NEW YORK (AP) \u2014 New York City\u2019s mayor threw his support Wednesday behind a proposal to end the horse-drawn carriages\u2026<\/p>\n
NEW YORK (AP) \u2014 New York City\u2019s mayor threw his support Wednesday behind a proposal to end the horse-drawn carriages<\/a> that have been fixtures in Central Park for more than 150 years as he ordered police to more stringently enforce laws already on the books to rein in the industry. <\/p>\n Mayor Eric Adams<\/a>, in joining supporters of a ban, cited safety concerns in the increasingly crowded green space, including incidents in recent years of horses collapsing and dying on the job or breaking free from their drivers and running loose in the park.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile horse-drawn carriages have long been an iconic fixture of Central Park, they are increasingly incompatible with the conditions of a modern, heavily-used urban green space,\u201d he said in a statement. \u201cIt has become abundantly clear that these horse-drawn carriages no longer work for our city.\u201d<\/p>\n The Democrat, who faces a steep climb in his bid for reelection<\/a> as an independent, said he sent the City Council a \u201cletter of necessity\u201d giving lawmakers the authority to expedite passage of a bill phasing out<\/a> horse-drawn carriages. <\/p>\n Adams also issued an executive order<\/a> that, among other things, orders police to \u201cprioritize enforcement\u201d against horse-drawn carriages operating outside their legally designated areas to illegally solicit fares or impede traffic.<\/p>\n In addition, the mayor\u2019s order directs city agencies to identify new employment opportunities for industry workers and to create a process for the voluntary return of carriage licenses. <\/p>\n \u201cThis is not about eliminating this tradition \u2014 it\u2019s about honoring our traditions in a way that aligns with who we are today,\u201d Adams said. \u201cNew Yorkers care deeply about animals, about fairness, and about doing what\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n John Samuelsen, president of the Transport Workers Union of America, which represents horse carriage workers, dismissed the announcement as a \u201cdesperation act\u201d by a mayor badly lagging his campaign rivals, including Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani<\/a>, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo<\/a> and Republican Curtis Sliwa<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s betrayed the blue collar New Yorkers who were relying on him to stand up for their jobs against the real estate developers who want to kill the industry solely to develop those stables into skyscrapers,\u201d Samuelsen said. \u201cHe should be ashamed of himself.\u201d<\/p>\n Animal rights groups, which have long called for ending the industry over concerns about the health and welfare of the horses, applauded the announcement.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a life-saving step for both people and horses, and it makes clear what we and so many New Yorkers have long said: horse-drawn carriages have no place in our city any longer,\u201d said Edita Birnkrant, executive director of New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets, or NYCLASS.<\/p>\n The mayor is the latest notable voice to weigh in on the long-running debate, but he certainly isn\u2019t the first mayor to call for an end to the carriage industry. <\/p>\n Adams\u2019 predecessor, former Mayor Bill de Blasio, vowed to shut down<\/a> the industry \u201con day one,\u201d only to come up against years of council opposition<\/a> and even the ire of actor Liam Neeson, who remains<\/a> an outspoken supporter<\/a> of the industry. <\/p>\n \u201cIt really is time to get this done,\u201d the onetime Democratic presidential hopeful remarked in a post on X<\/a> that included Adams\u2019 announcement. <\/p>\n The influential Central Park Conservancy, the nonprofit that manages the park, meanwhile, announced in August that it also was backing calls for a ban, citing safety concerns.<\/p>\n Council Speaker Adrienne Adams hasn\u2019t said whether the proposed ban would be heard, let alone put to a vote this session. Spokespersons for the Democrat, who is not related to the mayor, didn\u2019t immediately respond to an email seeking comment. <\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n