The New York City Council has selfishly voted to extend terms from two terms to three terms for both itself and Mayor Bloomberg.
There was an amendment to the bill which would have put the matter to a referendum-- so the people could decide (they have voted twice before in the last 15 years for limits of two terms).
Councilmember Jessica Lappin voted against this amendment, helping to crush it by a narrow margin. She then also (oddly) voted against the bill to extend term limits to three terms. This may seem counter-intuitive, but it made sense-- she can now claim that she didn't vote for the bill.
By distributing which Councilmembers voted against each of these two items, Speaker Quinn was able to provide many of them with the cover they needed.
As their re-elections approach, I encourage you to throw your efforts behind their challengers. Not just the people who voted to abolish term limits, but the people who voted against another referendum to put it to the people. By having different Councilmembers vote on each of the questions, they were able to distribute the damage and provide cover.
Some have argued that three terms is better than two. If that is the case, then that should be brought to the people to vote on.
This is a dark day for democracy in New York City.
Roll Call, 4:35 p.m., on Introduction 845-A, to extend term limits for New York City elected officials to three terms from two.
29 yes, 22 no.
Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. of Queens, no; Maria del Carmen Arroyo of the Bronx, yes; Tony Avella of Queens, no; Maria Baez of the Bronx, yes; Charles Barron of Brooklyn, no; Gale A. Brewer of Manhattan, no; Anthony Como of Queens, no; Leroy G. Comrie Jr. of Queens, yes; Bill de Blasio of Brooklyn, no; Inez E. Dickens of Manhattan, yes; Erik Martin Dilan of Brooklyn, yes; Mathieu Eugene of Brooklyn, no; Simcha Felder of Brooklyn, yes; Lewis A. Fidler of Brooklyn, yes; Helen D. Foster of the Bronx, yes; Daniel R. Garodnick of Manhattan, no; James F. Gennaro of Queens, no; Vincent J. Gentile of Brooklyn, no; Alan J. Gerson of Manhattan, yes; Eric N. Gioia of Queens, no; Sara M. Gonzalez of Brooklyn, yes; Vincent M. Ignizio of Staten Island, no; Robert Jackson of Manhattan, yes; Letitia James of Brooklyn, no; Melinda R. Katz of Queens, yes; G. Oliver Koppell of the Bronx, yes; Jessica S. Lappin of Manhattan, no; John C. Liu of Queens, no; Melissa Mark-Viverito of Manhattan, no; Miguel Martinez of Manhattan, yes; Michael E. McMahon of Staten Island, no; Darlene Mealy of Brooklyn, yes; Rosie Mendez of Manhattan, no; Hiram Monserrate of Queens, no; Michael C. Nelson of Brooklyn, yes; James S. Oddo of Staten Island, no; Annabel Palma of the Bronx, no; Christine C. Quinn of Manhattan; yes; Domenic M. Recchia Jr. of Brooklyn, yes; Diana Reyna of Brooklyn, yes; Joel Rivera of the Bronx, yes; James Sanders Jr. of Queens, yes; Larry B. Seabrook of the Bronx, yes; Helen Sears of Queens, yes; Kendall Stewart of Brooklyn, yes; James Vacca of the Bronx, yes; Peter F. Vallone, Jr. of Queens, yes; Albert Vann of Brooklyn, yes; David I. Weprin of Queens, no; Thomas White Jr. of Queens, yes; David Yassky of Brooklyn, yes.
Roll Call, 3:22 p.m., on an amendment calling for a public referendum on term limits:
28 no, 22 yes, 1 abstaining.
Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. of Queens, yes; Maria del Carmen Arroyo of the Bronx, no; Tony Avella of Queens, yes; Maria Baez of the Bronx, no; Charles Barron of Brooklyn, yes; Gale A. Brewer of Manhattan, yes; Anthony Como of Queens, no; Leroy G. Comrie Jr. of Queens, no; Bill de Blasio of Brooklyn, yes; Inez E. Dickens of Manhattan, no; Erik Martin Dilan of Brooklyn , no; Mathieu Eugene Brooklyn, yes; Simcha Felder of Brooklyn, no; Lewis A. Fidler of Brooklyn, no; Helen D. Foster of the Bronx, no; Daniel R. Garodnick of Manhattan, yes; James F. Gennaro of Queens, yes; Vincent J. Gentile of Brooklyn, yes; Alan J. Gerson of Manhattan, yes; Eric N. Gioia of Queens, yes; Sara M. Gonzalez of Brooklyn, no; Vincent M. Ignizio of Staten Island, yes; Robert Jackson of Manhattan, no; Letitia James of Brooklyn, yes; Melinda R. Katz of Queens, no; G. Oliver Koppell of the Bronx, no; Jessica S. Lappin of Manhattan, no; John C. Liu of Queens, yes; Melissa Mark-Viverito of Manhattan, yes; Miguel Martinez of Manhattan, no; Michael E. McMahon of Staten Island, yes; Darlene Mealy of Brooklyn, no; Rosie Mendez of Manhattan, yes; Hiram Monserrate of Queens, yes; Michael C. Nelson of Brooklyn, no; James S. Oddo of Staten Island, yes; Annabel Palma of the Bronx, yes; Christine C. Quinn of Manhattan; no; Domenic M. Recchia Jr. of Brooklyn, no; Diana Reyna of Brooklyn, no; Joel Rivera of the Bronx, no; James Sanders Jr. of Queens, abstain; Larry B. Seabrook of the Bronx, no; Helen Sears of Queens, no; Kendall Stewart of Brooklyn, no; James Vacca of the Bronx, no; Peter F. Vallone, Jr. of Queens, no; Albert Vann of Brooklyn, no; David I. Weprin of Queens, yes; Thomas White Jr. of Queens, no; David Yassky of Brooklyn, yes.