The U.S. Court of Appeals yesterday ruled that a bill overturning term limits, passed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in November, is legal. The bill will enable the Mayor, as well as the Public Advocate, Comptroller, Borough Presidents and members of the City Council, to serve three consecutive terms in office.
The New York Community Council, an activist organization based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, sued Michael R. Bloomberg, in his official capacity as Mayor of the City of New York, Christine Quinn, in her official capacity as speaker of the New York City Council, and the New York City Council, City of New York, for overturning of Term Limits. At issue in this litigation was an amendment to the Charter of the City of New York, entitled Local Law 51, which was passed by the City Council and signed into law by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg on November 3, 2008. It provides that Members of the City Council, the Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller and Borough Presidents are eligible to serve a maximum of three consecutive terms in office. It amends sections 1337 and 1338 of the City Charter, which previously provided for a maximum of two consecutive terms for these officials and which were enacted by a city-wide referendum in1993.
The decision was announced yesterday by the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Phil DePaolo, founder and President of the New York Community Council, noted “I do not agree with the decision, but I am very proud of the effort we put up. I would like to thank Randy Mastro and the firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher for all the pro bono work they provided us. I would also like to thank Attorney Norman Siegel for all of his work as co-counsel representing us. Now the only ones who can let the people decide the future of term limits are in Albany!”
Read the entire decision here.
(Photo: Spencer T Tucker)
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