Garden Grove City Council places term limit measure on Nov. ballot

The Garden Grove City Council voted last night on a proposed ballot measure to allow termed out Council Members to wait two years, instead of four, before being allowed to run again for the City Council.  Garden Grove Mayor Bill Dalton argued against placing the measure on the ballot due to the cost of doing so.

The current mandated four year absence from the Council was written by Councilman Mark Rosen (pictured above) and former Councilman Mark Leyes.  Council Woman DIna Nyugen ripped Rosen for backing the new measure instead of sticking with the four year absence from the Council.

Rosen ripped the idea of term limits in his comments as did Councilman Bruce Broadwater.  They are the ones proposing the new two year absence from the Council for termed out Councilmen.

Rosen and Broadwater at least spoke legibly.  Nguyen spoke in circles and was utterly confusing.  At times the other Council Members and city staff had to speak up and help her complete her thoughts.  It was an embarrassing performance to say the least.

In the end the motion to place the measure on the November ballot passed 3-2.  Nguyen and Dalton voted no.  Rosen and Broadwater were joined by Councilman Steve Jones in voting in the affirmative.

This measure is substantially different from the infamous Santa Ana Measure D, which gave the termed out Council Members the right to run for a third consecutive term.  That measure was designed to give Council Woman Claudia Alvarez a shot at four more years on the Council.  The measure was funded by her backers.

I have always liked term limits but while they are good for getting rid of clowns like Alvarez, you hate to see a very competent Councilman like Rosen forced out of office.  The measure he has proposed will give him a chance to return in two years.  Is it worth the expense of putting this measure on the ballot?  I find it hard to say yes to that question.

Rosen could run for the 68th Assembly District when incumbent Republican Van Tran terms out.  I would love to see Rosen go to Sacramento – he would instantly become the smartest Democrat in our state capitol.  In fact I would say he would be smarter than all the ding dong Republicans up there too.

You can see the actual discussion about this item online at this link.

Readers, what say you?  Is this measure a good idea?


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"Admin" is just editors Vern Nelson, Greg Diamond, or Ryan Cantor sharing something that they mostly didn't write themselves, but think you should see. Before December 2010, "Admin" may have been former blog owner Art Pedroza.