Without giving the public much time to digest the Mayor's bid to run for a third term, the Council is rushing ahead to change the law and the will of the voters to allow him and themselves to run for one additional term. Majority Leader Rivera is confident in the strength of the bill, but he should be forewarned that there will be hell to pay for anyone that goes along with this.
From The NY Observer:
Unofficially, the bill to change the city’s term-limits law will pass the City Council with about 35 votes in favor, according to Majority Leader Joel Rivera, who spoke to me on the City Hall steps after the Council's Democratic caucus meeting.
As far as what divides the two camps, Rivera said there isn’t much of a split between members who will be term-limited out of office if the law doesn't change, and those that could run for re-election this year. The split, he said, fell along ideological lines: those who are willing to change the law legislatively through a Council vote, and those who think it needs to go before the voters.
Rivera also said nearly every Council member wants to vote on the bill “as soon as possible” so they know whether to run for re-election, aim for higher office, or file a lawsuit.
Councilman Robert Jackson, who supports changing the law, told me that even if Michael Bloomberg and Ron Lauder are shaping most of the public conversation, “It doesn’t matter." The issue, he said, is “pretty simple.”
Yes Mr. Jackson, the issue is very simple, either you respect the voters or you do not. You either pass a bill for the sole benefit of the Mayor and Council, or you do not. You either support oligarchy...I think the picture is crystal clear here.
Now the Council isn't all bad and those thirty-five votes aren't all written in stone. There are plenty of Council members that are against this bill. Tony Avella, Eric Gioia and my Councilwoman Rosie Mendez have all come out against it to name a few. To back up their words, they have introduced competing bills that put the city first and Bloomberg second.
Even on the editorial front things aren't so bad. While the NY Times is against term limits as a rule, the Times-Union understands the true issue here. It isn't about term limits, it is about respecting the rule of law and the will of the voters. If a majority of New Yorkers want to keep them based on the merits then that is the way it should be. Unfortunately, Bloomberg, Rivera and many others do not respect the way of the democratic process.
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