“Throw the Bums Out” was how WTSP started their story describing a controversy in Pinellas County Florida where four Pinellas commissioners, Ken Welch, John Marroni, Karen Seel, and Susan Latvala, are facing the loss of their ability to run for another term.

In 1996 Pinellas voted for “Eight is Enough” which limited Pinellas County elected officials to two consecutive terms of four years each in office. This has been challenged in the courts for the past 16 years. The Florida Supreme Court last month made the final decision on it.

Eight is Enough is constitutional and we have it in the State Constitution. It does apply to County Commissioners.

“They did not follow the will of the people. The people voted 78 percent to have term limits for county commissioners,” says Former Tarpon Spring Mayor Bev Billiris who is part of a group that has filed a lawsuit to support the referendum.

Adrian Wyllie of 1787 Network writes that term limits will effect the sheriff, tax collector, property appraiser, clerk of the court and supervisor of elections. Notably among the litigants at that time was then Sheriff Everett Rice, who is again running for sheriff in 2012.

Wyllie adds that the three Pinellas citizens filed suit on Tuesday in the Sixth District Court to enforce Eight is Enough as it applies to the Commissioners. The suit names Pinellas County, as well as Supervisor of Elections Debrah Clark. It also names Seel, Latvala, Welch, and Marroni individually, who may have to defend themselves without assistance from the county attorney.

Back in May the Tampa Bay Times addressed the topic saying “activists” now have a chance to ask voters if they want term limits and quoted the back and forth between lawyers. A unanimous Florida Supreme Court decision in May found these term limits for county commissioners was constitutional.

More on from the Pinellas Patriots here and the Save Pinellas Facebook page here

Read the full “Eight is Enough” referendum here.