Posted on the Los Angeles Times website:
What a lively discussion this article has generated. I’d like to respond to the many people who have suggested that we need to have term limits imposed on the Board of Supervisors — which we’ve already done. In March 2002, we passed Measure B (http://www.smartvoter.org/2002/03/05/ca/la/meas/) by more than 63%. This measure limited them to 3 consecutive 4-year terms. However, all the measures, laws and referendums aside — I think the most effective term-limit is when WE THE PEOPLE refuse to re-elect them. If memory serves Yaroslavsky and Molina are termed out, Antonovich and Knabe can run for another term, and Ridley-Thomas can run up to another 2 terms. However the good people of the above mentioned incumbents can put the kibosh on this by not voting for ANYONE who’s an incumbent the next time around. And voilà we’ll have a totally new Board of Supervisors
Besides term limits we need legislation to impose penalties on these Supervisors and other public figures who knowingly utalize loopholes to violate laws such as the Brown Act. The money from penalties should be removed from their yearly stipend for their special interests.