Mayor Phil Hardberger could have easily walked away from the battle to loosen San Antonio's City Council term-limit rule. After all, the mayor has stacked up a long list of impressive accomplishments during his tenure as mayor. And he doesn't want to stay in office forever. He interrupted his well-earned retirement to serve the city. He'll be quite happy to return to his sailboat next summer. But in a recent conversation, Hardberger said that from his temporary inside view of City Hall, he saw that the damage done by the strictest term limits in the nation is far more than he realized before being mayor. The usual criticisms of term limits hold true, Hardberger said. The revolving door keeps on spinning new faces into city government at a dizzying pace. Staff loses time and momentum training newly elected officials. Eight of the current 10 district representatives are rookies. The turnover takes a toll in developing long-term vision and completing long-term projects for the city in addition to heaping excessive stress on city staff. San Antonio Mayor Phil Hardberger served as a Peace Corps Staff member in the 1960's.
Hardberger has earned a hearing on term limits
Hardberger has earned a hearing on term limits
Bruce Davidson - Bruce Davidson
Mayor Phil Hardberger could have easily walked away from the battle to loosen San Antonio's City Council term-limit rule.
After all, the mayor has stacked up a long list of impressive accomplishments during his tenure as mayor.
And he doesn't want to stay in office forever. He interrupted his well-earned retirement to serve the city. He'll be quite happy to return to his sailboat next summer.
But in a recent conversation, Hardberger said that from his temporary inside view of City Hall, he saw that the damage done by the strictest term limits in the nation is far more than he realized before being mayor.
The usual criticisms of term limits hold true, Hardberger said. The revolving door keeps on spinning new faces into city government at a dizzying pace. Staff loses time and momentum training newly elected officials.
Eight of the current 10 district representatives are rookies.
The turnover takes a toll in developing long-term vision and completing long-term projects for the city in addition to heaping excessive stress on city staff.
But Hardberger said he hadn't previously realized the importance of allowing relationships to development both inside the government and with the community that interacts with City Hall.
The lack of longevity on council prevents stability that would benefit the community. For example, builders don't what to expect from council term to the next. Even if they don't like the positions of incumbents, they could at least know what they are dealing with if council has reasonable stability.
So Hardberger decided to fight the fight. He'll either have a crowning victory for his tenure or a bruise on his record.
Either way, he didn't personally need the battle. Hardberger's motive is to improve city government.
He wasn't the business establishment's first choice to be mayor when he ran, and he will not be asking for help again. This is his last stop on the political merry-go-round.
So when this mayor says term limits are a problem, skeptical voters should take another look at the situation.
And Hardberger's proposal is modest to be sure.
If voters approve the plan in November, future mayors and council members would be eligible to serve four two-year terms. Period. Voters would have the opportunity to toss them out every two years.
But a successful council member that maintains support from constituents would be able to stick around long enough to leave more lasting fingerprints on the city.
Term limits would remain in place. Nobody could hold a post more than eight years. Lifetime entrenchment would not be an option.
The plan would give city government more stability, and citizens should welcome that.
San Antonio has grown in many ways since term limits were approved in 1991.
City government is complex and deserves elected leadership that can stay on the job long enough to flourish for a while.
Few would deny that the city would be better off if former District 4 Councilman Richard Perez and former District 5 Councilwoman Patti Radle had been eligible to stay on the job for an additional two terms.
So the debate is underway, and hysterical rhetoric slamming Hardberger's effort is a given.
But a cold, sober look at the proposal will show it makes sense. It can give the city more stability while keeping a tight leash on council members.
If Hardberger, a mayor whose motives clearly are without any personal agenda, can't pass it, San Antonio will be stuck with debilitating term limits for a long, long time.
