Opinion – The Plain and Simple Truth

By LBencruisn29

It is Time to End Career Politicians Trying to Reward Themselves With a Kingdom

In 2007, 68% of the people of Long Beach voted for term limits. The people decided an elected official could, after two terms, write-in for a third council term.  If the current council person is able to qualify for the primary without their name on the ballot, they are included in the runoff ballot and win another term.  Former Mayor Beverly O’Neil and Councilmember Dee Andrews have won a third terms by a write-in and the will of the voters.

Now, this “NEW” set of “Career Politicians” are saying there’s a loophole in our election system and that giving the current regime 12 years by 3 elected terms with no write-in, solves the imagined term limit problem.  In other words, although we can try to fool all the people all the time with a new shell game and limited accountability, the reality shows there is not a loophole with the current process.

The City Auditor recently opined she already has the abilities to revenue this, although signing on to this boondoggle puts her into the category of her predecessor, Mr. Burroughs.  The City Auditor is not selling Amway, but she is trying to sell us a bill of goods or something else. Please note, the City Auditor has nothing to do with elections that falls to you and me as voters and the FPPC who oversees political practices.

The plain and simple truth is their egos wish to reward themselves with more political time so that they can run for higher office or just keep this office for 4 more years until they are termed out. Remember, no one asked for this change during the primary or any other time.

The answer is, just vote no!

It is time to end career politicians trying to reward themselves with a kingdom rather than caring for their constituency.

US history is a very good indicator and guideline as we still have the 22nd amendment to the constitution of the United States. The 22nd amendment was meant to limit the number of terms a US president could run for, and that is two 4-year terms. This was more of a tradition than a rule until 1947, when the amendment was passed following Franklin D. Roosevelt being elected to four 4-year terms. The new amendment limited presidents to the service years that were suggested by George Washington when he was elected as president.

It took until 1951 for the amendment to be ratified by all of the states. If a president or vice president who becomes president in his or her place only serves 2 years or less of a term, they are still allowed to serve two full 4-year terms, if elected. Congress realized that the United States could change into a simi-monarchy with the 4th term for FDR. Upon his death came the 22nd Amendment.  It took almost another four years before it was ratified in 1951.

Eight years is a long time, so why do Long Beach officials believe they need to be rewarded with more time when they have raised taxes to one of the highest tax rates in the state with Measure A, then with Measure M, when they threatened to cut services again after being caught by a taxpayer making unauthorized transfers from the public utilities.

This current group of elected officials funded a new City Hall that has already cost the taxpayer with an over extended interest rate beyond the agreement forecast and, are spending over one hundred million dollars on a pool for elites in Belmont Shore.

Long Beach has a Port, Municipal Airport, and its own Health Department and Public Utilities. Why is it they cannot live within their budgeted means or produce a production-based budget?  The reason must be from the unfunded liabilities created from the pension potholes they created. Only, isn’t the same revenue source legitimately being funded by the public with Measure A and Measure “M”?

Your vote counts and we need to put an end to this.

No taxpaying voter asked the Mayor, Auditor, City Council or the people to resolve this imagined term limit loophole.  We need to send a message of hope and change for new ideas with new individual representatives for Council Districts and Mayor.  Please send a message at the ballot box,“NO MEANS NO!”

If the wheel is not broken there is no need to fix it.  Term limits should remain in place so at least any further terms are based on their merit, not a gift of four years because a politician served two previous terms. The citizens have spoken more than once on this issue, no career politicians at the citizen expense.