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Dispute over taxi cab licenses
Dispute over taxi cab licenses
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Taxi cab drivers, owners and riders gave their two cents to a Milwaukee Common Council committee on Friday, March 8th. They were speaking their piece because the way cabs operate in the city and the number of cabs on the street could be changing.
Alderman Bob Bauman is proposing to phase in 100 new taxi cab permits, adding to the 320 existing in the city.
"It is a classic exercise of monopoly power," said Bauman. "It's clear to me changes need to be made."
The idea of lifting the cap on taxi cab licenses has people in the industry divided.
"Lift the cap. Make it 300, 400, 500 licenses and maybe just open it. See how that works," said Mohamed Abdelrahim, whose father lost his cab for speaking out in favor of the changes.
"More tags on the street. The less money in their pockets. 2012 was the worst year for the taxi business for the last three to four years," said Red Christensen of the Association of Taxi Cab Owners.
One of the biggest proposed changes would stop cab owners from leasing their taxis to drivers. The only cabs on the street would be driven by owners and their employees.
The proposal will now head to the Common Council's Public Safety Committee. If it passes of out there, it will go to the full council for a vote.
The city is also separately facing a lawsuit brought by cab drivers.