Brewer questions carriage owners on transition circumstances

Thank you very much.

I do believe, I've been to the stables years ago, and I do believe that the people who are with their horse do care about their horses.

Let me be clear on that.

The issue for me is this, I believe, is going to stop this industry.

You know, I'm just being realistic here.

So my question to the union or anybody else is, earlier we heard from one of the speakers that there is some interest from the owners of getting out of the business.

That was surprising to me.

So my question to you is, what circumstances, even though I know you are not interested in getting out of the business, what circumstances would you feel could be of assistance to your members if in fact this happens?

I know it's a hard question, but that is my question.

A couple of occasions you have referenced there's big real estate here, and this is something that really rubs me and my other owners.

Myself and 14 other people own the stable on 52nd Street.

All of us are carriage medallion owners, and the other two stables are owned by people who own carriage medallions.

And we bought our land because we wanted it and we needed it and we didn't buy it to sell it.

And that is rubbing a lot of people the wrong way nowadays, especially since the whole rezoning took place.

And our...

is not to give up our land, ever.

And that's, I don't know how many times I've heard about big real estate.

We're not interested in big real estate.

We are interested in providing carriage rides in Central Park, and we're not interested in being fobbed off with some stories, because the day you sell your land is the day you...

Are finished.

I hear that, but there was a family apparently that is interested that we heard earlier.

The family that's interested sold their stable 10 years ago.

So it was 10 years ago that they sold it?

Yes.

Okay, thank you.

Councilmember Wilson.