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Hell has apparently frozen over.
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One could never believe that both, horse carriage foes and horse carriage supporters could be on the same side of the coin. But apparently both are united in their opposition to Mayor deBlasio's "compromise in concept" bill to dramatically reduce horse carriage operations in New York City and slash the number of carriage horses by 2/3rds.
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For one group, the bill doesn't go far enough. And for the other group, it goes too far.
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Some might argue that a good "compromise" is always going displease both sides of a contentious issue because both sides have to concede something. But, in this case, all sides -- and then some -- are angry.
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It is not just those directly involved with or impacted directly by the horse carriage controversy who are unhappy with the bill, but a number of, to this point, impartial parties who are also distressed.
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These include park maintenance workers, the Pedicab industry, Park Advocates (see prior blogs) and even (the latest), the Central Park Conservancy.
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http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/horse-drivers-won-blaz-deal-stables-built-article-1.2501807
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At issue with the Conservancy is the question of who actually "owns" and has final say over the 160 year-old, maintenance facility at the 86th Street Transverse that deBlasio desperately wants to "convert" to a horse stable.
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According to the Conservancy and Park Advocates, including Tupper Thomas, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Parks, the building has "historical significance" and "should not be used for private concession."
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But deBlasio claims the city owns the parks and facility and can thus do what it wants.
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DeBlasio fails to explain where the estimated 25 million dollars that it would require to transform a "historical" relic into a horse stable will come from. (Can anyone say, taxpayers?) Nor is it known if the 44,000 sq foot facility could actually accommodate 75 horses, along with all the carriages, equipment and supplies necessary to properly care for them.
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It's hard to believe one mayor could alienate so many diverse groups and people, but deBlasio has managed to do just that.
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http://www.newsday.com/news/new-york/bill-de-blasio-s-carriage-horse-deal-draws-more-fire-1.11342670
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Today (Wednesday), newspapers are filled with threats of flying lawsuits should the bill pass from carriage drivers to Pedicab operators.
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But one "Animal Rights" group, NYCLASS (New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets) says the proposal is "heading in the right direction." Considering the bill requires the creation of a stable in Central Park (thus freeing the land current stables sit on for development), that is no surprise. The founder of NYCLASS, Steve Nislick is a wealthy, former real estate developer and has contributed handsomely to Bill deBlasio, including channeling more than a million dollars to defeat his former rival, Christine Quinn two years ago.
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NYCLASS had a seat at the table for the back room, "negotiations." Apparently, money doesn't talk. It screams.
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In looking at this hornet's nest that the Mayor has unraveled in trying to appease his wealthy contributors, one cannot help but wonder about all the "Tale of Two Cities" talk we heard when he was running for office? We were told that deBlasio was the, "Champion of the working class and the little people of New York City."
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But this bill is akin to, "Death by a thousand cuts" -- or dropping a horse in a slowly heating cauldron of water -- for many working people of NYC, as well as the horses "no longer wanted or needed" in the city.
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It could also double or even triple the work loads for the 75 horses allowed to remain, as there would be no back-ups for them. What happens if a horse is suffering temporary illness or injury or is just too tired to work a certain day? What horses replace those on furlough or having a day off? There would be no rotation horses to substitute. Reality is, you cannot force 75 horses to do the work of 200. Such would create actual animal abuse.
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In short, the "concept" bill, if passed, will add many "little people," (i.e. middle class workers) to unemployment lines, from carriage drivers, to stable hands, to horse care providers, to pedicab operators, to park maintenance workers to even the vendors selling carrots for carriage horses every morning. (There will also be a lot of hungry pigeons who will no longer have oat buckets to feed from, but no one seems to care about them.)
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But there are no unemployment checks or welfare programs for the more than 100 displaced carriage horses.
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Those utopian, "retirement farms" are just another "tale" that our fanciful mayor weaves.
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The City Council will be holding public hearings on the bill this Friday. Let your Council representative know how you feel about it. -- PCA
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