KTLA News: "Proposal to set term limits for the Mayor of Los Angeles" (1975)

[Unidentified speaker] [?] process. I move that the City Council establish by ordinance, or propose an appropriate charter amendment, [No audio] [Mayor Tom Bradley] I think that, ah, so long as we permit, the re-election or, ah, possibility of re-election, over and over again of the chief executive. Whether it is the, president or the governor or the mayor. I think we, further erode that, ah, possibility, of the new spirit. The, ah, new and innovative ideas that may come from different leadership. And it is for that reason that I propose the two-term limit, for the mayor. [Unidentified speaker] To limit the service of the mayor of this, Los Angeles, to, a two consecutive term, eight years. The committee met on this, in fact, the committee met on it several times and, ah, approved this long time ago but, ah, a new committee, ah, approved this on November 26th. [Camera noise] [Unidentified speaker] I thought I'd ask, [Unidentified speaker] the thing I wonder now, that, [Unidentified speaker] I'll substitute for, [Laughing] [Laughter] I was wondering whether Mayor Bradley, ah, is gonna, ah, acquiesce to the quest of Councilman Bradley. And of course, we're gonna  listen to that now. I might oppose this whole thing, I don't know. I think Mayor Bradley ought to say, [Camera noise]. [Unidentified speaker] Tom, do you want to stand there, or do you want to come down here? [Bradley] I can do it right here. It's no problem. Mr. President, thank you very much. Members of the Council, for permitting me to, come in and speak on my motion. [Laughs] I can assure you that though this motion was introduced while I was a  member of this body some, ah, eighteen months ago, that, ah, or more than that, ah. My attitude on the issue has not changed. I want to quickly assure you that after, a year and a half in office that I'm not tired of the job of mayor. And I have no intentions of, ah, of, ah, retiring, soon or quickly. But the concept that was involved in that motion, I think is a good one. In this country, we've seen, a number of examples of, arrogant abuse of power. We've seen a loss of confidence on the part of the voters. In the whole elective process. And in our leadership. I think that in every way we can we ought to provide for an insurance that there's going to, to be a refreshening of the spirit. A reinvigoration of the leadership at the executive level. Recognize the distinction between the executive office and, the legislative branch. And justices at the federal level. The Congress. The senators were not included. I had no intention of including the members of the City Council in this limitation process. I was talking strictly about the office of mayor. I think that eight years is long enough for, a mayor to, accomplish or to move his programs. And then to move on and let new leadership take over. Though I would be excluded by the, ah, recommendation of your committee report. Let me again assure you, as I did, two years ago, that I have no intentions of, ah, running or serving for more than two consecutive terms. And I think that, though you are, giving me the courtesy of excluding me from this provision.  I assure you that, ah, ah, my act will be to comply with, ah, the mandate that the people will establish, for any succeeding, mayor of this city. So I would hope that you would quickly and carefully consider  this recommendation. And pleased that, ah, Councilman Flores, [Camera noise] [Bradley] ah, some limitation on the chief executive of the city. [Bradley] Thank you. [Unidentified speaker] Mr. Mayor, perhaps, ah, [Unidentified speaker] We do have, [Unidentified speaker] Mr. Pines would like to speak also. All right, are you ready for Mr. Pines to speak. [L. A. City Attorney, Burt Pines] to be amended to include, [Pines] the City Attorney's position as well. [Pines] I have always felt that the city attorney, [Pines] ah, should be limited to two terms. [Pines] Ah, much as it would be proposed here in the case of the mayor's office. [Pines] Ah, like the mayor, the city attorney is a, [Pines] citywide elected position. [Pines] Let's face it. It is difficult to, [Pines] dislodge an incumbent on a, [Camera noise] that the City Attorney's Office be limited, ah, [Pines] in the same way to two terms. Certainly, that has, has always been my position. Ah, I think two terms is long enough and then a new city attorney should come aboard, with new ideas, new creative efforts. I think after eight years, ah, as far as, ah, the position of the City Attorney. Ah, you've reached the point of maximum efficiency and, ah, creativeness. And then it's time to turn the reins over to someone else. I think this is far different, for example, from a legislative position such as you occupy. Where there's a great deal of benefit to be gained, by the legislative experience, by knowledge of a particular district. All of that, of course, does not occur in the case of these citywide offices. So for that reason, I would hope that the council would consider, ah, changing this as well to, put on the ballot a provision to limit the City Attorney's Office, to two terms. Ah, that is the point I wanted to make, [Camera noise] [Unidentified speaker] This of course, is a new proposal, ah, to limit votes, [Unidentified speaker] By unanimous vote. [Unidentified speaker] Okay, thank you and keep your [?] properly. [Unidentified speaker] So I have nothing, nothing else to say. I think the Mayor's, [No audio]