Where Else Should Term Limits Be Applied?

The LA City Council was dealt a blow Thursday in their quest to extend term limits, as a Superior Court judge ruled that a measure that would have extended those limits be removed from the Nov. 7 ballot (FRIDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: Now it's back on the ballot, at least for now. Details here):

Judge Robert H. O'Brien found that the measure illegally combined the term-limits proposal with new restrictions on lobbyists, two unrelated subjects.

The ruling, assuming it withstands a possible appeal, represents a significant blow to the council and the civic organizations that called for it. It also vindicates City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo, whose office had warned council members the measure might not hold up to a court challenge.

"Voters who favor ethics reforms may not want increased term limits, and vice versa," O'Brien wrote in his three-page decision. "Those voters are stuck — they must take both, or none at all."

The ballot measure was written by two groups, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters Los Angeles. At the urging of the groups, the council voted earlier this summer to put the matter on the fall ballot.

I've never been a big fan of term limits and the resulting revolving door -- just as your local rep gets the hang of the job, their time is up. And suddenly you're back to square one.

But what other posts might benefit from term limits? A few ideas:


News anchor. (Sorry, Paul Moyer, but we're looking at you.)


Honorary Hollywood mayor. (At least, shouldn't we be allowed to vote for the post? Forget the corrupt Vernon city council -- how has Johnny Grant managed to remain "Honorary Hollywood mayor" for as long as he has?)


King of Screens. (Time to shake up the television set monarchy somehow dominated by Paul, who long ago appointed himself King.)