Lynn war over taxi medallions continues

LYNN – A battle over taxi medallions waged on Tuesday as city councilors hesitated to hand over 10 medallions to Union Taxi despite a court order requiring them to do so.Nearly two dozen people packed the small conference room for the council’s License Committee meeting where principals in Union Taxi were hoping to receive the 10 medallions they have been seeking for nearly a year.”With all due respect, with all due respect,” said Union’s attorney John Dodge with a sweep of his arm, “these ladies and gentlemen deserve the right to operate a taxi company in the city of Lynn.”But not everyone agreed.Union Taxi went to court earlier this year after the city rejected its request for 10 medallions on the grounds that it had already issued all its medallions. In August, a judge ruled in Union’s favor, claiming that at least two other taxi companies were holding licenses but had no vehicles for them and she ordered the city take the “pocket licenses” back.City Attorney James Lamanna said later that while some cities disallow pocket licenses there is nothing in Lynn’s ordinance that prohibits them.Councilors hesitated Tuesday to reissue the medallions, however, because Union Taxi appeared before them for the third time with incomplete paperwork.”Part of our ordinance is that you have a suitable place of business,” said Councilor William Trahant. “You’ve had three different addresses. The paperwork has never been the same.”Paperwork presented Tuesday listed a company address as 329 Lynnway. Lamanna said that address is waterfront and zoning would prohibit a taxi company from locating there. Lamanna said since the city must issue the medallions by Oct. 31 or be in contempt of court he suggested they approve the request with the condition that Union Taxi come back with a suitable location.Trahant and Councilor Darren Cyr said they weren’t comfortable with that plan and attorney Dave Lesperance, representing Two Amigos Taxi, called it unfair.Lesperance argued that Union Taxi does not meet the requirements of the city ordinance. He produced what he called a time stamped letter from July in which Two Amigos requested 10 taxi medallions. He said his clients had a suitable location, cars, storage facilities and yet they were denied.Union Taxi, he said, doesn’t have a location, cars or insurance.But what it does have, Lamanna pointed out, is a judge’s decision requiring the city to turn over the licenses by Oct. 31.Dodge agreed to table the issue, promising he would come back Nov. 15 with a suitable location.”We’re talking about parking the darn cars,” he said, which caused Cyr to snap back.”Parking the darn cars?” he said, raising his voice. “A lot of people bring home those commercial vehicles and park the darn cars in neighborhoods and we have to deal with that so we want to make sure of where they are parking the darn cars.”While Dodge spoke of his clients pooling their life savings to open a business on a shoe string Lesperance reminded the council there were two other hard working business owners in the room as well who were appealing the judge’s order.”This is not fair to those two hard working Lynn guys over there,” he said, indicating his clients.Councilor Wayne Lozzi tabled the issue to Nov. 15 when Dodge promised he would return with a location.”That was fun, wasn’t it?” he asked the council as it closed the hearing. “I thought that was fun.”Chris Stevens can be reached at [email protected].