Judge Denies Council Members' Attempt to Stop Term Limits Vote

Though City Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced that the City Council would vote on whether to extend term limits from two terms to three for a number of elected positions--most notably for Mayor Bloomberg and his third term dreams. Council members Bill DeBlasio and Letitia James filed a petition with the State Supreme Court to stop the vote. Their argument is that it's in violation of the Conflict of Interests law, because extending term limits would apply to Council members, as well as the mayor, public advocate, comptroller, and borough president.

Last week, the Conflict of Interests Board said the vote could go through, but the board is made up of mayoral appointees. Quinn is not too worried about the petition, "I was yesterday and I am today very optimistic that the mayor's bill will pass tomorrow." A Daily News source (an unnamed Council member) agreed, "They have the votes at this point. I went through them myself today, one by one, and I think they have it. They wouldn't put it on the floor if they didn't have it."

Council member Vincent Ignizio predicted to the Post "the outcome would be close, with fewer than 30 of the 51 legislators voting in favor." Twenty-six votes are needed; right now, NY1's tally finds 18 in favor of extending limits, 23 against, and 10 undecided. If you want to contact your City Council member about his/her vote, you can find their info here. Gotham Gazette has more details on the legislation here and the News got some feedback from an astrologer about the vote.

Update: The vote will go on tomorrow--a judge has denied the petition to block the vote.

Photograph from the City Council

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on October 22, 2008 3:27 PM

Comments [rss]

suepart

odds are that bloomberg will have bought this off as well by day's end, but kudos to the naysayers!

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

10 undecided (contact them we need 3 more to oppose the assault on democracy)

Maria del Carmen Arroy (D) Bronx marroyo@council.nyc.gov

*Gale Brewer (D) Manhattan

brewer@council.nyc.ny.us

Inez Dickens(D) Manhattan

dickens@council.nyc.ny.us

*Simcha Felder (D) Brooklyn

felder@council.nyc.ny.us

*Helen Foster (D) Bronx

foster@council.nyc.ny.us

*Alan Gerson (D) Manhattan

gerson@council.nyc.ny.us

*Melinda Katz (D) Queens

katz@council.nyc.ny.us

*James Sanders (D) Queens

sanders@council.nyc.ny.us

Tom White

twhite@council.nyc.gov

*David Yassky (D) Brooklyn

yassky@council.nyc.ny.us

*will be term out of office in 2010

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/86874/where-they-stand--council-split-over-term-limits/Default.aspx

Go to the NY1 link and contact those 10 undecided council members. We need 3 more and I seem the fix is in.

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

@thanks internet Handle, but we have little time now but I will send emails out tonight. I really think the fix is in. Inez Dickens, Gale brewer, etc are very unethical people.

hurhg

Screw Bloomberg. His supporters are are now a special kind-of scumbag.

nomnomnom

If the City Council is going to lift the term limits, I think the least they could do is put term limits on the ballot in 2009 (again) so the voters can voice their opinion.

Or what about extending a half-term for the mayor instead of a full one?

Internet Handle

The NY1 article provided all the e-mail addresses of the City Council members, but here they are in easy, copy-and-paste blocks. Since it looks like we won't be the ones voting, the best we can do is send a quick e-mail to the undecided members and those already planning to vote for Bloomberg (and against the people) telling them how we feel. You can also send an e-mail to those voting against Bloomberg, to let them know that you appreciate their support.

Undecided – Urge them to vote against the bill:

marroyo@council.nyc.gov; brewer@council.nyc.ny.us; yassky@council.nyc.ny.us; dickens@council.nyc.ny.us; felder@council.nyc.ny.us; foster@council.nyc.ny.us; gerson@council.nyc.ny.us; katz@council.nyc.ny.us; sanders@council.nyc.ny.us; twhite@council.nyc.gov;

Currently supporting Mayor Bloomberg’s bill – Ask them to reconsider:

baez@council.nyc.ny.us; koppell@council.nyc.ny.us; comrie@council.nyc.ny.us; emdilan@council.nyc.ny.us; fidler@council.nyc.ny.us; gonzalez@council.nyc.ny.us; jackson@council.nyc.ny.us; jrivera@council.nyc.gov; martinez@council.nyc.ny.us; nelson@council.nyc.ny.us; recchia@council.nyc.ny.us; reyna@council.nyc.ny.us; vallone@council.nyc.ny.us; seabrook@council.nyc.ny.us; sears@council.nyc.ny.us; stewart@council.nyc.ny.us; vann@council.nyc.ny.us;

Opposing Bloomberg’s bill – Send them a note of gratitude:

vgentile@council.nyc.gov; addabbo@council.nyc.ny.us; avella@council.nyc.ny.us; barron@council.nyc.ny.us; acomo@council.nyc.gov; eugene@council.nyc.ny.us; garodnick@council.nyc.ny.us; gennaro@council.nyc.ny.us; palma@council.nyc.ny.us; darlene.mealy@council.nyc.gov; deblasio@council.nyc.ny.us; vacca@council.nyc.ny.us; gioia@council.nyc.ny.us; weprin@council.nyc.ny.us; ignizio@council.nyc.ny.us; james@council.nyc.ny.us; lappin@council.nyc.ny.us; liu@council.nyc.gov; viverito@council.nyc.ny.us; mcmahon@council.nyc.ny.us; rmendez@council.nyc.gov; monserrate@council.nyc.ny.us; oddo@council.nyc.ny.us;

Complaining on Gothamist won't get us anywhere, so the least we can do is take three minutes to send quick e-mails to these Council members.

JacqueMehoff

yes it's a bad idea but the public voted for it twice.

and, if I recall the first time, the referendum was worded so badly that people got confused as to what they are for or against.

so, then it came to a referendum a second time and the results were the same.

even now I can see people getting confused by the wording "extending term limits" how can you extend limits? it's like going past 10 on a knob, we'll make it to 11. just word it so non lawyers can understand.

nycviabos

Term limits are a bad idea. The aim of rooting out entrenched politicians known for graft and sleaze is good. However, the "cure" forces out the good politicians as well. Enforcement of ethics rules and laws against kick-backs and bribery are a much more democratic means of stopping the ills caused by multi-term incumbants.