Valley Perspective : Hitting the Ground Running : Councilman Mike Feuer’s productive first six months show how term limits can pay off

A certain urgency usually possesses those who are elected to fill out unexpired terms. They have only a limited time to make a big impression on constituents before the next regularly scheduled election, and the powers of incumbency don’t apply. Which partially explains the near-campaign pace of Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Feuer’s first six months in office.

During a somewhat typical 10-calendar-day period recently, for example, Feuer was:

* Commenting on the need for a City Council ethics committee similar to the congressional model that could investigate members’ conduct and discipline them for misbehavior.

* Working with Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky to erase any lingering suspicions that the two elected officials wouldn’t be able to work together.

* Planning a meeting to discuss the creation of a new mini-park.

* Making sure that the city parks department agreed to reconsider the transfer of the beloved director of the Studio City Recreation Center.

* Planning a road trip to St. Louis with Mayor Richard Riordan to prod Robinsons-May department stores on the proposed renovation of the Sherman Oaks Galleria.

* Appearing at the opening of the city’s 26th police service center (the fourth in his council district since his election.)

But we think that something else is helping to set the pace here. The two-term limit for the City Council is going to force all new officeholders to become quicker studies, maintain an almost fever-pitch workload, and worry a lot less about the need to politely sidestep the toes of their council colleagues.

We’re not suggesting that hard work isn’t being done in the council. We are saying that voters are going to be far less likely to re-elect anyone who hasn’t accomplished much in his first term. The days of growing into an office are over.

Feuer has stumbled a bit in his bid to toughen the city’s ethics laws. For the most part, however, he is delivering on a number of campaign promises. We regard his first six months in office as a welcome sign of things to come.