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minutes 12-04-99Page 13 of 39 <br />SANTANGELO: What does that mean? <br />HERKES: That means I get to choose. <br />BESS: No term limits. <br />IRVINE: She doesn’t like term limits. <br />SANTANGELO: I agree with her. <br />RAY: So Marni’s speaking against term limits, okay? <br />SANTANGELO: I’d like to just state that we’ve been through this. Done it. They voted on it many, many times. I totally <br />agree with Marni, but on the other hand, my experience has been, I will not support getting rid of term limits. It’s just <br />something I’m not ready to do. But you’re right. Why in heck do we have to trash somebody if they’re doing a good job and <br />we want to keep them. But this public has spoken very clearly – very, very clearly in my mind, on term limits. <br />RAY: Sue. <br />IRVINE: I’m with Marni, and I think the public, however, will jump on this as well. But, I’m willing to put it out. People <br />should be able to vote on whomever they want to vote. It’s not a popular thing nowadays because people don’t vote, so they <br />just go for term limits to kick people out, but it would be nice if we could give people the opportunity, if we want to. <br />RAY: George. <br />MARTIN: I’m probably the only guy speaking in favor of term limits. I think the people did speak when they voted it in, and <br />it was a long cry in the public sector that, if the person is good, and if you read the Charter, what’s to be allowed or not to be <br />allowed, it says consecutive. If the person runs consecutively to the end of their term, they can take a hiatus and come back <br />and run again. If the person is that good, they’ll be able to do it, or move on to another position, if it’s within their will to <br />continue public service. I think the term limit is needed. It is done with the President. It’s done with the Governor. It’s done <br />with the Mayor. If it wasn’t so popular to do with the President, then the whole populace would have changed, but it’s not, <br />and it’s there for a reason. And I agree with it, and I think it should stay. <br />RAY: Other? I introduced, and we had on the last election, the change in the Council terms from 4 two-year to 2 four-year, <br />and I don’t like term limits either, but I think you’re talking about political nightmare to put this up. You just walk into a buzz <br />saw. <br />HIGASHI: I don’t know. <br />RAY: I think you really need - and we’ll be discussing this more and more, the strategy of what the overall package looks <br />like, but I think we have to be really careful. I’ve already voiced my apprehension over the last thing we voted on, so I think <br />if we go for the term limits too, it’s going to be way too controversial, but that’s my feeling. <br />HIGASHI: We’re not here to worry about if it’s controversial or not. We want to put things on the ballot that maybe people <br />will be interested. We’re not pushing it. <br />RAY: Okay, but, I think we want to put together a package that is digestible and has a chance for success. That’s part of the <br />strategy. <br />HIGASHI: As long as we separate it so it doesn’t effect another issue. Term limits is a separate issue, and they vote on that. <br />If we start to tie it into other, like at-large, then it may be more complicated. <br />RAY: Gary, did you have something to say? <br />YOSHIYAMA: For clarification, we’re talking term limits for the Council, I assume. <br />file://\\coh01\cohweb\council\charter_commission\minutes\minutes 12-04-99.html7/1/2011 <br /> <br />