NEW YORK (YBH.ME) – Declaring himself to be neither Republican nor Democrat, billionaire Mike Bloomberg narrowly defeated lackluster Democrat Bill Thompson, spending an estimated $100 million of his own money to snag a third term.
Bloomberg changes rules and wins a third term.
Since 1905, there have been 3 other 12 year New York city mayors. Bloomberg joins the short list of Fiorello LaGuardia, Ed Koch and Robert F. Wagner. No term limits were in place during the tenure of LaGuardia, Koch and Wagner.
Term limits imposed by referendum in 1993 and cemented in 1996 were rolled back by a special City Council vote in October 2008. Two thirds of those voting to allow the mayor a third term thereby made themselves eligible to run for an extra term. A motley collection of opponents on the left and right cried foul, to no avail.
At the time, Bloomberg stated, “The question for me has become much less about the theoretical and much more about the practical. And so to put it in very practical terms, handling this financial crisis while strengthening the central services such as education and public safety is a challenge I want to take on for the people of New York.”
Or, as Louis XIV said “L’etat, c’est moi.”
Lacking a strong opponent to point out, for example, his sweetheart union deals, Bloomberg is without, as one blogger put it “safeguards to limit the power of individuals and protects governments from corruption. . . ensuring a continual debate of ideas and not personalities.”
In 1993 and 1996, voter referendums imposed term limits on those seeking to serve as mayor of New York, allowing a candidate no more than two 4 year terms.
It may not be smooth sailing for the Mayor. The Thompson campaign spent only $10 million, yet still came within roughly 50,000 votes of unseating Bloomberg. The close election shows that many New Yorkers may have been uncomfortable with Mr. Bloomberg and the city council changing the rules to suit their own needs.
Related posts:
- Occupy This a href= http www bloomberg com…
- Occupy Elsewhere: Judge Rules Agaist OWS, Backs Bloomberg and Zuccotti Landlord
- Hot Air: Breaking: SCOTUS to review ObamaCare, individual mandate this term.
- World’s Smallest Violin: Michael Moore Calls Obama’s First Term ‘Heartbreaking,’ a ‘Disappointment’.
Laura spent years as a Hollywood story analyst, did a big 180, and is now an entrepreneur focused on web marketing and analytics. She's also a mom of one.Laura Glendinning article archive.
