The Mill Valley City Council recently held its changing of the guard ceremony. Similar events occur in most Marin communities soon after elections. The office of mayor or board chair is switched among council members, successful candidates are sworn in and retiring members bid their adieu.
They are enjoyable events particularly in these dark days of our republic. It’s a reminder that at the local level our democracy-based republican government works well. At least among nonpartisan North Bay elected officials, mutual respect is often exhibited even among those who disagree on policy. Regular citizens volunteer for little if any pay for limited periods for pure community service.
John McCauley, Mill Valley’s outgoing mayor, represents those traits. A retired accountant for one of the traditional “Big Eight” firms, McCauley served two terms, in accordance with Mill Valley’s unwritten two- to three-term tradition. Despite entreaties that he should consider running for higher office, McCauley chose to return to everyday life.
His departing remarks represent the essence of small town representative government.
“Democracy should be messy and city politics are the purest form of democracy. There are no lobbyists, no party politics, no swamp,” he said. “Our council is generally led by elected people with a passion for service, not those seeking a political career. And as I have said after a few particularly contentious meetings, ‘the room is not the city.’
“The trick as an elected (official) is to balance what you hear from those who show up in chambers from what the view across town is before you deliberate.”
That’s why I‘m high on local government.
It’s a reminder of “the long walk,” a hallowed Massachusetts tradition. On their last day in office, outgoing governors exit the State House’s front door and walk alone down the steps into the crowd massed on the sidewalk. The act symbolizes not just the transfer of power but confirms that the outgoing governor is now just another Bay State citizen.
Belvedere and Ross have similar term-limit practices to Mill Valley’s tradition, but don’t tout it. Elected officials in San Rafael and a few other towns tend to avoid the seemingly lifelong tenure that some of their colleagues in other communities pursue.
Few said it better than past San Rafael Councilmember Paul Cohen upon his retirement after four terms in the face of easy reelection: “What could I accomplish in one more term that I haven’t already tried?”
Most of Marin’s local elected officials know when their expiration date comes up, whether it’s two, three or four terms. Yet, there remain a few council members, county supervisors, special purpose district directors and Marin Community College trustees that seemingly aim for lifetime tenure. For them, even the dim spotlight on minor posts is thrilling, fulfilling and forms their self-identity. Unfortunately, staying in office past their due date eliminates innovation while perpetuating “we’ve always done it this way” thinking.
Due to voter-approved initiatives, California’s partisan offices are subject to term limits. That leads to termed-out full-time politicians trying to move up the greasy pole of partisan political offices. The positive result: The best rise to statewide or federal office, while others fall to the wayside.
Term limits – either by law or by tradition – are positive. Congress and the U.S Supreme Court would benefit from time-in-office limits.
Term limits will never be instituted by those already in office. They could be imposed by the state Legislature mandating that locally elected officials serve a maximum of three or at most, four consecutive terms.
Voters could take matters into their own hands by mimicking Mill Valley. Create an instant “tradition” by demanding candidates for supervisor, council and special purpose district boards pledge to serve a maximum of four-year terms. When their time has expired, vote accordingly without exception.
