Councilwoman Schipske Will Bring Council Item Requiring Council Incumbents To Obtain Performance Bonds Covering Taxpayer Costs If They Run & Win Another Office During Their Council Terms, Triggering Costly Special Election

Also favors policy of not authorizing travel by electeds officially seeking another office or serving their final year in office

In a release, Councilwoman Schipske says "running for higher public office has become a way of life for many Long Beach elected officials due to term limits, with the result that the taxpayers are left paying for 'special elections' to fill out the remainder of the term in office...[I want] to put a stop to this costly practice or at least make elected officials think twice before abandoning their office for another."

[Schipske release text] "That's why I am introducing an agenda item that would require the elected official to post a ‘performance bond’ or purchase some type of insurance that would then be used to offset the costs of a special election caused by that elected official not finishing their term in office...

"Listen, I have felt the urge to run for higher office while sitting on City Council, especially due to redistricting, but I thought about how my constituents would feel having just re-elected me and then having to pay for a special election if I left. That didn’t seem right."

Under the terms of Schipske’s agenda item, Long Beach elected officials would have to post a "performance bond" or acquire some type of insurance that would pay for the costs of a special election caused by the elected official not "performing his or her official duties."

"This may not be a perfect solution to reducing these city expenditures, but we really have to do something that sends the message that you need to finish what you were elected to do and that the taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay the costs of a special election because you wanted to serve elsewhere."

Schipske also feels that the Council should adopt a policy that city paid travel should not be authorized for any elected official who is an official candidate (i.e. filed their intent or set up a campaign account fo fundraising) for another office or who is serving their last year of their term in office.

"Makes no sense for taxpayers to be footing the bill for travel while an elected is campaigning for a higher office or serving their last year. If my colleagues really believe this city has financial problems they will support this item."

Costly special elections had to be held in 2007 and 2009 after Laura Richardson and Bonnie Lowenthal won seats in the state Assembly midway through their Council terms. A similar scenario might have occurred in 2013 if Councilmembers Patrick O'Donnell and Councilwoman Schipske hadn't changed their minds about running for the Assembly this year [dropped after Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal ended a redistricted State Senate run in favor of pursuing a final Assembly term.].

The issue has continued to dog Councilman O'Donnell, now waging a write-in campaign for a third Council term. He's being hammered by the LB Chamber of Commerce PAC which charges that if reelected now, O'Donnell will make a taxpayer-costly Assembly run midway through his Council term in 2014, forcing a special election if he wins. The issue came up during audience Q & A at the recent Stearns Park Neighborhood Ass'n candidate forum...and Councilman O'Donnell indicated that he's not running for the Assembly [using the present tense] but didn't categorically rule out a future Assembly run.

In a recent 2nd dist. candidate forum, 2nd district Council candidate Janet Ballentyne noted that in a recent Long Beach Business Journal interview, Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal -- now seeking reelection in the 2nd Council district -- has said that if incumbent Mayor Bob Foster doesn't seek a third term by write in, she (Lowenthal) will run for Mayor in 2014. Ms. Ballantyne said that would be a disservice to the 2nd district [and we note would trigger a special 2nd dist. election to fill Lowenthal's seat if she were elected to citywide office.]

Developing.