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Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin say they’ve struck a deal to end horse‑drawn carriages in New York City, and the Council is set to vote on Intro. 0943 — the so‑called Romanch’s Law — on Oct. 22. The plan phases out carriage licenses by June 1, 2028 and orders a transition plan by April 1, 2027. Sounds neat on a press release. The reality looks messier and a lot less fair.
What Mamdani and Menin actually agreed to
The bill would bar issuance of new carriage licenses after June 1, 2028 and let existing licenses expire on May 31, 2028. It requires the Mayor’s office to produce a transition plan by April 1, 2027 that “considers” workforce programs and whether to compensate owners. Note that word: considers. That’s political theater, not a promise of either cash or real jobs. For an industry with about 68 medallions, roughly 150 drivers and some 180 horses, an undefined “consideration” won’t cut it.
Who loses when vague promises replace policy
This isn’t just about animals or aesthetics; it’s about people who depend on this work. Many carriage drivers and stable workers are immigrants or the children of immigrants who invested in medallions and built businesses around them. Stripping those livelihoods without a guaranteed compensation fund or a binding workforce plan is a textbook confiscation dressed up as compassion. Expect lawsuits alleging a taking of private property — and they’ll have a strong legal and moral argument.
The horse welfare and fiscal gaps politicians won’t admit
Supporters talk about humane disposition and banning sale for slaughter, but the bill doesn’t fund sanctuaries or name who pays for long‑term horse care. It’s easy to virtue‑signal “animal welfare” from a downtown office; it’s harder to write a budget line for decades of retirements and stables. Meanwhile, officials point to public‑safety concerns after a tragic crash this year, ignoring that the city faces far larger dangers from e‑bikes and traffic. If public safety is the real goal, show us consistent priorities — not selective outrage aimed at a traditional, visible trade.
Fix it or don’t do it — and don’t pretend “consideration” is a plan
If the Council votes to end carriage rides, do it the right way: tie any ban to a funded compensation plan for medallion owners, a binding workforce transition with real dollars for retraining and placement, and funded humane‑disposition measures for the horses. Otherwise this is a political purge of small businesses and workers to satisfy a vocal advocacy class. Mamdani and Menin can pass Romanch’s Law next week if they want the headlines. If they want justice, they’ll fund it first — and stop pretending “consideration” equals responsibility.
