I have heard that Peter Foy is serious about not running for reelection to the board of supervisors. In his first election he claimed to be a farmer/business person. It is fun to tease him for that ballot designation but it turned out to be much smarter than the choices candidates for the Democratic nomination in the 24th congressional district made.
Recently, Peter Foy has joined up with a lower tax and smaller government group which doesn't believe government should take steps to fight global warming because it would result in higher taxes or more regulations. It seems the issues he is most interested in are dealt with at higher levels of government. But don't let that make you think he isn't interested in altering local government.
County Supervisor Peter Foy has delivered on a campaign issue to put term limits on the agenda for county supervisors.
According to this Star article it will limit supervisors to three consecutive terms. Someone could then take a term off and then run again.
None of the current supervisors could be forced from office before 2020.
How do you plan to vote on this initiative?
Being that the only competitive elections seem to be when there is an open seat I would think this would create more competitive elections locally. 12 years is a long time to be on a board especially when you consider state legislators get either six years ( state assembly) or 8 years ( state senate). I am at this point inclined to vote in favor of it.
Of course, it is true that long time incumbent supervisor Judy Mikels was defeated but that seems to be the perfect storm of three candidates with access to money and endorsements coming together from across the ideological spectrum to box her into a hard to defend position. Combine that with her unpopular support for local developments and it becomes something I don't expect to see often.
If you support term limits for county supervisor do you also support them for other offices like school boards and city councils?
Hi,
I live in the County and work mostly in Simi area as a Contractor I do get up here from time to time and do work. The time spent working on getting a job finished is so long I almost refuse to bid jobs there.
Over staffed Planning Division and Building Inspectors that are also Fire Dept... Planning running around there worrying if a window box with flowers in it will cross pollinate from one flower to another then making a new colored flower, of course not an approved color. The window box attached to the front of a building the Inspectors worry if the box will fall off the wall pulling the building to the ground and starting a fire.
So now after ever so many months of changing a small planter box design we have a little flower box with 4 feet by 4 feet foundation with steel posts attached to a steel flower box not allowed attaching to the building automatic fire sprinklers and a water curtain installed.
It is now five feet from the building now because it was classed by planning as another building on the same property a plastic divider will be between the pansy flowers thus we will not get rouge color than that approved by Planning. The building will not be pulled to the ground and start a fire because the new structure on the property is now protected with fire sprinklers and a water curtain. A $500 job is now a $16,000 job, taking 9 months not 2 days.
Annony
Have any of you heard about opposition to this proposed law?
I will be voting no to term limits as they are un-American. Foy must be un-American to have pushed to get this on the ballot!
Have we seen a surge in electing dedicated public servants to office since term limits were introduced? Hardly.
In the most practical sense, all that "term limits" means is:
a.) amateurs and inexperienced are elected to office; and therefore,
b.) the lobbyists and bureaucrats retain all the real power since they know how to get things done because they are there forever.
There is no real benefit to the electorate by such legislation, although in fairness to the Board of Supervisors this law does not really limit them except for the number of consecutive terms (no more than three) and then they are free to run again.
It also allows 12 years of consecutive office holding. That is a really long time.
Term limits are terrible. Are we saying the electorate is so stupid that they can't decide when the elected official representing them no longer represents them? Do we limit CEOs or CFOs? No. They are thrown out when they have become ineffective.
But even if you are for term limits, how is this term limits? You get elected for 3 terms. Then someone else runs for one term and then you can come back and run for 3 more terms. Looking at our political system will people vote for the elected who is unpopular today or the elected official who was unpopular 4 years ago. Knowing the human element, the good old days will be reelected - if they decide to come back. If you are going to put term limits on, put term limits on - not this useless hybrid. Nice try Mr. Supervisor to keep a campaign promise, by not keeping a campaign promise.
Term limits are terrible. Are we saying the electorate is so stupid that they can't decide when the elected official representing them no longer represents them? Do we limit CEOs or CFOs? No. They are thrown out when they have become ineffective.
