HIGHTSTOWN: Controversial taxi law back to drawing board

By Amy Batista, Special Writer
   HIGHTSTOWN — The controversial taxi ordinance once again is back on the drawing board, and discussions resumed at the Monday night Borough Council meeting after months of being tabled.
   The ordinance was voted down at the May 7 council meeting after it met with opposition and loopholes were pointed out, mostly by residents during public comment sessions.
   ”We have been working on this now for eight months, four different versions,” Mayor Steven Kirson said.
   He said the council would be discussing a revised version that night, and the council planned to introduce a new version at the next meeting, July 16, at the Hightstown First Aid building.
   ”Do you want me to start the ball rolling?” said Frederick Raffetto, borough attorney.
   ”Yes, absolutely,” Mayor Kirson said.
   The ordinance first was introduced Dec. 12. Then Police Director James Le Tellier met with representatives of the various taxicab companies and drivers, which operate in the borough and East Windsor.
   May 24, a “working group” of several borough officials met in order to discuss concerns that had been raised by the public. The group consisted of Borough Administrator Michael Theokas, Borough Clerk Debra Sopronyi, Councilwoman Lynne Woods, Mr. Le Tellier and Mr. Raffetto.
   Mr. Raffetto noted he prepared two new ordinances because the group felt the provisions should be separated into two ordinances, one dealing with licensing and the other modifying various sections of “traffic” in the borough code.
   The new proposed licensing ordinance calls for a maximum of five licenses per taxicab owner with no cap on the total number of licenses. It also includes a provision that the borough could issue more if the need is shown that five is not sufficient. The last version called for a limit of four cabs per owner with a cap of 20 cabs total.
   ”The ‘working group’ believes this limit of five total licenses is reasonable, given the actual number of cab companies currently operating in East Windsor and Hightstown area,” Mr. Raffetto said.
   The ordinance also allows the borough to issue taxi licenses to the highest qualified bidder at a public auction conducted or supervised by the municipal clerk, according to Mr. Raffetto.
   ”The problem that the borough has had isn’t that there has been too many taxicab owners. It’s been that too many taxis are parking on the streets, parking in front yards and with no limits,” said Councilman Rob Thibault. “I think we need a limit.”
   He said he has reviewed many similar municipal ordinances and said Red Bank has a similar situation to Hightstown.
   Mr. Le Tellier said he has been reviewing and studying taxicab ordinances to deal with the situation in Hightstown.
   ”We only have one bus route, and we don’t have mass transit like other towns, which plays into this,” he said. “The taxi cab companies that I have been working with have been making tremendous strides to come into compliance with the laws and to modernize themselves.”
   Mr. Le Tellier said making sure taxicabs are licensed and not “gypsy” cabs are issues the Police Department is working on.
   ”They (taxicab owners) are realizing their safety is in jeopardy,” Mr. Le Tellier said.
   ”I’m more concerned that we have the ability to enforce rules,” said Councilwoman Gail Doran. “As a first step, I think we need to go with something that gives the ability to enforce some kind of regulation.”
   But Mr. Le Tellier said state law preempts municipal law when it comes to insurance, which concerned with some council members.
   The council also asked Mr. Le Tellier to consider where to put taxi stands in the borough.