OWASCO -- In 2005, Cayuga County Legislator Ann Petrus resigned from her seat temporarily to receive state retirement benefits from her former employer, the Cayuga County Water and Sewer Authority.

The resignation is required by state law and that's the only reason why she resigned, Petrus said, telling county officials in response to a motion presented before the Legislature to revise the proposed term limit law.

On Tuesday afternoon at Emerson Park, Petrus and nine other legislators voted down a motion to amend the proposed local law introduced by Peter Tortorici, R-Auburn. Legislators authorized a bill 12-2 to set a public hearing for June 26 to publicly discuss amendments to the proposed term limit.

The proposed local law states that no person shall be elected to more than three legislative terms on the Legislature. Tortorici proposed to add a statement at the end of this law stating that the resignation of a legislative seat cannot be filled by reappointment of the resigning legislator.

"I think we cleaned up a couple concerns we had but there are still a few loopholes," Tortorici said.

Read the full report in Wednesday's edition of The Citizen.