Contact: Dan Levitan
Viewers of tonight’s presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain will be invited to make their voices heard in another debate - the fight over extending term-limits in New York City.
Timed to launch on-air during coverage of the third presidential debate at Hofstra University this evening, the Working Families Party began an ad campaign today urging New Yorkers to “stand up to the politicians and billionaires” and “say no to this power grab”. The spot urges New Yorkers to call the City Council and log onto the Working Families Party’s term limits campaign website www.ItsOurDecision.org to make their voices heard.
The ads will run through the end of the week on cable systems throughout the five boroughs and will be shown on NY1, MSNBC, CNN, News 12 and Fox News.
“People are tuning-in in record numbers to these presidential debates because they want to participate in the process. Record numbers of people will head to the polls in just a few weeks because they want their voices to be heard. The same is true in the debate about term limits. If the City Council wants to overturn term limits, it should be decided by a vote, not a backroom deal,” said Dan Cantor, Executive Director of the Working Families Party.
Over the past two weeks opposition to the Mayor’s proposal has increased. Currently 19 members of the City Council have gone on record in opposition to a legislative-extension of term limits without a public referendum. A running list of Councilmembers and their positions is available on line at http://itsourdecision.org/where-they-stand/.
Yesterday the party launched a direct mail campaign targeting seven undecided Councilmembers. Photos of the direct mail pieces are available online here:
http://itsourdecision.org/2008/10/15/city-council-to-new-yorkers-drop-dead/
The script of the ad is below:
Title: It’s Our Decision
Produced by: McMahon Squier Lapp & Associates
Time: 30 seconds
New Yorkers, it’s time to stand up to the politicians and billionaires.
Twice we voted for term limits… now they want to change the rules?
The New York Times describes “a plan that was hatched” by “billionaires and business moguls”
Newsday says “Never has the city seemed so nakedly for sale”
That’s why the Working Families Party is fighting back.
Join them. Call the City Council…
Say no to this power grab…because It’s Our Decision.
30-30-30
