Trojan horse campaign meant to expose deceptive state bill

A 10-foot tall "Trojan horse" made a stop in Hot Springs on Monday as a symbol of what organizers of the Arkansas Term Limits group say is a deceiving issue on the November ballot.

The large, wooden horse is making its way through Arkansas in an effort to alert voters to keeping the current term limits for state legislators by voting "no" on Issue 3, "The Arkansas Elected Officials Ethics, Transparency, And Financial Reform Amendment Of 2014." The joint house resolution for the bill was approved by Gov. Mike Beebe last April.

"They are selling it as an ethics bill," said Bob Porto, co-chair of Arkansas Term Limits. "The ethics portion is the Trojan horse, because inside this 22-page bill are many things. The thing that we are concerned about is that voters will literally try to vote for something that they never intended to vote for because they will be deceived."

The group says that a major increase in term allowances is buried in the bill. The term limit for representatives in the state House would increase from six years to 16 years. The Senate's term limit would double from eight years to 16 years.

Such a move would contradict past decisions by Arkansas voters. Sixty percent of Arkansas voters voted to establish term limits in 1992. A proposed amendment to extend term limits to 12 years in both houses was defeated by an even wider margin, 70-30, in 2004.

Porto's group believes that increasing the term limits would create career politicians.

"They can pass ethics anytime they are in session," Porto said. "They don't have to amend the constitution for ethics. The problem with it is they refuse to put ethics on themselves so a group of citizens -- that Regnant Populus group -- wanted to get ethics on the ballot."

The amendment would prohibit corporate contributions, limit gifts from lobbyists and increase the waiting period from one year to two years before a former public official can work as a lobbyist.

It would also remove the authority of the General Assembly to set member salaries and constitutional officers, justices and judges. The authority would shift to a seven-member "citizens' commission."

The heads of the House and the Senate would appoint two members each of the commission. The governor would also appoint two. The final appointment would be made by the the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The commission could grant its members a stipend of up to $85 per day for meetings.

"We will not have control over their pay, nor will they," Porto said. "It will be in the hands of citizens that are untouchable. Their first pay increase is unlimited."

No cap would be set on the initial pay increase for legislators. Any subsequent adjustments would be limited to a 15 percent increase or less each year.

Porto said the term limits are the changes of lawmakers feeling that they needed to benefit in some way from the amendment.

"I don't know anybody that is on the other side because, right now, anybody that stands up for Issue 3 is for deceiving voters," Porto said. "It is established, it is a plain fact that this is deception."

Jeff Tillman, from Michigan, constructed the horse. Porto said it was the largest horse figure that he could find in the United States. Tillman was hired by Arkansas Term Limits to drive the horse across Arkansas.

The current tour began in Fort Smith and made stops across the northern half of Arkansas before circling back through central Arkansas to Hot Springs. Additional stops in numerous locations in Arkansas are planned ahead of the November election.

The general election will be held on Nov. 4.

Local on 09/30/2014

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