But after eight public sessions, it was also the first time the commissioners discussed their own views. And—despite criticism that the panel is but a rubber stamp for a mayoral agenda—those views were far from uniform.
Tuesday's hearing was the first of five issues forums that the commission is holding to explore policy areas where they might suggest charter changes. Hearings on land use, government structure, public integrity and voter participation are scheduled for June.
The term limits session pitted a term limits advocate, Gregory Carl Schmid of the organization U.S. Term Limits, against two academics who were, to say the least, skeptical of term limits: NYU's Patrick Egan and Richard Niemi of the University of Rochester.
"It is disingenuous for detractors to argue that term limits have a greater effect on voter choice than other barriers, some of which are counteracted by term limits," like the advantages incumbents have in fundraising and name recognition, the outgunned Schmid testified. To the argument that term limits prevent officials from gaining enough on-the-job expertise, Schmid said, "Government is not brain surgery" and, giving the pro-term-limits case an ideological spin, speculated that entrenched politicians are apt to "support more government" spending. Once enacted, voters have never voted down a term limits system, Schmid noted.
Referring to research on the impact of term limits, Niemi said that "term limits don't change the kind of people who run for office," adding that: "There hasn’t been a noticeable change in the demographics of state legislatures owing to term limits." Term limits, Niemi testified, "have not resulted in so-called 'citizen legislators' being elected." Term limits also encourage challengers to wait for open seats rather than contest against incumbents. On the other hand, Niemi noted that term limits do weaken the power of lobbyists.
"Term limits have not been a panacea," Niemi continued. "Term limits have not been a disaster."
Egan argued for a term limits system that "levels the playing field" between the Council and the mayor; perhaps a three-term limit for Councilmembers and two terms for the mayor. It was not clear how the public advocate, comptroller and borough presidents would fit into such a system. The prominent good government organization Citizens Union, in a break from its past opposition to term limits, also endorsed this approach of giving more time to legislators than the executive.
In 2008, Bloomberg pressured the City Council to extend term limits to permit him and other incumbents to seek an additional term in 2009. During that 2008 debate, Bloomberg neutralized opposition from billionaire Ron Lauder, who championed term limits in the 1990s, by vowing to appoint a charter revision commission to explore the restoration of term limits after the 2009 race.
Bloomberg appointed the 15-member commission in March. Some critics of the commission have accused it of being—as John Keefe, an aide testifying on behalf of Assemblyman James Brennan put it—"part of a cynical and opportunistic political deal."But the commission revealed a diversity of opinion Tuesday night.
