The amendment gives permission for police officers to order unlicensed taxis to be towed and impounded, and makes the owner liable for towing and storage costs. A similar ordinance amendment failed in December, to the relief of drivers and owners of North Plainfield taxis that are not licensed to operate in Plainfield. See Plaintalker's report here.
Dec. 12, 2016 City Council meeting
The December vote fell short of the four needed to pass. The council vote was 3-3, with Barry Goode, Rebecca Williams and Cory Storch saying "yes" and Tracey Brown, Bridget Rivers and Diane Toliver saying "no." Gloria Taylor was absent. After the crowd left the building, Soria Taxi supporters cheered and honked horns outside to celebrate.
Since then, the council make-up has changed, as winners of the November general election have been sworn in. Williams, formerly the Second & Third Wards at-large representative, is now the Citywide at-large member, replacing Brown. Charles McRae has replaced Gloria Taylor in the Third Ward. Joylette Mills-Ransome has been appointed to replace Williams. There is now a majority favorable to the administration that sought the amendment, which reads as follows:
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
The agenda-fixing session is 7:30 p.m. in City Hall Library, 515 Watchung Ave. If there is a consensus to move the amended ordinance, MC 2017-10, to the agenda, it will be up for a vote on Feb. 13. That meeting is 8 p.m. in Municipal Court, 325 Watchung Ave.
--Bernice
Soria has planned for this by removing the large SORIA from the side of the car. Grey Taxi is also in violation. Although they are "North Plainfield" businesses, how much of their business is from N Plainfield?
ReplyDeleteTaxis are a thing of the past, UBER is the way to go! no waiting outside for a driver you can track them right on your phone, cheaper rates than the taxis, much cleaner vehicles, rating system and driver info right there, even tells you the fare beforehand.
ReplyDeleteUBER is for a different demographics than Plainfield and N. Plainfield taxis.
DeletePublic Nuisance
ReplyDeleteThe term public nuisance covers a wide variety of minor crimes that threaten the health, morals, safety, comfort, convenience, or welfare of a community. Violators may be punished by a criminal sentence, a fine, or both. A defendant may also be required to remove a nuisance or to pay the costs of removal. For example, a manufacturer who has polluted a stream might be fined and might also be ordered to pay the cost of cleanup. Public nuisances may interfere with public health, such as in the keeping of diseased animals or a malarial pond. Public safety nuisances include shooting fireworks in the streets, storing explosives, practicing medicine without a license, or harboring a vicious dog. Houses of prostitution, illegal liquor establishments, Gaming houses, and unlicensed prizefights are examples of nuisances that interfere with public morals. Obstructing a highway or creating a condition to make travel unsafe or highly disagreeable are examples of nuisances threatening the public convenience.
A public nuisance interferes with the public as a class, not merely one person or a group of citizens. No civil remedy exists for a private citizen harmed by a public nuisance, even if his or her harm was greater than the harm suffered by others; a criminal prosecution is the exclusive remedy. However, if the individual suffers harm that is different from that suffered by the general public, the individual may maintain a tort action for damages. For example, if dynamiting has thrown a large boulder onto a public highway, those who use the highway cannot maintain a nuisance action for the inconvenience. However, a motorist who is injured from colliding with the boulder may bring a tort action for personal injuries.
Some nuisances can be both public and private in certain circumstances where the public nuisance substantially interferes with the use of an individual's adjoining land. For example, Pollution of a river might constitute both a public and a private nuisance. This is known as a mixed nuisance.
I would rather see our Police Officers out there solving the murders in the city. Stop the violence and other crimes then the taxi wars
ReplyDelete