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[h=4]NYC horse deal draws pushback[/h]Interest groups are pushing back against New York's proposed agreement that would limit its iconic horse-drawn carriages to Central Park.
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Interest groups are pushing back against New York's proposed agreement that would limit its iconic horse-drawn carriages to Central Park.
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Time may be running out for the iconic horse carriages in New York's Central Park. The city's new mayor, Bill de Blasio, has already declared his intention to shut down the industry. (Feb. 10) AP
Opponents to the plan announced Sunday<span style="color: Red;">*</span>by NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio are focused primarily on a stipulation that would not only cut back on the number of horse-drawn carriages in the city, but also limit pedicabs to areassouth <span style="color: Red;">*</span>of 85th Street in Manhattan.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>The plan also calls for the city to pay for the renovation of an existing city-owned property in Central Park to be converted into stables.
"The mayor and city council are currently disregarding the livelihoods of pedicabs and pedicab owners in the city," pedicab driver and organizer Ibrahim Donmez said via Facebook.
"The deal to ban pedicabs in Central Park was made behind closed doors without asking any questions to pedicab drivers and pedicab owners who have been working in Central Park for years," he said.
As he took office in January of 2014, the mayor vowed he would take action against the horse-drawn carriages, which now operate in Central Park and as far south as 34th Street, the Madison Square Garden and Macy's flagship area, in Manhattan. De Blasio said the work is detrimental to the horses' health and also contributes to traffic tie ups in already congested Midtown Manhattan.
Drivers of the carriages maintain the horses are well-cared-for and that de Blasio was taking the stand only to please campaign contributors. They say the carriages are a favorite of tourists and are a New York City tradition.
One advocacy organization says the tentative agreement -- reached between the mayor, the New York City council and the carriage drivers -- does not achieve the goals the mayor touted.
"The plan is appalling and I oppose it unequivocally," said Mary Culpepper, vice president of the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages.<span style="color: Red;">*</span> "It exploits the horses and rewards the owners, displaces city tradespeople and asks taxpayers to foot the bill for renovations to the century-old building that would be their stables, which would meet minimum code requirements but be wholly inadequate in terms of stall size."
There also would be no guarantee that the plan would have any positive effect on the health or well-being of the horses, said Culpepper,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>who explained that some horses might be sent to slaughterhouses or go up for auction.
The city will hold a public hearing on the proposed plan on Friday.
According to the proposed plan, the number of horses now operating will drop from 180 down to 110 by December and 90 when the new stable is ready, the New York Daily News reported. The renovated stable must be ready by 2018, according to the plan.
USA TODAY
Agreement reached on NYC's horse-drawn carriages
USA TODAY
New NYC mayor wants horse-drawn carriages out
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