City Council debates term limits, takes no action

By Camille DeVaul · Wed Jan 21 2026

Councilmembers weigh two-term proposal against voter choice and experience

PASO ROBLES — During the Wednesday, Jan. 14, Paso Robles City Council meeting, the Council discussed whether or not the mayor and city council should have term limits.

During the Nov. 4, 2025 City Council meeting, Councilmember Steve Gregory requested, and the Council agreed, to revisit the potential enactment of term limits for elected officials. State law allows general law cities such as Paso Robles to adopt term limits for the mayor and/or city councilmembers, provided the limits are applied prospectively and not to terms already served. The only other City's in San Luis Obispo County with term limits include the City of San Luis Obispo and Grover Beach.

Gregory proposed having a two term limit for the mayor and council seats.

"I think as our population is growing, we are going to have I hope more people wanting to run," Gregory said. "I want to encourage people to be a part of the city because it is such an important job."

He also suggested that if someone is appointed to the position, that term does not count in their term limit.

Term limit structures are a local policy choice and may include two- or three-term limits, lifetime or consecutive limits, combined or separate limits for the mayor and council, and rules on partial terms. Any term limits measure must be approved by a majority of voters at a regularly scheduled election and may be placed on the ballot by voter initiative or City Council action, with a legal deadline of 88 days before the election.

Councilman Fred Strong made an argument against term limits saying that removing term limits would prevent anyone from serving the city to then serve at a state or federal level due to experience requirements.

Strong said, "We can never have a major position in the state or federal [government], which means we lose our influence in order to get the money and legislation and things we need from those places in order to have the type of city we have now."

He added that eliminating term limits would take rights away from the people to make their own decisions on who should be representing them.

"We learned just at the last election that they're term limits," said Strong. "They are called elections because we had a change in an office because of an election ... every single election is a term limit. And that up to the people, then to decide."

Councilman Chris Bausch agreed with Strong, while Kris Beal said she could see both sides of the argument, leaving her conflicted.

Mayor John Hamon agreed with the notion that the City does have term limits since each seat is up for election every four years. However, he agreed that the city needs new voices welcomed into the fold.

"I think it's important that we have availability of new voices, but I would also like to see people in the city come on to the planning commission, all these different opportunities to gain leadership and understanding of how the city works and move up to this level," Hamon said.

Gregory understood he was about 3.5 to one on limiting terms, which he was okay with.

Gregory "I brought the idea up because I like it, but I'm okay not liking it too," said Gregory.

Council then motioned to take no action on the item.

The next Paso Robles City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 3 at 6 p.m. in the Norris Room at Centennial Park.