Results tagged “thirdterm”

Apparently, today's a bad day to be the richest and most powerful person in New York City. In the wake of last night's not-as-big-as-predicted victory over Democrat Bill Thompson, the press has decided that Mayor Bloomberg's easy days are behind him. The Times thinks that for the first time in years, the mayor "finds himself governing New York City from a most unaccustomed vantage point: Vulnerability" — a fact that "could have profound implications for the tenor of a third Bloomberg term, not least that it is likely to hinder the mayor’s well-honed ability to cow Democrats and liberal interest groups."

Many months after the City Council voted to approve extending term limits, an appeals court has upheld a lower court's ruling that Mayor Bloomberg can run for a third term. CityRoom says, "To the term limits opponents who hoped the courts would overthrow a law allowing city elected officials to run for a third term this fall, the fight is essentially over." One lawyer for the plaintiffs, Norman Siegel, wasn't sure if there would be another appeal but did say it was "a dark day for democracy and for the voters of New York City." Last November, Mayor Bloomberg had signed the bill after hearing from angry as well as pleased New Yorkers.

Fancy that: After kicking open the doors to a third term bid, Mayor Bloomberg's approval rating has gone up to 69%, from 66% in November, according to a new Quinnipiac poll. Quinnipiac points out this "puts him back on a track of 69 percent or higher approval ratings in every other poll since he began his second term." Interestingly enough, respondents still approved of term limits 69-25% and disapproved of the City Council's decision to extend them 56-42% (they just seem like to Mayor Bloomberg?).

Update, 4:35 p.m.: The City Council voted 29 votes in favor of extending term limits, to 22 votes against. Each member had the opportunity to explain their votes. Council member James Oddo, who voted against the legislation, wished he had some f-bombs left over and quoted the West Wing: "Quando dio vuole castigarci ci manda quello che desideriamo."/ "When the gods wish to punish us they answer our prayers." (Oddo said he hoped the gods were busy today.)

Though City Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced that the City Council would vote on whether to extend term limits from two terms to three for a number of elected positions--most notably for Mayor Bloomberg and his third term dreams. Council members Bill DeBlasio and Letitia James filed a petition with the State Supreme Court to stop the vote. Their argument is that it's in violation of the Conflict of Interests law, because extending term limits would apply to Council members, as well as the mayor, public advocate, comptroller, and borough president.

A Northwestern University sophomore has a column in student news magazine North by Northwestern titled I propose President Bloomberg. Ben Armstrong even refers to the current term limits battle:

Though New Yorkers have reservations about abolishing term-limits to allow Mayor Bloomberg to continue his reign without inhibition, describing it as a benevolent dictatorship, a Bloomberg presidency would not be one. In fact, since no members of Congress would feel obliged to support him (and his advisers would be bipartisan), there would be significantly more checks on his actions.

Mayor Bloomberg formally announces that he will work with the City Council on legislation to add another term to the two-term term limits and, if it passes, he will sign it and run for mayor in 2009.

The Post reports that notable independent Mayor Michael Bloomberg will "likely...create a new third party for his re-election bid next year, while also seeking support from major parties." Ah, that's the opportunist mayor we know, who changed from a Democrat to a Republican in time for the 2001 election and then shed the GOP coat to go beyond partisan politics last year! The Mayor is expected to make his third term announcement at noon today.

As to be expected, there's divided opinion on Mayor Bloomberg's expected announcement that he will purse a third term as mayor.

Any third term aspirations Mayor Bloomberg has got a vote of confidence from fellow billionaire Ronald Lauder--who funded the previous campaigns to implement term limits. Lauder told the Post, "I've been reading that Mayor Bloomberg might be interested in serving a third term. Because of the unprecedented times, this is welcome news. To me, Mayor Bloomberg's brilliance in the financial sector, particularly Wall Street, would be invaluable."

Mayor Mike sure likes to keep people guessing. Yesterday the mayor altered his position on any extension to the term limits law, saying that he would consider a change to the rule that will force him out of office next year if City Council were to send a bill his way.

What a different five years makes: The NY Times shares some interesting data on how Mayor Bloomberg has convinced low-earning New Yorkers he cares about them.

Since it's been about two months since Mayor Bloomberg said, "I’m not seeking a third term," it's time for third term rumors to pop up again. Today, the NY Times reports the billionaire mayor is considering another run as Mayor or maybe doing something in Albany.