Mayor Bloomberg's controversial push to extend term limits has caused a seismic shift in the borough's political landscape, forcing City Council members seeking higher office to make difficult decisions.
Many members of the Queens delegation must choose between voting to keep their current jobs or bucking the mayor while running for state or citywide office.
This scramble could also shatter the dreams of newcomers eying Council runs in 2009, a year in which 13 of 14 members of the delegation will be ousted by term limits - unless Bloomberg gets his way.
"I'm committed to running for a citywide office," said Councilman John Liu (D-Flushing). He refused to say whether he would run for controller or public advocate, claiming he saw the term-limit turmoil coming.
"I've always said this was a possibility," Liu said.
Council members Melinda Katz (D-Forest Hills) and David Weprin (D-Hollis), who plan to run for controller in 2009, could be in a quandary if Controller Bill Thompson opts for another term. So far, Thompson has said he plans to continue his mayoral bid.
Councilman Eric Gioia (D-Sunnyside), who has been gearing up to run for public advocate, also expects to continue his campaign.
Liu and Gioia have said they will vote against repealing term limits. And maverick Councilman Tony Avella (D-Bayside), who has said he has no plans to step aside from his 2009 mayoral campaign, will also oppose the bill.
Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. (D-Astoria), who had been planning to run for Queens borough president in 2009, said he is waiting to see the actual bill before deciding whether to support it.
"I've always been opposed to an eight-year limit but I also have never supported changing it through legislation," Vallone said.
Bloomberg's power play could provide a fall-back option for term-limited Councilmen Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) and James Gennaro (D-Fresh Meadows) should either fail in their bids for state Senate this fall.
Both said they would vote against extending term limits.
"That's the smart thing to say if you are running," said Democratic strategist George Arzt.
He noted that candidates must be careful not to cross the voters, given that they overwhelmingly backed term limits in two referendums during the 1990s.
Addabbo, who hopes to topple GOP veteran Serphin Maltese (R-Glendale) in a key race for state Senate supremacy, downplayed the matter.
"As far as I'm concerned, it's a nonissue, and I remain focused on winning in November," Addabbo said.
But should either Addabbo or Gennaro come up empty on Election Day, they would face a credibility issue if they decided to run for a third term next year.
"It would be seen as a bit hypocritical," said Republican Eric Ulrich, who is running for Addabbo's seat in 2009.
