Milwaukee County Supervisors Weishan and Stamper Praise Board Veto Overide of Taxicab Resolution
Measure Designed to Lower Costs and Increase Service, Especially in Under-Served Areas
(MILWAUKEE) – Milwaukee County Supervisors John Weishan Jr. and Russell Stamper II today praised the Milwaukee County Board’s veto override of a measure requiring the County Executive to negotiate an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County for the regulation of taxicab service.
The Board voted 14-4 to override the County Executive’s veto of the measure on Thursday.
Weishan, vice-chairman of the County Board’s Transportation, Public Works and Transit Committee, said the measure was designed to lower costs of taxicab service while increasing service, especially in under-served areas.
“This is the first step toward better taxicab service in all of Milwaukee County,” Weishan said. “The County Executive will now be required to open negotiations with the City of Milwaukee. We believe that through intergovernmental cooperation we can better serve the public, increase the availability of taxicabs and cut costs.”
Stamper said that the County Executive was incorrect in his contention that the County does not have authority to regulate taxicabs.
“In fact, this move will help Milwaukee County become more compliant with what the court has already ruled,” Stamper said. “The County Executive’s interpretation of the law is flawed.”
On April 16 a Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge ruled that the City of Milwaukee’s taxicab ordinance, which set a cap on taxicab permits, violated the State’s constitution. Judge Jane Carroll said that limits on the number of taxicabs were arbitrary, anti-competitive and unconstitutional. On April 25, the County Board adopted a resolution supporting a City of Milwaukee Common Council measure seeking to repeal the city’s cap on issuing new taxicab permits. Abele signed that County Board resolution on May 2.
Under the resolution, negotiations between the City and County would be completed by December 31, 2013, and would be implemented by June 1, 2014.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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