Picus Joins Groups Seeking to Restrict Terms in Office

City Councilwoman Joy Picus joined representatives of San Fernando Valley community groups Tuesday in urging a commission on ethics in city government to limit the number of terms elected officials can serve.

Picus, who has been on the council for 12 years, told Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley’s ethics commission that a limit on terms in office would “function as a deterrent to lapses that result from complacency” in ethical matters by entrenched politicians.

Limits would also provide “constant opportunities for upward mobility” for politicians eager to move to higher office, she said.

Picus said she favors limiting terms of all local and state officeholders. Presently, there are no limitations on how many terms that state legislators and elected Los Angeles officials can serve.

Picus appeared at a public hearing in Studio City held by the ethics commission--formally named the Commission to Draft an Ethics Code for Los Angeles City Government. It was the seventh meeting--and the first at which community comment was sought--since the commission was set up in April amid controversy over Bradley’s financial affairs.

City, state and federal agencies are looking into the mayor’s stock transactions and whether his influence resulted in the deposit of city funds into Far East National Bank, for which he was a paid adviser. Bradley has returned the fees and denied using his official position to benefit himself or business associates.

New Standards

The commission’s novel charter is to redefine proper conduct by city officials. It already has recommended tough new standards for officials to disclose investments, real estate holdings and other financial interests, saying existing disclosure laws were weak and poorly enforced.

Kurt Hunter of the North Hollywood Residents Assn. said local officeholders should be held to two four-year terms. He proposed that those who can win a 60% majority in a subsequent election be allowed another two years in office.

“If he’s doing a great job . . . and his constituents like him, he’ll get 60%. And if not, then he’s out of luck,” Hunter said.

But Mark Harrar, assistant director of California Common Cause, said a two-term limit would be “a bit too restrictive.” He said too strict a limit would drive good politicians out of office just as they acquire expertise in government.

Picus and Harrar did not say what limit they favor.

But Harrar said Common Cause supports limits on terms only if they are accompanied by new limits on campaign contributions and spending, calling the ability of incumbents to build up large campaign treasuries their most important advantage over challengers.

Harrar said a study done by his group showed that Los Angeles City Council members have served an average of 12 years and that four members have served 25 years or more. The study also found that between 1982 and 1988, only seven newcomers were elected to the state Legislature, while 340 incumbents were reelected.

It has gotten to the point where would-be challengers have “to wait for scandal or for somebody to die in office” before they can enter the race, he said. “Incumbents stay in office longer and longer due to the inability of challengers to match their financing.”

The ethics commission is expected to hold four more hearings before presenting its final report. Among other topics, the hearings will examine if city elections should be publicly financed.