Padilla Delays His Inauguration

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 persuaded 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.

Padilla, 26, has scheduled his official swearing-in ceremony for 10 a.m. Tuesday in the City Council chambers. Padilla also has scheduled a community swearing-in for 1 p.m. July 10 at the Richie Valens Recreation Center in Pacoima.

Under the city’s term limits law, City Council members cannot serve more than two four-year terms. However, Padilla 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 [normal] terms,” Carey said.

The halfway point in the term was July 1, when most newly elected council members began 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, Padilla is able to serve the nearly two years left in this term and two other four-year terms.