Letters: Forget term limits

Re “A political game of musical chairs,” Dec. 13

Jessica A. Levinson does a good job of explaining how term limits exacerbate the cynical and costly practice of office-jumping by elected officials.

If only there was something better than term limits. Well, there could be.

I suggest we replace term limits with a system in which an officeholder can run for a third term, but he or she would have to win with at least 55% of the vote. For a fourth term, the threshold would be 60%.

What this could achieve, besides giving these office hogs less reason to engage in musical chairs, is an opportunity to keep someone in office if the constituents want it.

California is a laboratory for many new ideas and innovations. Why not try an election system that isn’t as arbitrary as term limits?

Jules Brenner

Hollywood

Terms limits are just part of the reason so many state legislators run for seats on the L.A. City Council.

The salary for an L.A. City Council member is $181,292, about twice that of state legislators. In addition, council members receive pensions, much larger staffs, cars, a nonpartisan working environment, more direct influence and more time to spend with their families.

Perhaps one way to curtail the frequency of special elections is to put the city’s election cycle on the same track as the state’s. Not only would this reduce the number of legislative vacancies after state legislators win election to the City Council, but it would undoubtedly increase voter turnout and save the city costs in operating special elections.

Furthermore, voters would likely see more competitive elections for City Council, and thus more choices.

Brendan Huffman

Studio City

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