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Photograph of Bloomberg by Michael Sohn/AP
How far will Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn go in order to get term limits legislation passed through City Council? One source tells the Post that next year Quinn is considering "significant reorganizing of everything, including the Finance Comittee." Such a reshuffling might give the Speaker a convenient way give a push out the door to Finance Committee Chairman David Weprin, one of the most vocal critics of the term limit bill. That would cost Weprin $18,000 of annual salary he receives from his chairmanship.
For his part, the mayor denies that such threats would be part of courting term limit votes. However, Bloomberg did defend Quinn to the press saying, "Her job is to corral people and convince them to support legislation." And while some Council members are discovering a change of heart against extending term limits because of how the process has gone down, the mayor praised ones like Quinn who have had a turnaround in favor. Bloomberg said, "People that don't change their mind when the facts change are so dogmatic, they're not very practical or effective."
Meanwhile, it seems like opposition to the mayor's term limits bill is coming from a new direction everyday. Word is that the NYC Teachers Union is preparing to come out against it and yesterday the New York City Bar said they think the issue should go to a public vote. Plus Bloomberg foe State Senator Kevin Parker is planning to present legislation in Albany attempting to block any changes from taking place without a voter referendum. He went so far as to call the mayor "the worst kind of petty, grubby little politician that anybody has ever seen in this city."
You might even hear the term limits issue hitting the streets of your neighborhood. Today the Working Families Party announced that they have begun a large-scale campaign against the mayor's plan. They will be sending out 100,000 fliers and loudspeakers to the districts of seven undecided Council members. After the jump is a map from the Times breaking down district by district how the vote currently lies.
Map courtesy of NY Times
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One must look back at Mayor Mike's record and ask themselves, "Are you better off now?"
As uncle Ed Koch always asked, "How am I doing?"
Two terms is enough, not because of the qualifications for being a mayor but because of all the assholes they have working for them.
Whats wrong with extending term limits? If the people don't want him to stay, just vote him out. If they like the man, they'll vote to keep him. Extend it to three terms but no more than that.
so so so can't wait to see this turd go down.
because it will piss yuppies off.
so it's the same old pay to play game,
I'm so glad to see some honest politicians who know the real deal. Let the people vote. no backroom deals, no payola, no scratch my back.
To Kojak: the problem with extending term limits is that voters have twice voted in favor of a 2 term limit, and we should not make exceptions to the law based on one person and his desire to do something that the law does not currently permit. If we change the law, either by vote or through the City Council, the only position with integrity is for the current mayor and other elected officials to not be eligible for additional terms. Changing the laws to suit the wishes of interested parties is what got us into the big economic mess that we're in now.
It's not the elected officials that bother me as much as the appointed officials that suck city hall dick. That is what needs to be changed.
Some keep saying -- let him run, you can always vote against him.
Others say Term limits only passed due to Lauder's spending huge amounts on add campaigns to cloud the issue.
Herein lies the problem -- If allowed to run, not only will Bloomberg have the advantage of being the incumbant, but he will have a war chest that dwarfs his opponents with which to cloud the issues. For example, those of us in the trenches in education (in the schools) see a very different picture than the one Mr. Bloomberg regularly presents to the public.
I'll ask again. What has this man done to make the city more livable or vibrant? Trump at least throws some money back into the city. This guy has done very little considering his vast wealth.
Fight The Power!
I'm glad to see people fighting for what's right!
I have the feeling Quinn will suffer a nasty backlash from within her own party after the term limit fiasco is shot down. She won;t have to worry about reorganizing anything.
I actually canvass the area with flyers against council member Felder. I am glad Parker defeated him. Felder like Bloomberg have no heart and only hear $$. Bloomberg gave Felder over 5 million of our money to vote for congestion pricing.
Marion Barry, Sharpe James, and of course Sheldon Silver (known amongst the bitter old bubbes and zaides of LES as "that nice boy Shyeldon Seelvah") is proof enough to me of why term limits are important.
nooooo, get bloomberg out now...
if by some freak accident this passes it better start with the next mayor.