New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. and former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer demand that any decision to change electeds' term limits should go before New York City voters, and not be done legislatively. The news conference was held on Tuesday, October 21, 2008.

New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. and former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer today called on the Mayor and members of the New York City Council to “put principles before personal politics” and give voters a chance to decide the fate of term limits.

“It is time for the City Council to listen to their constituents,” Thompson said at a news conference on the steps of City Hall. “Throughout New York City’s rich history, Mayors have come and gone. Markets have gone up and down. But, our commitment to our principles, our ideals, and the process must always endure.”

“As the City Council prepares to vote on the legislation to extend term limits, its members must ask themselves a few simple questions: Are we going to be a government that would rather resort to bullying than balloting? Are we going to be a government that would choose to empower itself rather than the people it serves? Are we going to be a government that fights for the people’s interests or against the people’s will?”

“In short, we must ask ourselves who does this city belong to? Any one individual? Or does it belong to the people? The choice is clear: We know what is right. It is clear in our hearts and minds, and now we must make it clear in the corridors of City Hall.”

Ferrer joined Thompson and City Council Members Leticia James and Bill DeBlasio, who have ardently opposed a proposal by Mayor Bloomberg to amend term limits through legislation. The City Council is expected to vote on the measure Thursday.

“The only thing that motivates me to come out here is because I’ve seen this movie before, and so have we all. Frankly, it’s a bad remake of the ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’,” said Ferrer, who challenged Mayor Bloomberg for the mayoralty in 2005. “I’ve seen this dance before. It’s wrong to hijack the twice-expressed will of the people with a series of backroom deals. It’s wrong to do anything but place this question before the people once again.”

Comptroller Thompson further cited today’s Quinnipiac University poll, which reported that 87 percent of New Yorkers want the issue to be decided by a voter referendum. 

“The Mayor and his allies are using their reservoir of resources to pressure, intimidate and dictate the destiny of our city,” he said. “Today’s poll shows why: apparently the Mayor is worried that he will lose if the people decide… As a result, the Mayor and his friends have chosen to take the political course rather than the principled course.”

“We as a City and a government body cannot let this happen,” he said. “We must rise above their politics, rise above their personal motives, and rise above their threats.”

Thompson credited Ferrer with taking a principled stand after the September 11th attacks when the debate escalated over whether to extend the term of former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

“At the time, Freddie said that ‘for centuries we have made orderly, constitutional transitions of government – even in times of crisis.  We must not disrupt that process now…. I know the politics of the moment might dictate a different position. But I am deeply concerned about the precedent this would set and the implications of this extraordinary step for the long-term interests of our city’.”

###