With all the activity surrounding the primary elections coming up tomorrow, the battle over term limits can easily be lost in the fray. That is why concerned citizens and good government groups are coming together to fight back against the Mayor and City Council's effort to rescind what the people put in place in the 90s. The people voted for our elected officials to serve two terms and two terms only and People Have Spoken Coalition is determined to keep it that way.
From The NY Sun:
"We call upon our fellow New Yorkers — anyone and everyone — to join us in this important citywide effort in maintaining the existing law," a former head of the New York Civil Liberties Union, Norman Siegel, who helped organize the event, said. "The City Council should not undo the people's will."
Mr. Siegel was joined by several local leaders, including City Council Member Bill de Blasio and state Senator Eric Adams.
New Yorkers voted to support term limits in two referendums during the 1990s. Now, with about two-thirds of the City Council set to be forced from office next year, along with the popular Mayor Bloomberg, legislators have discussed changing the law anyway.
No such bill has yet been submitted, but those in favor of term limits are trying to beat it to the punch. A billionaire businessman, Ronald Lauder, financed a television ad campaign this weekend comparing politicians to diapers that need to be changed regularly. Mr. Siegel said the coalition announced yesterday will coordinate with Mr. Lauder's group, New Yorkers for Term Limits.
Backed by a few prominent politicians and big money in the way of Ronald Lauder, this is no small operation. It really is a shame that we have to fight back against council members that resist the public's wishes. If they really wanted to do this in a just manner, it would have been put to a vote across the city, not just for the 51 members of the Council. Congrats to Bill de Blasio for bucking the trend and for everyone that stands up to this anti-democratic maneuver.
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