Councilman Oliver Koppell is putting his neck out for many of New York's elected officials (and himself too) that want to remain in office past the date that term limits set for them. If you remember, it was the people of New York that voted to set term limits for politicians that get elected to office in our city. Now a little more than half the council is in support of extending the limits by four years (to twelve) and by stroking Mayor Bloomberg's ego, they might just pass the extension. Oh and by the way, their reasoning is pathetic.
From The Gothamist:
Bronx Councilman Oliver Koppell has taken the next (baby) step towards repealing the city's term limit laws, promising to introduce a bill proposing to extend them within weeks. Previously the Council were waiting for Mayor Bloomberg to confirm he would sign such a bill into law. But Koppell is ready to take the lead in extending the eight-year limit to twelve; he tells City Room that limits “cut off people’s careers in politics, which makes no sense.” He would like to see Speaker (and potential mayoral candidate) Christine Quinn introduce the bill, but says he will go forward with it if she does not. The Council would then have sixty days to decide whether to send the bill forward to the mayor, but Koppell claims such a bill could pass through Council "within twenty-four hours."
Um Oliver, you have got to be kidding me on that one right? First of it is the right of the people to change a law that they enacted. To go behind the backs of the voters of this city is at the very least severely unethical. It should go against the city charter and be illegal. Koppell and the rest of the supporters should be ashamed of this. If they really feel so strongly about extending the term limits or abolishing them, then go to the voters. Instead we see this dirty maneuver that testifies to the reason term limits were put established in the first place.
|