Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer would like to serve for a third consecutive term.
Dyer said Monday that he would run for reelection in 2028 if voters approve a proposed ballot measure to allow local officials to serve three terms in office.
The big picture: Dyer and City Council President Nelson Esparza are sponsoring a ballot measure to allow for a total of three terms in office, capping overall service at 12 years.
The measure would also ban termed-out elected officials from running for the same office ever again.
What they’re saying: Dyer and Esparza spoke at a press conference at City Hall on Monday, with the mayor saying he wants to continue the momentum his administration has built at City Hall, as long as his health holds out.
“And right now, I feel really healthy, energetic, passionate about the job, and I feel like we’ve got great things ahead of us,” Dyer said. “And I want to make sure I see it across the finish line.”
Dyer said he believes frequent turnover in local government is not healthy, adding that he believes the measure would add stability to City Hall.
State of play: Under the current rules, mayors and councilmembers are limited to two consecutive terms before they must leave office. However, they can run for the same position for another two terms after taking four years off.
The most notable example of that was former councilman and current Fresno County Supervisor Garry Bredefeld, who served from 1997 to 2001 and returned for eight more years in 2017.
While Bredefeld would be barred from running for Fresno City Council under the new rules, other former councilmembers who served for eight years would be allowed one final four-year term.
Dyer was first elected in 2020, and if the changes are approved by the voters, he could stay in office through 2032.
What we’re watching: The Fresno City Council will consider placing the proposal on the November ballot on Thursday.
If approved by the council, the measure would need a majority vote to pass in November.