By Rebecca Henely
A plan to allow travelers to hail certain livery cabs in the outer boroughs passed the state Senate Friday with mixed support from the taxi advocacy groups and the Queens delegation, but as of Tuesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo had yet to sign the bill, which passed the state Assembly last week.
Bringing a cab service that can make on-street pickups to the outer boroughs and Upper Manhattan has been a priority for Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who first announced his plan during his State of the City speech in January.
Under the legislation 30,000 permits will be issued for livery cabs to pick up passengers exclusively in those counties and Upper Manhattan and will also allow the sale of 1,500 yellow taxi medallions, 569 of which will be for vehicles that are handicapped-accessible. The state Legislature, which regulates the industry, passed the bill by a vote of 113-28 in the Assembly and 40-21 in the Senate.
“This legislation would substantially improve the ability of city residents and visitors to get where they need to go quickly and easily,” said Assemblyman Francisco Moya (D-Jackson Heights), Queens’ only co-sponsor of the bill.
The plan has won supporters in Taxi and Limousine Commissioner David Yassky and Uniformed Firefighters Association President Steve Cassidy. Cassidy lobbied the Legislature to authorize the special liveries as revenue that would help keep open 20 firehouses threatened with closure across the city, the New York Post reported. The New York Taxi Workers Alliance is also in favor of the plan.
But the bill has been denounced by the Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade, which said the livery cabs will poach fares from the yellow medallion taxi drivers. The organization vowed to lobby Cuomo to veto the bill.
“The yellow taxi industry will stop at nothing to fight and protect its hard-earned exclusive right to pick up street hails including any and all necessary action in the courts,” The Board of Trade said.
Queens representatives remained split on the issue in both houses. In the Assembly, Moya, Jeffrion Aubry, Barbara Clark, Michael DenDekker, Andrew Hevesi, Rory Lancman, Marge Markey, Grace Meng and David Weprin voted for the legislation. Assembly members Edward Braunstein, Vivian Cook, Cathy Nolan, Aravella Simotas and Michael Miller voted against. Assemblyman William Scarborough was excused from voting.
In the Senate, Jose Peralta and Malcolm Smith voted for the legislation while Joe Addabbo, Tony Avella, Shirley Huntley and Toby Stavisky voted against.
Reach reporter Rebecca Henely by e-mail at rhenely@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4564.
