| Quinnipiac University has a new poll on the term limits question out this morning. An overwhelming number of New Yorkers believe that the decision to keep or extend the current term limits regime should be decided by voters themselves, not the City Council and the Mayor. And when I say overwhelming, I mean it. By a margin of 89-7, New Yorkers believe that this is our decision.
There's plenty of other numbers in the poll. A majority supports the very notion of term limits (62-29). A majority also opposes extending term limits so that Bloomberg can run again (51-45). These numbers are important, but they are nowhere near as important as the big one - who should decide. New Yorkers are crystal clear on that point by a better than 9 to 1 margin.
Today's poll tracks well with last week's NY1 poll which found that 75% of New Yorkers believed that the decision was theirs, not the Council's:
There is overwhelming agreement that voters should decide the issue in a referendum, irrespective of demographics, borough, party or even opinion of the mayor or term limits in general.
Whatever you feel about term limits, and as I have said many times, I've never been a huge fan of them, the decision to extend or retain them belongs to the voters that approved them not once, but twice. The WFP's Dan Cantor weighs in:
"Apparently the voters have heard enough and they've decided. This poll makes clear that New Yorkers of all stripes agree with the simple proposition that in a democracy you don't change the rules of the game at the end of the fourth quarter just so your team can keep playing. Whether you're for or against term limits, New Yorkers seem to agree: term limits should be up to the voters to decide."
"We're increasingly optimistic that Council members are getting the message and will consider the clear preference of New Yorkers when this comes before them for a vote."
There can now be no doubt where New Yorkers stand on the issue of who should be deciding this.
Will the Mayor and the City Council listen?
On the web:
Its OUR Decision
Let NYC Vote |
