This afternoon the shameless New York City Council overturned not one but TWO citywide referenda enacting term limits, to give billionaire autocrat Michael Bloomberg a shot at a third term. Coincidentally, NY1 notes, "[o]f the 51 councilmembers, 35 of them would have been prohibited from running for re-election next year had term limits not been extended."
Of course, none of the council members were thinking of themselves when they overturned the will of the people today. Christine Quinn, for instance, said she "believes this measure will allow New Yorkers a greater choice." Except with regard to the choice we already made, enacting term limits. Thanks Chris.
Edroso at the Village Voice live-blogged the proceedings, if you want the blow-by-blow. More info from NY1 below.
Term Limits Extended
Council Vote Clears Way For Bloomberg To Run For Third Team
By: NY1 News
After a month-long debate that has rocked New York City politics, the City Council on Thursday afternoon passed Mayor Michael Bloomberg's controversial bill to extend term limits, clearing the way for the mayor to run for a third term in office.
The measure passed by a vote of 29-22 following seven hours of pitched debate among the 51 members.
When the final tally was read, a crowd of protesters in the council chambers called out in opposition.
The formal vote got underway shortly after 4 p.m. after an amendment calling for a voter referendum was defeated by the council following an emotional debate among the members.
***
Bloomberg released a statement commending the council for passing the measure.
"Today, the majority of the City Council decided to give the people of New York a fuller choice in the November, 2009 election," said the mayor's statement. "I believe that was the right choice, and I want to thank Speaker Quinn for her leadership. Those of us who work on both sides of City Hall must now move forward with the important decisions that face us. . . We have a lot of work to do together to get New York through these tough times."
==edit==
Here's the tally:
NY1 TALLY COUNCIL VOTE
*Joseph Addabbo No
Maria del Carmen Arroyo Yes
*Tony Avella No
*Maria Baez Yes
*Charles Barron No
*Gail Brewer No
Anthony Como No
*Leroy Comrie Yes
*Bill de Blasio No
Inez Dickens Yes
*Erik Martin Dilan Yes
Mathieu Eugene No
*Simcha Felder Yes
*Lewis Fidler Yes
*Helen Foster Yes
Daniel Garodnick No
*James Gennaro No
Vincent Gentile No
*Alan Gerson Yes
*Eric Gioia No
Sara Gonzalez Yes
Vincent Ignizio No
*Robert Jackson Yes
Letitia James No
*Melinda Katz Yes
*G. Oliver Koppell Yes
Jessica Lappin No
*John Liu No
Melissa Mark-Viverito No
*Miguel Martinez Yes
*Michael McMahon No
Darlene Mealy Yes
Rosie Mendez No
*Hiram Monserrate No
*Michael Nelson Yes
*James Oddo No
Annabel Palma No
*Christine Quinn Yes
*Domenic Recchia Yes
*Diana Reyna Yes
*Joel Rivera Yes
*James Sanders Yes
*Larry Seabrook Yes
*Helen Sears Yes
*Kendall Stewart Yes
James Vacca Yes
*Al Vann Yes
*Peter Vallone, Jr Yes
*David Weprin No
Tom White Yes
*David Yassky Yes
---
*Indicates council members who will be term-limited out in 2010.
So Bloomberg succeeded with his power grab. Any New Yorkers care to chime in on this? Do you think it's okay for the City Council to overturn the will of the people?
==UPDATE==
Video of Bloomberg experiencing the first wave of New York's fury, thanks to Edroso at the Village Voice, who writes:
Gawker predicts Bloomberg, now that he is "Mayor for Life," will "raise the cigarette tax to $400 dollars and ban watching too much tv and give the entire Bronx to some developers and the NYPD will continue to shoot black people..."