The line judge has ruled: It’s out of bounds for city politicians and employees to take luxury seats compliments of the US Open.
The US Tennis Association yanked all invitations to elected city officials and city employees last week because the Conflict of Interest Board quietly ruled that they can’t accept the freebies, The Post has learned.
The perk — doled out for decades — usually lands officials in choice seats for whatever match they choose.
This ethics volley came after The Post first reported this month that state lawmakers had to ditch their complimentary tickets.
The state Ethics Commission nixed the perk after state Sen. Tony Avella (D-Queens) called the practice to light.
USTA officials declined to comment yesterday and refused to release the brief letter they sent city lawmakers and employees on Friday.
But good-government advocates hailed the end of string-pulling for city pols.
“I think that privileges given to elected officials similar to these free tickets are out of line,” said Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York.
“If an elected official wants to go, they should pay their way.”
In the past, most of the Queens delegation of the City Council — including Comptroller John Liu when he was a councilman — as well as and Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan) and Parks Department bigwigs and workers have attended the Open.
The average price of the tickets is up to $1,000, sources said.
Officials such as Quinn and Councilman Peter Vallone (D-Queens) have attended for free — with a 2008 clearance from the conflicts board.
Both lawmakers now say they have no beef with the ethics enforcement.
“That’s the way the tennis ball bounces,” Vallone said.
And Quinn insisted she wasn’t going to take any tickets this year, because the USTA has business before the council.
“In light of the fact that the USTA, for the first time since she became speaker, will have a pending land-use application and because the USTA will have business before the council, Speaker Quinn will not accept complimentary tickets to the US Open,” said Quinn’s spokesman, Jamie McShane.
Although he’s speaking at opening night tonight in Flushing Meadows, Mayor Bloomberg hasn’t taken advantage this perk of office, sources said.
Additional reporting by David K. Li