Judge Orders Ballot Measure Title To Be Changed

Judge Orders Ballot Measure Title To Be Changed
(CBS) LOS ANGELES A judge who agreed the title of a ballot measure that would allow City Council members to serve three terms instead of two was misleading, Thursday ordered that the measure be changed.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert H. O'Brien directed the city clerk to change Proposition R's title from "Councilmember Limits of Three Terms" to "Lengthening Councilmember Term Limits to Three Terms."

The League of Women Voters is a leading sponsor of Proposition R, which also includes new lobbyist restrictions. The measure on the Nov. 7 ballot is also endorsed by the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.

Dan Pasley, a Los Angeles voter, sued the city Aug. 22, claiming the title of the proposition and some of the written arguments in favor of it were false or misleading.

In addition to ordering the title changed, O'Brien ruled that the words "no travel junkets" and "appointed commissioners, board members and high-level employees" should be deleted from the ballot argument in favor of Proposition R.

Both phrases pertained to the part of Proposition R that would change regulations concerning lobbying. O'Brien said the word "junket" is slang and has no legal meaning.
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"We're very happy the judge acted to clarify the matters," Pasley said outside the courtroom.

In a separate lawsuit filed by Liza White, president of the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles, the judge also ordered that wording in the anti-Proposition R ballot argument be changed from "written by lobbyists, for lobbyists" to "written by lobbyists."

However, a third lawsuit, filed by West Los Angeles resident Neal A. Donner, is asking that Proposition R be removed from the ballot entirely for improperly addressing two unrelated issues -- term limits and lobbying restrictions.

O'Brien will rule on that lawsuit Wednesday.