When Mayor Bloomberg bent the rules and extended term limits before the last election, his explanation was that the city was in financial straits and that he — and he alone — could handle the tough task ahead. It didn’t matter that the citizens had voted to have term limits — twice, in fact — and that it was law. Emperor Mike just changed the rules and charged full-steam ahead.
When asked at a Harlem press conference what his position was on the Charter Revision Commission’s latest attempt to re-enact the term limits law, with the caveat that those in office now would be allowed to remain in office for up to three terms, he came out against the plan put forth by the 15-member panel he convened.
“You should decide what is the best for the city, and not what’s the best for any particular elected official,” he declared.
Through his spokesperson the mayor also pointed out that he only supported overturning term limits because of the “implosion of the world economy” in 2008.
“This was an extraordinary, one-time thing,” the spokesperson said.
It has always amazed me how Mayor Mike couches every mandate with the “It’s better for you in the long run” rational. Like a benevolent father, he is always emptying out our pockets for our own good.
Bull-cocky. I don’t see the city in any less of a financial crisis as a result of his third term. In fact, a quick look shows that the “evil financial crisis” is still looming: unemployment rates are up; we’re still struggling to make ends meet; Con Edison’s rates are higher; water charges are higher; parking violations are higher; taxes on cigarettes are higher; real estate taxes are higher (even though real-estate prices are down); and sales tax on clothing will be reenacted.
To quote Elton John, “Livin’ in the city ain’t where it’s at.”
But Mayor Mike doesn’t want another term, so now term limits are OK.
To be fair, and on the flip side, thanks to Emperor Mike, our fat intake at restaurants has been curbed, our sidewalks are safer than ever before from second-hand smoke, and we can sleep easy knowing that the mayor is on sodium patrol.
Not for nuthin’,™ but I shudder to think what life would have been like had he not rescinded term limits from the get-go.
