New Yorkers voted twice for term limits for elected officials. Now the Mayor wants to overturn the will of the voters by passing a power-grab law that would allow him to serve another 4 years.
This isn’t a debate about how good or bad a mayor Bloomberg has been; it’s about whether or not, in a democracy, it is okay to disregard people’s votes. At the very least, New Yorkers need a chance to weigh in on this decision.
I'm calling on the City Council Speaker and Councilmember Felder to prolong any council vote until public hearings can be held in all five boroughs. There is no reason to rush a vote on October 23rd when we could easily wait until more New Yorkers have had the chance to make their voice heard. Even the mayor's own Charter Revision Commission in 2003 scheduled public hearings in all five boroughs, all in the evening so that working New Yorkers could attend.
Currently, the City Council is planning on hosting two public hearings: Tomorrow October 16 at 1:00 pm Council Chambers at City Hall and Friday, October 17 at 10:00 am Committee Room at City Hall. I encourage you to attend if you can. However, two public hearings held in Manhattan simply aren't enough, especially for New Yorkers who work 9-5.
Which is why I am co-sponsoring a public forum (with Councilmembers Letitia James and Bill de Blasio) this coming Sunday from 2:30 – 4:30 pm at the Lafayette Presbyterian Church, 85 South Oxford Street between Lafayette and Fulton. First and foremost, I believe that it is undemocratic to undergo fundamental change in New York City government without extensive public input, so I urge you to attend this public forum and voice your opinion on term limits.
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