Eric Adams Refuses Pledge to Protect NYC Term Limits
If Eric Adams is elected New York City’s next Mayor, the city’s beloved 8-year term limits law could soon be out the door. Adams is the only major candidate who has refused to pledge to protect the existing 8-year term limit for mayor and city council.
The pledge reads: “I pledge as mayor to veto any legislation to repeal or lengthen the 8-year term limits to which elected officials in New York City are subject.”
Adams’ rivals in the Democratic primary, Maya Wiley, Kathryn Garcia, Andrew Yang, Shaun Donovan and Raymond McGuire all have signed the term limits pledge.
“As a New Yorker, I can’t believe Eric Adams won’t protect term limits,” said Howie Rich, Chairman of U.S. Term Limits. “The last time the council attacked term limits in 2008, it was a disgrace. We shouldn’t have to deal with another self-serving power grab.”
According to a recent poll, term limits remain a key issue for New York City voters ahead of the upcoming mayoral election. The citywide poll, which was conducted in December by RMG Research, found that 77 percent of voters say it is important that the next mayor of New York City protect and defend the city’s eight-year term limits law. Additionally, by a margin of 73 percent to 9 percent, voters say they are more likely to support a candidate for mayor who promises to protect the current eight-year term limit. RMG Research is owned and operated by Scott Rasmussen.
In 2008, the City Council—on the advice of then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg and influencers such as future President Donald Trump—weakened term limits from 8 years to 12 years, allowing Mr. Bloomberg to seek a third term. The measure proved contentious and city voters restored the eight-year limit by a landslide margin in 2010.
New Yorkers have a long history of backing term limits referenda. In a 1993 initiative led by philanthropist Ronald Lauder, voters established eight-year term limits in an 18-point landslide. Then, in 1996, voters rejected a measure which would have lengthened the limit to 12 years. In 2010, voters restored the eight-year limit the Bloomberg Council had repealed. And in 2018, voters resoundingly adopted an eight-year limit for members of community boards.
U.S. Term Limits is the largest grassroots term limits advocacy group in the country. We connect term limits supporters with their legislators and work to pass term limits on all elected officials, particularly on the U.S. Congress. Find out more at U.S. Term Limits.
