Hillary Clinton Voices Concerns About Changing New York Term Limits Law

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) voiced concerns on Thursday about proposals extending term limits so New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg can run for a third term.

The former first lady told NY1, "It is disturbing that voters voted twice, so I think that the City Council and the mayor have to first go through the hearings they're holding and try to figure out what they will do."

"They have the legal authority to make the change... but I really am going to watch from the sidelines now because this is a very intense, local debate and the people of New York City should be heard," she added.

Clinton made her comments the same day the City Council's Government Operations Committee was set to meet to consider proposals to extend term limits from eight to 12 years.

Bloomberg is a lifelong member of the Democratic party who won as a Republican mayor in 2001. He was re-elected to a second term in 2005 and declared himself an independent in 2007. He was not endorsed by Clinton during both mayoral bids.

The mayor, who is listed by Forbes as one of the world's richest men, currently has a job approval rating of 70 percent.

Bloomberg said last month that he would seek a third term if the law on term limits is amended. His announcement came the same week a prominent advocate for term limits said the mayor's leadership is needed to face the current financial crisis.

Ron Lauder, billionaire cosmetics mogul spent at least $4 million of his own money to oppose extending term limits in referendums in 1993 and 1996, told the New York Post he now supports a one-time extension of term limits."Because of the unprecedented times... To me, Mayor Bloomberg's brilliance in the financial sector, particularly Wall Street, would be invaluable," he said.

Lauder made headlines again days after when he reiterated that his support was for a one-time, and not a permanent, change of term limits. Bloomberg had outlined a plan to permanently extend term limits, but then revised his proposal to allow the law to revert back to an eight-year term limit if voters want say they want it to in a 2010 referendum.