Often when Mayor Bloomberg himself is cryptic about his own plans, the best way to figure out what he is thinking is to survey what his key advisers are saying. In January of this year, for example, Hizzoner was denying that he wanted to run for president as a third-party candidate, but his deputy mayor Kevin Sheekey was quietly working hard to prepare for just that. Now, when there is more and more buzz that Bloomberg is interested in seeking a third term as mayor, the viewpoints of his aides are just as telling. The Times reports that Deputy Mayors Ed Skyler, Patricia Harris, and Sheekey himself have privately expressed that they oppose changing term-limit rules to accommodate Bloomberg's wishes. (Don't you hate it when things you "privately express" end up on the cover of the "Metro" Section?) From the report:

They fear that a third term could produce unexpected crises that might tarnish Mr. Bloomberg’s strong record, the fate of Mayor Edward I. Koch’s administration. They are also concerned that the mayor’s staff members, who are famously loyal to their boss, could grow wary of four more years of 12-hour-day, corporate-style governance and leave for jobs elsewhere.

Wait — don't they know there aren't any jobs out there? These people might just be the only workers in New York City arguing themselves out of employment.

Top Bloomberg Deputies Are Said to Oppose Any Plan to Seek a Third Term [NYT]
Earlier: Paterson: A Third Bloomberg Term Is ‘a Great Idea’
Mayoral Hopefuls Getting Uneasy About Bloomberg’s Third-Term Talk
Related: Bloomberg's Enabler [NYM]