NYC-WTC_000230635

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

THE NEW York post, mono a Y, October i, 2001

More Rudy Is Legal I affair liberal love with f[ ; j-1 current conditions. . Every other citywide I Rudy Giuliani is I fast coming to hs - office will be filled by someone new. And an end. “Rudy Giuli- -r-BsaBKs==5=^M (^ity Couu- ani is being mercurial again," sighed cil will be new too. Frank Rich in Saturday's New York The state Legislature has every Times — Rich, the best of the city’ll right — indeed, may have a positive left-leaning columnists, who had de- obligation — to act in a way that will .id scribed the niayor only two weeks ensure such “continuity" in a “pe- earlier as “a towering leader.’* nod of emergency." New York’s liberals are disap- The ob|ection raised, in The Times pointed that their temporary idol is and by mayoral candidate Freddy pushing for an extension of the tran- Ferrer, that the Legislature has no sition between him and the new business in this matter because - I RK® mayor — and horrified by the sug- America has conducted national gestion that the state legislature elections during wars is totally be- might even coiuider passing a law side the point. The U.S. Constitution overriding the city's term limits. raves Congress the power only over ! But those who say that such a law the Time, manner and place” of fed- would be an offense against the will eral elections. Otherwise, all author- 6f the electorate — because the New ity over elections resides at the state York City electorate voted for term level. Rudin Ho hnger a Uboral love. limits — arc simply illiterate, Tbe governing law of New York Suspending term limits would be state is-the state Coasdtution, And thority for the subway, the Port Au­ hilly within the Legislature's author- its constitution reads; “Nothing in thority for the PATH trains, ibe city icy. There woi^d be nothing wrong this article shall be construed tn and state transportation depart­ or arbitrary In an exercise of d limit in any way the power of the ments for the roaos, and the various power explicitly granted to the Leg- state to deal with emergencies aris- economic development departments islature by the state Constitutloa ing from any cause,” for rebuildingwould daunt a Rob­ The key passage in the New York “We should follow the rule of ert Moses. State Constitution , is Article 3, Sec- law," Ferrer insists. And the relations between the city, tion 25. Tt reads, in part: Well, Freddy, this is the rule of Albany and the federal government ‘The legislature, in order to ensure law. It’s right there in print should be a matter of paramount continuity of state and local govern- There arc really two different ia- mental operations in periods of sues relating to “continuity.” The can concern. Right how, Rudy Giuliani emergency caused by caemy attack first is the ordinary transfer of get whatever he wants or needs. or by disasters (naCuraf or other- power from one mayoralty to an- Mayor Green or Mayor Ferrer or ' wise), shall have the power and im- other. That transfer of power was al- Mayor Bloomberg won’t have his mediate duty to I) provide for ready going to be chaotic in any reservoir of good will, his contacts prompt and temporary succession to case, simply because the entire insti- with the Bush administration or his ; the powers and duties of public of- hitional memory of New York City connections. Cees of whatever nature ,. . and 2) to government at every level is going But if the new mayor and the cur­ adopt such other measures os may to disappear od the very same day. rent mayor can work together har­ necessary and proper for ensur- In this unprecedented period, that moniously for three months, the new. ing the eontinuity of governmental loss of iustitutionaJ memory might piy can be elevated to a GiuUani operations." be disastrous. Article 3, Section 25 Is a precise fit Tbe second transition bos to do The mayor, as usual, said it best oo with New York City’s present skua- wi± a passing of the baton when it Saturday; "T don’t know if. unless tion. We are in a period "of emer- comes to the cleanup, recovery and you've been involved in this, you gency,caused by enemy attack.” And reconstruction efforts, ■ [can] understand the complexify of we do face a crisis in the “continuity Nothing like it has ever happened this," (tf [local] govemmenTal operations." before in the annals of American his- We can understand, Mr. Mayor;, ;}lr lust so happens that the enemy tory. Ordinary New Yorkers can under­ attack took place a few months be- iSe logistics are mind-bending. stand. But the liberal who loved fore a colossal changing of the politi- The politics are worse. you for a couple of weeks are sadly • guard. It’s uot -just the mayora l .kZFifertutfiiittlM'hetweefl COmpet- rwtting to form.:: —, .u... f<-

CITy_21MC100_011830469

NYC-WTC_000230635