Monrovia : Term Limit Resolution Fails

New City Councilwoman Phyllis McCarville failed to get support from other council members last week for a proposed state law that would allow general law cities such as Monrovia to impose term limits on council members.

McCarville, who campaigned on a platform of term limits, asked the City Council on Tuesday to pass a resolution supporting an Assembly bill that would give cities the option of limiting council members and mayors to two four-year terms. Under current state law, only charter cities can set term limits.

McCarville’s motion died for lack of a second.

Mayor Robert Bartlett, who has been on the council for 18 years, said he supports term limits for state and federal politicians who are making decisions that affect wide constituencies but does not think that local officials should be limited in the number of terms they serve.

McCarville said she felt the large number of votes she got in last month’s election showed that a majority of Monrovians favor limiting council terms.