Frometa’s push to extend term limits fails

DOWNEY, CA — Newly appointed Mayor Claudia Frometa’s push to loosen Downey’s term limits failed Tuesday night, ending a debate she first initiated in spring 2024 and marking the city’s first formal attempt to revisit term limits since voters rejected a similar proposal in 2008.

Frometa—elected in 2018 and set to be termed out at the end of next year—supported placing a term-limits expansion on the 2026 ballot as part of the city’s first comprehensive charter review in decades. She argued that Downey’s biggest, most complex projects require continuity and denied the move was aimed at extending her own time in office.

“I brought up the issue of term limits, not because I'm interested in continuing on another term, but… to give this city an opportunity to have seasoned experience and individuals that understand this community,” Frometa said.

“Downey voters are smart enough to either reject this or approve this, but at least give them an opportunity to do it,” she said.

But a lack of support from Councilmember Hector Sosa, who often aligns with Frometa politically, made clear early in the deliberations that Frometa was going to have difficulty getting the votes.

Sosa argued Downey’s current cap—a lifetime maximum of two four-year terms, established by voters in 1993 after a successful petition submitted by Councilmember Joseph Di Loreto—shouldn’t be touched. 

“Serving two four-year terms is sufficient,” Sosa said. “I have no interest in extending term limits.” 

Newly appointed Mayor Pro Tem Horacio Ortiz agreed with Sosa, saying that the current two-term limit upholds accountability. 

“We have eight years. We have eight years to really make change… and I think it's a good amount of time for us to really make good change to our community, and it holds us accountable,” he said.

Together with Councilmember Mario Trujillo—who has sparred with Frometa on issues ranging from the removal of the LGBTQ+ Pride flag at City Hall to the elevation of controversial, since-recalled Councilmember Catherine Alvarez to mayor pro tem—the three effectively shut down the measure.

Councilmember Dorothy Pemberton, another of Frometa’s political allies, partially supported Frometa’s argument for experience and raised an alternative included in the charter review: maintaining the two-term limit but allowing former officials to seek office again after a mandatory four-year cooling-off period.

“If somebody… is engaged in the community, and they take a pause, let's bring in some new blood… If they're still engaged in the community after that four-year period, and they want to come back, and they still have a lot to offer, I don't see why it shouldn't be allowed that they come back with the knowledge,” Pemberton said.

Such a structure would reopen eligibility for figures like former mayor Mario Guerra, who supported a 2008 ballot measure—Measure G—that would have allowed councilmembers to serve three consecutive terms before becoming eligible to run again after a two-year waiting period. Voters overwhelmingly rejected Measure G, with a whopping 67% voting no.

Guerra discussed Measure G on his Talking Downey podcast shortly after Frometa requested that staff examine a potential charter amendment last year, but he also made it clear that he did not intend to run again.

“I'm not talking about me,” Guerra said. “I will not be running for office even if something like this passes.”

“It always comes across as self-serving when the council brings it up,” he said.

Still, even Pemberton’s middle-ground suggestion failed to gain momentum.

“I thought about that a lot,” Ortiz said, referring to the waiting period option. “If we do this, eight years, the pause, then they run again… we're going to bring in politics to our community.”

In the end, the council unanimously approved 34 other charter amendments—an omnibus package including election administration, council vacancies, and contracting rules—to be placed before voters in 2026. Term limits was the lone amendment rejected and, for now, any attempt to extend council terms in Downey remains a nonstarter.

In a seemingly conciliatory gesture during the city’s annual reorganization moments later, the council appointed Frometa as Downey’s next mayor—her third appointment to the largely ceremonial position. 

The nomination came from Pemberton—who would have been next in line under the city’s on-again, off-again tradition of elevating the prior year’s mayor pro tem—and passed with only Councilmember Mario Trujillo voting no. Ortiz was named mayor pro tem in a unanimous vote.

“Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem,” Frometa said—referring to Pemberton—before crossing the dais to hug her.