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At
the Taxi Commission
The Taxi Commission meets the second and fourth Tuesdays
of each month at 6:30 p.m., in room 400 of City Hall. Special meetings
may be scheduled as needed. The following is a summary of significant
commission proceedings at recent meetings:
April
25
The Commission elected cab company representative Martin Smith as its
president. The election followed the death of former President Arthur
Jackson,
who died the weekend of April 8.
It took no action on proposed legislation by Supervisor Fiona Ma to
eliminate the gate cap and add a $1 fuel surcharge to the meter.
May
9
Carmen Kern, supervisor of Weights and Measures, gave an overview of
the department’s policies and practices.
The commission discussed a letter from State Insurance Compensation
Fund (State Fund) on taxi driver eligibility for workers’ comp
insurance, continuing the discussion to a future meeting.
May
23
The commission approved sending a letter to the Department of Parking
and Traffic requesting taxi stands in Golden Gate Park.
It asked the executive director to prepare two draft resolutions on
forming a working group to discuss a health care plan for cab drivers.
June
13
The commission approved a resolution urging the Board of Supervisors
to change the Park Code to allow cab drivers to pick up at cab stands
or roadways in Golden Gate Park and urging the Recreation and Park Commission
to support a taxi stand in the Concourse area.
It approved the revocation of a driver’s permit held by Lahcen
Chnaf for unlawfully performing taxi services in San Francisco while
driving an out-of-town cab.
It approved a resolution Supporting Mayor Gavin Newsom’s proposal
to increase street repair funding.
It approved a resolution urging the state legislature to pass AB2600,
extending diamond lane privileges to inherently low-emission vehicles
(ILEV), including most vehicles that run on compressed natural gas (CNG),
from its current expiration on Jan. 2, 2008 to Jan. 1, 2013.
June
27
Todd Reidstrom, Director of Budget and Analysis for the Controller’s
Office, gave a presentation on the controller’s report on cab
company financial statistics.
The commission adopted a resolution on forming a working group to make
recommendations for a taxi driver health care plan.
It decided in closed session to dismiss Executive Director Heidi Machen.
(See p.1.)
July
11
Two new mayoral appointees attended their first meeting as taxi commissioners:
Richard Benjamin, who replaced Martin Smith as the cab company representative,
and Tom Oneto, who replaced Mary McGuire as the labor representative.
A third new appointee, Malcom Heinicke, who replaced the late Arthur
Jackson as neighborhood representative, was unable to attend on account
of a prior commitment. Acting Executive Director Tristan Bettencourt
represented commission staff owing to the dismissal of Executive Director
Heidi Machen at the commission’s June 27 meeting. (See p.1.)
The commission discussed a proposal to make the Department of Public
Health responsible for driving requirement accommodations under the
Americans with Disabilities Act, continuing the item to a future meeting.
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