Term Limits Similar to Murrieta's Measure C Proposed for Temecula

A group plans to make a controversial ordinance for Temecula that will cap politicians' time in office, crafted after Measure C which is being fought over in Murrieta.

George Rombach, a member of the Temecula-Murrieta Republican Assembly, made the announcement during a meeting Friday night. The group plans to file its paperwork to start the process this week.

The meeting was broadcasted live from the banquet hall during the Rick Amato Show on AM 590, KTIE News Talk.

Talk show host Rick Amato mediated the meeting which included several speakers, including author Phil Leberatore, author of “God, Money, & You,” and Ernie White, who helped lead anti-mosque protests in recent months.

George Rombach, best-known for heading the efforts to stop plans to build a mosque in Temecula, pledged to craft an ordinance to limit city council members’ terms.

The current members joined the council for more than five years ago. Mayor Ron Roberts joined in 1992, Jeff Comerchero in 1994, Mike Naggar joined in 1999, Chuck Washington joined in 2003 and Maryann Edwards joined in 2005.

No limit is on the books for how long a person can be on the council, and that’s a problem, Rombach said.

“I don’t approve of career politicians from a general standpoint” he said. The longer somebody is in office, the greater the temptation for corruption becomes, he said.

“If it’s good for the president, why not our representatives,” Rombach said.

He crafted the plan after several members of his club wrote ordinances for the Murrieta City Council. They gathered enough signatures to put them on a ballot, and Murrieta residents voted it in.

The city is struggling to implement them legally, though putting them into action would break several standing laws, Murrieta officials said. Rick Gibbs once called the ordinances a "weapon of mass destruction" on the city's ability to govern itself.

The ordinances might face the same kind of resistance in Temecula, so he and the club are ready for a long struggle, he said.

“They’re refusing to install them the way they were voted in,” Rombach said. “The fight’s going to continue.”

If resources and time allow, Rombach plans to write two more ordinances: one will cap the council members’ compensation, and the other will cap the city manager’s pay.

Shawn Nelson, Temecula’s city manager, makes $336,288 annually, according to the state controller’s Local Government Compensation report.

Rombach has high hopes for the ordinances. “We’re hoping the term limits initiative will continue city by city, county by county,” he said.