Santa Monica Vote 2018: Ballot Measure TL Argument In Favor and Rebuttal

ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF MEASURE TL

Term limits for Santa Monica City Councilmembers will give voters a real chance for fresh perspectives, new ideas and change.

Throughout California, voters have overwhelmingly supported term limits for public officials. Without them, over time, incumbents become too cozy with powerful moneyed interests. Beholden to those special interests, entrenched politicians often forget about the people they were elected to serve.

Many cities throughout Southern California have term limits for their elected officials, including Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Culver City, Glendale, Redondo Beach, Torrance, Santa Barbara, and Anaheim. Term limits also apply to California's statewide elected officers and Senate and Assembly legislators.

Santa Monica's City Council has already adopted term limits for its City boards and commissions. If our Council thinks term limits are good for Santa Monica board and commission members, why aren't they good for those same Councilmembers who enacted them?

Our incumbent City Councilmembers almost never lose elections - in the past twenty-five years, only two incumbents were voted out of office. Only two. In twenty-five years! In the last 2016 City election, 100% of our City Council incumbents were reelected.

Ask yourself: Have these Councilmembers all been worthy of virtually lifelong terms? Or is the power of incumbency simply too much to overcome?

Talented, qualified Santa Monicans are at such a disadvantage that they are often discouraged from running. The result is that power remains in the hands of the same politicians and their benefactors for decades.

Measure TL will break this cycle of entrenched incumbency by setting a reasonable limit of three council terms for a total of no more than twelve years of service beginning after the November 6, 2018 election.

Term limits will improve our political process and open up our government. Vote YES on Measure TL.

/s/ Sue Himmelrich, Sponsor, Santa Monica City Councilmember
/s/ Mary Marlow, Sponsor, Chair Santa Monica Transparency Project
/s/ Diana Gordon, Co-chair Santa Monica Coalition for a Livable City
/s/ Phil Brock, Santa Monica Commissioner
/s/ Nancy Coleman, Chair North of Montana Association

REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF MEASURE TL

For nearly forty years, since the advent of rent control, Santa Monica has had a remarkably active political life. Our residents have been as fully engaged as any community in California.

Proponents of term limits would have you believe otherwise. They assert - incorrectly - that development or other special interests have held sway using their money to control the City Council. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Since rent control began in 1979, we have had 29 different city council members, most have been champions of rent control and slow growth development policies.

Six were defeated for re-election. Fourteen retired having served three terms or fewer. Three died during their tenure in office. Only six have served more than three terms.

Those who have served more than three terms have occupied unique leadership roles for major constituencies. Several were distinguished leaders for renters' rights and slow growth development policies, for affordable housing and environmental initiatives - hardly the tool of special interests.

The Santa Monica League of Women Voters agrees, "Term limits would hinder the ability of Councilmembers to not only pursue policies that address long-term issues, but also to be held accountable for them."

Proponents of term limits are eager to sell a false view of our political history where ineffective and corrupt councilmembers stay in office only by dent of support from special interests. That is a false portrait of Santa Monica political life. Don't fall for it.

NO on Measure TL.

/s/ Denny Zane, Former Mayor of Santa Monica
/s/ Tony Vazquez, Former Mayor of Santa Monica
/s/ Gleam Davis, Santa Monica Mayor Pro Tem
/s/ Patricia Hoffman, Co-chair Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights (SMRR)
/s/ Shari Davis, Chair, Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS)