Mamdani says carriage owners will get compensation. Romanch's Law only asks him to 'consider' it

Mayor Zohran Mamdani said his administration will offer compensation to Central Park carriage owners when the city ends the industry in 2028. He said he wants it to be "real and tangible," City & State reported. He did not say what form it would take.

Why it matters to residents: about 200 owners, drivers and stable workers depend on the carriages, City & State reported. The bill the Council passed last week, Romanch's Law, doesn't require payment. It instructs the mayor to "consider" a program to compensate owners for the value of their business, licenses and equipment. Transport Workers Union International President John Samuelsen said "there's nothing concrete written into the bill." He has said he plans to sue to block it, the outlet reported. No suit had been reported as filed.

This is a follow-up to our story on the Oct. 22 vote.

What our records add

The bill is still unsigned. Int. 943-A passed 40-7 with two abstentions, City & State reported. Our record shows it still on the mayor's desk a week later. The mayor's office has said he will sign it. Under the City Charter, a bill the mayor neither signs nor vetoes within 30 days becomes law anyway. Our tally last week looked at how Mamdani has handled the Council's bills. One recent bill that took effect without his signature is the burial-sites law Int. 220, which our records show became law in October.

Jobs, not payment, were the promise at the hearing. At the Health Committee's July 15 hearing, Speaker Julie Menin committed to helping drivers find good jobs in hospitality and tourism. Council Member Phil Wong asked whether any drivers had found work under a 2025 executive order from Mayor Adams (transcript).

Who sponsored and who voted no. Council Member Christopher Marte introduced the bill June 11, and it drew 31 sponsors. City & State reported seven no votes: Joann Ariola, Vickie Paladino, Inna Vernikov, David Carr, Simcha Felder, James Gennaro and Kevin Riley. The Clerk's roll call has not yet reached our data.

The regulation option is still parked. Gennaro's Int. 937 would regulate the carriages instead of banning them. It has eight sponsors and has had no hearing in the four and a half months since it was introduced.

The stables are in District 3. Council Member Carl Wilson, whose district includes the Hell's Kitchen stables, spoke about horse care at the July hearing.

What's next

Under the law, the city must publish a workforce transition plan by April 2027, City & State reported. No new carriage, horse or driver licenses can be issued from June 1, 2028. Any compensation program would need money in a city budget, which goes through Council budget hearings. We'll track the signing on the matter page.