Culver City : 2-Term Limit Rejected
The City Council recently defeated proposals by new Councilmen Steven Gourley and Jim Boulgarides to limit council and commission members to two terms in office.
Gourley, following up on a campaign promise, said that multiple terms in office breed arrogance and increase distance from the community. He proposed a ballot initiative to allow voters to decide whether to limit the number of consecutive terms a council member can serve to two.
But Mayor Paul Jacobs, a councilman serving his fourth term, said that every time a council member seeks reelection, voters have the option of removing him or her from office.
First-term Councilwoman Jozelle Smith, who has changed her campaign position favoring a two-term limit, agreed with Jacobs. “We do a disservice to the city when we mandate that a qualified person step down after two terms,” she said.
Jacobs, Smith and Councilman Richard Alexander voted against the measure.
A similar proposal by Boulgarides to limit commission members to two consecutive terms also was defeated, 3-2.
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