Still Time for Voters to Decide on Term Limits?

Yesterday City Council members Bill de Blasio and Letitia James announced alongside mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner that they plan to introduce counter legislation to the council's bid to extend term limits on their own by sending the issue back to voters to decide in a special election this spring. The mayor's office said that it doesn't support such an election because they worry that it might not hold up legally, that the Department of Justice might not approve (as they must) a change that came from elections that notoriously draw low voter turnout. But an elections lawyer tells the NY Times that shouldn't be the case saying, "There’s no reason to think the Justice Department would be less favorably inclined were term limits changed by several hundred thousand people in a special election than if they were changed by 51 council members." Term limits talk should only heat up this week with both bills expected tomorrow.

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By Billy Parker in News on October 5, 2008 5:31 PM

Comments [rss]

shinyshiny

Mayor Mike Bloomberg has crowned himself Emperor of New York. The two term mayor has decided to sidestep legal term limits requiring him to step down next year by crowning himself sovereign ruler.

Insiders suggest he may already be planning an invasion to gain lands in nearby Nassau County.

http://www.weeklyworldnews.com/headlines/emperor-bloomberg/

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

Speaker Quinn is the worst council member in history. she and her slush fund can go to hell

NannyState

I'd advocate stricter term limits for the City Council: Absolutely no term for these bums whatsoever.

starrygordon

A noble captain is needed to go down with the sinking ship. Why not Bloomberg, with the most elegant nobility that billions can buy?

However, since term limits got rid of Giuliani, I have developed quite an affection for them.

blablanyc

Even thought there is the possibility voters will have their say on term limits, I do not care for the manner the topic of changing term limits has come about. Bloomberg may be the captain at the helm of a sinking ship if he is re-elected.

JacqueMehoff

there were 2 rallies, sat. and sun.

and bloomberg's in europe.

put it to a vote, it should not matter if there's a low turn out. and it's not a waste of money, democracy is not a waste of money, voting is not a waste of money.

HenryKrinkle

scum of the earth-all of them

SantosCollandriana

well...well...well, wherever there's a camera, there's Anthony Weiner! Fine, let's take it to voters, but why is a United States Congressman 'introducing' legislation to the City COuncil? Oh, that's right, there's a microphone in front of him. Good luck, WEINER!

saveferris47

Great idea - waste city money during a fiscal crisis to have a low turn-out election to determine if someone can run for election. Weiner should just concentrate on his campaign for mayor, not who else can or can't run.

rcltrh

Amen. We should decide, not the dictatorship in office now. Bloomburg has done some good things and some not so good, and probably wouldn't be the worst choice for the next 4 years, but regardless the people should be deciding whether to even allow him to run again - not the council/mayor himself.