Why are 12 Knox County officeholders suddenly being kicked out of office?
The answer to that question begins more than a dozen years ago. Knox County voters approved term limits in 1994. The language approved by voters and added to the county charter reads as follows: “Effective January 1, 1995, no person shall be eligible to serve in any elected office of Knox County if during the previous two terms of that office the person in question has served more than a single term.” That term limits provision was never enforced, however, due to a state attorney general’s opinion deeming it unconstitutional. Then, on Jan. 12, a state Supreme Court ruling put term limits into effect after all. The court said term limits were indeed valid, should have been enforced and required officeholders who have served more than two terms to be replaced.
