ANAHEIM : Vote Delayed on Term and Gift Limits

After two council members said they were “unprepared” Tuesday, the City Council delayed its vote on proposals to limit the terms of council members and the amount of campaign contributions they can receive.

Mayor Fred Hunter and Councilman William D. Ehrle said they have not had time to study the 13- and 15-page documents that outlined the options on the two issues. The other council members agreed to delay their vote until April 6.

“This does not mean my views have changed,” Hunter said, who has been a supporter of both limits. “We just received this information. This is a lot of material.”

One proposal seeks to limit council members and mayors to two consecutive four-year terms. The other proposal seeks to place a $1,000 ceiling on how much a donor can give to a candidate. Gifts of up to $5,000 have been made in recent elections.

Ehrle said he had expected to miss Tuesday’s meeting, but a planned business trip was canceled.

“I haven’t had a chance to look at the proposals because I just picked up my information Monday,” he said. “But over the next four weeks, I’m sure I’ll have a chance to look at it.”

Lisa Foster, a spokeswoman for Common Cause, a nonpartisan political reform group, said Tuesday it is not uncommon for councils to stall when it comes to placing term or contribution limits on themselves.

“Incumbents have been reluctant to make any changes,” she said, “because they’ve been comfortable with the system, because it helps them get elected.”

The term limits would have an immediate effect on two councilmen: Hunter and Irv Pickler.

Pickler is in his third council term and would have to leave office when his term expires in 1994 if the measure passes. Hunter is in his second council term and would not be able to seek reelection when his term expires in 1994, which he plans to do anyway, he has said.

Ehrle and Councilman Tom Daly are wrapping up their first complete terms--Ehrle also served three years of an unexpired term--and would not be affected by a term limit until 1996.

Councilman Bob D. Simpson’s first term expires in 1994, and he has already said he will not seek reelection.

Council members said they hope the limits on campaign contributions will pass because the cost of running for municipal office has gotten out of control. Some members say a candidate must now be willing to raise and spend at least $200,000 to have a realistic chance of winning a council election, with most of the money spent on campaign mailers.