From City Hall:After last Tuesday’s big win for term limits proponents with an overwhelming 2-1 margin in favor of reinstating a two-term limit on elected officials, the issue, which has been eating at many New Yorkers since Michael Bloomberg’s 2008 decision to overturn the law, would appear to finally be settled.
But Anthony Perez Cassino, a lawyer from the Bronx and member of this summer’s Charter Revision Commission, says he is not done yet. Cassino is already putting together the pieces for a new term limits battle next year.
In August, after a protracted and confusing procedural fight, the Charter Revision Commission decided by a small majority to allow all officials who were elected before Nov. 2, 2010, to serve a full three terms.
That means the two-term limit approved by voters on Tuesday would not fully kick into effect until 2021.
During the commission hearings, Cassino argued that this would be an affront to the voters who clearly had twice stated that they wanted all officials to have two terms. And even before the term-limits vote on Tuesday, Cassino was laying the groundwork for a citizen-led ballot question in 2011 that would give voters the chance to also roll back the term of all current elected officials from three to two.
“I’m 100 percent on board with the idea,” Cassino said. “We didn’t go far enough to heal the wounds of 2008.”
The change would affect all City Council members elected in 2005 and 2009 (plus Council Member David Greenfield, elected in 2010), as well as Public Advocate Bill De Blasio, Comptroller John Liu, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.
Cassino has already begun to reach out to current and former elected officials who might support the effort, potential donors who could pay for a signature gathering effort, and a prominent election lawyer to fight legal challenges.
14 comments:
I wasn't two times, it's now THREE times voters chose a two term limit !
Someone told me the other day that they started to have doubts about voting in favor of the term limits.
"If enough people like the candidate, why shouldn't they run again?" The idea behind this is that if the candidates are disliked by enough voters then they won't get another term.
How would you reply to that? And let's be civil about it.
Let's face it, the incumbent has a powerful lead on anyone who runs against them. They build a powerful base year after year. My opinion is that they just play to that base and reward them with money ( they control the purse strings for sure). You get in a rut. They take care of their friends and the public be damned. They build empires with public money.
IF I THOUGHT THE POLITICIANS HAD ANY INTEREST IN THE PUPLIC GOOD I WOULD LET THEM STAY FOREVER BUT LET'S FACE IT MOST OF THESE CAREER POLITICIANS ARE ONLY THINKING ABOUT STAYING IN POWER.
One term works for me and I don't want to wait till 2021 to get rid of the present crop of politicians and watch them get richer and richer on our tax money.
The latest term limits vote was at least going back to how it was, not perfect at all if we are waiting out those in office to get rid of them.
I want to see state-wide term limits enacted to dissolve Albany's crap out of existence. The Sheldon Silver's of Albany powers should be struck down and what better means do we have than term limits!
Please refer to Einstein's definition of insanity on this one.
All you have to look at is the CORRUPTION that is the culture of Albany.
Same for the City Council. No difference. Same shit different day.
AND, and..not one word about the fact that a 38 year incumbent (Padavan) was unseated by Tony Avella Democrat.
The biggest upset in all of Queens, possibly New York City...not a word here.
Great job.
Um, that was posted here on election night as soon as it was announced. Thanks for paying attention.
-Thanks for paying attention.-
You are right. My apologies.
Time to get the hell out of New York.
Bravo!
Kick those scum-bums out!
3 times the voters have spoken!
Wait for the City Council to find a way around the term limit issue again. We'll never get rid of these career criminals. I don't understand why our vote doesn't count. I also don't understand how the same crap gets voted in again and again. Time to move out of NYC.
move to where? It's not like the problems of NY are unique to NY. Wherever you move to you'll end up with the same complaints a few weeks/months after you settle.
But this is pointless since I doubt any of you "time to move" comments will ever move out.
I don't know of any other municipality where the vote of the citizens was overruled by the governing body because a megalomaniacal mayor wanted a third term so he could have a platform from which to run for president. Please cite examples.
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