Avella Calls City Council Proposal to Increase Term Limits Shameful

Queens, NY – Upon hearing the proposal to introduce a bill to increase term limits for the New York City Council, State Senator Tony Avella said, “In 1993 and 1996, the voters of our City indicated, by passing two public referendums, their choice for limiting the terms of city officials to two consecutive four-year terms. Yet, in 2008, Mayor Bloomberg got a three-term limit passed only to have the public again vote to reduce it back to two terms in 2010. Why is there a need to revisit an issue that has already been publicly defeated three times?

“People should decide to run for public office because they want to do good by their community, not for a pension or government benefits. It is shameful that the City Council, especially the candidates for Speaker, would support such a measure. If this bill is truly about good government then it should clearly make three terms, if approved by the public, only eligible for the next class of City Council members and not current incumbents.

“I am vehemently opposed to this plan as I have been since my days in the City Council and, should it come to a public referendum, I believe the public will oppose it for a fourth time as well.”