Riordan: Term Limits Flawed

Eight years after leading the push for term limits on elected city officials, Mayor Richard Riordan on Monday said that in retrospect City Council members should have been allowed to serve up to 12 years in office rather than eight.

His change of heart comes just as the term limits law that he championed is taking full effect, with at least six new members joining the City Council this year as incumbents are forced out. It also is forcing Riordan from office, though the mayor did not take issue with the law’s application to citywide officials such as himself.

“I think it goes too far, and I have to take the blame for it, on the legislative” branch of city government, he said in a conversation with Times reporters and editors. “If I had to do it over again, I’d probably add another term for City Council.”

The 15 council members and all the city’s other elected officials are limited to two four-year terms.

Riordan, who must leave office next month at the end of his second term, said eight years seemed enough for the mayor and other citywide elected officials.

“You know, there’s an end to everything,” he said. “Eight years is sort of magical. Like in the Jesuits, nobody can be a president of a college for more than seven years.”

At the same time, Riordan said he wished he had an extra six months to work on solving problems such as the Police Department’s recruitment troubles.

The reason Riordan supports an extra term only for council members is that they have a “steeper learning curve” to overcome than a new mayor does, said Deputy Mayor Ben Austin.

Told of Riordan’s remarks, Councilman Nate Holden said he will try to persuade the mayor to lead a campaign for a ballot initiative to enable council members to serve three terms.

“I think he’s on target,” said Holden, who also must vacate his seat. “Two terms is just not enough to get things done. Having been there 14 years myself, I know it takes time to get a project off the ground and get moving. I would even be in favor of four terms.”

Austin said the mayor had no plans to try to change the term limits law.

Councilman Alex Padilla said he owes his job to term limits, which led his predecessor, Richard Alarcon, to run for state Senate and vacate his council seat. But Padilla, who could wind up as the council member with the most seniority if he stays in office until 2009, has declined to take a stand on term limits.

“I recognize the advantages and the disadvantages,” he said. “I guess I have eight years ahead to think about it.”