Why hold a hearing but refuse to hear us?

Whitestone: I’ve proudly worked in New York City’s horse-drawn carriage industry for more than 22 years, and my father has dedicated 47 years to this profession. We attended the City Council hearing on July 15 expecting a fair opportunity to be heard. Instead, it was one of the most disappointing and disheartening public hearings we’ve ever experienced.

Many Council members left before hearing the testimony of the horse carriage owners and drivers whose lives and livelihoods are directly affected by this legislation. Most troubling was that Council Speaker Julie Menin didn’t remain to hear our testimony. After waiting hours to speak, many of us felt dismissed and ignored before we even had the opportunity to share our stories. Intentional or not, the way the hearing was conducted created the impression that our testimony and perspectives had already been discounted. It’s difficult to believe that a fair and balanced decision can be made when those most affected aren’t given the respect of being heard.

Our families, employees and horses deserve better. We came prepared to participate in the democratic process in good faith, but we left feeling invisible. The emotional toll this has taken on many of us has been overwhelming. Honest, hardworking New Yorkers should never feel that their voices don’t matter. I hope you’ll look into how this hearing was conducted and whether the public received the fair and impartial process it deserves.

Manhattan: It has come to my attention that in the recent hearing for Intro 943, the carriage horse ban bill, Speaker Julie Menin made up her mind prior........

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