HomeMy WebLinkAbout65A - CHARTER AMENDMENTS
MEMORANDUM
To:
Mayor and All Councilmembers
Date: May 18, 2007
Pat Healy, Clerk of the Council
From:
Subject: TERM LIMIT PROVISIONS
You have requested that staff conduct an analysis of the history of term limits in California.
This report contains the following information:
1. A Chart depicting the current status of term limits in the top cities (based on population)
in California
2. A review of the term limit provisions in the nine Charter cities in Orange County
3. A review of recent trends in term limit proposals across the state
1. CURRENT PROVISIONS - TOP CITIES STATEWIDE
MAYOR MAYOR COUNCIL
DIRECT TERMS & TERMS & COMMENTS
CITY ELECT LIMITS LIMITS
Los Angeles Yes 2 - 4 yr terms 3 - 4 yr terms Charter Amendment changing
Council Term from 2 - 4 yr to 3
- 4 yr terms adopted in Nov,
2006 - linked to Ethics
San Dieoo Yes 2 - 4 vr terms 2 - 4 yr terms
San Jose Yes 2 - 4 yr terms 2 - 4 yr terms Can not serve more than two
successive terms - eligible to
serve if new term is not
successive
San Francisco Yes 2 - 4 yr terms 2 - 4 yr terms Cooling off period of 4 years
following 200 successive term for
Council; no waiting period for
Mayor or Council if non-
successive
Long Beach Yes 2 - 4 yr terms 2 - 4 yr terms Lifetime ban except for write-in;
currently write -in who
successfully gets into a runoff is
not listed on ballot - proposal on
5/01/07 soecial election
Fresno Yes 2- 4 yr terms 2 - 4 yr terms Waiting period for Mayor and
Council = one full term
Sacramento Yes 4 yrterm - no 4 yr term - no
limit limit
Oakland Yes 2 - 4 yr terms 4 yr term - no
limit
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MAYOR MAYOR COUNCIL
DIRECT TERMS & TERMS & COMMENTS
CITY ELECT LIMITS LIMITS
Santa Ana Yes 2 yr term - no 2 - 4 yr terms Waiting period eight years
limit following 2nd consecutive term -
Council only
Anaheim Yes 4 yr term - see 4 yr term - see No person shall serve as Mayor
comment comment or as member of the City
Council for a combined period of
more than eight (8) consecutive
years
Riverside Yes 4 yr terms - no 4 yr terms - no
limit limit
2. REVIEW OF ORANGE COUNTY CHARTER CITIES
MAYOR MAYOR COUNCIL
DIRECT TERMS & TERMS &
CITY ELECT LIMITS LIMITS COMMENTS
Anaheim Yes See above See above
Cvoress No N/A 2 - 4 yr terms
Huntington
Beach No N/A 2 - 4 yr terms
Irvine Yes 2 - 2 vr terms 2 - 4 vr terms
Los Alamitos No N/A 3 - 4 yr terms Charter Amendment adopted
at the Nov 1998 election; no
previous term limits - see
attached sample ballot pages
for Measure E
Newport Beach
No N/A 2 - 4 vr terms
Placentia No N/A 3 - 4 yr terms Charter Amendment adopted
in 2000
Seal Beach No N/A 2 - 4 vr terms
Santa Ana Yes See above See above
3. RECENT TRENDS - TERM LIMIT PROPOSALS
I have looked at some recent proposals for establishing or revising term limit provisions in
various entities throughout the State. The current trend seems to be three four year terms.
Following are some examples and the status of each proposal.
State of California Leoislature - there was a proposal for the 2006 General Election that would
have allowed legislators in both houses to serve a total of 12 years in either house. The
proposal was linked to redistricting reform and was not placed on the ballot. It is anticipated that
a proposal for changes in Legislature term limits will be submitted to the voters at the 2008
Presidential Primary Election in February, 2008.
Countv of Oranoe - there are nine counties, including Orange County, in California that
currently have term limits. The term limit for the O.C. Supervisors is two consecutive four year
terms. There was a proposal to amend that limit to allow supervisors to serve three - four year
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terms, however, when the state decided not to put a measure on for legislators, the Board of
Supervisors withdrew the countywide measure from the November 2006 ballot.
Countv of San Bernardino - the Board of Supervisors did put a measure on the November
2006 ballot establishing term limits at three four year terms. The measure also established a
formula for determining salaries of members of the Board. The measure was approved by the
voters.
Countv of Los Anoeles - The County put a measure on the ballot in March, 2002 establishing
term limits for the Board at three consecutive four year terms. The measure was adopted by
63.57% of the voters.
Cities of Los Alamitos and Yorba Linda - both cities have three-four year term limits for Council.
Neither city has a directly elected Mayor, and Yorba Linda is not a Charter City; their term limits
were set by ordinance adopted by the voters. The Yorba Linda measure was adopted in 1996
and the city was one of eight Orange County cities to put term limit measures on the ballot that
year.
Citv of Los Anoeles - The City of Los Angeles put a measure on the November, 2006 election
extending the length of time Council members can serve from two-four year terms to three- four
year terms. The existing term limits of two-four year terms for Mayor, City Attorney and
Controller were left unchanged. The measure was linked to ethics reform. The measure
passed.
Los Anoeles Unified School District - There was a measure on the March 6, 2007 Primary
Election in Los Angeles which provided for term limits for members of the Unified School
District. The measure was linked to campaign finance regulations and enforcement, and a
compensation review committee for the LAUSD Board and was adopted by almost 68% of the
voters.
Citv of Lono Beach - On May 1, 2007, the City of Long Beach held a special election to fill a
vacancy and also submitted several proposals to change the city charter including creation of
an independent salary commission to set the salary for Councilmembers, and, modification of
term limits for Mayor and Councii from two terms to three terms. These measures were not
successful.
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