In August, I posted a blog entry stating that: In 2009, "The mayor, the comptroller, and the public advocate have all used up their turns at the dance...two thirds of the city council and four out of five borough presidents will also be ousted due to term limits." I also stated that, "With all of the mandatory changes on the horizon, now is as good a time as any for New Yorkers to start wielding their political power." However, the game has now changed.After making repetitive bold-faced denials to the press concerning seeking an unprecedented third-term, Mayor Bloomberg has done an about face and has introduced a new legislative bill requesting to increase New York City politicians' term limits from two terms to three terms.
The modus operandi that Bloomberg has used to slip the bill to the city council has been very Machiavellian. His initial denials, ate up the time that dissenters of the bill could have had to organize and protest it. [SIDEBAR: How's that for democracy at work?] According to the New York Daily News, this bill could come to a vote in the city council in as early as two weeks. With 35 city council members soon to be ousted due to term limits, it is no mystery as to how many of them will vote. However, I implore the elected officials who have the power of the ballot on this issue to put the people first. Their first and last loyalties should be to the constituents that they serve.
After seeing eminent domain, and other economic and social perils, proliferate in the city during Bloomberg's terms as mayor, I am personally not looking forward to him serving a third term.
The mayor who serves the city for the upcoming term should be one who has the interest of the average New Yorker at heart. During these perilous times, the last thing we need is another politician at the helm who will bailout corporations with "the people's money," while "the people suffer."
Make sure your voice is heard by your city council representative!
No comments:
Post a Comment