I made the following statement to the Malibu City Council during the public comments period: “I’m here tonight to speak about the Council’s decision to adopt a change to the term limits laws enacted following a ballot measure overwhelmingly supported by the voters of Malibu just a few short years ago. When the vogue idea of term limits was sweeping the nation a decade ago, I decided that, as a matter of principal, I would be against term limits. My principal thoughts focused on the argument expressed a few weeks ago by Councilperson [Jeff] Jennings, namely that we would be surrendering control of the legislative function of government from experienced, oft elected, talented legislators to a bureaucracy of undetermined loyalty or bias, who for all intents and purpose would be beyond the control of our selected representatives. My recollection is that I did not support the measure on our local ballot.
“As we stand today, and given my observations about the council, electoral and governmental process in Malibu over the past five years, I wholeheartedly state that the existing two-term limit presently in effect is correct and should be maintained. I believe that there is a fundamental difference between the administrations of a city the size of Malibu and a city like Los Angeles. Certainly the State of California, which Councilperson Jennings cited, and also the federal government are so materially more complex and difficult to run that term limits in my view do create problems that legislators could not possibly deal with during a short tenure.
“I recommend that the council reconsider its present direction and not support a change to term limits. Further, that to avoid protracted litigation, those in office today who have served their full terms as the voters of Malibu best expressed a few years ago renounce the race and retire with dignity and my humble thanks.”
Jay Liebig