BUENA PARK : Council OKs New Vote on City Term Limits

Voters will choose whether to impose a two-consecutive-term limit on City Council members when they go to the polls in the November, 1996, election.

The proposed term limits, which were hammered out in a study session Monday night, require council members to sit out at least one election cycle if they have served two consecutive, four-year terms. If passed by the voters, the limits would take effect with the 1998 election.

Nearly 85% of Buena Park voters approved a term-limit advisory measure last November. But the limits could not be made mandatory by voters until a state law approved in August takes effect Jan. 1, 1996.

Councilman Donald L. Bone, a strong proponent of the term limits, said he’s concerned that it would take until 1998 for the limits to have effect, should the voters approve them.

“I think there is something wrong that we cannot affect” the voters’ mandate, Bone said. He called for the council to put the issue on the ballot in the March primary election.

City attorneys, however, said moving the measure to March would expose the city to a lawsuit, because the state law allowing term limits takes effect Jan. 1, two days after the deadline for adding measures to the primary ballot.

Some City Council members considered ways to try to get around the deadline procedure for the March primary, but the city’s legal staff discouraged it.

“It puts at risk whether someone is entitled to run for office,” City Atty. James L. Markman said. “We don’t think it would be safe.”