Recently, the Council has been obsessed with a proposal to repeal the term limits that prevent 35 of its 51 members from seeking re-election this year.
Today, though, there are signs of an economic slowdown, which is just as obviously in reaction to the efforts of Mr. Michels and other members to repeal the term limits law.
He and his supporters are holding out the threat that if the mayor is not given his wish, they will mount an attempt to repeal the term limits law so he can run for re-election in November.
The New York City Council has the power to repeal the term-limits law, several legal experts agree.
An attempt to repeal the term-limits law and find a slot for him on the ballot would force a complicated and bitter debate, the last thing New York City needs at this time of crisis.
But other leaders in the Assembly who are close to Mr. Silver said the speaker is not likely to let a bill that would repeal the term-limits law for the mayor come to a vote.
Legislators are expected to repeal the term-limits law by a comfortable margin today, but the votes required to override a promised veto from Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, a Republican, are less certain.
He would probably have repealed the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act, and might even have replaced it with a law requiring a UK election immediately after Scotland's separation.
Republicans in both chambers are pushing to repeal the long-term care program for good, not just suspend it, but the administration is resisting.
The council vote to repeal the short-term rental legislation was 8 to 1, with Councilwoman Lorie Zapf dissenting.
