A Mount Vernon councilman is calling for term limits for all elected officials in the city.

Councilman Andrew Wallace is currently serving his first four-year term in office. He is hoping his time in office will be capped.

"Twelve years is more than enough," says Wallace. "If you can't get what you need done in 12 years, then you shouldn't be here in the first place."

Wallace is spearheading a controversial effort to institute term limits, which would limit all elected officials to no more than a dozen consecutive years in one office.

The councilman has collected thousands of signatures and has unsuccessfully tried to force his fellow council members to put the issue up for public referendum.

Councilman Marcus Griffith says voters like candidates with experience.

"It's good having some people on the council that have extended knowledge," says Griffith. "We need people with institutional knowledge."

Wallace says he plans to force another vote at the next council meeting next week and insists he will go out and collect more signatures if it fails.

The term limits proposal could come up for another vote on Wednesday.