The battle over the bill to expand street-hail cab service to the outer boroughs was good for one group of New Yorkers — the bill’s sponsors.
Filings show that Mayor Bloomberg quietly donated $4,100 apiece to the campaign committees of Carl Heastie (D-Bronx), Guillermo Linares (D-Manhattan) and Karim Camara (D-Brooklyn), key allies in his plan.
“As we’ve often said, the mayor doesn’t hesitate to support those who support New York City,” said mayoral spokesman Stu Loeser.
The Livery Industry PAC also gave Heastie $3,600 and Linares $2,500, but foes of the measure — stalled by a court order that the cabs be handicap-accessible — outspent the billionaire mayor.
Public Advocate Bill de Blasio got $43,800 from the yellow-cab industry and its allies for his 2013 mayoral run.
“He was the only public official speaking out [against the plan],” said an industry source.
Assemblyman Vito Lopez (D-Brooklyn), who was in on the negotiations, received $5,000 from 11 cab companies and their affiliates.
And State Sen. Marty Golden (R-Brooklyn), who expressed reservations about parts of the plan, took in $5,000 from the Black Car Political Action Committee.