Twenty-four environmental & civic groups agree: Intro. 561-A is a deadly threat to New York's air quality. nycair.org/memo But @SpeakerMenin is pushing this industry-backed bill (with zero cosponsors) towards hearing on Tuesday. @OsseChi @tiffany_caban @CMAlexaAviles

Yesterday, New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Mayor Zohran Mamdani struck a deal to ban New York City’s iconic horse carriage industry. However, absolutely no immediate arrangements were made to ensure the humane rehoming of approximately 180 carriage horses, the transition of all industry workers to other gainful employment, or fair compensation for the owners of the 68 horse carriage medallions based on the current fair-market value of their medallions, carriages, and other industry infrastructure. The Speaker's staff engaged in two token meetings with carriage industry representatives on these matters – at which no proposals were made by the Council to the industry for it to consider nor were the suggestions made by the industry given any serious consideration. The industry knows it is being abolished by this bill, but it knows nothing of its fate. Will their horses be humanely re-homed? Will they be given offers of gainful employment on a par with what they have now? Will the medallion owners be fairly compensated? No one knows. And that is an abomination. This is unfair. This is deception. This is abdication.