Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani calls for term limits

Long Island Business News, Jun 24, 2009 by David Reich-Hale

Former New York City Mayor and rumored gubernatorial candidate Rudy Giuliani on Wednesday said that there should be term limits in the state Legislature.

Giuliani argued New York legislators, who have a 98 percent re- election rate, are rarely held accountable because of "partisan gerrymandering."

The gerrymandering has "reduced the number of competitive elections, depriving millions of voters of real choices. An independent commission, rather than the legislators themselves, should draw up district lines to ensure the system is not rigged to reward incumbent legislators or one party over another," Giuliani wrote in an op-ed for the New York Times.

Also part of the Giuliani fix:

Campaign Finance: Special interests have a disproportionate influence over state politics in large part because of a weak campaign finance system with high contribution limits and lax disclosure requirements. Individuals can give up to $55,900 to gubernatorial candidates and $15,500 for State Senate candidates. Unions and other special interests exploit loopholes that allow millions of dollars worth of phone banks, volunteers and other in- kind contributions. There are no regular audits and minimal fines, and an unlimited amount of money can be transferred to candidates from party committees.

Supermajority for tax increases: Too often increasing taxes is the first impulse for Albany legislators. Requiring a supermajority for tax increases would provide a powerful check on those who still think we can tax and spend our way out of economic problems. A supermajority would protect already over-burdened citizens and attract businesses, improving our long-term competitiveness.

Succession for Lieutenant Governor: Over the last 40 years, New York has been without a lieutenant governor three times. The lack of any established process of succession for the state's second in command creates the potential for chaos. In the interest of simplicity, stability and transparency, clear lines of succession must be established.

Oh what New Yorkers would do for a lieutenant governor.