Jesse Petrilla is running for city council in Rancho Santa Margarita in 2010 and today he announced he plans to submit the necessary paperwork to place a term limits initiative on the ballot during his election.

Term limits have been a serious disaster for our state government in Sacramento and they offer no positive change in local government.  Petrilla is an ambitious candidate, I respect his action-oriented campaign style.  But his plan would not improve the lives of residents or make his city's government run better.

Term limits generally have the opposite of the intended consequences.  They empower bureaucrats and lobbyists and people involved in government who cannot be limited to eight years on the job.

Rancho Santa Margarita is a well run city.  The reason their city council continues to meet voter approval and win re-election is be that the voters appreciate the job the city council is doing.  They are a smart and involved electorate in that city.  If they wanted to, if things were off on the wrong track, a handful of successful and politically connected residents (many of whom I know personally) would make noise and make a new city council. 

Petrilla's move may be well intentioned but it is also a smart political move to have a issue to champion while running for office.  However with limited funds, it could be prove to be a distraction from his need to raise significant funds to take on incumbents next November.