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Issues & Action
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Written by Bernadette Evangelist
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Tuesday, 28 October 2008 |
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Term Limits: The fight continues
As you've probably heard by now, New York City Council voted to extend term limits for city
officials. The controversial vote, which has been heavily criticized by Democracy for NYC and other good
government groups, reverses two referendums approved by voters in the
1990's.
“We’re all gearing up for a herculean fight,” said Norman Siegel, a
civil liberties lawyer. Last week, he and 16 other lawyers and
academics met at a law firm in downtown Manhattan to brainstorm, debate
and define the best legal strategy to fight the term limits change.
Already, two lawsuits challenging the decision have been filed. They charge that the City Council's vote violates conflict of interest laws and represents a breach of voters' civil rights and due-process rights. Prior to the bill's passage, two-thirds of the current City Council members, four borough presidents, the comptroller, public advocate and mayor were slated to lose their seats at the end of 2009.
Among the many affected by this action are more than 150 declared candidates for City Council and other municipal offices in 2009. Many of these individuals have already invested significant time and financial resources in preparation for these previously open races.
Democracy for NYC members overwhelmingly opposed this action by the City Council to legislate and overturn of the people's decision. Plans are underway to join this fight to restore democracy to NYC.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 28 October 2008 )
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Council Members Vote on Term Limits |
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Written by Bernadette Evangelist
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Tuesday, 28 October 2008 |
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How They Voted: Council Members Tackle Term Limit Bill
As reported by the NY1 News
Here is how each member of the City Council voted Thursday, October 23,
on Mayor Michael Bloomberg's bill to extend term limits for elected
officials from two terms to three.
The measure passed by a vote of 29 in favor to 22 opposed. Passage required a simple majority of 26 of the 51 councilmembers.
On the left is NY1's tally in the days leading up to the vote, while on
the right are the votes themselves. Two councilmembers who initially
said they would vote against the measure ended up supporting it.
Thirty-five members (designated with an asterisk) would have been term-limited out of office in 2010 had the measure not passed.
| COUNCILMEMBER |
NY1 TALLY |
COUNCIL VOTE |
| *Joseph Addabbo |
No |
No |
| Maria del Carmen Arroyo |
Undecided |
Yes |
| *Tony Avella |
No |
No |
| *Maria Baez |
Yes |
Yes |
| *Charles Barron |
No |
No |
| *Gail Brewer |
Undecided |
No |
| Anthony Como |
No |
No |
| *Leroy Comrie |
Yes |
Yes |
| *Bill de Blasio |
No |
No |
| Inez Dickens |
Yes |
Yes |
| *Erik Martin Dilan |
Yes |
Yes |
| Mathieu Eugene |
No |
No |
| *Simcha Felder |
Yes |
Yes |
| *Lewis Fidler |
Yes |
Yes |
| *Helen Foster |
Undecided |
Yes |
| Daniel Garodnick |
No |
No |
| *James Gennaro |
No |
No |
| Vincent Gentile |
No |
No |
| *Alan Gerson |
Undecided |
Yes |
| *Eric Gioia |
No |
No |
| Sara Gonzalez |
Yes |
Yes |
| Vincent Ignizio |
No |
No |
| *Robert Jackson |
Yes |
Yes |
| Letitia James |
No |
No |
| *Melinda Katz |
Yes |
Yes |
| *G. Oliver Koppell |
Yes |
Yes |
| Jessica Lappin |
No |
No |
| *John Liu |
No |
No |
| Melissa Mark-Viverito |
No |
No |
| *Miguel Martinez |
Yes |
Yes |
| *Michael McMahon |
No |
No |
| Darlene Mealy |
No |
Yes |
| Rosie Mendez |
No |
No |
| *Hiram Monserrate |
No |
No |
| *Michael Nelson |
Yes |
Yes |
| *James Oddo |
No |
No |
| Annabel Palma |
No |
No |
| *Christine Quinn |
Yes |
Yes |
| *Domenic Recchia |
Yes |
Yes |
| *Diana Reyna |
Yes |
Yes |
| *Joel Rivera |
Yes |
Yes |
| *James Sanders |
Undecided |
Yes |
| *Larry Seabrook |
Yes |
Yes |
| *Helen Sears |
Yes |
Yes |
| *Kendall Stewart |
Yes |
Yes |
| James Vacca |
No |
Yes
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| *Al Vann |
Yes |
Yes |
| *Peter Vallone, Jr |
Yes |
Yes |
| *David Weprin |
No |
No |
| Tom White |
Undecided |
Yes |
| *David Yassky |
Undecided |
Yes |
* Would have been term-limited out of office in 2010 had the measure not passed.
