This is an opinion piece submitted by a member of the community. Their views do not reflect that of Downey Latino News. Got a rebuttal? Email us on this or any other issue affecting residents of Downey at [email protected].
Ernesto Valle
Editor’s note: According to the Downey City Charter, councilmembers are not allowed to be placed on the ballot after serving two full terms (defined as serving 50% or more of a four-year term). After discussion concerning altering term limits took place on June 11, the City Council voted in favor of creating an ad hoc committee to explore possible amendments to the city charter on June 25. Any amendment, including altering term limits, would require voter approval.
I’d like to bring up a topic that was discussed by the Downey City Council: changing term limits for councilmembers. According to Councilmember Claudia Frometa, this is a perfect time to bring it up. As a resident of Downey and a Recreation and Community Services Commissioner, I believe this is absurd.
“It’s been a very long time since we looked at term limits,” Frometa said at the May 28 City Council meeting. “I think we are at a point where we can have that discussion.”
According to a March 2023 poll by the Program for Public Consultation (PPC), 83% of those polled supported a constitutional amendment limiting the number of terms someone can serve in Congress. That begs the question, who in Downey is making this a top priority? With crime and homelessness out of control, it sure isn’t the residents! There are bigger issues to focus on!
When an incumbent runs for re-election, they are more likely to win because of name recognition and fundraising relationships. In Downey, fundraising relationships are key.
When incumbents feel secure, they don’t need to be attentive to their constituents and increasingly lose touch with the people. Term limits create more open-seat races where candidates have to earn the votes of the people and pay attention to their views. We’ve already seen what happens in other countries when only certain people are continuously allowed to run.
By having term limits, our elected officials would listen to the residents more. Case in point: recently, there was a vote regarding the construction of 34 new townhomes near Treasure Island in Northwest Downey. I’ve only started attending City Council meetings these past couple of years and never before have I seen so many residents continuously attend meetings to voice their concerns and disapproval of an item.
Many residents pressured the two most recently elected councilmembers—who won in a special election last year and will face the residents again this November—to vote against the project, vowing to vote them out if they approved it. Guess what? They voted no, and to the surprise of the “Old Guard”—namely former Mayor and current Planning Commissioner Mario Guerra, who criticized their vote against the project—the project was narrowly approved in what was supposed to be a 5-0 vote. Do you think they would have voted no if they were entrenched, longtime members of the City Council?
Change is good. Bringing in new blood with fresh ideas and perspectives, giving the people real choices–this is what democracy should be about. Not just keeping a happy few in power so they can continue to manipulate the system.
Remember, absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Being a resident of Downey, and having walked the streets and engaged residents during my city council bid in 2023, as well as talking to residents at council meetings, we are seeing a trend. Those in power seem to belong to a certain group that has banded together to remain in power.
All current councilmembers have hired the same campaign consultant: Hans Fritz (who is also executive director of the taxpayer-funded Downtown Downey Improvement District). A majority of the current councilmembers also enjoyed the endorsement of the “Downey Former Mayors Coalition,” which consists of former mayors.
Our current elected officials are an extension of former officials who still have their hands in the cookie jar and leverage influence on city affairs. It’s almost impossible for an outsider to have a real opportunity to make it onto the council without “kissing the ring.”
I’ll leave you with this. Councilmembers often say how much work they put in. How much harder the job is than what they thought it would be. They complain about how much criticism and personal attacks they have to endure. How much time away from their families they sacrifice. For a job that doesn’t pay. So why do they want to expand their rule? What’s in it for them?
I know I’ll be attacked, but that’s just my opinion.
