De La Rosa questions administration on banning other tourism industries

Thank you, Chair.

First, I want to thank the Chair and the Speaker for their leadership on this issue, certainly one that is important for us to be taking up today.

I'm the former Labor Chair of this Council, and so last session we had a spirited discussion around labor protections, and it is a part of the bill that I am interested in us digging into.

Would you agree, Commissioners, that

the horse-drawn carriage industry is part of the tourism industry in New York City.

I think historically it's been a part of the tourist industry in New York City, yes.

Even including in new outreach materials that we've developed at the agency pursuant to council legislation, we've incorporated information on horse-drawn carriages.

Great.

And I want to also join the choir of council members.

I think all of us are reeling over the death of Roma and his family's pain is something that we all feel.

A lot of us here on the council are parents.

Those of us that aren't parents can certainly see the pain and the anguish in these families'lives after this incident.

I want to ask you, however, about other families that have experienced similar deaths in New York City due to tourism-related activities.

In April 10, 2025, a sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Hudson, and six tourists in New York City were killed.

In July 2021, a pedicab driver was hit by an SUV.

The pedicab driver passed, and the two people who were in the pedicabs were injured.

Would the administration also be in favor of banning those industries as they exist today in New York City?

Thank you for the question, Councilmember.

You know, I think to answer your question directly, this is not something we're prepared to talk to you about today or not something that we've been presented on to discuss.

I don't think we're there yet necessarily with those industries, albeit I think we're open to any types of reforms.

I could say to the pedicab industry, for example.

I think when it comes to horse-drawn carriages, I think your initial question, is it a part of the tourist industry in New York City?

Yes.

I think what this hearing is about is should it be, and our position is that it should not be.

Ultimately, there's a tragic death, and I'm a father as well, and I can't imagine the pain that this family is feeling right now.

And on top of that, there's been deaths of animals, and it's seemingly happening every year.

After robust efforts that many administrations have made to try and reform this industry, I think we are past the point of reform of the industry, and we're now at a place of looking to wind down the industry,

keeping in mind the livelihoods of workers and how we can phase those out responsibly as well.

I appreciate your response.

I would urge us to also look at those other industries because one death is one too many, whether it's a human death, an animal death, a person on a helicopter's death.

You know, all of these people come to New York City to take advantage of the amenities that New York City have to offer.

And these activities have been part of the...

cultural and touristic experiences of people who come all over the world to visit our city.

So as we look to reform this industry, we should also be taking a look at those other industries.

I know Gail is brave and will get in a pedicab, but if an accident happens,

two years from now in a pedicab in Central Park, then we will be in the same position.

And I maintain that if previous administrations would have done what they needed to do, in 2026 we would not be here having this conversation once again.

It's easy to say we could have passed a bill one year ago.

We could have passed a bill 10 years ago.

And still here we are in 2026.

So it is on all of us as we legislate to also look at what future industry issues could arise so that we're not creating a situation where we're ending one industry in exchange for another industry that is equally unsafe.

DCP, I should say, has never shied away from a hard conversation about what we have to do in the city to improve outcomes for New Yorkers.

And in particularly, I would just stress that the ethos of our agency is to deliver concrete outcomes that improve the lives of New Yorkers.

So if that's a conversation that the council wants to have about those industries that we regulate in particular, I am quite willing to have that conversation.

Great.

I appreciate it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Feliz.