Padilla Buys Time by Delaying Oath

While most of those recently elected to the Los Angeles City Council have already been sworn in, a quirk in the city’s term-limits law has convinced Alex Padilla to wait until next week to take the oath of office for the northeast San Fernando Valley’s 7th Council District seat.

By waiting until Tuesday, Padilla becomes eligible to serve up to 10 years in office instead of six, according to City Clerk Mike Carey.

On the other hand, by waiting, Padilla will miss today’s reorganization vote, in which the council elects the council president and president pro tem.

Padilla, 26, wasn’t planning on seeking either of the leadership positions, said Juliette Martinez, his chief of staff.

“He’s a freshman,” Martinez said to explain his decision not to pursue a leadership spot.

She also said it was not urgent for Padilla to be there because John Ferraro is not expecting a challenge to another term as council president.

Padilla has scheduled his official swearing-in ceremony for 10 a.m. Tuesday in City Council chambers at City Hall. Padilla also has scheduled a community swearing-in ceremony for Saturday, July 10, after a noon Mass at Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Pacoima. The ceremony and a reception, which are open to the public, are scheduled for 1 p.m. at Ritchie Valens Recreation Center in Pacoima.

Padilla was elected June 8, receiving 66.7% of the vote.

Under the city’s term-limits law, City Council members cannot serve more than two four-year terms.

Padilla, however, was elected to serve the remaining two years left in the unexpired term of Richard Alarcon, who was elected to the state Senate in November.

“The City Charter says that if you serve less than half of the remaining term, that does not count against your two terms,” Carey said.

The halfway point in the term was Thursday, when most newly elected council members began their new terms.

If Padilla had taken office then, he would only have been eligible to serve the remaining two years of this term and one other four-year term. By delaying the oath of office, Padilla is able to serve the nearly two years left in this term and two other four-year terms, Carey said.