Term-Limit Ruling Gets Mixed Valley Reaction

Assemblyman George Runner (R-Lancaster) is sitting in a Capitol office in Sacramento because of term limits. Former San Fernando Valley Assembly members Richard Katz (D-Sylmar) and Paula Boland (R-Granada Hills) are sitting at home in the Valley because of the same law.

So is Assemblywoman Barbara Friedman (D-North Hollywood), one of three termed-out legislators who filed a lawsuit challenging as unconstitutional the law that was passed in 1990 and sets limits of three two-year terms in the Assembly and two four-year terms in the state Senate. And even though a federal judge agreed and struck down the term-limit law Wednesday, it may still ensnare at least one Valley legislator, state Sen. Herschel Rosenthal (D-Los Angeles).

The veteran lawmaker’s term-limit clock tolls in 1998, probably not enough time for a higher court to endorse or reverse U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken’s ruling that voter-approved Proposition 140 was unconstitutional.

Because the judge did not order a stay that would have frozen further implementation of the law until the courts’ ultimate ruling on the matter, Rosenthal, too, may be sent packing.

Indeed, nary a politician in the Capitol has not been affected by the term-limit initiative.

It is not surprising then that news of the judge’s decision had the Capitol all atwitter Wednesday, Rosenthal said. He said he hasn’t gotten excited about the ruling, including its potential impact upon him.

“I’ll wait and see what the appeals court says. If the appeals court supports her decision, I might consider running one more time,” the veteran lawmaker said.

Many members of the Legislature are not willing to wait. They are talking about taking matters into their own hands by crafting a new term-limit law that would eliminate the lifetime ban and expand by a few years the length of terms set by voters. Then voters would have a shot at accepting or rejecting the lawmakers’ measure.

“Terms should be somewhat longer so we wouldn’t be throwing out people just when they begin to know what they’re doing,” said Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica), who represents the West Valley.

Kuehl said bipartisan support for such a plan is a possibility and voters must be brought into the debate as well.

“It makes sense to have discussions with constituents about what they really think will work,” Kuehl said.

Although Runner, as others, believes six years is too short a time to master the Legislature, he has no intention of tampering with the voters’ already stated view on the matter.

“It’s a very difficult learning curve for the process, but that’s what the voters wanted,” Runner said.

Then there’s his own credibility problem.

Runner readily admits he would not be a legislator if his predecessor, current state Sen. William “Pete” Knight (R-Palmdale), had not been forced from the Assembly by term limits.

Another benefactor of the term-limit law, Assemblyman Tom McClintock (R-Northridge), who replaced Boland, deemed the judge’s ruling “meaningless” and “ludicrous.”

“It’s a rogue liberal judge replacing the judgment of voters with her own personal opinion,” McClintock said. “I have no doubt she will be reversed.”

A victim and opponent of term limits, former Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sylmar) agreed with McClintock that Wednesday’s preliminary judgment on term limits doesn’t change things much.

Because the judge let the term-limit law operate while the higher courts consider it, “We’re in no different position today that we were before,” Katz said.

* MAIN STORY: Judge strikes down term limits, A1

* RELATED STORY: Uncertain political terrain, B12