Term limits to remain unchanged after council opts against ballot measure
City Attorney John Funk, Mayor Hector Sosa and City Manager Roger Bradley at a city council meeting on Aug. 12, 2025. (City of Downey photo)
DOWNEY – The Downey City Council on Tuesday opted not to pursue any changes to the city’s term limits, choosing to leave the current two-term maximum in place after reviewing recommendations from the Charter Ad Hoc Committee and hearing contrasting perspectives from council members.
The committee — composed of Mayor Hector Sosa and Councilwoman Claudia M. Frometa — was formed earlier this year to study potential adjustments to Downey’s charter.
Under the city’s existing rules, adopted by voters in 1996, council members may serve two four-year terms for a maximum of eight consecutive years.
In its report, the committee outlined several possible pathways for the council to consider. Those included asking voters whether to:
extend the allowable service to three consecutive four-year terms;
maintain a two-term limit but allow a former council member to return after a four-year break;
or eliminate term limits altogether.
The committee did not recommend one option over another, instead presenting the possibilities for discussion and possible placement on a 2026 ballot.
After deliberation, however, a majority of the council expressed support for keeping the existing structure intact.
Sosa was unequivocal in his opposition to any expansion of term limits.
“I believe that serving two four-year terms is sufficient for our positions as elected officials here in the city of Downey,” Sosa said. “I have no interest in an extension of term limits.”
Councilman Horacio Ortiz said eight years provides a reasonable timeframe for elected officials to implement policy goals while still ensuring they remain accountable to residents.
“We have eight years to really make change and I think it’s a good amount of time for us to make really good change in our community,” Ortiz said. “And it holds us accountable and makes sure we can really deliver to our community members.”
Frometa, however, reiterated that the conversation should be less about extending an individual member’s tenure and more about giving the city flexibility during complex, long-term projects. She pointed to the impending redevelopment of the south Rancho Los Amigos property as an example of a project that may benefit from continuity in leadership.
“I brought up the issue of term limits not because I’m interested in continuing another term,” she said. “The most important thing I think we need to think about is residents will vote or will vote out who they want or who they don’t want.
“My desire – not because I want to run for a third term – is to give this city an opportunity to have seasoned experience in individuals that understand this community. It can be a little difficult these days to find quality candidates going into public office, particularly when these positions don’t pay and we are all handling our full-time jobs.”
Mayor Pro Tem Dorothy Pemberton said her concerns stem from the risk of allowing elected officials to serve too long, citing neighboring cities where officials have remained in office for decades.
“Being now in this role my second year, I’ve learned from many cities that the cities that don’t have term limits – 20 years, 25 years – they’re stagnant cities. And that’s a long term,” she said.
Pemberton expressed support for the possibility of allowing former members to return after a four-year cooling-off period but maintained that the city should preserve its two-term cap.
The council voted to authorize several other updates to the city charter without changes to term limits. The updates will be considered by Downey voters in the November 2026 election.