Term limits, campaign reform and lobbyist reform have been hot topics in Sacramento and Los Angeles of late.

Recently, the Los Angeles City Council approved a ballot initiative, which combines lobbyist reform with extending the term limits from eight years to 12 years for themselves, but excludes the Mayor, City Controller and City Attorney. Seven out of the 15 members will be termed out in the next LA City council election.

An article in the Los Angeles Times over the weekend, blamed term limits for the cause of staff members leaving legislators and working for lobbyists. If you believe that, I have a bridge for sale in Brooklyn! I know people who work for Los Angeles City council members and state representatives. One of them worked for a Los Angeles City Councilwoman, her successor and now works for a State Senator. In other words, he has not had a problem finding employment. Prior to writing this commentary, I asked him if he had any concerns about job security. He stated that he did not but just the opposite. He has met a lot of people, made a lot of contacts, which have led to job offers. Why do staff people leave? Just like the rest of us, better opportunity, more money, potential for growth or wanted to do something different. Term limits are not causing the loss of staff for our elected officials.

What I find ironic, is that most legislatures say that government needs to run like a business: more efficient, resourceful, responsive and so on. Yet, they say that it takes them four years to learn how to do their job. Imagine that you serve on a board of directors and that you are interviewing potential candidates to run the company. Imagine every job candidate state, ” I would like the job, but it would take four years to learn what I am doing and you will not see results from my performance until then.” How many of you would consider hiring that person?
The purpose of term limits was for the elected official to hit the ground running and attempt to do everything he/she stated that they would do, because they would no longer be able to serve as long as they wanted to.

Some argue that the job is difficult, technical and so on. No one made our elected officials run for office. In addition, at the state level our legislators have staff, field office(s) and other resources at their disposal. What they need to do is focus on their job at hand.

The purpose of term limits, was supposed to get rid of the career politicians, to a certain extent we have succeeded and on other parts we have failed. The sad part, is that it appears our elected officials care more about fund raising, then anything else, they are worried about the next election or what other seat they will run for, instead of representing their constituents.

We need lobbyist reform and campaign finance reform. What are the solutions? I don’t have all the answers, but one suggestion I have is to ban all fund raising while the state legislature is in session or in other words, fund raising will only be allowed when the legislative body is in recess. One of my friends who works in Sacramento, informed me that basically every night of the week there is a fund raising event for either an elected official, political party or some cause.

Hopefully this time, our elected officials are serious about lobbyist reform and campaign finance reform. I would encourage all of you to contact your representatives and inform them of any ideas you have. It is time to get back to governing and making California a better place for our children!

Michael Cruz