preserves experienced, elected oversight while making sure no single office effectively becomes permanent. That is a modernization of how our institutions work — not a judgment about any individual.
Where We Stand
This proposal is not anti-experience. It is pro-participation.
Healthy institutions should not depend on any one person indefinitely.
A city thrives when leadership opportunities regularly open for new voices.
This proposal balances continuity with renewal — reform with stability, not constant turnover.
What About Voter Choice?
Real voter choice requires real competition. Long incumbency can discourage qualified challengers from ever running in the first place. Reasonable term limits expand participation and create more competitive elections over time — and this proposal still preserves continuity by allowing substantial service, up to sixteen total years for a person serving as both council member and mayor.
The Bottom Line
This referendum is not about the past. It is about ensuring Highland Park continues to cultivate new leaders, fresh ideas, and broad civic participation while preserving the experience necessary to govern effectively. Continuity can come from our City Manager; our Council should be regularly rejuvenated with fresh eyes and fresh ideas.