Quinn Was For Term Limits, Then Against Them And Now No One Knows

Speaker Christine Quinn is a hard woman to peg when it comes to getting a decision on term limits. While we have previously have her on record last year opposing a change in the law, it turns out that she was in favor of repealing it three years ago. Now in 2008 with the Mayor banging down the door trying to get another term, she's awfully tight lipped even after the competing resolutions on the matter have been introduced.

From The Observer:

Quinn told the room full of reporters she wouldn't be taking a position yet, and instead, spoke about bills being introduced in the Council today that deal with housing and land-use issues. (Penn South is getting J51 tax breaks!). When there were no questions on the housing bills, Quinn went back to term limits.

“I’m not reluctant to take a position, and I will take a position” Quinn said, adding that she has an “obligation to make sure I consult and get input from my colleagues." Quinn was frank that the obligation to seek input "doesn’t eliminate my ability to come to my own position.”

But she's taking her time, she said, because of the magnitude of the issue.

Quinn also said that even if she opposed the bill, her office no longer has the unilateral authority to stop it from being introduced and ultimately pushed onto the floor for a vote.

The article notes that there will be hearings next week allowing the public to voice their concerns. That could be a good thing because the Council is slowing the pace with all of the outcry from around the city against the bill. Of course, it could also be a platitude that gives people the impression that the Council cares about people's concerns but at the end of the day the Mayor gets what he wants. Either way, we'll have to wait and see.

Quinn's last statement (written in the Observer at least) on her authority over the bill is worrisome to me. It sounds like she is preemptively distancing herself from the outcome of the vote so that if it passes, she can try and wash her hands of the corruptive stench. If it fails, she can continue to run (unofficially for the time being) for Mayor and show the people that she wouldn't bow down to King Bloomberg.

Well played Speaker, well played.