Among items up for a vote at the Nov. 1 City Council meeting, one ordinance targets out-of-town taxis that compete with city-licensed cabs and another aims to slow traffic on East Second Street to 25 miles per hour.
The combined agenda-fixing/regular meeting is 7 p.m. Tuesday at Clinton Elementary School, 1302 West Fourth Street.
In 2014, the owner of Soria Taxi asked the council to reconsider a ban on his cabs, but a city taxi owners' group is adamantly opposed and protested at the Oct. 11 council meeting (reported by Dan). The proposed change in the taxi ordinance allows for outside taxis to be taken off the road:
(e) Any vehicle operating in violation of this chapter shall be deemed a nuisance and a
menace to the safe and proper regulation of traffic, and any Police Officer upon his
or her discretion, may provide for the removal of that vehicle. The owner shall bear
the costs of removal and storage which may result from such removal before
regaining possession of the vehicle
Measures so far have not deterred Soria from picking up passengers in Plainfield, opponents allege, saying the owner just considers fines part of the cost of doing business. The ordinance amendment will have to pass on two readings before taking effect.
The other ordinance change limits speed on East Second Street. I did not attend the Oct. 11 meeting and heard no discussion of the need for a 25 mph rule, but I do know the street narrows as it goes east. It is a bus route and I have seen it become a tight squeeze when two 59 buses must pass each other.
East Second Street
(a) 25 MPH from the center of Park Avenue to the center of Roosevelt Avenue;
(b) 25 MPH from the center of Roosevelt Avenue to the easterly Plainfield Line
(Terrill
Road).
The agenda also includes a discussion item regarding "Loitering & Public Nuisance" at Park Avenue and West Seventh Street.
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This is a difficult legal issue . As there isn't really a law prohibiting loitering in most of New Jersey. People have a right to peaceful assembly. And would this ordinance if it become one apply to other parts of the downtown area? Striving for peace, progress and prosperity for all
ReplyDeleteWould that be peaceful assembly for a cause, or hanging in front of one’s business just because?
Deletemove the liqour store out that location and that will make a big difference in that neibourhood.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many pressing issues in Plainfield as it relates to quality of life, safety and code enforcement, that the taxi issue seems like such petty nonsense. It's a free-market, let them compete. There certainly seems to be sufficient business for everyone, why limit service?
ReplyDeleteLet the Plainfield cab owners get their businesses in order like providing clean cabs, hiring respectful individuals that they can train to properly communicate (so you don't end up going on their 10 stop spree before you get to your final destination) and adherence to an orderly queue process at places like the train stations, no speeding and "so on and so forth".
Time could be better spent lighting a fire under some of the folks at City Hall who are not doing the best job they can when it comes to issues like code enforcement who should be out and about on a daily basis writing up summonses and penalizing home owners and slum lords who fail to maintain their properties.
Priorities folks!
Couldn't agree more - this is an issue that is purely being resolved to "protect" the local cab company. I think the council should look at this from the perspective of what direction gets the best result for the customers (i.e. citizens). Giving the local cab company some competition might be good for them and it might make the entire thing more cost effective for their clients.
DeleteI still wonder why we are banning legitimate taxi companies from picking up in Plainfield. I can understand to fly-by-night taxis. Sounds illegal to me. This goes against Democratic and American free market ideals. The City Council needs to explain the need for this to me.
ReplyDeleteFollow the money contributions to public officials
DeleteSoria floods Plainfield with taxis. They have created a larger fleet than all 4 Plainfield taxi companies combined so that they can take advantage of driving our residents without paying taxes or license fees to our city. They show a disregard for the laws of our city and they inhibit the 4 companies that do pay taxes and license fees to our municipality. The companies that are here lose money and the city loses revenue whenever Soria picks up passengers. Are they making similar complaints in Dunellen, Scotch Plains, Middlesex and other surrounding cities? No, they come to Plainfield to take advantage. They illegally pick up on corners, at the local supermarkets and stores and the city sees none of that tax revenue. I don't feel sorry for them at all.
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