Initiatives Can’t Replace Legislators

* The term limits initiative was too vague in defining time in office, and so it is going to court for interpretation. The test case happens to be former Assemblywoman Doris Allen (March 4).

Her situation may seem unusual, but any number of scenarios could have raised this legal issue. Unfortunately, initiatives end up in the courts all too often because they are poorly written or include legally questionable provisions.

We should rely less on initiatives and more on elected representatives who enact laws by the painstaking legislative process. Citizen input should focus on electing and communicating with the legislators.

Because so many fail to take citizenship seriously, few vote and most of those who do fail to study the candidates, often blindly endorsing the incumbent. Ironically, we then pass term limit initiatives as an oversimplified solution to our own apathy.

MARK S. SHELDON

Huntington Beach