Central Park carriage horses likely have at least one more stop left after ban: a courtroom

The controversy over New York City's Central Park horse carriage ban won't end with with the passage of legislation. 

The next stage of the horse carriage debate will play out in court. 

Transport Workers Union President John Samuelsen thinks their lawsuit to stop the ban has a shot in court. He says the bill "is a trainwreck of constitutional and due process violations." 

The key argument, they claim, is that the bill illegally takes away their property - their carriage medallions, for example - without adequate compensation. That cost could be in the millions. 

The drivers had to pay as much as $400,000 for each medallion. The 68 medallions are worth about $25 million. The drivers say there's nothing that guarantees they will be made whole for their medallions, horses and carriages. 

A lawsuit can tie up the legislation for years. For example, the City Council passed a bill in 2019 to outlaw the sale of foie gras within city limits. Seven years later, it's still in the courts, and foie gras is still being sold in New York City. 

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has said adequate compensation would need to be worked out, which could mean the city might have to pay out tens of millions of dollars. 

Animal rights groups have fought for more than 20 years to get the ban passed. Former City Council Speaker Christine Quinn lost to Bill de Blasio in her bid to become mayor because she supported the industry. 

If the courts tie up the legislation long enough, the union could seek to have the next Council pass a bill undoing the ban. The next Council election is in November, 2029.