AUBURN – Since legislators were limited to four terms in each chamber in 1996, legislative leadership has seen significant turnover, standing committees have lost power and the executive branch has gained authority, says one political expert.

Kenneth T. Palmer, a retired University of Maine political science professor and co-author of the book “Changing Members: The Maine Legislature in the Era of Term Limits,” opposes the limits. Voters will decide Nov. 6 if they’ll increase the limit from four two-year terms to six, allowing each lawmaker up to 12 years in each chamber.

Palmer spoke on the issue to a crowd of about 250 at the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce breakfast Thursday morning at the Hilton Garden Inn.

In L-A, two lawmakers face being termed out: Rep. Deborah Simpson, D-Auburn, and Sen. Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston.

“I think the people of Lewiston (are) losing an excellent senator because of term limits,” stated Rep. Margaret Craven in an e-mail. She is a Lewiston Democrat seeking Rotundo’s seat. “It behooves all of us to use the ballot box to impose term limits instead of an artificial limit.”

In 1991, the Legislature failed to adopt a budget, temporarily shutting down state entities. It erupted into a scandal centering on then-Speaker of the House John Martin’s staff, which brought attention to career lawmakers, Palmer said, since Martin had been in the House for 30 years. Two years later, term limits were born.

Voters limited lawmakers to eight consecutive years in each chamber by referendum approved in 1993 and enacted in 1996. Now, some are saying that was a mistake, one that shifted power from lawmakers to lobbyists and the executive branch.

The debate over term limits, Palmer said, is a debate over citizen participation versus management of governmental programs, requiring people trained in specific skills.

“We tried to re-create a citizen Legislature,” Palmer said. “But the idea of professionalism did not go away. It remains because complex programs require experts in their formulation and implementation.”

About one-third of the nation’s states adopted term limits by citizen referendum.

“For state legislators to support term limits is a little bit like chickens voting in favor of Colonel Sanders,” Palmer said.