But even if you are for term limits, how is this term limits? You get elected for 3 terms. Then someone else runs for one term and then you can come back and run for 3 more terms. Looking at our political system will people vote for the elected who is unpopular today or the elected official who was unpopular 4 years ago. Knowing the human element, the good old days will be reelected - if they decide to come back. If you are going to put term limits on, put term limits on - not this useless hybrid. Nice try Mr. Supervisor to keep a campaign promise, by not keeping a campaign promise.
It is easy to promote term limits now when you are planning to run for a state wide office in 2010. The word going around is that supervisor Foy will be running for one of the five offices that are also members of the state land use commission. This is why the supervisor has been travelling all over the state.
Kim,
Where did you hear the rumor from? I would guess he would want the seat in congress if the current member retires.
Brian,
I agree. 12 years is plenty of time to have an impact. You and I have had many debates about "career politicians". This would certainly level the playing field and guard against these John Flynn-like dynasties.
I think Pete is on the right track...
Flamo,
If Oxnard wants to elect people like John Flynn over and over why do you want to stop them from choosing their leaders?
I haven't made up my mind but I want to read the best arguments.
It isn't like people haven't tried to run against John Flynn. He is larger than life. His name ID is huge. Compare that to Simi Valley where people complain about the local elected officials but don't know their names!
Brian,
You've just said it - name recognition. That has so much to do with getting reelected. Oftentimes, it's not just about what politicians like Flynn have actually done, or not done, for their constituents, but it's more about recognizing a familiar name on a ballot.
Now, I'm certainly not saying that John Flynn doesn't have a core group of loyal supporters - he most definitely does. Or, that he isn't responsive to his constituents - I know he is. Or, that he isn't a tireless and effective campaigner - he most certainly is.
But, there is a certain number of folks out there that simply vote for the name they recognize on the ballot, and, therefore, getting elected over and over again in many ways becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Do you agree that simple name recognition plays a big part in getting reelected?
Of course name ID is a major factor but the name must be attached to something. Like core issues or what people think about that person.
Why is it the party out of power always says we need term limits?
Do you think we need term limits on the local city councils and school boards?
The strongest counter argument I have seen is that a constant shifting of members on a board makes it easier for a special interest group to control the board.
Who can control John Flynn? He seems near invincible.
But someone that is running for the first time usually leans heavily on special interest groups.
Do we want more of that influence?
Where were all you haters in Feb.? Could have used your passion to get rid of term limits then!
Mikels had the same degree of name ID as Flynn and it did her no good, at the peak of her tenure. While the former seemed to maintain a "closed door" policy and refused to address local issues until it was too late, the latter is known to respond to each and every one of his constituents, get out and walk the community and get involved in local issues early, rather than later. Granted, the VCRCC was instrumental in hobbling her campaign.
Interestingly, Foy has advertised a policy of not even looking at local issues until county staffers have prepared their recommendations.
Brian,
Again, you're speaking in ideal terms. Sure, the name should be attached to something. But, for some voters, the name, in and of itself, is enough.
Let's take Jim Monahan on the Ventura City Council, for example. How long has this guy been on the Council? 30+ years, if I'm not mistaken. Have you ever watched a Ventura City Council meeting? The guy is barely paying attention most of the time. But, yet, he gets elected time after time by enormous margins.
That is because people know his name. He's been on the Council forever and he serves as Grand Marshal of the St. Patrick's Day Parade downtown every year. Beyond that, I'm not sure of his value to the community.
Flamo,
When I say attached to an idea the idea doesn't always go very deep. Something like supports cops, supports business, conservative, liberal, or hard working.
I don't know all of John Flynn's policies. But it seems like he cares for the forgotten man, that he is hard working, and that he truly cares for people of all races. With another candidate that was running against him I couldn't attach much to their name, even though I have heard it for a few years.
It needs to be more than name ID but sometimes not by much.
Thanks for commenting here on my blog. I appreciate you reading and commenting. Even when you totally disagree with me.
I believe in term limits, but I think it should apply to the bureaucrat who sits behind the desk.
I have found that most politicians what to help their constituency, but the bureaucrat behind the desk has a different way of looking at things, or finds reason why you can't do something. Now I am not saying ALL bureaucrats fall in the same catagory, but perhaps they should have a 12 year window instead of an elected..just a thought.
Turning the bureaucrats into amateurs does not seem like a good idea for getting government to work.