By Daniel Wiessner
ALBANY, N.Y., Dec 27 (Reuters) - The New York Court of
Appeals has agreed to review a decision that blocked Mayor
Michael Bloomberg's plan to raise $1.4 billion for New York City
by selling 2,000 new taxi medallions.
In a rare move, the state's top court will hear the appeal
directly, which means it will bypass the mid-level Appellate
Division.
Three taxi groups in May sued to overturn the plan, saying
it would destroy the livelihoods of thousands of taxi drivers.
In August, Acting Justice Arthur Engoron found that the
Bloomberg administration violated the state constitution's "home
rule" provisions by asking state lawmakers, instead of the city
council, to pass the taxi plan.
On Thursday, the Court of Appeals released a letter dated
Dec. 14 in which Deputy Clerk Richard Reed said the court would
hear the matters in late April or early May.
Bloomberg, a political independent, is relying on the sale
of the new medallions to raise $635 million in 2013, his last
year in office, and more than $800 million in 2014 and 2015.
The attorneys involved were not immediately available for
comment. A Bloomberg spokesman did not immediately respond to a
request for comment.
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