Legislators See Ruling on Limits as Plot Twist, Not End of Story

Despite a federal appeals court ruling Tuesday that overturned California’s legislative term limits law, Ventura County representatives are not preparing their reelection campaigns just yet.

Officials said they expect the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the case next but wonder if a decision will be issued before the 1998 elections. Tuesday’s ruling could be suspended until an appeal is heard.

“The decision handed down is just another step. It is not the final chapter in this story,” said Assemblyman Nao Takasugi (R-Oxnard), whose final term would expire next year unless the state’s term limits law is thrown out. “I’m going to continue to do my work as an assemblyman, and we’ll see whether I can run again or not.”

Under the law approved by California voters in 1990, Takasugi, who is currently serving his third two-year term, would be barred from seeking reelection to the 37th Assembly District, which spans from Oxnard to Thousand Oaks.

But if Tuesday’s decision by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals stands, Takasugi, 75, would be entitled to run for a fourth term. Most Republican suitors for his seat have indicated they would not challenge him in the spring primary election.

“I just want to see the dust settle, because I don’t think it’s clear whether this will have any impact at all,” said Tony Strickland, an aide to Assemblyman Tom McClintock (R-Northridge) who has announced plans to run for Takasugi’s seat. “As I have always said, I will not run if Nao can run.”

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Likewise, failed congressional candidate Rich Sybert, who recently moved to Thousand Oaks and into Takasugi’s district, said he will not enter the race if the term limits law is struck down and Takasugi can run again.

“If Nao runs, not only will I not run, he will have my widespread support,” Sybert said. “This decision was expected by everyone. It’s not the end of this thing.”

Sybert, a Harvard-trained lawyer, said Tuesday’s decision may eventually be reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court. But unless the Court of Appeals grants a stay of its own ruling, the ruling should stand through next year’s elections.

“I think the Supreme Court will ultimately decide it, but the Supreme Court will move at its own speed,” Sybert said. “I suspect term limits will be out at least for the 1998 cycle.

“I am active in Republican circles in Ventura County, and I was asked, often publicly, what I thought about the [37th District] seat. And my reply was always that all this political maneuvering was premature,” he added. “ . . . I guess now I can devote more time to my family and to making more money.”

McClintock, a strong proponent of the term limits law, said he was “outraged” by the federal court decision, though he expected it all along after talking to lawyers from the Pacific Legal Foundation and the state attorney general’s office.

Under the law, McClintock would be unable to seek reelection in 2000. But he said his political future, as well as whether the law is good or bad, is beside the point: Term limits are what the voters wanted.

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“I think it’s an affront to democratic self-government that a court could assert its grounds over the will of the people,” McClintock declared. “That said, I think it’s much about nothing, because we knew this was going to happen and we know it is going to be eventually appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court and upheld.

“It’s hard to imagine the Supreme Court rejecting term limits when there is a two-term limit on the presidency,” he added, “not to mention the limits on many big-city mayors.”

State Sen. Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley), whose term expires in 2000, said she hopes the debate over term limits is decided by then. She also hopes that Tuesday’s court decision will allow Takasugi and others whose terms expire next year to run again.

Term limits, as they currently stand, are doing more harm than good in state politics, she said.

“It takes time to make legislation. There are issues that you get into, that you want to make change in, and it’s hard to do when the cast is always changing.”

The current term of state Sen. Jack O’Connell (D-Santa Barbara), whose district includes portions of western Ventura County, expires in 2002.

And the county’s other legislator, Assemblyman Brooks Firestone (R-Los Olivos), whose term expires in 1998, recently announced plans to run for lieutenant governor next year.

* LIMITS OVERTURNED

Legislators rethink campaign plans as federal court strikes down state law. A1