NOTE: Councilmembers James Vacca and Darlene Mealy switched their position from "No" to "Yes" prior to voting.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 28 October 2008 )
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Help Obama by doing NYC data entry of PA Voters |
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Written by Tracey Denton
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Friday, 17 October 2008 |
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Help Obama w/Your Laptop: Data Entry of New Voters in Pennsylvania
The good news grassroots volunteers registered over 20,000 people in the swing state of Pennsylvania. But now all this data needs to be entered into VoteBuilder, so data entry volunteers are urgently needed. An Obama supporter in NYC has generously donated conference room space, so if got your own laptop, wireless-enabled, please join this project so that the Obama campaign can reach out to new voters in Pennsylvania. The polls look good in PA, by McCain and Palin are working the state hard, so we need to run a good ground game.
Where: Office of Jack Hildary, conference room with wifi, 45 W 25th St., 11 Floor.
When: Weekdays between 9:30 am to 6 pm.
Bring: Wifi-enabled laptop. (Most laptops made in the past 5 years are wifi-enabled.)
RSVP Required: There is limited space, so for planning purposes, please email Jack and Negin if you can be there:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
and
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Last Updated ( Friday, 17 October 2008 )
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Volunteer to Protect the Vote on Election Day & Days Before Election Day |
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Written by Tracey Denton
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Tuesday, 14 October 2008 |
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Volunteer to Protect the Vote on Election Day & Days Before Election Day
~ A message from DFNYC's David Kogelman
This year, Voter Protection on Election Day and the days leading up to it are more important than ever, both nationally and in New York State, where we are about to retake the State Senate. The Republican voter disenfranchisement effort is stronger and more deceptive than ever, from viral videos that state that you can be kept from voting for wearing an Obama button (just take it off if someone objects), to letters warning college students that their parents can lose the tax exemptions for them if the student registers to vote where they go to college.
We can be sure that on Election Day they will pull out all the stops to keep Democrats from voting. That's why its so important that every lawyer serve in the Voter Protection effort on Election Day. So, if you want to be on the front lines of winning this election in the polling place (you can serve as an inside poll watcher Only for a political party, not with a not-for-profit), please volunteer in New York State at www.nydlc.org, and for other states at www.mybarackobama.com/counselforchange.
We can return New York State to its position as the Empire State setting the example for the rest of the country, and can elect Barack Obama as President and usher in a new progressive era, showing the door to the neocons who have so damaged our nation, but it is up to every one of us to do our share.
This is not an election when any of us can sit on the sidelines or be complacent. Your future, and that of your children and country, depend on it.
Please, Volunteer Now!
David Kogelman |
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Help pass the "Clean Elections Act" |
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Written by Dan Jacoby
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Thursday, 07 August 2008 |
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On July 23, the "Clean Elections Act" was introduced into the City Council. (Note: DFNYC's own Dan Jacoby wrote the bill.) It was given the number "Intro 803," and sent to the Governmental Operations Committee.
The next step is to convince enough City Council members to support this bill. So far, the sponsors are:
Tony Avella (prime sponsor)
Joseph Addabbo, Jr.
David Yassky
Hiram Monserrate
You can get more information on this issue on Dan's website.
You can find your Council member, and his/her contact information, on the City Council's website. |
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 07 September 2008 )
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