Representatives for east and central Pasco, two-thirds of the county's land mass, will be reduced to two of seven votes. Public power is diminished as well. Voters will be able to cast ballots in their own district and in the two at-large races. That's not the way to increase accountability. Expanding the commission is only one issue.
Term limits are the other.
Burke believes terms limits are a tougher sell and should be considered separately. Let's look again at Hillsborough County. Ed Turanchik, an acknowledged board leader, bolted the commission early to accept a job directing the effort to bring the 2012 summer Olympic Games to Florida. Turanchik would have been looking for a job soon anyway because of term limits. It's a common phenomenon.