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In 2006, members of the New York City Council voted themselves a twenty-five percent pay raise. Now they want to overturn a law New Yorkers have twice voted to support and grant themselves another four-year job guarantee. Their chutzpah knows no boundaries!

While reasonable people may disagree on this issue, I believe that term limits are good for democracy.

Voters have made known their desire to ‘clean house’ every few years, elect new people with new ideas, and ensure that politicians represent their community instead of special interests. In the absence of term limits, voters get stuck with entrenched incumbents who are not motivated to serve the people who elected them. It should come as no surprise that over a dozen states have already implemented some form of term limits.

Ironically, the same City Council members who are now calling for the elimination of term limits would not have been elected had their predecessors had not been forced out of office by term limits. Their desire to overturn a law enacted and then reaffirmed by New York City voters is hypocritical, self-serving, and undemocratic.

If the incumbent City Council members overturn the will of City voters, they will have to answer to those voters on Election Day. According to a Quinnipiac University poll conducted in 2006, New York City voters oppose extending term limits from eight years to 12 years, by a 72 - 24 percent margin.

I remain extremely passionate about serving our community and my 2009 City Council campaign will proceed irrespective of the Council’s decision on term limits.

Furthermore, if I am elected to the City Council, I pledge to abide by the promise I made in 2005 to respect the twice-stated will of New York City voters and serve no more than two full terms. As Councilman, I will also oppose the extension or elimination of term limits through legislation and work to ensure that the Council becomes more responsive to the people they serve.