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Guest Opinion

Honoring Term Limits Principle In 4th Dist. Council Race

by Diana Lejins


(Mar. 30, 2012) -- I see and hear lots of things as a freelance photojournalist, but it got my attention when the 4th district Council incumbent told the audience at a recent Stearns Park Neighborhood Ass'n candidate forum that Long Beach doesn't have a term limits law; he called it a restriction on access to the ballot that lets two-termed incumbents -- like him -- seek a third term by write in.

That's true, but in my opinion, there are many sound reasons for not letting incumbents become a perennial fixture and honoring the term limits principle that Long Beach voters intended. They include:

  • Overwhelmingly, voters prefer term limits.
  • Term limits favor meritocracy. Candidates must "earn" their votes.
  • Increases competition and encourages new challengers.
  • Drives out career politicians. Discourages complacency.
  • Breaks ties and obligations to special interests. Candidates are more inclined to listen to citizen concerns and not cater to Political Action Committees of entities that may have their own agendas/benefits at heart.
  • Introduces fresh thinking and new ideas.
  • Reduces power of staff, bureaucracy and lobbies.
  • Promotes public scrutiny of incumbents and exposure of campaign-style literature in the guise of public announcements (paid for by the taxpayer).
  • Encourages greater voter participation. Empowers the general citizenry.
  • Often long-term elected officials no longer think in terms of the right thing to do, but rather take actions that will get them reelected regardless of the general interest.

With Long Beach City Hall's budget in crisis and programs/services falling victim, I think we need a new set of eyes and ideas to save the day and it's time to move on to a change of Council person for the 4th District.

I think Daryl Supernaw is the ideal candidate. He has a proven track record of community activism and business acumen. He's committed to a fiscally-responsible budget, which is essential not only to District 4’s well being but to the entire City as well, and his honesty and integrity hail to a time when a person’s handshake was as good as gold.

The City's budget crisis grew because of past fiscal irresponsibility and the City's programs and services are now at extreme risk. I think this election shows exactly why term limits were the right thing to do and remain a good idea, but it's ultimately up to voters to remind City Hall of that...and I hope they do so by electing Daryl Supernaw.


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