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October 17, 2008

Testimony of Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum
New York City Council Public Hearing on Term Limits

Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum said, “I was here yesterday, and I watched from home late into the night. It’s clear that there is some confusion. This is NOT about term limits, it’s not about the job Mayor Bloomberg has done, and it’s also not about continuity during a financial crisis.

It’s about a fundamental change in how New York City is governed.

It’s also clear that there is a disagreement about process. While I can only support extending or changing term limits through a referendum, at the very least, the City Council must prolong any vote until public hearings can be held in all five boroughs.

There is no reason to rush a vote on October 23rd when we could easily wait until more New Yorkers have had the chance to make their voices heard. We heard the Corporation Counsel admit yesterday that this can be done in a referendum via special election in early 2009, which will probably occur anyway because of council vacancies.

I want you to listen very carefully to what Michael Bloomberg said when he vetoed the last Council bill seeking to change term limits.

Mayor Bloomberg said, “This bill would send an unfortunate message about the impact and importance of their votes and set a perilous precedent for future leaders of this city…I believe it is simply inappropriate for those members elected in 1997, who were aware of the rules under which they were elected, to seek to change those rules in a manner that may work to their own advantage.”

And he was exactly right.

I am against term limits, and I would work hard to overturn them, but only by a referendum. What matters here is that New Yorkers have twice voted for them. Over two million people in all went to their polling sites and performed their civic duty. To change term limits by anything other than a referendum would amount to telling 2 million people that their votes don’t matter, that they don’t count, kind of like the 2000 presidential election. And we all see where that got us.

This remains a decision for the people - not for self-serving incumbents, not for newspaper editorial boards and not for a few wealthy and powerful individuals.

I have been proud to serve with all of you who came in at a time of real crisis. We not only survived, but as a result of our leadership the city has thrived. Let’s all be proud of ourselves by doing the right thing and voting down the Mayor’s bill, Intro 845-A.”