Monday, October 6, 2008

Bill Paves Way for a Third Term for Bloomberg




City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn said on Thursday that legislation to alter the city’s term limits law would be introduced on Tuesday, paving the way for Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Ms. Quinn and more than 40 other elected officials to stay in office four more years.

The Council’s vote on the measure — which Mr. Bloomberg has pushed for behind the scenes — could come later this month, Ms. Quinn told reporters at a news conference. And while she declined to reveal her position on the legislation, she said she would meet with other members of the Council to discuss the bill and “move forward in the process after that.”


Ms. Quinn’s remarks came on a dramatic day at City Hall, as Mr. Bloomberg for the first time explained why he wanted to run for another term. Her comments, and the rapid timetable she described, immediately set off criticism that a deal had already been struck between the mayor and Ms. Quinn, who has been his close ally, to overhaul the term limits law, which restricts citywide elected officials to two four-year terms.


No comments: